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White smoke signals new pope elected

People react as white smoke (unseen) signals that cardinals elected a new pope during their conclave in the Vatican on May 8, 2025. [AFP]

White smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Vatican's Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signalling that the 133 cardinals inside have elected a new pope.

They picked a successor to Pope Francis on the second day of voting, but the world's 1.4 billion Catholics will have to wait for the official announcement from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica to learn who he is.

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