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Hello, I'm Chris Barrow with the BBC News.
Health officials in southern Iraq say at least 42 people have been killed and dozens of others injured in a fire at a hospital treating coronavirus patients in the city of Nasiriya. It happened at the Al-Hussein Hospital. Steve Jackson reports. Footage shows the COVID isolation ward completely engulfed in flames, and thick clouds of smoke billowing into the sky. Reporters saw emergency teams carrying child bodies out of the building. Officials say the blaze has now been brought under control, and a search operation is being carried out. But they say many patients are missing. Police at the scene suggested the fire may have been caused by an exploding oxygen tank. A similar blaze in Baghdad in April, which killed more than 80 people, was found to have been caused by a badly stored oxygen cylinder blowing up.
Cuba's government says the mass street protests that took the country by surprise on Sunday had been planned for months on social media platforms. Dozens of dissidents, including well known journalists and artists, have been detained. Our America's editor Leonardo Rocha reports. The Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said millions of dollars had been allocated by the United States to fund opposition groups. He described those who organized the events as mercenaries who had betrayed their country. Thousands took to the streets in cities across Cuba to demand democracy on the island, and more vaccines to protect the population against the coronavirus. Many of the demonstrations were broadcast live on Facebook. The government has since cut off the internet and restricted access to the main social media platforms.
Venezuelan security forces have arrested a high profile opposition politician Freddy Guevara, accusing him of having ties with paramilitary groups linked to the Colombian government. Prosecutors say Mr. Guevara, a former member of congress, will be charged with terrorism and treason.
The French Health Minister Olivier Véran has warned that any health care workers who don't get a coronavirus vaccination will not be able to work and will not be paid. Earlier, President Emmanuel Macron announced that they had until September 15th to be vaccinated. Hugh Schofield reports. In order to beat back the Delta variant and the predicted surge in hospital cases, President Macron said the answer was vaccination and then more vaccination. And so, amid recent signs that uptake of the vaccination program has been slowing, he's decided to push ahead with compulsory inoculation for all people who come into contact with the vulnerable. In addition, the so-called health pass on paper or mobile phone, which has to now played only a marginal role in most people's lives, is said to become an indispensable tool. Because from August, it'll be required for simple access to bars, cafes, shopping centers, planes, and long distance trains, as well as social and cultural gatherings of more than 50 people.
This is the latest world news from the BBC.
