Seton Hall Graduate Degree in International Affairs
Seton Hall Graduate Degree in International Affairs

BLUE SMOKE: A new monthly newsletter, from PassBlue and UNA–UK, which shines a spotlight on senior appointments at the UN

Vitaly Churkin

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Vitaly Churkin, 64, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations since April 8, 2006, died on Feb. 20. A statement from the Russian mission to the UN said Churkin “died suddenly.” It added curtly: “A prominent Russian diplomat has passed away…

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A recent email sent out by a member of the United States Mission to the United Nations, then tweeted and possibly subtweeted, contained the following statement: This is to let you know that Ambassador Haley will be spending her…

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UPPER BROOKVILLE, N.Y. — Not long after the United States abruptly ordered all Russians to leave an estate that Moscow owns in Upper Brookville, Long Island, the village was recovering from the whirlwind that swept through it right before…

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Right off the bat, the profile avatar of the @eweNitedNations Twitter account lets readers know what to expect in its mordantly satirical jabs at the United Nations Security Council. A sheep, photoshopped into wearing the blue beret of UN…

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António Guterres, a former Socialist prime minister of Portugal and until recently head of the United Nations refugee agency, has been selected by the Security Council to become the next secretary-general of the UN, starting a five-year term on…

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António Guterres, a former prime minister of Portugal who most recently was the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, once more dominated the latest straw poll held by the UN Security Council on selecting the next secretary-general. The five-year…

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Pope Francis spread his gospel of not forgetting the poor at the United Nations on Friday morning, where he spoke in his native Spanish to the 193 member delegations and heads of state gathered before him at the General…

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When Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution in July that called for an international tribunal to prosecute who is responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine a year ago, it was the latest…

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A roundup of new high-level appointments announced by the United Nations in the last three months runs the usual gamut from special envoys to new heads of agencies. These new senior appointments, made by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, show a…

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Has Russia put the kibosh on the chances that the next secretary-general of the United Nations will be a woman? As Vitaly Churkin walked ramrod-straight in his dark suit to a working-group discussion at the UN on the process…

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Russia and China have once again blocked a United Nations Security Council resolution on Syria. The latest resolution, proposed with great consideration by France and co-sponsored by 65 countries, including the United States, was to take a long-awaited, assertive…

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Facing near-unanimous Security Council support over the situation in Ukraine, Russia supplied the single veto needed to nix a resolution that aimed to de-legitimize the scheduled referendum on Crimea’s seceding from the country, to be held March 16, in…

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Susan E. Rice, the United States ambassador to the United Nations and a member of President Obama’s Cabinet, will become the country’s national security adviser, replacing Tom Donilon, 58, who has resigned, as expected. Rice’s new position will not…

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Thousands of women worldwide flock to the Commission on the Status of Women’s conference at the United Nations every March, and this year is no exception, for good reason: the theme is eliminating and preventing all violence against women…

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A day after the United Nations Security Council refused to adopt a British-sponsored resolution that would have sanctioned the Syrian government if fighting persisted, the council agreed unanimously to renew the mandate of the UN mission in the country…

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Seton Hall Graduate Degree in International Affairs

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