News in Short

• A Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) F15 fighter jet disappeared during training over the Sea of Japan.
• The jet lost radar contact after taking off from the Komatsu Air Base in the central Japanese prefecture of Ishikawa.
• The fighter disappeared when it was conducting training with a crew of two aboard over the Sea of Japan about 5 km west-northwest of the base.

• The New York Times announced it had bought Wordle, a phenomenon played by millions just four months after the game burst onto the Internet, for an undisclosed price.
• Created by engineer Josh Wardle, the game consists of guessing one five-letter word per day in just six tries.
• According to The New York Times, the game – which was launched in October – had only 90 players in early November.
• The acquisition comes as The New York Times continues to diversify output, offering a special subscription to the crossword and other games that passed the one-million subscriber mark in December.

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the introduction of a Central Bank digital currency during the presentation of the Union Budget 2022.
• The move will give a boost to the digital economy, leading to a cheaper currency management system. Blockchain and other technologies will be used by RBI.
• A Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is no different from the cash that we hold in our wallets, except that it exists in a digital form.

• Members of the main ruling party in the Maldives are considering legislation to criminalise protests “that affect the country’s relations with other nations”.
• A draft Bill circulated within the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) comes against the backdrop of protests in the Indian Ocean country over the perceived proximity of the Ibrahim Solih government to India.
• The draft Bill is said to have proposed a fine of 20,000 Maldivian Rufiyah, and six-month imprisonment or one-year house arrest, for those who insinuate that the Maldives is under the political, economic or military control of another country.

• Indian hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh won the prestigious World Games Athlete of the Year for his 2021 performances, becoming only the second Indian to receive the accolade.
• Sreejesh became the first man and second hockey player to win the award, following in the footsteps of compatriot and India women’s captain Rani.
• The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association with the support of the International Olympic Committee.