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Why The Vatican Cut Phone Signal Ahead Of The Secret Conclave Vote

Published

8 months ago

May 7, 2025

Phone signal in the Vatican will be cut, and signal jammers are in place to prevent any potential leaks during the secretive Papal Conclave.

On Wednesday afternoon, 133 cardinals will file into the Sistine Chapel adorned with frescoes painted by the Renaissance master Michelangelo and have their movements and deliberations shielded from the outside world as they decide who will be the next Catholic pope.

The cardinals will also take a vow of secrecy before beginning deliberations, following a similar vow taken by the 100-odd support staff including cooks and clerics on Monday. The punishment for breaking the oath is excommunication.

But the Vatican has taken other measures to ensure no news of the deliberations inside the chapel leak out before the white smoke signal rises over the Sistine Chapel roof.

On Monday, the office of the governor of Vatican City said that cellphone towers in the world’s smallest sovereign state will be deactivated at 3pm (2pm UK time) on Wednesday.

“The signal will be restored after the announcement of the election of the supreme pontiff,” the governorate said in a statement.

Vatican technicians have prepared for the conclave by transforming the Sistine Chapel into a high-security bunker, installing a new raised floor to create a level platform with the altar, which is several steps higher than the rest of the chapel, to facilitate the cardinals’ procession

Just what may be under that temporary floor, apart from wiring for electricity and sound systems, depends on which Vatican official one talks to.

It may, or may not, be the home to jamming devices. The devices may also be near the upper windows of the chapel, which is about 68 feet (20.1m) high.

Officials have at times contradicted each other. The details, after all, are supposed to be a secret, maybe even to them.

Other security measures to make sure no one is eavesdropping or trying to get information out reportedly include film on the window to block cameras on drones and special tiles to block signals from cellphones, which are banned anyway.

At the last conclave in 2013, it was widely reported that a Faraday cage had been installed. Such devices can enhance communications security by shielding against electromagnetic fields.

The 108-acre city-state, however, is surrounded by Rome, and it was not clear if the Vatican was taking any action to block connections to phone towers just outside its walls.

The cardinals will be voting in the chapel up to four times a day. Vatican workers last week hoisted a chimney onto the chapel, which will be used for burning the ballots.

Black smoke will tell the outside world no decision has been made, white will announce that the 267th pope has been elected.

Protected ‘at all times’
Cardinals will be billeted in the Santa Marta residence, a hotel with about 130 rooms, and an adjacent older residence.

The main Santa Marta residence was cleared of its guests and long-term residents last week so security personnel could electronically sweep the area.

Its main door has been closed, and a sign has been put up telling cardinals to use a side entrance on the left, according to a recent guest who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Wi-Fi signals inside the residence were significantly weaker than normal on Monday, the person said.

Another source, a former Vatican official, said the city-state has its own systems to detect drones and receives regular assistance from Italy.

Vatican gendarmes and plainclothes Swiss Guards will escort buses that will take cardinals between the residence and the chapel. If they wish, the prelates will be allowed to walk the short distance, going around the back of St Peter’s Basilica.

“A protective envelope will be created around the cardinals at all times,” one source familiar with some of the security procedures said. “If they do decide to walk in the gardens or take a smoke outside, no one will be able to get close to them.”

Aides, including priests, cooks, cleaners, drivers and other attendants have already taken an oath “to observe absolute and perpetual secrecy” about whatever they may see or hear.

The penalty for not keeping the secret until death: automatic excommunication from the Church.

Source: Independent UK

Related Topics:Cardinals Conclave Pope Vatican

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Russia, China Afraid Of US Under My Administration — Trump

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

United States President, Donald Trump, has said Russia and China fear the United States because of the strength of his administration, arguing that American global influence is driven primarily by its military power and leadership.

Trump, in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday stated that rival powers would not take NATO seriously without the United States, claiming the alliance lacks deterrent force in the absence of American involvement.

He expressed doubts about whether NATO members would come to the aid of the US in a real crisis, despite Washington’s continued commitment to the alliance.

The president credited his leadership with rebuilding the US military during his first term and sustaining its strength, describing this as the key reason adversaries show respect and caution toward the country.

He maintained that America’s military dominance has played a central role in preserving global stability and saving lives.

Trump also argued that his administration forced NATO members to increase defence spending, saying many allies had previously failed to meet financial commitments while relying heavily on the US.

He added that his actions helped prevent further escalation in Eastern Europe and contributed to the resolution of multiple conflicts.

According to Trump, the United States remains the only nation that commands genuine fear and respect from both Russia and China, a position he attributed to his administration’s approach to defence, diplomacy, and global leadership.

“He wrote partly, “The only Nation that China and Russia fear and respect is the DJT REBUILT U.S.A. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!! President DJT.”

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Trump To Withdraw US From 66 UN, International Organisations

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

United States President, Donald Trump, has announced plans to withdraw the US from 66 United Nations and international organisations, including key global bodies focused on climate change, peace and democracy.

The decision was disclosed in a presidential memorandum released by the White House on Wednesday evening, following a review of which “organizations, conventions, and treaties are contrary to the interests of the United States.”

According to Trump, the move will see the US end its participation in the affected organisations and cut all related funding.

A list shared by the White House showed that 35 of the organisations are non-UN bodies, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Although listed as a non-UN body by the White House, the IPCC is a United Nations organisation that brings together leading scientists to assess climate change evidence and provide periodic reports to guide political leaders.

The memorandum also announced the US withdrawal from 31 UN entities, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Democracy Fund, and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), which focuses on maternal and child health.

Several of the targeted UN bodies are involved in protecting vulnerable groups during armed conflicts, including the UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.

Reacting to the announcement, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a note to correspondents on Wednesday evening that the organisation expected to issue a response by Thursday morning.

Despite repeatedly stating his desire to limit US involvement in UN forums, Trump has continued to exert influence on international decision-making.

In October last year, he threatened to impose sanctions on diplomats who formally adopted a levy on polluting shipping fuels that had already been agreed to at an earlier meeting, a move that stalled the deal for 12 months.

The Trump administration also sanctioned UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese after she released a report detailing the role of international and US companies in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

During his first term in 2017, Trump similarly threatened to cut aid to countries that supported a draft UN resolution condemning the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the US wields significant influence at the United Nations, including veto power, which it has repeatedly used to block efforts to end Israel’s war on Gaza before later mediating a ceasefire.

(Aljazeera)

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UK Supported US Mission To Seize Russian-flagged Oil Tanker – Defense Ministry

Published

2 days ago

January 7, 2026

Editor

The British Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday that it provided support to the United States in its operation to seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic.

US seized the tanker, which was being shadowed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday, after pursuing it for more than two weeks across the Atlantic as part of Washington’s efforts to block Venezuelan oil exports.

According to Britain, its armed forces gave pre-planned operational support, including basing following a US request for assistance.

The UK also said a military vessel provided support for the US forces pursuing the tanker, and the Royal Air Force provided surveillance support from the air.

Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the operation targeted a vessel with a nefarious history linked to Russian and Iranian sanctions evasion networks.

“This action formed part of global efforts to crack down on sanctions busting,” he said in a statement.

According to him, the US was Britain’s closest defence and security partner.

“The depth of our defence relationship with the US is an essential part of our security, and today’s seamlessly executed operation shows just how well this works in practice,” he added.

The British government said that the Bella-1 tanker, now renamed Marinera, is sanctioned by the US under its counter-Iran sanctions,

The MoD statement said the support was provided in full compliance with international law.