If you are a resident of the United States and thinking about what to name your baby, you might have to limit your options. There are a few names you can't use for your child, as they are banned in America.However, these restrictions can vary from state to state.In California, names listed on birth certificates can only contain the 26 letters in the English alphabet, leaving out letters with accents (è, á), tildes (ñ, ã) and umlauts (ö, ü).According to US Birth Certificates, there are a few other names that certain jurisdictions around the US that it considers illegal to use on birth certificates.The US Birth Certificates is a privately owned website, with an aim to obtain birth certificates for applicants.<h2>Here's the list of 10 names banned in US</h2><ol><li>King</li><li>Queen</li><li>Jesus Christ</li><li>III</li><li>Santa Claus</li><li>Majesty</li><li>Adolf Hitler</li><li>Messiah</li><li>@</li><li>1069</li></ol>While the US has 10 names banned, this is not the only country with such bizarre rule. A few other countries also follow the same drill.In Japan, you can't name your child "shiny" or "glittery" names, or those with odd pronunciations or characters.Moreover, names like Pikachu and Nike have also been flagged. Another name banned in Japan is "devil", highlighting the cultural sensitivity around naming and its potential to cause harm or distress.Meanwhile, in New Zealand, the Department of Internal Affairs published a list of 40 names that were rejected in 2024.Some of the examples include King, Prince, and Princess. The government has also urged parents to think carefully about their choices.They are further asked to avoid names that could build confusion, embarrassment or even discrimination."We continue to urge parents to think carefully about names. Names are a gift. Generally, the name registered will be with the individual for the rest of their lives," according to a document published by New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs.&nbsp;

According to US Birth Certificates, there are a few other names that certain jurisdictions around the US that it considers illegal to use on birth certificates.

If you are a resident of the United States and thinking about what to name your baby, you might have to limit your options. There are a few names you can't use for your child, as they are banned in America. However, these restrictions can vary from state to state. In California, names listed on birth certificates can only contain the 26 letters in the English alphabet, leaving out letters with accents (è, á), tildes (ñ, ã) and umlauts (ö, ü). According to US Birth Certificates, there are a few other names that certain jurisdictions around the US that it considers illegal to use on birth certificates. The US Birth Certificates is a privately owned website, with an aim to obtain birth certificates for applicants. Here's the list of 10 names banned in US King Queen Jesus Christ III Santa Claus Majesty Adolf Hitler Messiah @ 1069 While the US has 10 names banned, this is not the only country with such bizarre rule. A few other countries also follow the same drill. In Japan, you can't name your child "shiny" or "glittery" names, or those with odd pronunciations or characters. Moreover, names like Pikachu and Nike have also been flagged. Another name banned in Japan is "devil", highlighting the cultural sensitivity around naming and its potential to cause harm or distress. Meanwhile, in New Zealand, the Department of Internal Affairs published a list of 40 names that were rejected in 2024. Some of the examples include King, Prince, and Princess. The government has also urged parents to think carefully about their choices. They are further asked to avoid names that could build confusion, embarrassment or even discrimination. "We continue to urge parents to think carefully about names. Names are a gift. Generally, the name registered will be with the individual for the rest of their lives," according to a document published by New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs.

According to US Birth Certificates, there are a few other names that certain jurisdictions around the US that it considers illegal to use on birth certificates.

Adolf Hitler, Santa Claus and more: 10 baby names banned in US - Check the FULL LIST here

In a new study, neuroscientists have found that the brain's same neurons get activated when they hear a person's name or pronouns like "he", "she" or "they".

According to scientists, there are these so-called concept cells that store information regarding the representations of people, objects or abstract concepts.

It was observed that concept cells get activated when the picture of someone specific is seen or when they hear or read the person's name or when they recall a specific person from the memory.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-iconic-painting-is-doing-something-with-the-brains-of-its-viewers-scientists-say-its-called-764210">&nbsp;THIS iconic painting is doing something with the brains of its viewers. Scientists say it's called...</a>

It has also been found that they get reactivated when the pronoun is used instead of the name of a person.

<h2>How was the study carried out?</h2>

The study was done on the basis of brain recordings taken from patients who suffered from intractable epilepsy. The electrodes were implanted deep inside their hippocampus to identify the origin of their seizures.

These implants also helped the scientists study how individual neurons in the hippocampus work during wakeful activity.

The participants of the study were given a picture of Shrek, and it was noticed that a particular neuron got activated on seeing the photo.

When the participant read the book "Shrek and Courtney Love", the same neuron got activated on the appearance of the name "Shrek" and the pronoun "he" which was used to refer to the central character in the later part of the book.&nbsp;

However, when the participants read the pronoun "she", the same neuron was not activated.

"We had the participants answer a question at the end of the sentences about who performed the action,"&nbsp;stated neuroscientist&nbsp;Matthew Self, who is from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience.

"We could predict whether the patients would give the correct answer based on the activity of the individual concept cells," he further explained.&nbsp;

The volunteers were also made to read sentences in which two characters shared the same pronouns. In such cases, it was observed that the person who evoked the most activity was identified with the pronoun later.

