Cardinals began the papal conclave at the Vatican's Sistine Chapel to select a new pope after the death of Pope Francis. What does black smoke mean?

Black smoke has poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating no pope was elected on the first ballot of the conclave to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church.

A new pope will be selected when a candidate gets a two-thirds-plus-one majority vote by the cardinal electors. White smoke will be sent up the chimney of the Sistine Chapel when that happens, to indicate a new pope has been chosen.