Melania Trump to preside over UN Security Council meeting, White House says

South China Morning Post · Feb 26, 2026 · Collected from RSS

Summary

Full Article

United States first lady Melania Trump is set to chair a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York on Monday, the White House announced, marking the first time a spouse of a serving world leader has done so.“First lady Melania Trump is set to make history at the United Nations, taking the gavel as the United States assumes the Security Council Presidency to emphasise education’s role in advancing tolerance and world peace,” the White House said.The US assumes a monthly rotating UN Security Council presidency in March, with each of its 15 members serving for one calendar month.The rotation is based on the English alphabetical order of their country names, with the United Kingdom holding the presidency in February. Bahrain will hold office in April and China in May.Monday’s session, titled “Children, Technology, and Education in Conflict”, will also be the first time any US first lady has presided over the council. This is a departure from usual practice, as a nation’s ambassador or high-level official typically presides over the council.Melania Trump's fashion diplomacy during her China visitMelania Trump's fashion diplomacy during her China visitUS Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, is expected to attend the March 2 meeting, along with members of the United Nations Security Council and international stakeholders.

Share this story

Read Original at South China Morning Post

South China Morning Post11 minutes ago

What does Taiwanese leader William Lai’s rare ‘mainland China’ reference mean?

Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s rare reference to “mainland China” signals caution ahead of a highly anticipated Xi-Trump summit, according to analysts who say it is premature to declare a shift in his cross-strait policy. Addressing a group of Taiwanese businesspeople operating on the mainland on Tuesday, Lai used the term “mainland China” multiple times, contrasting with his frequent use of “China” in major speeches since his 2024 inauguration as the self-ruled island’s leader. During...

South China Morning Postabout 1 hour ago

Pakistan declares ‘open war’ with Afghan Taliban after morning strikes on Kabul, Kandahar

Pakistan bombed Afghanistan’s cities of Kabul and Kandahar on Friday, hours after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani border troops in what the Taliban government said was retaliation for earlier deadly air strikes. Both militaries said they killed dozens of soldiers in the border violence, which followed multiple Pakistani strikes on Afghanistan and clashes along the frontier in recent months. “Afghan Taliban defence targets were targeted in Kabul, Paktia [province] and Kandahar,” Pakistani...

South China Morning Postabout 1 hour ago

Which Hong Kong government departments get budget boosts while others face cuts?

Hong Kong’s innovation and technology (I&T), intellectual property and investment promotion departments will receive budget increases of at least 10 per cent in the coming financial year, even as the government moves to curb recurrent spending, while the environmental branch and public broadcaster face sharp cuts of 70 and 28 per cent, respectively. The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau will expand its civil service workforce by 16 per cent in 2026-27 – the largest increase among all departments –...

South China Morning Postabout 1 hour ago

Europe is ready for strategic autonomy, but at what cost?

This year’s Munich Security Conference arrived as less of a shock to Europeans, who have largely accepted that the good old days are gone for good. A few might still have got teary-eyed when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described America as eternally “the child of Europe”, but most in the audience understood the underlying message: “You are on your own now, Granny.” The difference between Rubio’s more measured phrasing and Vice-President J.D. Vance’s blunt remarks last year is largely a...

South China Morning Postabout 1 hour ago

China zoo uses old videos of dead tiger cub to seek donations, prompting demands for apologies

A Chinese zoo has been accused of using old videos of a tiger cub to attract donations after she died, triggering public controversy. The Puyang Central Zoo, a privately run zoo in Puyang city in central China’s Henan province, was reported to have been using old videos of a dead tiger cub to keep tricking “sponsorship fees” from live-stream viewers. On February 10, local authorities confirmed the case and announced its decision to suspend the zoo’s operations and place its director under a...

South China Morning Postabout 2 hours ago

Paramount poised to acquire Warner Bros after Netflix drops bid

Paramount Skydance, run by pro-Trump technology heir David Ellison, was poised to take control of Warner Bros. Discovery on Thursday after Netflix said it would not raise its takeover offer, ending one of the biggest media bidding wars in a generation. The deal puts a constellation of media properties - from CNN to Nickelodeon to HBO - under the control of the family led by Oracle tycoon and White House ally Larry Ellison. Netflix said it was “declining to match” Paramount’s latest offer after...