"This could be based on chance fluctuations in activity on a trial-by-trial basis or an internal preference for one of the two characters in the sentence,"&nbsp;Self said.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/brains-of-humans-and-dogs-can-sync-with-each-other-study-explains-how-759032">Brains of humans and dogs can sync with each other. Study explains how</a>

In the findings, it was observed that concept cells link the brain to the information of an already existing concept.

"For example, when we read about Shrek that 'he' put on sunglasses, we can update Shrek's representation and predict his future appearance," stated the authors of the study.

"Theories about the evolving mental representation of the narrative during reading suggest that previously read words are stored in working memory so that they can be combined with new information. How brain networks implement such syntactic computations is a topic for future research, which can now be investigated," they added.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a new study, neuroscientists have found that the brain's same neurons get activated when they hear a person's name or pronouns like "he", "she" or "they". According to scientists, there are these so-called concept cells that store information regarding the representations of people, objects or abstract concepts.

In a new study, neuroscientists have found that the brain's same neurons get activated when they hear a person's name or pronouns like "he", "she" or "they". According to scientists, there are these so-called concept cells that store information regarding the representations of people, objects or abstract concepts. It was observed that concept cells get activated when the picture of someone specific is seen or when they hear or read the person's name or when they recall a specific person from the memory. Also Read: THIS iconic painting is doing something with the brains of its viewers. Scientists say it's called... It has also been found that they get reactivated when the pronoun is used instead of the name of a person. How was the study carried out? The study was done on the basis of brain recordings taken from patients who suffered from intractable epilepsy. The electrodes were implanted deep inside their hippocampus to identify the origin of their seizures. These implants also helped the scientists study how individual neurons in the hippocampus work during wakeful activity. The participants of the study were given a picture of Shrek, and it was noticed that a particular neuron got activated on seeing the photo. When the participant read the book "Shrek and Courtney Love", the same neuron got activated on the appearance of the name "Shrek" and the pronoun "he" which was used to refer to the central character in the later part of the book. However, when the participants read the pronoun "she", the same neuron was not activated. "We had the participants answer a question at the end of the sentences about who performed the action," stated neuroscientist Matthew Self, who is from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience. "We could predict whether the patients would give the correct answer based on the activity of the individual concept cells," he further explained. The volunteers were also made to read sentences in which two characters shared the same pronouns. In such cases, it was observed that the person who evoked the most activity was identified with the pronoun later. "This could be based on chance fluctuations in activity on a trial-by-trial basis or an internal preference for one of the two characters in the sentence," Self said. Also Read: Brains of humans and dogs can sync with each other. Study explains how In the findings, it was observed that concept cells link the brain to the information of an already existing concept. "For example, when we read about Shrek that 'he' put on sunglasses, we can update Shrek's representation and predict his future appearance," stated the authors of the study. "Theories about the evolving mental representation of the narrative during reading suggest that previously read words are stored in working memory so that they can be combined with new information. How brain networks implement such syntactic computations is a topic for future research, which can now be investigated," they added. (With inputs from agencies)

Human brains do not differentiate between names and pronouns of people: Study

Have you ever wondered what the sounds of animals are meant for, or what they mean? New research suggests wild African elephants call each other unique names.

Elephants use names to communicate: Study

Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump are mentioned in newly unsealed Jeffrey Epstein-related court documents, but they are not accused of any wrongdoing involving the disgraced sex trafficking financier.

Names of Jeffrey Epstein associates and others unsealed in lawsuit documents

In Scotland, some warm weather species, who seem to be arriving due to climate change, are being named in Gaelic language. &nbsp;

Devised by the wildlife artist Derek Robertson, the project has been endorsed by Scotland’s Gaelic language and nature conservation agencies. They have identified 40 species, which need formal Gaelic names. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/hundreds-of-mammal-species-still-waiting-to-be-discovered-says-study-466637" hreflang="en">Hundreds of mammal species still waiting to be discovered, says study</a>

The firecrest, a UK’s tiny bird, has been named luxuriates, while azure damselfly is now cruinneag liath. The common rosefinch has become deargan drise. The bearded tit has got the name, the moustached reed-worker or cuilcear staiseach. &nbsp;

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Whit'sthonthere? 
 
Newest animals and insects moving north as Scotland heats up are being given Gaelic names and catalogued. No Gaelic name has yet been assigned to migrant English, here for a 'better' environment who vote 'No' to Indy. 
 
(Bearded tit' Photo: Andrew Sproule) <a href="https://t.co/Lx98jp5DBw">pic.twitter.com/Lx98jp5DBw</a>
— Grouse Beater (@Grouse_Beater) <a href="https://twitter.com/Grouse_Beater/status/1510216877208973317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The whole list is being finalised and will be published in a new book in June. The publication will be edited by Robertson. It will feature watercolours of each species. A short three-line poem for each animal by the Skye-based Irish poet Rody Gorman in Gaelic language will also be scripted.

