Amsterdam - Holdings of credit deposits at the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) made by the country's commercial banks has reached a record high, DNB announced in a statement Wednesday, in a sign that ongoing financial turmoil is prompting conservatism among lenders.

DNB is now holding more than 40.7 billion euros (51.79 billion dollars) in credit deposits (CDs), which bear 2.75 per cent interest, half a percentage point below the European Central Bank's rate, and well below the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (Euribor).

On Wednesday the Euribor stood at between 3.038 per cent (one week) and 3.853 per cent (12-month-loans)

Amsterdam - Dutch health care insurers are to give a discount to clients registered as organ donors, reports said Monday.

Four major health insurers said they would give a 120-euro- discount (152 dollars) on the annual fee for basic health insurance cover, which will be 1,200 euros for adults in
2009.

The Netherlands has a national health care system which provides basic cover to all Dutch citizens. People choose their own health care insurer among the more than 100 companies active on the market.

Hamburg - Fans of Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam have clashed with police in the northern German city of Hamburg ahead of a UEFA Cup tie in the city later Thursday.

Just hours before the game against Bundesliga side SV Hamburg, around 450 Ajax fans blocked the Reeperbahn, the famous red district in the city, breaking windows of a hotel and holding up traffic for around 40 minutes, said police spokesman Ralf Meyer.

On Wednesday night, between 30 and 40 Ajax supporters smashed up a local bar before attacking police called to the scene. Around 40 people were taken into custody as a result.

"Around 50 or 60 glasses were broken and the furniture was destroyed," said Meyer.

Amsterdam - Policy makers of several Dutch, British and German cities began a two-day conference on Thursday to discuss the subject of radicalization among Muslims, a spokesman for the city of Amsterdam said.

The participants were due to talk about the origin of radicalization among young Muslims and the various approaches to tackling the problem.

The roles of local authorities, schools, youth workers and local communities in the lives of young Muslims were part of the conference agenda.

Local policy makers from the four major Dutch city of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht took part.

Representatives of the German city of Essen and Birmingham in England were also present.

Amsterdam - A former businesswoman of the year who later functioned as alderwoman of the city of Rotterdam has been found homeless, Dutch daily newspaper Metro reported on Thursday.

Rabella de Faria's homelessness was discovered after she checked herself in at a local night shelter.

She has lived on the streets most of this year but was now staying with friends, Rotterdam city councillor Driesch Mosch told Metro.

De Faria, 48, was the city of Rotterdam's alderwoman for security and public health on behalf of the Leefbaar Rotterdam party between 2002 and 2004.

Amsterdam - A Dutch court is to hear the case on Thursday of a Dutch couple's alleged illegal adoption via the internet of a Belgian baby.

The hearing is to follow a request to the court Wednesday by the Dutch child protection service for a ruling on the custody in the matter that is also the subject of a criminal investigation, according to a spokesman for the public prosecutor.

The case was brought to light by Dutch current affairs programme Netwerk, which exposed how the couple, both aged 26, bought the newborn from its Belgian parents, aged 24 and 22, on the internet in the summer.