Amsterdam is the murder capital of the Netherlands with 31 unlawful killings in 2009, up from 19 in 2008, according to new police figures.

Five of the dead were Albanian nationals, ANP reported. In total, 20 people have been arrested in connection with the deaths.
The murder rate in The Hague also went up sharply last year, from just eight in 2008 to 17. All but two cases have been solved.
In the Rotterdam region there were 24 murders this year, compared with 22 in 2008. None of the killings appeared to be gang related, police told ANP.