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How will the next UN chief be chosen and who wants the job?

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How will the next UN chief be chosen and who wants the job?


The United Nations logo adorns a window at UN headquarters in New York City, US, September 18, 2025. — Reuters

A new United Nations Secretary-General will be elected next year for a five-year term starting on January 1, 2027.

Here are the potential candidates so far and how the successor to current UN chief Antonio Guterres will be chosen:

When does the process start?

The race will formally start when the 15-member Security Council and the president of the 193-member General Assembly send a joint letter soliciting nominations.

That letter is due to be sent by the end of the year. A candidate has to be nominated by a UN member state.

The job traditionally rotates among regions, but when Guterres — who is from Portugal — was elected in 2016, it was supposed to be Eastern Europe’s turn. Next on the list is Latin America; however, some diplomats expect candidates from other regions.

Who wants to be the next secretary-general?

While the race doesn’t formally begin until the letter is sent by the presidents of the Security Council and the General Assembly, there are already several publicly declared candidates:

Michelle Bachelet

Chile will nominate the country’s former president, Michelle Bachelet, President Gabriel Boric said on September 23, 2025. Bachelet was Chile’s first female head of state and served as president of the South American nation twice. Bachelet was UN High Commissioner for Human Rights between 2018-2022 and executive director of UN Women between 2010-2013.

Rebeca Grynspan 

Costa Rica will nominate former Vice President Rebeca Grynspan, President Rodrigo Chaves said on October 8, 2025. Grynspan, a 69-year-old politician and economist, currently serves as Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Rafale Grossi

Grossi has long said he was considering campaigning to be secretary-general. When asked by Reuters on September 3, 2025 if he was definitely going to run, he said: “Yes, I am going to do that, yes.” A veteran Argentinian diplomat, Grossi is director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a role he has held since 2019.

What is the process?

The 15-member Security Council will formally recommend a candidate to the 193-member General Assembly for election as the 10th UN secretary-general later next year.

The Security Council will hold secret ballots — referred to as a straw poll — until a consensus is reached on a candidate. The choices council members are given for each candidate in the straw poll are: encourage, discourage or no opinion.

Ultimately, the five permanent veto-wielding council members — the United States, Russia, Britain, China and France — must agree on a candidate.

The ballots for the veto powers in the straw poll are traditionally a different color to those of the 10 elected members. When Guterres was chosen in 2016 to be recommended to the General Assembly, it took six straw polls for the Security Council to reach agreement.

The Security Council then adopts a resolution, traditionally behind closed doors, recommending an appointment to the General Assembly. The resolution needs nine votes in favour and no vetoes to pass.

The General Assembly’s approval of the appointment of a secretary-general has long been seen as a rubber stamp.

How transparent is the process?

The United Nations has been working to improve the transparency of the historically opaque selection process.

The General Assembly, in a resolution adopted in September 2025, said each candidate should provide a vision statement when they are formally nominated and be given the opportunity to present it. It said the vision statement should also be publicised on a dedicated United Nations web page.

The Assembly said each candidate should disclose their sources of funding and that any candidates who already hold a UN position “should consider suspending their work in the United Nations system during the campaign, with a view to avoiding any conflict of interest that may arise from their functions and adjacent advantages.”

What does the secretary-general do?

The UN Charter calls the secretary-general the “chief administrative officer” of the world body. The UN website describes the role as “equal parts diplomat and advocate, civil servant and chief executive officer.”

Guterres currently oversees more than 30,000 civilian staff and 11 peacekeeping operations with around 60,000 troops and police. The core annual United Nations budget is $3.7 billion, while the peacekeeping budget is $5.6 billion.

Since the power to authorise military force or sanctions rests with the Security Council, the UN chief has little more than a bully pulpit. Many diplomats say the five council veto powers prefer a “secretary” rather than a “general.”

Has a woman ever been secretary-general?

No. There is a growing push for the United Nations to choose the first female secretary-general in its 80-year history.

In the resolution adopted in September, the General Assembly noted “with regret that no woman has ever held the position of Secretary-General” and encouraged countries to “strongly consider nominating women as candidates.”





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Kennedy Center to close for construction for 2 years, Trump says

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Kennedy Center to close for construction for 2 years, Trump says


The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will close for approximately two years for “Construction, Revitalization, and Complete Rebuilding,” President Trump announced on Sunday.

Complete closure of the performing arts center in Washington, D.C., will start on July 4, Mr. Trump said in a social media post. The decision to fully close the center over a partial construction came after a year of review by experts, the president said.

“The temporary closure will produce a much faster and higher quality result!,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This important decision, based on input from many Highly Respected Experts, will take a tired, broken, and dilapidated Center, one that has been in bad condition, both financially and structurally for many years, and turn it into a World Class Bastion of Arts, Music, and Entertainment, far better than it has ever been before.”

The announcement comes as several high-profile performers scheduled to appear at the U.S. capital’s leading performing arts venue announced they were pulling out following Mr. Trump’s takeover. On Thursday, Mr. Trump hosted a premiere of the Melania Trump documentary “Melania” at the Kennedy Center. 

It was unclear what the renovations would entail and what exactly Mr. Trump meant by a “Complete Rebuilding.” The president last year had much of the East Wing of the White House demolished to make way for a new ballroom, the future of which is currently the subject of an ongoing lawsuit seeking to halt its construction.

