Full article: Amsterdam Boroughs

The Municipality of Amsterdam is divided into seven boroughs are responsible for many administrative activities that previously had been run by the municipality.

Decisions affecting the borough are made at a local level, while issues that affect the whole city are handled by the central city council.

Amsterdam Tourist Information

Full article: Jordaan

Located west of Amsterdam's city center the Jordaan is an atmospheric, bohemian quarter with a labyrinth of narrow streets and picturesque canals.

It is peppered with small shops and galleries, restaurants and brown cafes.

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Full article: Amsterdam’s canals to be added to UNESCO World Heritage List

Amsterdam's historic grachtengordel (literally, belt of canals) around the city's center will be added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in July, a spokesman for the organization has said.

But not everyone is pleased with the decision.

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Full article: Rental rates in quarter of Amsterdam shopping streets reduced

Rental rates for retail space in one quarter of Amsterdam's shopping streets have gone down this year, Amsterdam daily Het Parool reports.

The crisis is to blame, but in some streets so are the much-delayed construction activities surrounding the problem-plagued new metro line.

Meanwhile, shop keepers in one popular shopping district are being priced out of their stores.

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Full article: Drug dealer murdered in Amsterdam was on the run from Irish police, gangs

An Irish drug dealer whose remains have been found in an Amsterdam canal had fled Ireland to avoid imprisonment and to escape gang members who held him responsible for revealing information that led to discovery of their drugs factory.

Amsterdam police found his remains three weeks ago in the water near Diemerzeedijk.

The body of Keith Ennis (30), from Clondalkin, Dublin, had been dismembered and stuffed into bags, suitcases and trash bags.

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Full article: What lurks beneath the water of Amsterdam’s canals?

Radio Netherlands reports that rubbish is dredged from Amsterdam's waterways at the rate of 18,000 cubic metres per year, including beds, couches, small boats, stethoscopes, guns and even a dead body. Not to mention hundreds of discarded bicycles.

Ashleigh Elson goes out on patrol with Waternet's dredging team. [video]

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Full article: Amsterdam-based online concert broadcaster closes down

Started nine years ago, Fabchannel webcasts shows from Paradiso and Melkweg -- the best two music venues in Amsterdam.

Recalcitrant record companies and a drop in advertising revenue are forcing the Amsterdam-based web broadcaster offline.

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Full article: Amsterdam draws up new rules for growing fleet of pleasure crafts

Amsterdam may be known as Europe's bicycling capital, but it is also home to a fast-growing fleet of pleasure crafts.

Over the past ten years the number of pleasure boats using Amsterdam's canals has double to 14.000 vessels -- anything from small sloops to converted military landing crafts, and from water bikes to larger-than-life floating wooden shoes.

The city is now introducing new traffic rules for its busy waterways.

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Full article: Starbucks Schiphol: No Stars

We've given the two Starbucks stores at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport a fair try -- nine times, actually. But we're still not impressed, and we'll tell you why.

We'll also point you to some alternative Schiphol stores that serve excellent coffee drinks.

Amsterdam Tourist Information

Full article: Squatting in Amsterdam

The Netherlands is among a handful of countries where -- under certain circumstances -- squatting is not forbidden by law. If a building has not been used for a period of twelve months, and the owner can not demonstrate that he plans to 'soon' start using the building again, squatting is tolerated.

The squatters movements gained much sympathy during the seventies and early eighties, but in recent years the increasingly anarchistic nature of these groups has had politicians calling for changes to the squatting laws.

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