Watch | A story of hope: Rare Sumatran rhino born in Indonesia

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The project has been designed to update the Gaelic lexicon in such a way that it embraces the language’s historic connections to the natural heritage of Scotland, Robertson said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

“Gaelic has a rich tradition of naming things which is really beautiful,” Robertson added. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Gaelic will also adopt words from other languages. “Languages borrow words all the time and that is a process for any living language. But Gaelic has a very strong connection with the natural world and that is reflected in its naming of things,” he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In Scotland, some warm weather species, who seem to be arriving due to climate change, are being named in Gaelic language. Devised by the wildlife artist Derek Robertson, the project has been endorsed by Scotland’s Gaelic language and nature conservation agencies.

In Scotland, some warm weather species, who seem to be arriving due to climate change, are being named in Gaelic language. Devised by the wildlife artist Derek Robertson, the project has been endorsed by Scotland’s Gaelic language and nature conservation agencies. They have identified 40 species, which need formal Gaelic names. Also Read: Hundreds of mammal species still waiting to be discovered, says study The firecrest, a UK’s tiny bird, has been named luxuriates, while azure damselfly is now cruinneag liath. The common rosefinch has become deargan drise. The bearded tit has got the name, the moustached reed-worker or cuilcear staiseach. Whit'sthonthere? Newest animals and insects moving north as Scotland heats up are being given Gaelic names and catalogued. No Gaelic name has yet been assigned to migrant English, here for a 'better' environment who vote 'No' to Indy. (Bearded tit' Photo: Andrew Sproule) pic.twitter.com/Lx98jp5DBw — Grouse Beater (@Grouse_Beater) April 2, 2022 × The whole list is being finalised and will be published in a new book in June. The publication will be edited by Robertson. It will feature watercolours of each species. A short three-line poem for each animal by the Skye-based Irish poet Rody Gorman in Gaelic language will also be scripted. Watch | A story of hope: Rare Sumatran rhino born in Indonesia The project has been designed to update the Gaelic lexicon in such a way that it embraces the language’s historic connections to the natural heritage of Scotland, Robertson said. “Gaelic has a rich tradition of naming things which is really beautiful,” Robertson added. Gaelic will also adopt words from other languages. “Languages borrow words all the time and that is a process for any living language. But Gaelic has a very strong connection with the natural world and that is reflected in its naming of things,” he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Warm weather animal species arriving in Scotland get Gaelic names

The poll season is back in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Saturday announced the names of 107 candidates for the assembly polls in the state. &nbsp;

The incumbent Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been fielded from Gorakhpur city. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/prime-minister-narendra-modi-interacts-with-startups-calls-for-innovating-for-india-from-india-444939" hreflang="en">Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with startups, calls for innovating 'for India, from India' &nbsp;</a>

Although the elections for the 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly will be held in seven phases, the party has announced the names of the candidates for the seats, which are going to the polls in the first two phases. &nbsp;

The elections in the state will begin from February 10. &nbsp;

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Joint press conference by Shri <a href="https://twitter.com/dpradhanbjp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dpradhanbjp</a> and Shri <a href="https://twitter.com/ArunSinghbjp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ArunSinghbjp</a> at BJP HQ in New Delhi. <a href="https://t.co/gTvtrQUbPT">https://t.co/gTvtrQUbPT</a>
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During a press conference at the BJP's headquarters, Uttar Pradesh in-charge and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan along with the party general secretary Arun Singh released the list. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/general-bipin-rawat-copter-crash-what-is-controlled-flight-into-terrain-444914" hreflang="en">General Bipin Rawat copter crash: What is Controlled Flight into Terrain?</a>

CM Adityanath will be the candidate of the party from Gorakhpur City and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya will contest from Sirathu, said Pradhan. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"The BJP has provided welfare and sensitive governance in Uttar Pradesh in the last five years. We are confident that the people of UP will again bless us in this great festival of 2022 with the same clarity," the BJP tweeted quoting Pradhan. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The poll season is back in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Saturday announced the names of 107 candidates for the assembly polls in the state.

The poll season is back in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Saturday announced the names of 107 candidates for the assembly polls in the state. The incumbent Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been fielded from Gorakhpur city. Also Read: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with startups, calls for innovating 'for India, from India' Although the elections for the 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly will be held in seven phases, the party has announced the names of the candidates for the seats, which are going to the polls in the first two phases. The elections in the state will begin from February 10. Joint press conference by Shri @dpradhanbjp and Shri @ArunSinghbjp at BJP HQ in New Delhi. https://t.co/gTvtrQUbPT — BJP (@BJP4India) January 15, 2022 × During a press conference at the BJP's headquarters, Uttar Pradesh in-charge and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan along with the party general secretary Arun Singh released the list. Also Read: General Bipin Rawat copter crash: What is Controlled Flight into Terrain? CM Adityanath will be the candidate of the party from Gorakhpur City and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya will contest from Sirathu, said Pradhan. "The BJP has provided welfare and sensitive governance in Uttar Pradesh in the last five years. We are confident that the people of UP will again bless us in this great festival of 2022 with the same clarity," the BJP tweeted quoting Pradhan. (With inputs from agencies)

BJP announces list of names of 107 candidates for polls in India’s UP state

A Belgian couple has grabbed headlines after they named their 11 children based on different variations of the same four English alphabets – A, E, L, and X.

