Vatican installs chimney atop Sistine Chapel as it gets ready for conclave
Over in the Vatican, photographers captured workers installing chimney atop Sistine Chapel this morning , ahead of the conclave that starts on Wednesday.
A member of the fire and rescue service works to set a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, ahead of the conclave, at the Vatican. Photograph: Guglielmo Mangiapane/ReutersA firefighter works on the roof of the Sistine Chapel to set a chimney, ahead of the conclave, at the Vatican. Photograph: Stoyan Nenov/ReutersAs per tradition, after each round of voting, the ballot cards are burned. Chemicals are added to make the smoke black or white. Black smoke emerging from the 60ft chimney indicates an inconclusive ballot; white smoke announces to the world that a new pope has been elected.
Morning opening: Russian attacks continue amid indications of US support for Ukraine
Russian strikes wounded more than 30 people in Ukraine overnight, AFP reported, a day after Kyiv and Washington signed a landmark minerals deal.
Rescuers work at the site of an apartment building hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Photograph: ReutersThe Russian attacks continue amid growing signs from Washington that the Trump administration will approve its first sale of military equipment to Ukraine since Donald Trump took office , in an indication that the minerals deal signed by the two countries this week may open a path to renewed weapons shipments.
The state department has certified a proposed licence to export “$50m or more” (£37.6m) of defence hardware and services to Ukraine , according to a communication sent to the US committee on foreign relations.
My colleagues Shaun Walker and Andrew Roth noted that it would mark the first permission of its kind since Trump paused all Ukraine-related military aid shortly after taking office.
Amid all of this, a sudden departure of Mike Waltz from the post of US national security adviser will prompt further questions about what to expect from the Trump administration, with state secretary Marco Rubio taking the role on an interim basis.
Elsewhere, with large parts of Europe in bank holiday weekend mode , I don’t expect too many story lines elsewhere. Still, I will bring you all the updates that matter – including on Romania’s upcoming presidential election, with the first round voting taking place this Sunday.
It’s Friday, 2 May 2025 , it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
