The metaverse, rapidly gaining traction in 2022, could well change the way we interact with the world--and each other.

Downing Street said Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who turned 56 on June 19, 2020, was present at an event "for less than 10 minutes" as his staff "gathered briefly" to wish him a happy birthday. The strict lockdown rules imposed at the time to contain the spread of coronavirus banned most indoor gatherings involving more than two people. But ITV News' reported on Monday night that up to 30 people attended the event, sang Happy Birthday and were served cake.

In his address to the nation on the eve of 73rd Republic Day, President Ram Nath Kovind said doctors, nurses and paramedics have risen to the challenge, working long hours in difficult conditions even at the risk of their lives to attend to patients. He also said that the impressive economic performance is made possible due to improvement in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

The IMF had also said that global growth is expected to moderate from 5.9 percent in 2021 to 4.4 percent in 2022, half-a-percentage point lower for 2022 than in the October's WEO, largely reflecting forecast markdowns in the two largest economies--the US and China.