Gwenny Blanckaert and Marino Vaneeno named their children— Alex (13), Axel (12), Xela (11), Lexa (10), Xael (9), Xeal (8), Exla (5), Leax (4), Xale (2), Elax (1) and Alxe (6 months).

The family of seven girls and four boys is also expecting baby number 12 – a boy – in April next year.

Gwenny, 32, revealed that the tradition began with the birth of their second child.

“My elder eldest son’s name is Alex, after Marino's stepfather because it was a beautiful name,” she told HLN, a Dutch news portal.

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“The name of our second son became Axel and after that, we started puzzling. We realised that they were the same letters, so we decided to continue like this,” she was quoted as saying.

In 2019, Gwenny and Marino said they planned to have more kids after giving birth to their ninth, who they named Xale, according to&nbsp;HLN.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/this-taiwanese-teacher-uses-porn-site-to-teach-calculus-earns-250000-per-year-424108">This Taiwanese teacher uses porn site to teach calculus, earns $250,000 per year</a>

The couple said they were “over the moon” about the birth of their new son.

&nbsp;“It will be a boy. That will bring the final score to 7-5. Seven girls and five boys,” Gwynne said.

The four letters reportedly allow for 24 more different names, but Gwenny Blanckaert and Marino said they have no intention&nbsp;of having more than 12 children.

&nbsp;“Right from the start, we had set the bar at twelve. And we will stick to that. The day that we sit around the table with twelve children, our family is complete,” she said.

(With inputs from agencies)

A Belgian couple has grabbed headlines after they named their 11 children based on different variations of the same four English alphabets – A, E, L, and X. Gwenny Blanckaert and Marino Vaneeno named their children— Alex (13), Axel (12), Xela (11), Lexa (10), Xael (9), Xeal (8), Exla (5), Leax (4), Xale (2), Elax (1) and Alxe (6 months).

A Belgian couple has grabbed headlines after they named their 11 children based on different variations of the same four English alphabets – A, E, L, and X. Gwenny Blanckaert and Marino Vaneeno named their children— Alex (13), Axel (12), Xela (11), Lexa (10), Xael (9), Xeal (8), Exla (5), Leax (4), Xale (2), Elax (1) and Alxe (6 months). The family of seven girls and four boys is also expecting baby number 12 – a boy – in April next year. Gwenny, 32, revealed that the tradition began with the birth of their second child. “My elder eldest son’s name is Alex, after Marino's stepfather because it was a beautiful name,” she told HLN, a Dutch news portal. Also read | From FAANG to MANGA: Twitter users speculate future of tech companies “The name of our second son became Axel and after that, we started puzzling. We realised that they were the same letters, so we decided to continue like this,” she was quoted as saying. In 2019, Gwenny and Marino said they planned to have more kids after giving birth to their ninth, who they named Xale, according to HLN. Also read | This Taiwanese teacher uses porn site to teach calculus, earns $250,000 per year The couple said they were “over the moon” about the birth of their new son. “It will be a boy. That will bring the final score to 7-5. Seven girls and five boys,” Gwynne said. The four letters reportedly allow for 24 more different names, but Gwenny Blanckaert and Marino said they have no intention of having more than 12 children. “Right from the start, we had set the bar at twelve. And we will stick to that. The day that we sit around the table with twelve children, our family is complete,” she said. (With inputs from agencies)

A, E, L, X: A Belgian couple named their 11 kids using variations of these four letters

Cultural icon RuPaul seems to have become the first drag queen to get forever enshrined as a soldier fly after Dr Bryan Lessard, an entomologist at CSIRO's National Research Collections Australia, named a new Australian fly species after him. &nbsp;

It was the 50th species to be named by Lessard, who researches the taxonomy and evolution of medically important flies. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Artists transform Lima hillside with rainbow homes

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The new species, which is being called RuPaul fly now, is part of a new Australian genus named Opaluma (from the Latin words for opal and thorn) as they look like “little gems buzzing around the forest floor” and have a distinctive thorn tucked under their abdomen.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As per the entomologist, the growing practice of naming insects after pop culture icons seems to have helped threatened species gain attention in response to environmental threats. &nbsp;

Lessard said, “There’s a new wave of entomologists using pop culture to generate interest in our science and what we do, which is really exciting. It’s a great way of generating attention about why flies are important, to get as many people as possible talking about these species that need help, so they can be protected.”

