— Developing story.
Liam and Olivia dominate — again — with top baby names in the US for a sixth year in a row
- ‘A trend we’re tracking is that Americans are more likely to choose heritage choices’
WASHINGTON: Liam and Olivia dominate. Still.
The two names have, for a sixth year together, topped the list of names for babies born in the US in 2024.
The Social Security Administration annually tracks the names given to girls and boys in each state, with names dating back to 1880. In time for Mother’s Day, the agency on Friday released the most popular names from applications for Social Security cards.
Liam has reigned for eight years in a row for boys, while Olivia has topped the girls’ list for six. Also, for the sixth consecutive year, Emma took the second slot for girls, and Noah for boys.
The girls’ name Luna slipped out of the Top 10 and was replaced by Sofia, which enters at number 10 for the first time.
After Liam, the most common names for boys are, in order: Noah, Oliver, Theodore, James, Henry, Mateo, Elijah, Lucas and William.
After Olivia, the most common names for girls are Emma, Amelia, Charlotte, Mia, Sophia, Isabella, Evelyn, Ava and Sofia.
Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of nameberry, a baby naming website, said the latest data showcases how American parents are increasingly choosing names that have cross-cultural appeal. Kihm’s first name shows up in two variations on the annual list.
“A trend we’re tracking is that Americans are more likely to choose heritage choices,” Kihm said, including names that work “no matter where you are in the world.”
”More families in the US come from mixed cultural backgrounds and I hear parents commonly request that they want their child to travel and have a relatively easy to understand name.”
The Social Security Administration’s latest data show that 3.61 million babies were born in the US in 2024. That’s a slight increase from last year’s 3.59 million babies, representing an overall increase in the American birthrate.
Social media stars and popular television shows are having some impact on the rising popularity of certain names, Social Security says.
Among those rising in popularity for girls: Ailany, a Hawaiian name that means “chief,” topped the list. The boys’ name Truce, an Old English name meaning “peace,” rose 11,118 spots from last year’s position to rank 991.
The complete, searchable list of baby names is on the Social Security website.
European leaders head to Kyiv to show support after Putin’s parade
- Visitors will call on Russia to agree 30-day ceasefire
- Putin used Red Square parade to show he is not isolated
KYIV: The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland headed to Kyiv on Saturday for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a show of unity a day after Russia’s Vladimir Putin hosted his allies in a Victory Day parade on Red Square.
The summit will discuss a US and European proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the Russian war in Ukraine that if refused by Moscow would see them jointly impose new sanctions, a French diplomatic source said, adding that the step had not yet been finalized.
The visit by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is the first time the leaders of the four countries have traveled together to Ukraine.
“Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace,” the four European leaders said in a joint statement.
The visit comes at an unpredictable diplomatic moment in Russia’s more than three-year-long war against Ukraine. US President Donald Trump is pushing for a rapid peace after tearing up the policies of his predecessor since entering the White House in January.
After engaging directly with Russian officials, clashing publicly with Zelensky and briefly cutting vital military aid to Ukraine, the Trump administration has patched up ties with Kyiv and signed an arduously-negotiated minerals deal.
There has also been a palpable shift in tone from Trump, who has signalled growing frustration with Putin’s foot-dragging over a ceasefire and Russia’s restatement of its demands for a settlement.
Trump has threatened to step up sanctions against Russia but he has also said he could abandon the peace effort if there is no breakthrough. He called on Thursday for a 30-day ceasefire and Zelensky said he would be ready to implement it immediately.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying on Friday that Russia supports the implementation of a 30-day ceasefire in the conflict, but only with due consideration of “nuances.”
Putin hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders at a Red Square military parade on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, sending a defiant message that he is not isolated.
On the same day, European ministers voiced support for a special tribunal to prosecute the Russian President and his officials for crimes of aggression, showing support for Zelensky who on Thursday poured scorn on Putin for planning a “parade of bile and lies.”
‘Ball in moscow’s court’
On the eve of the summit, the US embassy in Kyiv warned of a “potentially significant” air attack in the coming days and told its citizens to be ready to seek shelter in the event of air raid sirens.
The four foreign leaders will meet Zelensky on Saturday morning and are also expected to pay their respects at a memorial in central Kyiv to honor Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war.
They are expected to host a virtual meeting with other leaders to update them on progress being made for a future coalition of an air, land, maritime and “regeneration” force that would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal, Britain’s Downing Street said.
The visit falls on the final day of a May 8-10 ceasefire declared by Putin that Ukraine did not accept, denouncing it as a sham. Both sides have accused each other of violating it.
Zelensky said on Thursday he told Trump in a telephone call that a 30-day ceasefire would be a “real indicator” of progress toward peace with Russia, and that Kyiv was ready to implement it immediately.
The French diplomatic source said work had not been completed on the proposal for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, but that the US and European allies hoped they were “at a moment of convergence.”
