Guyana's Rodrigues Birkett leads UN secretary-general race in second straw poll

In the corridors of a institution born from the ashes of world war, a quiet ballot is reshaping who will next carry the weight of humanity's highest diplomatic office. Guyana's Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett has emerged as the narrow frontrunner in the UN Security Council's second informal straw poll, edging ahead of candidates from Costa Rica and Argentina as the world body begins its search for a successor to António Guterres, whose term ends December 31. The vote is non-binding, the path to confirmation long and shadowed by the veto power of five permanent members, yet the moment carr