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/older-than-stonehenge-and-pyramids-of-giza-camel-carvings-in-saudi-arabia-date-back-8000-years-413296" hreflang="en">Older than Stonehenge and Pyramids of Giza? Camel carvings in Saudi Arabia date back 8,000 years</a>&nbsp;

“With bushfire recovery efforts, normally the interest goes to the cute and cuddly species like koalas, but a lot of the invertebrates don’t have any attention, and they’re the essential workers of our ecosystem … it’s really important we study them,” added Lessard. &nbsp;

Naming the soldier fly Opaluma rupaul came as an “obvious decision”, said Lessard. &nbsp;&nbsp;

“I was watching a lot of RuPaul’s Drag Race while examining the species and I know it would challenge RuPaul on the runway serving fierce looks. It has a costume of shiny metallic rainbow colours, and it has legs for days. I think once (Ru) sees the fly she’ll realise it’s quite fierce and hopefully appreciate the name,” Lessard said.&nbsp;

Cultural icon RuPaul seems to have become the first drag queen to get forever enshrined as a soldier fly after Dr Bryan Lessard, an entomologist at CSIRO's National Research Collections Australia, named a new Australian fly species after him.

Cultural icon RuPaul seems to have become the first drag queen to get forever enshrined as a soldier fly after Dr Bryan Lessard, an entomologist at CSIRO's National Research Collections Australia, named a new Australian fly species after him. It was the 50th species to be named by Lessard, who researches the taxonomy and evolution of medically important flies. Watch: Artists transform Lima hillside with rainbow homes × The new species, which is being called RuPaul fly now, is part of a new Australian genus named Opaluma (from the Latin words for opal and thorn) as they look like “little gems buzzing around the forest floor” and have a distinctive thorn tucked under their abdomen. As per the entomologist, the growing practice of naming insects after pop culture icons seems to have helped threatened species gain attention in response to environmental threats. Lessard said, “There’s a new wave of entomologists using pop culture to generate interest in our science and what we do, which is really exciting. It’s a great way of generating attention about why flies are important, to get as many people as possible talking about these species that need help, so they can be protected.” Also Read: Older than Stonehenge and Pyramids of Giza? Camel carvings in Saudi Arabia date back 8,000 years “With bushfire recovery efforts, normally the interest goes to the cute and cuddly species like koalas, but a lot of the invertebrates don’t have any attention, and they’re the essential workers of our ecosystem … it’s really important we study them,” added Lessard. Naming the soldier fly Opaluma rupaul came as an “obvious decision”, said Lessard. “I was watching a lot of RuPaul’s Drag Race while examining the species and I know it would challenge RuPaul on the runway serving fierce looks. It has a costume of shiny metallic rainbow colours, and it has legs for days. I think once (Ru) sees the fly she’ll realise it’s quite fierce and hopefully appreciate the name,” Lessard said.

Dr Bryan Lessard names Australian fly species after American drag queen RuPaul

The Pentagon has released the names of the 13 American service members killed in the recent suicide bombing at the Kabul airport.&nbsp;They include 11 Marines, one Navy sailor, who was assigned to a Marine Corps unit, and an Army Special Forces soldier.

Watch |&nbsp;Biden: Another terrorist attack on Kabul airport 'highly likely' soon

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They died in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate, which also killed at least 170 Afghans.

The 11 Marines are Staff Sgt&nbsp;Darin T&nbsp;Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah; Sgt&nbsp;Johanny Rosariopichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts; Sgt&nbsp;Nicole L&nbsp;Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California; Cpl&nbsp;Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California; Cpl&nbsp;Daegan W&nbsp;Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska; Cpl&nbsp;Humberto A&nbsp;Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana; Lance Cpl&nbsp;David L&nbsp;Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas; Lance Cpl&nbsp;Jared M&nbsp;Schmitz, 20, of St&nbsp;Charles, Missouri; Lance Cpl&nbsp;Rylee J&nbsp;McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming; Lance Cpl&nbsp;Dylan R&nbsp;Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, and Lance Cpl&nbsp;Kareem M&nbsp;Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/taliban-guard-kabul-airport-as-nato-troops-leave-afghanistan-409149" hreflang="en">Taliban guard Kabul airport as NATO troops leave Afghanistan</a>

Also killed were Navy Hospitalman Maxton W&nbsp;Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio, and Army Staff Sgt&nbsp;Ryan C&nbsp;Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee.&nbsp;The Pentagon said on Saturday their remains were being flown to the United States.

The Pentagon has released the names of the 13 American service members killed in the recent suicide bombing at the Kabul airport. They include 11 Marines, one Navy sailor, who was assigned to a Marine Corps unit, and an Army Special Forces soldier.

