Background: Wildfires in southwestern France and central Spain forced mass evacuations, with Spain declaring a national emergency and France's Gironde fire burning 42,000 hectares. Today, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported 308 people detained nationwide over the wildfire outbreak, with two-thirds suspected of deliberate arson; 33 have been incarcerated. The Bordeaux blaze stabilized, allowing more than half of the 224,000 evacuees to return home. Ukraine dispatched 70 rescuers and 15 vehicles to assist, citing their experience with Russian strike aftermath. The fires have destroyed over 200 homes and killed at least three firefighters. Preliminary investigations indicate the Bordeaux fire may have been sparked by brush-clearing under a power line, the Landes fire by a vehicle fire, and the Fontainebleau fire by repair work on a motorway guardrail.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that police and gendarmerie reinforcements at the Franco-Spanish border would be quintupled by Saturday, bringing the total to 334 personnel, in response to the migrant surge in Ceuta. The deployment includes drones, surveillance aircraft, and increased patrols on rail and road routes, though authorities say no significant migrant impact has yet been observed in France.

Former Fontainebleau mayor Frédéric Valletoux stated that the forest fire that burned 2,000 hectares requires continued surveillance for weeks due to deep-seated peat fires that can reignite. He defended the state's preparedness, citing rapid mobilization of up to 900 firefighters and prior exercises with Canadair aircraft, and suggested adapting work schedules during heatwaves to reduce fire risks.

Background: The Ebola outbreak in DR Congo's Ituri province, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, has been ongoing since May, with over 3,200 cases and 1,405 deaths as of late July, and has become the fastest-growing on record. Today, the WHO declared the outbreak the largest in DR Congo's history, with 3,605 confirmed cases and 1,587 deaths as of 30 July, surpassing the 2018-2020 record. The outbreak has spread to five provinces, with the epicenter in Ituri and significant spread in North and South Kivu, where M23 control hampers response. A study suggests the outbreak began months before detection, and no approved vaccine or treatment exists, though vaccine trials are underway. The response is underfunded, and a US travel ban is hampering aid efforts. Update: As of 30 July 2026, the outbreak has become the largest in DR Congo's history, with 3,605 confirmed cases and 1,587 deaths (44% fatality rate), surpassing the 2018-2020 record. The WHO reported the highest weekly total of 567 cases and 296 deaths, describing transmission as 'exceptional'. The outbreak has spread to five provinces, including North and South Kivu, where M23 control hampers response. A study in Science indicates the outbreak likely began in January in Mongbwalu, Ituri, months before detection, with over 500 suspected cases between mid-January and May 15. No approved vaccine or treatment exists for the Bundibugyo strain, but the WHO named a Singapore-developed vaccine as 'most promising', and a UK trial has begun. Cases have been reported in Uganda (20) and France (1), with two treated in Germany. The response plan is underfunded, and a US travel ban is restricting aid worker deployment.

An official French government delegation, led by President Macron's Special Envoy for Ukraine's Recovery Muriel Lacoue-Labarthe, visited the ReabiCentre at the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics in Kyiv on July 17. The visit reviewed a joint project equipping the facility with French neurorehabilitation devices for Ukrainian military and civilian amputees. The center, opened in December 2024, provides free high-tech care to over 1,000 military personnel annually, highlighting international cooperation amid Russia's war.

An Azerbaijani appeal court upheld the 10-year prison sentence of French national Martin Ryan for espionage, amid strained relations between France and Azerbaijan. Ryan was convicted of spying for France, which denies the charges. An Azerbaijani accomplice, Azad Mamedli, also had his 12-year sentence upheld.