Staffers at the Kennedy Center told CBS News they learned of renovation plans on Sunday evening from Mr. Trump’s social media post.

“I don’t know what any of it means,” said one senior staffer, granted anonymity because they’re not authorized to speak publicly about Kennedy Center operations. 

Mr. Trump on Sunday said the center’s closure is subject to approval by Kennedy Center board members. The president ousted a group of Kennedy Center board members last February and installed close allies as replacements, who then voted to name him chair.

In December, the center’s board voted to rename the organization as the Trump-Kennedy Center, and the president’s name was added to the exterior of the building. The move drew outrage from Democratic lawmakers, who argued the name can’t be changed without legislation because the center was created by Congress.

CBS News has reached out to the Kennedy Center for comment.  



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Timothee Chalamet reveals plans about marrying Kylie Jenner

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Timothee Chalamet reveals plans about marrying Kylie Jenner


Timothée Chalamet on marraige: ‘Yes’ 

Timothée Chalamet has offered a rare glimpse into his thoughts on marriage while addressing his relationship with girlfriend Kylie Jenner, and his response quickly caught fans’ attention.

During a recent fan interaction captured in footage shared on Sunday, Feb. 1, the actor was first asked if he currently has a girlfriend. 

Chalamet answered plainly, “Yes.” 

When the question turned more personal and he was asked whether he sees marriage in his future, the 30-year-old appeared momentarily taken aback before replying, “Wow. That’s so personal. You’re gonna get me in trouble, man. Yes.”

The exchange drew laughs and cheers from the crowd. 

When the interviewer jokingly asked if everyone could attend the wedding, Chalamet played along, asking, “Who is we? The whole crowd?” before the interviewer suggested it might be safer to say no.

Chalamet and Jenner, 28, have been together since early 2023 and have largely kept their relationship private. 

In recent months, however, the couple has been more visible, stepping out together at major events. 

In December 2025, they appeared side by side in matching orange leather looks at the premiere of Chalamet’s film Marty Supreme.

Their joint appearances continued into awards season. 

The couple attended both the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globe Awards together, where Chalamet won Best Actor for his performance in Marty Supreme

During his Critics Choice acceptance speech, he publicly acknowledged Jenner, saying, “Thank you to my partner of three years. Thank you for our foundation. I love you. I couldn’t do this without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Days later, while accepting his Golden Globe, Chalamet again mentioned Jenner as he reflected on gratitude and support in his life. “For my parents, for my partner, I love you. Thank you so much,” he said.

Behind the scenes, the relationship appears to be just as serious. 

An insider previously told Us Weekly that the pair are “very serious” and have “talked about getting engaged this year,” adding that Jenner sometimes jokes Chalamet is “already her husband.” 

The source also described their dynamic, noting, “Kylie definitely runs the show, and Timothée loves it… It is a great balance between both of their personalities, and it works.”

Chalamet has also formed a bond with Jenner’s children, Stormi, 8, and Aire, 3, whom she shares with ex Travis Scott. 

Another source shared that the kids “love him,” adding that while Jenner took time before introducing them, “now things are very normal, and he spends a lot of time with them.”

While Chalamet didn’t reveal any concrete plans, his candid response suggests that marriage is something he’s thought about, and fans are paying close attention.





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Kylie Jenner reunites with Travis Scott for their kids’ joint birthdays

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Kylie Jenner reunites with Travis Scott for their kids’ joint birthdays


The former couple are parents to Stormi, 8, and Aire, 4

Kylie Jenner reunited with her ex-boyfriend Travis Scott over the weekend to celebrate their kids’ back-to-back birthdays.

The SICKO MODE rapper went all out as he took charge of the birthday celebrations for Stormi, who turned eight years old on February 1, and Aire, who turns four the very next day. 

Videos and photos from the birthday bash shared online showed a lavish fantasy land partly inspired by Travis’ Astroworld, with custom signs reading “Stormi World” and “Planet Aire” scattered throughout the venue. The proud dad even designed giant inflatable versions of his children’ s heads modeled after his iconic Astroworld mask at the venue’s entrance.

Inside the sprawling venue was a desert-themed fantasy land complete with full-scale carnival rides, including a pink roller rink and a diner. One sweet moment showed Stormi skating around an indoor roller rink while Travis stayed close, holding her hand and helping her keep her balance.

Kylie was also hands-on throughout the party, joining Travis to sing “Happy Birthday” to both kids as they stood in front of the elaborate setup.

Among the attendees was Kylie’s sister Khloe Kardashian, who shared snaps from the bash to her Instagram Stories.

Kylie Jenner reunites with Travis Scott for their kids joint birthdays

Kylie Jenner reunites with Travis Scott for their kids joint birthdays

The children’s grandmother, Kris Jenner, also took to Instagram to pay a special tribute. “Happy birthday to my precious Stormi and Aire! You are both loved beyond measure, and you make our world brighter every single day. Happy birthday my angels!” the matriarch wrote.

Notably missing from the festivities was Kylie’s current boyfriend, Timothée Chalamet, who did not appear in any photos or videos from the event.

Kylie and Travis, who dated on and off from 2017 until 2023, once again showed that when it comes to Stormi and Aire, they’re a united front.





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