The Pentagon has released the names of the 13 American service members killed in the recent suicide bombing at the Kabul airport. They include 11 Marines, one Navy sailor, who was assigned to a Marine Corps unit, and an Army Special Forces soldier. Watch | Biden: Another terrorist attack on Kabul airport 'highly likely' soon × They died in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate, which also killed at least 170 Afghans. The 11 Marines are Staff Sgt Darin T Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah; Sgt Johanny Rosariopichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts; Sgt Nicole L Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California; Cpl Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California; Cpl Daegan W Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska; Cpl Humberto A Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana; Lance Cpl David L Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas; Lance Cpl Jared M Schmitz, 20, of St Charles, Missouri; Lance Cpl Rylee J McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming; Lance Cpl Dylan R Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, and Lance Cpl Kareem M Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California. Also Read | Taliban guard Kabul airport as NATO troops leave Afghanistan Also killed were Navy Hospitalman Maxton W Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio, and Army Staff Sgt Ryan C Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee. The Pentagon said on Saturday their remains were being flown to the United States.

US releases names of troops killed in deadly Kabul attack

Most parents can remember the subtle mix of excitement and anxiety accompanying the choice of their baby&rsquo;s name &ndash; it will follow the child his or her entire life. But the effect could be even more significant. In research recently published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, our research team shows that the stereotype that a given society has of a first name can influence the way people look.

In eight studies, we found that participants shown ID-style photos of people they&rsquo;d never met were able to recognise the first name of the depicted person well above the chance level. For example, let&rsquo;s say you live in North America and are shown a picture of a woman whose name is Emily (you aren&rsquo;t given this information). Below her image four possible first names are listed: Claire, Deborah, Emily and Melissa. Assuming that the first names are equally common in North America in/around the year that the person was born, study participants should pick the correct name approximately 25% of the time &ndash; in other words, by chance. What we found is that participants typically choose the depicted person&rsquo;s true first name 35% to 40% of the time. In other words, there is something about an Emily that&hellip;just looks like an Emily.

If an Emily really does look like an Emily, even a computer should be able to guess her true name. And that is what we find, across dozens of names. We had a computer analyse almost 100,000 ID portraits of French people. Across the board, the computer was able to recognise the person&rsquo;s true first name above the rate of pure chance. In fact, the computer was even able to produce a &ldquo;heat map&rdquo; for each name, a face with the features that &ldquo;betray&rdquo; a person carrying that name shown in warm colours.&nbsp;

How should we understand this effect? Until now, social psychologists knew that our facial appearance influences the extent to which others perceive us as attractive, intelligent, trustworthy or warm. This study shows that others&rsquo; perceptions of our first name is reflected in our faces.

How is that possible? Our theory is that when a child receives a first name, it comes loaded with a number of social expectations, inferences and interactions. It is possible that this child be treated as though s/he has certain personality traits &ndash; for example, a Katherine may be a good student, while an Allison may be mischievous. The social attitude toward a first name, along with its continuous pressure on the person wearing that name, can influence the perception that the name-wearer has of themselves, and end up weighing on the development of their appearance. For instance, Allison may end up adopting a hairstyle, expressions or specific facial traits (eg. smile lines) consistent with the stereotype of an Allison that her cultural group has in mind.

Self-fulfilling prophecy is already well documented as far as personality is concerned. For example, given the stereotype that Chinese people tend to excel at mathematics, a Chinese woman being reminded of the fact she is Chinese tends to perceive herself as better at the subject compared to a Chinese woman being reminded of the fact that she is a woman. What is new with our research is it shows our tendency to adhere to social stereotypes ends up appearing on our face, at least via the social cues that our first name represents. This may happen either directly (e.g. Allison wears her hair down; Angelina ties it up) or work via the effect of a first name on people&rsquo;s personality (e.g. a first name may be associated with someone who is open-minded, which would then translate on a more open-looking face).

We therefore identify a type of Dorian Gray effect, from the lead protagonist in Oscar Wilde&rsquo;s novel, whose portrait evolves as he carries out dark acts. The fact that our first name, chosen by others for us, shapes our appearance in adulthood suggests a powerful social structuring that affects us from early on in our life.

Social structuring

The face-name effect &ndash; the fact that we recognise the first name of someone we don&rsquo;t know beyond chance level &ndash; does have its limits. These limits further illustrate the self-fulfilling mechanism behind it.

First of all, we find that individuals of a given culture display the face-name effect when looking at pictures of individuals from their culture, but no longer recognise the name when the pictures are of individuals from another culture. In one of our studies, we asked French and Israeli participants to recognise the true name of French and Israeli people they did not know. The face-name effect occurred for French people confronted with French faces, as well as for Israelis confronted with Israeli faces. It did not occur for French people confronted with Israeli faces or Israelis confronted with French faces. In other words, perceivers no longer recognised the depicted people&rsquo;s true name above chance level when the latter were not from their culture.

In another study we found that if the people depicted do not use their first name socially, but instead exclusively use a nickname (eg. Charlotte does not go by Charlotte, but by &ldquo;Chachou&rdquo;), the face-name effect disappears, and people no longer recognise Charlotte as a Charlotte. Again, this is consistent with the fact that the name-wearer undergoes a social pressure when she or he morphs their face to tend toward the social stereotype of their first name. When exclusively using a nickname, for which there is no shared stereotype, this pressure disappears.