“What could happen in the coming hours and days, there could be an announcement of a ceasefire either of 30 days or compartmentalized, which is still being discussed,” the source said.
Merz, who became Germany’s chancellor this week, said on Friday that the ball was now in Moscow’s court.
“It is solely there that the decision will be made as to whether there is a chance, starting this coming weekend — that is, at the beginning of next week — to enable a longer ceasefire in Ukraine,” he said.
Pakistan PM condemns Indian strikes on civilians, praises Saudi push for de-escalation
KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday condemned India’s missile and drone strikes against Pakistan that killed civilians this week while appreciating Saudi diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions with its nuclear neighbor in a meeting with the Kingdom’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir.
The Saudi minister’s daylong visit follows India’s military strikes inside Pakistan in response to a gun attack in the disputed Kashmir region that left 26 tourists dead, with New Delhi blaming Islamabad for the incident, though Pakistani authorities have repeatedly denied any involvement.
With the two archrivals teetering on the edge of a full-scale war, the United States announced on Thursday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had discussed regional de-escalation with Saudi officials.
The same day, Al-Jubeir made a surprise stop in New Delhi for talks with Indian officials before arriving in Pakistan on Friday.
“While discussing the prevailing situation in South Asia [with the visiting dignitary], the Prime Minister strongly condemned India’s missile and drone strikes against Pakistan that had resulted in the martyrdom of scores of innocent civilians, including women and children, as well as damage to civilian infrastructures,” said a statement issued by his office after the meeting.
“He said Pakistan was fully determined to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter,” it added. “He appreciated the Kingdom’s diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation and bring peace in the region.”
Sharif conveyed warm regards to Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Saudi relations.
He also maintained that India’s “unprovoked and unjustified acts of aggression” had violated Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and seriously endangered regional peace and stability.
The statement said Al-Jubeir offered condolences over the loss of civilian lives and said the Kingdom was “deeply concerned” about the current situation in South Asia.
He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s call for de-escalation and the peaceful resolution of disputes between Pakistan and India in accordance with international law.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan share close diplomatic and strategic relations.
The Kingdom has extended significant support to Pakistan during prolonged economic challenges faced by Islamabad in recent years, including external financing and assistance with International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programs.
Saudi Arabia has also contributed to global peacemaking efforts by hosting talks and mediating prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine.
Ray-Ban Meta glasses to launch in the UAE
- Release ‘marks beginning of an effortless, more connected future,’ senior Meta official says
- Collection features different styles and lens variations, including prescription lenses
DUBAI: Meta and optical multinational EssilorLuxottica have announced that the Ray-Ban Meta collection will be available in the UAE from May 12.
The glasses, when paired with a smartphone, allow users to take hands-free pictures and videos, listen to audio with open-ear speakers, and use the inbuilt Meta AI assistant.
The launch “marks the beginning of an effortless, more connected future — one that empowers people to stay in the moment while staying connected to the things and people that matter most,” Fares Akkad, regional director for Middle East and Africa at Meta, told Arab News.
The glasses feature an ultrawide 12-megapixel camera, which can take photos and 1080-pixel videos of up to three minutes. Users can also stream live via the glasses to Instagram or Facebook for up to 30 minutes.
Meta AI, the company’s AI assistant, is built into the glasses and can be used through voice prompts to help with tasks such as recommending music or clicking a picture.
In the coming months, users in the UAE will also be able to use Meta AI to ask questions about their surroundings, such as identifying landmarks or translating street signs, as well as live translation of conversations in English, French, Italian and Spanish. However, live translation for Arabic is not supported yet.
Akkad said: “Just a few years ago, the idea of wearing glasses that could take pictures and videos with voice command, translate to different languages, and become a seamless, helpful assistant everywhere you go felt like something out of science fiction.
“Today, it is a tangible reality.”
Users will be able to regularly update the software on the glasses to enable more features as they are rolled out. These include timers, alarms, calendar and email access.
The Ray-Ban Meta collection features different styles and lens variations, including prescription lenses.
It will be available at all Ray-Ban and partner stores in the UAE from May 12 with prices starting at AED1,330 ($360).
Russia backs 30-day ceasefire but with due account of nuances, Kremlin’s Peskov says
- “This theme was long put forward by the Ukrainian side...,” said Peskov
MOSCOW: Russia supports the implementation of a 30-day ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict, but only with due consideration of ‘nuances’ in the more than three-year-old war, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying on Friday.
“This theme was long put forward by the Ukrainian side...,” TASS news agency quoted Peskov as saying.
“And as soon as it was advanced by the (US administration of Donald Trump), it was supported by President (Vladimir) Putin with the reservation that it is very difficult to discuss this in detail if no answers are found to a large number of nuances around the notion of a ceasefire.”
Russia has repeatedly said that introducing a prolonged ceasefire depends on establishing mechanisms to monitor and uphold such a move.
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