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Good morning.
This is Send7 World News in 7 minutes.
I'm Stephen Devincenzi.
Today is Monday, the 20th of October, 2025.
Starting in Europe today...
In France, thieves stole approximately nine pieces of jewellery yesterday from the Louvre, the most visited museum in the world.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described the jewellery of being of incalculable value.
The items include jewellery belonging to the last Queen of France, Maria Amalia, wife of King Louis Philippe I, and also Marie-Louise, the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.
A crown which belonged to Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, was found broken outside the museum where the robbers escaped.
Local media says that after the museum opened yesterday morning, the thieves climbed a ladder and smashed a window, took items and then escaped on motorbikes all within seven minutes.
At the time of recording this podcast, the thieves have not been found.
In Romania, an explosion in an apartment building has killed at least three people and injured 13.
Authorities have said that the explosion may have been caused by a gas leak.
In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has criticised a decision made by Aston Villa Football Club and Birmingham Police that supporters of the Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv would not be allowed to attend a game between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv in November.
Aston Villa and local authorities described the presence of Maccabi fans as as creating a high-risk situation, particularly after violence at a game in the Netherlands last November.
Starmer said that the decision was anti-Semitic and said that the police need to make sure all football fans can enjoy watching football.
In Birmingham, about 30% of people are Muslim.
However, close to the Aston Villa Stadium, more than half of people are Muslim.
Americas.
In Peru, there have been large protests over the last few days against the new president, José Jerry, who was sworn in as president just 10 days ago after the removal of Dina Boluarte.
One protester has been killed and many have been injured.
In the United States.
Organisers of the No Kings protests this weekend have said that at events across the country, almost 7 million people attended, which would be about 2 of the US population.
The protests focus on the perceived authoritarianism and corruption of President Donald Trump.
There were many speakers, including the left-wing Senator Bernie Sanders.
We don't want you or any other king to rule us.
Thank you very much.
But we will maintain our democratic form of society.
We rejected the divine right of kings in the 1770s.
We will not accept the divine right of oligarchs today.
Africa.
In Madagascar, military leader Colonel Michael Randrian Arena has been sworn in as president after he led a coup d'etat against President Andriy Rajalina last week, after three weeks of protests.
In an inauguration speech, Randrian Arena thanked the Gen Z protesters and said that his first priority would be to address water and and power shortages, which triggered the protests.
In Namibia, an outbreak of mpox has been declared in the city of Swakopmund.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is spread through physical contact and causes severe illness, including liquid-filled spots, although it doesn't often kill people.
Outbreaks can be difficult to control because people often spread it before they have symptoms.
Asia.
In Palestine, the United Nations have said that 560 tonnes of food are now entering Gaza every day.
UN spokesperson Abir Atifa said that this was progress, but it is still not all that is needed.
This weekend, both Israel and Hamas accused each other of breaking the ceasefire.
According to Al Jazeera, 11 Palestinians were killed yesterday by Israeli attacks.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said yesterday that Israel had launched airstrikes in southern Gaza after its soldiers had been attacked by Hamas.
In Bangladesh, a fire at a storage area of Dhaka International Airport on Saturday may have caused 1 billion worth of damage, according to the Bangladesh Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
In India.
The World Health Organization has issued a warning against three children's cough syrups after at least 24 deaths have been connected to the cough syrups.
Over the last, In 2022 and 2023, over 140 children in Africa and Asia were killed by contaminated cough syrup produced in India.
Since then, higher standards of testing have applied for cough syrups that will be exported, but not those used within India.
India has given factories until the end of this year to upgrade their facilities to WHO standards.
There have also been arrests of some producers.
And also in India and some other countries.
Diwali started this weekend and continues until Wednesday.
In Hinduism, Diwali is the festival of the victory of light over darkness.
Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists also celebrate Diwali with some variations.
People often celebrate Diwali with bright lights, candles, lanterns, fireworks, dancing, and feasts.
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Tomorrow, you'll be with Niall Moore.
Have a great day.