Author: France 24

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday calling for a rethink of school vaccine mandates and the separation of the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot into three vaccines, despite scientific evidence supporting its safety and amid the country’s worst measles outbreak in decades.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected a US-led Gaza plan endorsed by Hamas, putting distance between himself and President Donald Trump as he tries to shore up his base ahead of close elections. “Netanyahu is willing to break ties with Trump over the 15-point Gaza peace deal to gain support from the far-right members of his coalition,” FRANCE 24 international affairs editor Philip Turle says.

Demi Vollering won the final stage of the Women’s Tour de France and retained her yellow jersey. This is her second Tour victory, following her win in 2023.

Iran’s national security chief has outlined a list of demands for the US to meet before Tehran reopens the Strait of Hormuz. They include lifting the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, compensation for war damages and the release of frozen Iranian assets. Separately, Iran and Oman say they are close to reaching a deal on managing the strategic waterway. France 24 International affairs editor Douglas Herbert shares further insights.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Ebola outbreak is spreading, with the number of infections rising rapidly. Declared in mid-May, this seventeenth Ebola outbreak has already claimed more than 1,700 lives. To address this situation, the World Health Organisation has called for an “intensified” medical response. Teams of doctors have been sent to the DR Congo, and specialised centres have been set up in the hardest-hit provinces while trials to find an effective vaccine continue.

French cyclist and defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot pulled out of the Women’s Tour de France ahead of Saturday’s 8th and penultimate stage due to feeling unwell.  An Olympic champion in mountain biking at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Ferrand-Prévôt won the Women’s Tour de France in her debut last year.

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a mutual defence pact on Friday that would treat any act of aggression on one of the three nations as an attack on all of them, the allies said in a joint statement. However, it did not specify if the agreement would bind them to any particular military action in each other’s defence. Adjunct Senior Fellow for Middle East studies at Council on Foreign Relations, Henry Barkey, shares further insights.

Sharon Gaffney is pleased to welcome Heather Kerr, Country Director for Congo at the International Rescue Committee. The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is unprecedented, not simply because of its scale, but because it spread undetected for months before it was correctly identified. According to Kerr, the response has been hindered by delayed diagnosis, the complexity of distinguishing this Bundibugyo strain from other common illnesses, and the immense operational challenges of working in an active conflict zone.

UEFA continues to apply pressure on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to resign, while the Norwegian federation turn up the heat with 3 separate referrals to the federation’s ethics committee. Antonia Kerrigan reports. 

In his Lagos studio, Nigerian artist Emmanuel Olatunde is transforming the way portraits are painted, using clay sourced from the earth beneath his feet. The 39-year-old artist has developed a unique technique that turns natural clay into paint, using his background in science and his passion for art.