Headline

All To Know Ahead Of Conclave To Elect New Pope

Published

4 months ago

April 29, 2025

Cardinals from around the world will meet under Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel on May 7 to elect a new leader of the Catholic Church after Pope Francis’s death.

Dating back to the Middle Ages — when the idea of sovereigns being elected was somewhat revolutionary — the gathering, known as a conclave, has an air of mystery about it, as all participants are sworn to secrecy for life.

Here is what we know about the process:

•⁠ ⁠Where and when –

On Monday May 5, two days before the conclave, officials and staff taking part in the conclave will gather at 5:30 pm (1530 GMT) to sign an oath of secrecy.

The day itself, Wednesday May 7, will begin with a special mass at 10:00 am in St Peter’s Basilica.

The conclave begins at 4:30 pm following a prayer in the Vatican’s Pauline Chapel.

Cardinals will walk in procession to the Sistine Chapel before taking their oath of secrecy.

The conclave will last until a new pontiff is elected.

Cardinals wear different garments depending on whether they are from the Latin or Eastern churches.

Those in the Latin Church will don a “red robe with sash, rochet, mozzetta, pectoral cross with red and gold cord, ring, zucchetto (cap) and biretta”, while those in the Eastern Church wear their “own choir dress”, the Vatican said.

Each cardinal will wear an accreditation badge around his neck to help identify them as electors.

While it took almost three years to appoint Pope Gregory X in the 13th century — the longest conclave to date — modern gatherings are usually a matter of days.

Both Francis and his predecessor, Benedict XVI, were elected after two days of voting.

•⁠ ⁠Who takes part –

Only 133 of the Church’s 252 cardinals are expected to take part in the conclave, as only those aged under 80 are eligible to vote for a new pope.

There are 135 eligible voters but the Vatican announced on Tuesday that two cardinals had dropped out for health reasons.

The archdiocese of Valencia in Spain confirmed to AFP that its archbishop emeritus, Cardinal Antonio Canizares was one of those who would not attend.

Most of those — around 80 percent — allowed to vote were appointed by Francis. They hail from all corners of the globe, with many from under-represented regions.

•⁠ ⁠Secrecy and security –

The word conclave comes from the Latin for “with key”, a reference to the lockdown imposed on cardinals during the conclave.

Their deliberations are held in the strictest secrecy on pain of instant excommunication. Smartphones and any internet access are off-limits and cardinals cannot read newspapers, listen to the radio or watch TV.

The cardinals stay in the Santa Marta residence at the Vatican until they elect a new pope.

Any contact with the outside world is permitted only for “grave and urgent reasons”, which need to be confirmed by a panel of four peers.

Only cardinal electors are allowed to be present during the actual voting, although others including doctors, clerical assistants and housekeeping staff are authorised to enter at different times.

•⁠ ⁠How voting unfolds –

Cardinals hold four ballots a day — two each in the morning and afternoon — until one candidate wins two-thirds of the votes, currently 89 ballots.

At the end of each session, the ballots are burned in a special stove. With the addition of chemicals, the stove’s chimney stack emits black smoke if no one has been elected, or white smoke if there is a new pope.

If no new pope is elected after three days, cardinals take a break and hold a day of prayer and talks.

Any single Catholic adult male can be elected pope, although in practice it is almost always one of the cardinals.

Sick cardinals are allowed to cast their ballots from their beds within the Vatican.

•⁠ ⁠What happens next –

The winning candidate is asked by the Dean of Cardinals if he accepts the pontificate and, if the answer is ‘yes’, what name he chooses as pontiff.

He then retreats to a room known as the Room of Tears to put on the papal garb — three sizes of which have been left there in advance.

The new leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics then comes out onto a balcony overlooking the crowds in St Peter’s Square as a senior cardinal cries: “Habemus Papam” (We have a pope)!

AFP

Headline

David Lammy Appointed UK’s Deputy PM

Published

1 hour ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a major cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, in a move that could reshape the direction of his administration.

As part of the shake-up, David Lammy, a senior Labour figure and former Foreign Secretary, has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, taking over key roles previously held by Rayner.

The cabinet reshuffle comes at a politically sensitive time for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose leadership is under growing pressure from both within the Labour Party and the broader electorate.

The sudden resignation of Angela Rayner, a high-profile figure with strong working-class support, has exposed internal tensions and sparked concerns over the party’s unity and electoral strategy.

According to BBC News on Friday, the reshuffle is seen as a crucial test for Starmer’s leadership, especially as Rayner had been a prominent and working-class figure whose departure may weaken his appeal to core Labour voters.

Key Cabinet reassignment

-Lammy transitions from Foreign Secretary to Deputy PM and Justice Secretary.

-Yvette Cooper moves from Home Secretary to Foreign Secretary.

-Shabana Mahmood is promoted from Justice Secretary to Home Secretary.

