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.

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

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 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 Friday annulled a French arrest warrant against Syria's ex-president Bashar al-Assad -- issued before his ouster -- over 2013 deadly chemical attacks.