Melania Trump to preside over UN Security Council meeting, White House says

Full Article

Related Articles

What does Taiwanese leader William Lai’s rare ‘mainland China’ reference mean?

Pakistan declares ‘open war’ with Afghan Taliban after morning strikes on Kabul, Kandahar

Which Hong Kong government departments get budget boosts while others face cuts?

Europe is ready for strategic autonomy, but at what cost?

China zoo uses old videos of dead tiger cub to seek donations, prompting demands for apologies

Paramount poised to acquire Warner Bros after Netflix drops bid

Melania Trump to preside over UN Security Council meeting, White House says

Full Article

Related Articles

What does Taiwanese leader William Lai’s rare ‘mainland China’ reference mean?

Pakistan declares ‘open war’ with Afghan Taliban after morning strikes on Kabul, Kandahar

Which Hong Kong government departments get budget boosts while others face cuts?

Europe is ready for strategic autonomy, but at what cost?

China zoo uses old videos of dead tiger cub to seek donations, prompting demands for apologies

Paramount poised to acquire Warner Bros after Netflix drops bid

Related Articles

South China Morning Post11 minutes ago
What does Taiwanese leader William Lai’s rare ‘mainland China’ reference mean?
Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s rare reference to “mainland China” signals caution ahead of a highly anticipated Xi-Trump summit, according to analysts who say it is premature to declare a shift in his cross-strait policy. Addressing a group of Taiwanese businesspeople operating on the mainland on Tuesday, Lai used the term “mainland China” multiple times, contrasting with his frequent use of “China” in major speeches since his 2024 inauguration as the self-ruled island’s leader. During...

South China Morning Postabout 1 hour ago
Pakistan declares ‘open war’ with Afghan Taliban after morning strikes on Kabul, Kandahar
Pakistan bombed Afghanistan’s cities of Kabul and Kandahar on Friday, hours after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani border troops in what the Taliban government said was retaliation for earlier deadly air strikes. Both militaries said they killed dozens of soldiers in the border violence, which followed multiple Pakistani strikes on Afghanistan and clashes along the frontier in recent months. “Afghan Taliban defence targets were targeted in Kabul, Paktia [province] and Kandahar,” Pakistani...

South China Morning Postabout 1 hour ago
Which Hong Kong government departments get budget boosts while others face cuts?
Hong Kong’s innovation and technology (I&T), intellectual property and investment promotion departments will receive budget increases of at least 10 per cent in the coming financial year, even as the government moves to curb recurrent spending, while the environmental branch and public broadcaster face sharp cuts of 70 and 28 per cent, respectively. The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau will expand its civil service workforce by 16 per cent in 2026-27 – the largest increase among all departments –...

South China Morning Postabout 1 hour ago
Europe is ready for strategic autonomy, but at what cost?
This year’s Munich Security Conference arrived as less of a shock to Europeans, who have largely accepted that the good old days are gone for good. A few might still have got teary-eyed when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described America as eternally “the child of Europe”, but most in the audience understood the underlying message: “You are on your own now, Granny.” The difference between Rubio’s more measured phrasing and Vice-President J.D. Vance’s blunt remarks last year is largely a...

South China Morning Postabout 1 hour ago
China zoo uses old videos of dead tiger cub to seek donations, prompting demands for apologies
A Chinese zoo has been accused of using old videos of a tiger cub to attract donations after she died, triggering public controversy. The Puyang Central Zoo, a privately run zoo in Puyang city in central China’s Henan province, was reported to have been using old videos of a dead tiger cub to keep tricking “sponsorship fees” from live-stream viewers. On February 10, local authorities confirmed the case and announced its decision to suspend the zoo’s operations and place its director under a...

South China Morning Postabout 2 hours ago
Paramount poised to acquire Warner Bros after Netflix drops bid
Paramount Skydance, run by pro-Trump technology heir David Ellison, was poised to take control of Warner Bros. Discovery on Thursday after Netflix said it would not raise its takeover offer, ending one of the biggest media bidding wars in a generation. The deal puts a constellation of media properties - from CNN to Nickelodeon to HBO - under the control of the family led by Oracle tycoon and White House ally Larry Ellison. Netflix said it was “declining to match” Paramount’s latest offer after...