Other notable appointments include:

-Steve Reed as Housing Secretary

-Pat McFadden as head of a newly expanded Work and Pensions department

-Douglas Alexander as Scotland Secretary

-Liz Kendall moves to Science and Technology

-Emma Reynolds becomes Environment Secretary

-Peter Kyle appointed Business Secretary

-Jonathan Reynolds named Chief Whip

-Alan Campbell becomes Leader of the House of Commons

Meanwhile, Lucy Powell and Ian Murray were removed from their cabinet roles.

Political Fallout and Internal Tensions

Labour now faces mounting political pressure. Observers note Rayner’s exit leaves a vacuum for constituents drawn to her working-class credentials, possibly intensifying internal party divisions.

Her resignation also triggers a deputy leadership contest, opening up a battleground between the party’s centrist and left-leaning factions.

Moreover, Labour’s popularity has waned, with opposition to policies on welfare and immigration increasing support for Reform UK.

Starmer’s government’s handling of economic pressures and an upcoming £40 billion budget shortfall deepen the political stakes.

Lammy Steps into Key Role at a Crucial Juncture

Lammy’s appointment is viewed as strategically significant. Known for his reform credentials and advocacy for criminal justice reform, his new position comes as Parliament prepares for the Sentencing Bill.

The Prison Reform Trust welcomed his appointment, noting the timing offers “an important opportunity to move away from the failed cycle of overcrowding and crisis management.”

This reshuffle represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of Keir Starmer’s administration. With Labour under heightened scrutiny and internal frictions rising, the effectiveness of the newly configured cabinet will be a litmus test of Starmer’s leadership, particularly as the party approaches a difficult budget season, rising populist pressures, and internal power shifts ahead of the next deputy leadership election.

Headline

Nigerian Arrested In Poland For Using Fake Residence Permit

Published

2 hours ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

Polish authorities have confirmed the arrest of a 26-year-old Nigerian citizen on charges of using a counterfeit residence document.

The individual was detained by the Polish Border Guard, known as Straż Graniczna, as part of ongoing efforts to combat irregular migration and document forgery.

This information, which was obtained by PUNCH Online on Friday, was published on the Border Guard Headquarters’ news outlet on Thursday, September 4, 2025.

The BG HQs of Poland is the central unit which services the Border Guard Commander in Chief by supporting and coordinating actions of the BG units.

The report indicated that, “the Nigerian man admitted that he ordered the document online while still in the UK, received it by post, and paid €2,000 for it.

“It turned out that the Nigerian had no legal basis for staying in Poland as he had been in the country illegally for four days.”

Consequently, the Commander of the Border Guard ordered him to leave the country within 20 days and imposed a three-year ban on entry to the Schengen Area.

In addition, he was charged under Article 270 § 1 of the Penal Code – for using a counterfeit document.

The man pleaded guilty and voluntarily submitted to the penalty, but declined to provide further explanation.

According to sources specialising in immigration law, many individuals who use these fake documents are victims of elaborate scams.

As one legal expert noted in a report, “Until the situation was clarified, Ibrahim was detained in prison.”

Law enforcement agencies across Poland have been actively working to dismantle these criminal networks.

A recent, large-scale operation supported by Europol led to the arrest of dozens of suspects and the seizure of thousands of counterfeit documents, including residence permits, visas, and other identification.

Headline

US To Cut Military Aid To European Countries Near Russia — Official

Published

2 hours ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

The United States is to end long-running military assistance for European countries close to Russia, as it pushes the continent to play a greater role in its own defence, an official in one of the countries confirmed on Friday.

“Last week, the US Defense Department informed the countries that, starting from its next financial period, funding will be reduced to zero,” the defence policy director in Lithuania’s defence ministry, Vaidotas Urbelis, told reporters.

The decision comes as US President Donald Trump struggles to end Moscow’s three-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine.

Urbelis confirmed reports in The Washington Post and The Financial Times, citing unnamed officials saying the move was part of Trump’s efforts to cut US expenditure abroad.

The FT said US officials had told European diplomats last week that Washington would no longer fund programmes to train and equip eastern European militaries along Russia’s border.

The Washington Post said the funding to be cut was worth several hundred million dollars.

In Lithuania’s case, the cuts would impact “the purchase of US weapons and other equipment, and training”, Urbelis said.

He added that it “will not have an impact on the US troop presence in the region”, which was funded through a separate US budget allocation.

A White House official said the move hewed to a January executive order Trump had signed that reevaluated US foreign aid.

“This action has been coordinated with European countries in line with the executive order and the president’s longstanding emphasis on ensuring Europe takes more responsibility for its own defence,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

Trump has long been sceptical of both US defence spending in Europe and aid for Ukraine, pushing some of Washington’s closest allies to play a greater role on both fronts.

The Lithuanian defence ministry official said that the US funding for training and equipping its military covered between a third and 80 percent of total military aid received by the country.

Estonia’s Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told the Postimees daily that he viewed the US move as “especially symbolic, in a negative way.

AFP