Four contenders are squaring up to succeed Antonio Guterres as leader of the United Nations, which faces unprecedented global instability, wars and its own crushing budget crisis.

Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, Costa Rican Rebeca Grynspan, and Senegal’s Macky Sall will each face grillings by 193 member states and NGOs for three hours on Tuesday and Wednesday.

It is only the second time the UN has held a public Q&A, a format created in 2016 to boost transparency.

Ultimately the five permanent members of the UN’s top body, the Security Council, hold the power, wielding vetoes over who leads the global organisation as its secretary-general.

US President Donald Trump’s envoy to the Manhattan-based UN, Mike Waltz, has warned the next chief must align with “American values and interests” and that Washington would back the best candidate — not necessarily a Latin American woman, as some countries are demanding.

All four candidates to take over the embattled UN when Guterres departs on December 31, 2026 pledge to grow trust in the bitterly divided organisation that faces financial Armageddon because of Washington’s refusal to pay its bills.

Here is a look at the contenders:

Michelle Bachelet

A Chilean socialist brutally tortured by the regime of Augusto Pinochet, Bachelet became her country’s first woman president in 2006.

She went on to be the UN rights chief, a sensitive role in which she alienated some countries, especially China, which mauled her for reporting on alleged abuses of the Uyghur people.

Bachelet, 74, has said that she is “convinced” she has the experience “to confront a moment” marked by unprecedented crises and conflicts.

She is backed by Mexico and Brazil — but Chile withdrew its backing after far-right President Jose Antonio Kast took office.

Rafael Grossi

The 65-year-old Grossi, a career diplomat, has led the International Atomic Energy Agency since 2019, propelling him into the middle of the battle over Iran’s nuclear programme as well as the Russian occupation of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

His handling of the two situations has drawn close scrutiny from the United States and Russia, which both have veto power on the Security Council.

Grossi has called for the UN to “return to its founding promise — to save humanity from the scourge of war.”

Rebeca Grynspan

Less well-known than her opponents, Grynspan — Costa Rica’s former vice president — leads the UN trade and development body UNCTAD, pulling off a diplomatic feat by brokering the Black Sea Grain Initiative between Moscow and Kyiv to allow grain exports following Russia’s invasion.

In her pitch to world leaders, the 70-year-old plays up her personal story as the daughter of Jewish parents.

She said they “barely survived” the Holocaust before emigrating to Costa Rica, stressing her attachment to the UN Charter, calling the document signed as World War II came to an end a “standing warning against the perils of dehumanisation, distrust and fragmentation.”

Macky Sall

Macky Sall, 64, is the only candidate who does not come from Latin America, from where the next UN boss should come, according to convention.

The former Senegalese president has stressed the link between peace and development in his pitch to lead the UN.

He said peace can never be “sustainable” if development is undermined “by poverty, inequality, exclusion and climate vulnerability.”

Proposed by Burundi, the current chair of the African Union, Sall is supported neither by the regional African bloc — 20 of its 55 members oppose him — nor by his own country.

Senegalese authorities accuse him of bloodily repressing violent political demonstrations that left dozens dead between 2021 and 2024.

• Suspected gunman shot dead by police after car chase.
• Shooting appears to incident of domestic violence: police.
• Official says crime scene spanning between two residences.
  

Eight children were killed in a shooting spree early Sunday in the southern US state of Louisiana, in what police said appears to have been an incident of domestic violence.

The gunman, who was not immediately identified, was fatally shot by police after a car chase, officials said.

The incident took place in the city of Shreveport, in northwestern Louisiana.

“This is a rather extensive crime scene spanning between two residences,” police Corporal Chris Bordelon told a press conference, adding that a third residence was also part of the scene being combed by investigators.

The victims ranged in age from one to 14, Bordelon said.

“Some of the children inside were his descendants,” he added.

Two other people were struck by gunfire, but their conditions were not immediately known.

The suspect carjacked a vehicle and led police on a chase before officers opened fire and the assailant was killed.

