Swiss central bank admits planning for end of single currency as pressure on member states builds

Gordon Brown is the convenient scapegoat, the chosen villain of the entire media and political class

Stormy Cabinet session sees Lib Dem ministers attack Cameron for negotiating tactics

Euro 2012 will be co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine. Here, we guide you around the grounds being used for the tournament.

Unions hailed a strike by up to two million public sector workers as "historic" tonight as they angrily rejected claims by the Prime Minister that the biggest walkout in a generation had been a "damp squib".

The International Criminal Court charged former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo with murder, rape, persecution and inhuman acts today, crimes allegedly committed as his backers fought to keep him in power last year.

The slog ahead has become longer. We live in a world where the mathematics of public finances dominate everything and the scope for politicians to do anything other than cut their deficits is just about zero.

Norway has closed its embassy in Tehran due to security concerns after Britain's embassy was stormed by Iranian protesters, a Norwegian government official said today.

1. York

From £8.50 child and £9.50 adult, theicefactor.co.uk

The Ice Factor is a festive 900-square-metre rink – part of York's Winter Wonderland village square.

Less than £200... Northern lights

If you're planning to visit Scandinavia any time between 3 January and 31 March, visit the SAS Airlines website before Monday to take advantage of the company's seat sale from Heathrow. Copenhagen is available for £118 return, with Stockholm, Oslo and Stavanger on sale for £124. Highlights of the region include Stavanger's domkirke, the oldest cathedral in Norway; the canals and colourful buildings of Copenhagen; or a hiker's paradise in the seven glorious hills of Bergen. Flysas.com

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone says Europe will be left with only five Grands Prix in the coming years.

Andre Villas-Boas believes that the mounting anxiety at Stamford Bridge is inhibiting his attempts to rectify his side's abject home form, with the Chelsea manager acutely aware of the need for his team's performances to improve sharply if their season is not to fall apart before Christmas.

Harry Redknapp had wanted to change his entire Tottenham Hotspur team for tonight's Europa League home match against PAOK Salonika, but Jermain Defoe may have to play after a training ground injury to Roman Pavlyuchenko.

The success of Manchester United's academy is well known but Palace have their own prolific production line and its stars can shine at Old Trafford tonight