France's highest court ruled on Friday that an arrest warrant for former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad was invalid as it was issued when he was still in office, but said a new warrant can now be issued as he is no longer a sitting head of state.

France’s highest court on Friday upheld some of Syrian ex-leader Bashar Assad’s personal immunity as a head of state while green-lighting possible future war crime warrants, drawing criticism from human rights lawyers and Syrian activists.

France's Cour de Cassation, the country's highest court, ruled on Friday that a warrant issued for former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad was invalid. (Reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten, Charlotte Van Campenhout,

Tour de France organizers have shortened Stage 19 of the competition to avoid a herd of cows which have suffered an outbreak of disease.

The 19th stage of the Tour de France has been shortened after cows infected by a contagious disease were culled in an area along the mountainous route

The cattle were culled after an outbreak of contagious nodular dermatitis was discovered in a herd on the slopes of the Col des Saisies.