Vitaly Churkin, who served as Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations since 2006, "died suddenly" in New York, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced. Churkin died one day before his 65th birthday. Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador, Vladimir Safronkov, told The Associated Press that Churkin became ill in his office at Russia's U.N. mission and was taken to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, where he died Monday. His cause of death wasn't immediately known. As the AP adds, Churkin has been Russia's envoy at the United Nations for a little over a decade and was considered Moscow's great champion at the U.N. ... (full story)