We look back on a week of thwarted protests as MPs fail to talk out a bill to scrap a tax break for homeowners and the A7 motorway is gridlocked by the Zwarte Piet debate. Amsterdam emerges as the first big winner in the Great Brexit Clearance Sale (and immediately frets about the effect on house prices), the Yugoslavia tribunal in The Hague delivers its verdict on the Butcher of Bosnia and a Dutch men’s sports team shocks Europe by winning a match. In our discussion we ask which Dutch books you can safely buy your relatives for Christmas.

Top story

Filibuster attempt fails to scupper bill to abolish homeowners’ tax break

News

Amsterdam to be new home of European Medicines Agency after Brexit

Zwarte Piet supporters block motorway to stop protesters heading for Sinterklaas parade

The Hague tribunal finds Ratko Mladic guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity

Breda and Almere named best city centres in Netherlands (NOS, Dutch)

Sport

Feyenoord’s dismal campaign puts Dutch Champions League seeding in jeopardy

Curling team qualifies for World Cup (NOS, Dutch)

Discussion: book recommendations

Gordon’s recommendation: The Longest Night by Otto de Kat. Alternatively, The Darkroom of Damocles by W.F. Hermans

Paul’s recommendation: The Assault by Harry Mulisch

Molly didn’t recommend anything, so here’s a link to The Evenings by Gerard Reve, which was described by Tim Parks in The Guardian as ‘not only a masterpiece but a cornerstone manqué of modern European literature’.