police in britain are investigating whether parties held at downing street breached coronavirus lockdown regulations. a spokesman said prime minister borisjohnson didn't believe he had broken the law. president biden has said he would consider taking the rare step in imposing sanctions on president putin directly if russia invaded ukraine. a plane carrying us equipment and munitions has arrived in kyiv. two children are among the eight people who died in a crush outside a stadium at an africa cup of nations football match in cameroon. the president has ordered an investigation into the disaster. the international monetary fund has downgraded its forecast for the global economy. it predicts global growth this year will be half a point lower, at around 4.4%. the imf says omicron will continue to slow economic activity.