Finally, the face-name effect occurs even if we can only see the hair of a person. Our hair is possibly the part of our face that we control with the most ease. The fact that this alone can produce the face-name effect further illustrates the suspected self-fulfilling mechanism behind it.

Together, the eight studies suggest that we wear our social belonging on our face, and that we actively shape our features to be recognised by our reference group. Choosing baby names remains exciting. Whatever the first name you give to your child, he or she will end up wearing it.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Eight studies have found that when people were shown ID-style photos of people they'd never met, they were often able to correctly select the person's first name.

Most parents can remember the subtle mix of excitement and anxiety accompanying the choice of their baby’s name – it will follow the child his or her entire life. But the effect could be even more significant. In research recently published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, our research team shows that the stereotype that a given society has of a first name can influence the way people look. In eight studies, we found that participants shown ID-style photos of people they’d never met were able to recognise the first name of the depicted person well above the chance level. For example, let’s say you live in North America and are shown a picture of a woman whose name is Emily (you aren’t given this information). Below her image four possible first names are listed: Claire, Deborah, Emily and Melissa. Assuming that the first names are equally common in North America in/around the year that the person was born, study participants should pick the correct name approximately 25% of the time – in other words, by chance. What we found is that participants typically choose the depicted person’s true first name 35% to 40% of the time. In other words, there is something about an Emily that…just looks like an Emily. If an Emily really does look like an Emily, even a computer should be able to guess her true name. And that is what we find, across dozens of names. We had a computer analyse almost 100,000 ID portraits of French people. Across the board, the computer was able to recognise the person’s true first name above the rate of pure chance. In fact, the computer was even able to produce a “heat map” for each name, a face with the features that “betray” a person carrying that name shown in warm colours. How should we understand this effect? Until now, social psychologists knew that our facial appearance influences the extent to which others perceive us as attractive, intelligent, trustworthy or warm. This study shows that others’ perceptions of our first name is reflected in our faces. How is that possible? Our theory is that when a child receives a first name, it comes loaded with a number of social expectations, inferences and interactions. It is possible that this child be treated as though s/he has certain personality traits – for example, a Katherine may be a good student, while an Allison may be mischievous. The social attitude toward a first name, along with its continuous pressure on the person wearing that name, can influence the perception that the name-wearer has of themselves, and end up weighing on the development of their appearance. For instance, Allison may end up adopting a hairstyle, expressions or specific facial traits (eg. smile lines) consistent with the stereotype of an Allison that her cultural group has in mind. Self-fulfilling prophecy is already well documented as far as personality is concerned. For example, given the stereotype that Chinese people tend to excel at mathematics, a Chinese woman being reminded of the fact she is Chinese tends to perceive herself as better at the subject compared to a Chinese woman being reminded of the fact that she is a woman. What is new with our research is it shows our tendency to adhere to social stereotypes ends up appearing on our face, at least via the social cues that our first name represents. This may happen either directly (e.g. Allison wears her hair down; Angelina ties it up) or work via the effect of a first name on people’s personality (e.g. a first name may be associated with someone who is open-minded, which would then translate on a more open-looking face). We therefore identify a type of Dorian Gray effect, from the lead protagonist in Oscar Wilde’s novel, whose portrait evolves as he carries out dark acts. The fact that our first name, chosen by others for us, shapes our appearance in adulthood suggests a powerful social structuring that affects us from early on in our life. Social structuring The face-name effect – the fact that we recognise the first name of someone we don’t know beyond chance level – does have its limits. These limits further illustrate the self-fulfilling mechanism behind it. First of all, we find that individuals of a given culture display the face-name effect when looking at pictures of individuals from their culture, but no longer recognise the name when the pictures are of individuals from another culture. In one of our studies, we asked French and Israeli participants to recognise the true name of French and Israeli people they did not know. The face-name effect occurred for French people confronted with French faces, as well as for Israelis confronted with Israeli faces. It did not occur for French people confronted with Israeli faces or Israelis confronted with French faces. In other words, perceivers no longer recognised the depicted people’s true name above chance level when the latter were not from their culture. In another study we found that if the people depicted do not use their first name socially, but instead exclusively use a nickname (eg. Charlotte does not go by Charlotte, but by “Chachou”), the face-name effect disappears, and people no longer recognise Charlotte as a Charlotte. Again, this is consistent with the fact that the name-wearer undergoes a social pressure when she or he morphs their face to tend toward the social stereotype of their first name. When exclusively using a nickname, for which there is no shared stereotype, this pressure disappears. Finally, the face-name effect occurs even if we can only see the hair of a person. Our hair is possibly the part of our face that we control with the most ease. The fact that this alone can produce the face-name effect further illustrates the suspected self-fulfilling mechanism behind it. Together, the eight studies suggest that we wear our social belonging on our face, and that we actively shape our features to be recognised by our reference group. Choosing baby names remains exciting. Whatever the first name you give to your child, he or she will end up wearing it. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: People's perceptions of our first name is reflected in our faces

Nepal&#39;s new Maoist Prime Minister Prachanda named a minority leader to the key position of home minister in his first appointments on Thursday, seeking reconciliation after months of protests by southern plainsfolk over a new constitution. 
 
