Hot gossip, dodgy deals and bureaucratic minefields dominate this week’s news. Finance minister Menno Snel comes under fire over the tax office’s blunderbuss approach to suspected benefit fraud and tempers flare as The Hague cracks down on New Year beach bonfires. The detention of a teenager who was unaware he was an illegal immigrant sparks uproar, as does Klaas Dijkhoff’s decision to trouser thousands of euros for leaving a cabinet post after less than a month. We bring you the fascinating story of the amateur footballer who blagged his way into four professional clubs without playing a game. And just what did Mark Rutte find so funny about Donald Trump that it triggered the president’s early exit from the Nato summit?

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Ophef of the week: Don’t ‘wacht’ up – Dijkhoff won’t be paying back his ex-minister’s top-up fee

Top story

Nearly 40 people arrested in The Hague as beach bonfire ban sparks unrest

News

Rutte downplays ‘hot mike’ moment that triggered Trump exit from Nato summit

Thousands sign petition calling for Dominican ‘accidental refugee’ to be released

Dutch government caves in and gives public broadcasters €12.4m to stage Eurovision

Named tickets issued for Eurovision as black market prices soar

New ‘healthy option’ food labels criticised as confusing for consumers

Sport

Verstappen finishes F1 season in third place: ‘We have work to do this winter’

Dutchman cons his way into Danish and South African football clubs

VICE podcast on the phantom career of Bernio Verhagen

Discussion: Minister under fire over ‘out of control’ tax fraud team

Menno Snel survives tax service debate, pledges speedy compensation for families

Thousands of families likely to be compensated after being wrongly accused of fraud