“We do believe him to be the only individual that fired gunshots at these locations,” Bordelon said, calling the incident a “domestic disturbance.”

The United States, where firearms are readily available, is a frequent scene of gun violence, with thousands of people killed every year.

“It’s a terrible morning in Shreveport and we all mourn with the victims,” Mayor Tom Arceneaux said at the press conference.

An advance team from the United States has arrived in Islamabad as Pakistan prepares to host the second round of talks between the Washington and Iran, sources said on Sunday.

Advance teams from foreign delegations have begun arriving in the country ahead of the much-anticipated talks, sources said.

Authorities in Islamabad and Rawalpindi heightened security in the federal capital, sealing off the Red Zone to traffic as Pakistan prepares to host visiting foreign delegations.

The measures follow reports about the second round of talks between delegations from the United States and Iran, reportedly scheduled next week.

In a statement, Islamabad police said that the Red Zone and Extended Red Zone will remain completely closed for all kinds of traffic until further notice due to the arrival of foreign delegations.

They advised citizens to use alternate routes and cooperate with traffic police to ensure smooth flow and security.

Further, the district administrations of Islamabad and Rawalpindi announced an immediate suspension of public and goods transport in the twin cities.

The Islamabad deputy commissioner suspended heavy transport and public transport services until further notice, without citing any reason.

“Heavy transport and public transport in the city are being suspended until further orders. Citizens are earnestly requested to cooperate with the security agencies,” the Islamabad DC posted on X.

Similarly, all private, public, and goods transport has been suspended with immediate effect in Rawalpindi. The official confirmed that further updates will be issued later.

“All private, public and goods transport in Rawalpindi is hereby suspended with immediate effect. Further updates will be shared,” the Rawalpindi DC said in his X post.

Security measures

A day earlier, the Rawalpindi police were put on high alert on the directives of City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Mahmood Hamdani.

“Rawalpindi Police have placed the city on high security alert and implemented extraordinary arrangements to ensure foolproof security in view of the movement of foreign delegations,” state-run news agency, APP, reported.

More than 10,000 police officers and personnel were deployed across the city to perform security duties, while over 600 special pickets were established with strict monitoring of all entry and exit points being done.

Special teams of Elite Commandos and trained snipers had been assigned security responsibilities, while the Elite Force, Dolphin Force, police station mobiles, and other quick response units conducted patrolling throughout the city.

Search, sweep, combing, and intelligence-based operations had also been intensified, with close monitoring and checking of suspicious individuals continuing across Rawalpindi.

Security around sensitive installations, key public and private locations and residential places of importance has been further tightened, while Safe City surveillance, CCTV cameras and modern monitoring systems are being used for round-the-clock observation.

Authorities in the twin cities had announced a two-day holiday on April 10 and 11, as Pakistan hosted the high-stakes talks between the US and Iran.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited delegations from Washington and Tehran for peace talks after brokering a two-week ceasefire between the two sides on April 8.

The Middle East conflict began on February 28, following joint strikes by the US and Israel against. The scope of the conflict quickly spread as Tehran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz and launched retaliatory attacks against Israel and US bases across the Gulf region.

After agreeing to the PM Shehbaz-facilitated ceasefire, the two sides held negotiations in Islamabad on a wide range of disputes. However, the talks could result in an agreement for a permanent end to the conflict.

However, Pakistan continued its marathon efforts to help resolve longstanding disputes between the two sides, including COAS-CDF Field Marshal Asim Munir’s visit to Tehran, where he met Iran’s top political and military leadership.

A day after CDF Munir’s visit, Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz open, citing the agreement of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

However, the country blocked the waterway again, citing Washington’s naval blockade of Iranian ports as the reason.

Despite lingering issues, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said talks with Washington have seen “progress,” but “many gaps and some fundamental points remain.”

“We are still far from the final discussion,” said Ghalibaf in a televised address earlier today.

US President Donald Trump has also said that “very good conversations” were going on with Iran, but warned Tehran against trying to “blackmail” Washington.