Black smoke has again risen from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, meaning cardinals have been unable to elect a new pope in the latest round of voting.
The black smoke at about 10.50am UK time on Thursday morning was the result of the second round of voting on the next pope.
The first round took place on Wednesday afternoon, when the 133 eligible cardinals gathered in the famous Sistine Chapel to elect a successor to the late Pope Francis.
A two-thirds majority is needed, or 89 votes, for a new leader of the Catholic Church to be elected.
White or black smoke, signalling whether a pope has been elected or not, is expected again by 6pm UK time, but it could be as soon as 4.30pm, after the first round of votes in the afternoon session.
According to Italian newspaper La Repubblica, an estimated 11,000 where in St Peter’s square on Thursday morning as they awaited results from the conclave.
The cardinals, who have come from all over the world for the ancient process to elect the pope, will be breaking up for lunch now before returning to the Sistine Chapel for another vote on Thursday afternoon.
Conclave live: It’s black smoke again as cardinals divided on new pope after third ballot
India-Pakistan live: Pakistan says it has killed 40-50 Indian soldiers near Kashmir border in retaliation for strikes
How India and Pakistan’s militaries match up
Two votes are held every morning and every afternoon until a majority is reached.
But smoke only emerges from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney after the second ballot for each session.
If, however, a new pope were to be elected in the first round of a session, white smoke would emerge right after that.
Follow our channel and never miss an update
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
