Gorbachev to visit Albania

TIRANA, Nov. 20 – Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, whose reforms emphasizing change and openness helped lead to the fall of Communism, will visit Albania to hand over the winning medal of the women chess champion.
Indian Koneru Humpy is playing a 10-game series with defending champion Hou Yifan of China in the Women’s World chess championship held in Albanian capital Tirana.
Chinese 17-year-old was taken to the hospital this week. The doctors checked her medical condition and diagnosed it was a psychological problem as the tests revealed nothing conclusive.
the chess final is held in the capital following efforts of the Albanian chess federation head, Rezart Taci, an oil magnate in the tiny western Balkan country.
He also managed to convince Gorbachev come to Tirana Nov. 30.
Gorbachev’s policies of perestroika and glasnost brought the democratic changes that led _ against his will _ to the 1991 Soviet collapse.