Parliament's Committee of Privileges is investigating whether Johnson intentionally or recklessly misled parliament in a series of statements about the rule-breaking parties.

Rio is ready to party after two pandemic-disrupted carnivals and a polarising presidential election in October, in which veteran leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ousted incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.

Some Finns have voiced support for Sanna Marin and others have raised questions about her judgement.

The company has seen a 44% year-after-year drop in the rate of party reports since implementing the policy.

Hong Kong has followed China with a zero-Covid policy despite the economic costs and a rising psychological toll on many people of the tough restrictions aimed at keeping the virus at bay.

The report from an investigation by senior civil servant Sue Gray is complete, but has not yet been submitted to Downing Street, the government says.

Dominic Cummings says that he and at least one other adviser told the PM’s principle private secretary Martin Reynolds that it should be cancelled.

Johnson, who won a landslide victory in a 2019 election, has faced a barrage of criticism over alleged parties in government offices, including his own, in breach of Covid-19 lockdowns.

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab says the event was a work gathering.

Covid-19 infections, including the new, more transmissible Omicron variant, have been spreading in pubs and nightclubs as social distancing curbs ease after higher vaccination levels.

The South American country has been hit hard by the pandemic, with over 200,000 people dead from the virus – the world's highest death rate per capita – according to AFP's tally of official data.

All 14 of them tested positive for ketamine and are being investigated for possession of drugs.