Prachanda,whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal, still uses his wartime pseudonym, which means &quot;fierce&quot;. He has promised to keep his cabinet small, after predecessor K P Oli was criticised for appointing a 32-member coalition with six deputy prime ministers. 
 
After the oath-taking ceremony in capital Kathmandu, Prachanda administered the oath of office to five ministers, including three from his political party and two from the Nepali Congress. 
 
The sixty-one-year-old former rebel commander has vowed to tackle the grievances of the Madhesi minority that demands a greater say in central government by amending the constitution adopted last September. 
 
The Madhesis, who have close cultural and family ties with neighbouring India, have staged protests against the charter, saying it marginalised them by dividing their southern homeland into several states. 
 
Violence, blamed by many Madhesis on the use of excessive police force, claimed more than 50 lives in protests that petered out in February. 
 
Prachanda appointed Bimalendra Nidhi of the centrist Nepali Congress, the biggest coalition party, as deputy prime minister in charge of the home ministry, officials said. 
 
Among those appointed to the cabinet was Krishna Bahadur Mahara from Prachanda&#39;s Maoist party, who will also be a deputy prime minister in charge of the finance ministry. 
 
(Reuters)

He has vowed to tackle the grievances of the Madhesis who demand a greater say in central government?

Nepal's new Maoist Prime Minister Prachanda named a minority leader to the key position of home minister in his first appointments on Thursday, seeking reconciliation after months of protests by southern plainsfolk over a new constitution. Prachanda,whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal, still uses his wartime pseudonym, which means "fierce". He has promised to keep his cabinet small, after predecessor K P Oli was criticised for appointing a 32-member coalition with six deputy prime ministers. After the oath-taking ceremony in capital Kathmandu, Prachanda administered the oath of office to five ministers, including three from his political party and two from the Nepali Congress. The sixty-one-year-old former rebel commander has vowed to tackle the grievances of the Madhesi minority that demands a greater say in central government by amending the constitution adopted last September. The Madhesis, who have close cultural and family ties with neighbouring India, have staged protests against the charter, saying it marginalised them by dividing their southern homeland into several states. Violence, blamed by many Madhesis on the use of excessive police force, claimed more than 50 lives in protests that petered out in February. Prachanda appointed Bimalendra Nidhi of the centrist Nepali Congress, the biggest coalition party, as deputy prime minister in charge of the home ministry, officials said. Among those appointed to the cabinet was Krishna Bahadur Mahara from Prachanda's Maoist party, who will also be a deputy prime minister in charge of the finance ministry. (Reuters)

Nepal's new Prime Minister names core team, seeks reconciliation

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fc0c6d87-184c-45ce-bacb-2741137430da}{15}" paraid="2055424481" >Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday named electricity minister Imad Khamis as the new prime minister of the war-ravaged country.&nbsp; 
 
Assad tasked Khamis with forming a new government, the official news agency SANA reported.&nbsp; 
He is to submit his proposal for new ministerial appointments in the coming days.&nbsp; 
 
The fifty-four-year-old engineer replaces Wael al-Halqi who had held the post since August 2012.&nbsp; 
 
The changes come two months after Assad&#39;s Baath party and its allies won a majority of seats in parliamentary elections dismissed internationally as a sham.&nbsp; 
 
Khamis had served as Syria&#39;s minister of electricity since 2011 and is an electrical engineer by trade.&nbsp; 
 
Since March 2012, he has been sanctioned by the European Union, which accuses him of sharing &quot;responsibility for the regime&#39;s violent repression against the civilian population.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Syria&#39;s conflict began in 2011 with widespread protests demanding reform but has since escalated into a bloody civil war that has left 280,000 dead.&nbsp; 
 
According to the government, production of electricity has more than halved since the beginning of the crisis.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
(AFP)&nbsp;</div>

Electricity minister Imad Khamis has been sanctioned by EU since March 2012 for sharing responsibility for violent repression of civilians

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday named electricity minister Imad Khamis as the new prime minister of the war-ravaged country. Assad tasked Khamis with forming a new government, the official news agency SANA reported. He is to submit his proposal for new ministerial appointments in the coming days. The fifty-four-year-old engineer replaces Wael al-Halqi who had held the post since August 2012. The changes come two months after Assad's Baath party and its allies won a majority of seats in parliamentary elections dismissed internationally as a sham. Khamis had served as Syria's minister of electricity since 2011 and is an electrical engineer by trade. Since March 2012, he has been sanctioned by the European Union, which accuses him of sharing "responsibility for the regime's violent repression against the civilian population." Syria's conflict began in 2011 with widespread protests demanding reform but has since escalated into a bloody civil war that has left 280,000 dead. According to the government, production of electricity has more than halved since the beginning of the crisis. (AFP)

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad names new PM for Syria

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