UNSC backs Guterres for 2nd term as UN chief

The United Nations Security Council yesterday backed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a second term, recommending that the 193-member General Assembly appoint him for another five years from Jan. 1, 2022, said Estonia's UN Ambassador Sven Jürgenson, council president for June. The 72-year-old former prime minister of Portugal has held the office since 2017 and faced no competitors for the next term in the job. Jürgenson said the General Assembly was likely to meet to make the appointment on June 18.