Newsline - 13 July 2010: France's parliament passes a ban on burqas. Sudan's president is charged with genocide. And the Dutch national football team receive a hero's welcome in Amsterdam.

French burqa ban
Lawmakers in France have taken the first step towards banning the Islamic garments the burqua and the niqab. The lower house of the French parliament passed the prohibition today. Under the law, women who cover their faces in public will be fined 150 euros. Supporters of the legislation say garments that hide the face violate France's strong tradition of secularism. But critics argue the legislation breaches the freedoms of religion and personal expression. Listen to an interview with Cecile le Roux from the organisation Hands off my Constitution, who say they will pay the fines for any women who are caught violating the burqa ban.
 
Genocide charges for Omar al-Bashir
The International Criminal Court in the Hague has issued a second arrest warrant for Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir. This time he's charged with three counts of genocide on top of the war crimes charges brought against him last year. The new charges accuse the president of acting with specific intent to destroy in part the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups. Listen to an interview with Sudanese journalist Taj Adam. 
  
Celebrating second place
Dutch football fans may have been disappointed by Sunday's defeat in the World Cup final against Spain, but that hasn't stopped hundreds of thousands of them from descending on Amsterdam to honour the team. Supporters lined the capital's canals, as the players took a boat trip through the city centre on their way to a ceremony in Museum Square. Listen to correspondent Alain de la Mar in Amsterdam.