Aarav climbs up UK popular names chart

London: Aarav, an Indian boys' name, has climbed up the charts of most popular names in the United Kingdom, competing with Mohammed which occupies the top slot. A list of the top 100 baby names for 2014 collated by website BabyCentre reveals a surge in Arabic names and a drop in popularity of George after the birth of Britain's royal baby last year. Aarav, which means peaceful, stood out as a popular Indian name for newborns. PTI

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India's New York mission to restore historic building

New York: After a successful 'swachh consulate' (clean consulate) drive, the Indian mission in New York is now looking into restoration and renovation of the heritage building to bring it back to its former glory. A part of New York's Upper East Side Historic District, the Beaux Arts street facade of the consulate building built in 1903, is constructed of Indiana Limestone with a mansard roof of blue slate. IANS

Sisi sees new future for Egypt after Mubarak verdict

Cairo: President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has said Egypt would never return to the past and is charting a new future, after a court dismissed murder charges against former leader Hosni Mubarak. In a statement Sisi said: "The new Egypt, which emerged from the January 25 and June 30 revolutions, is on a path to establish a modern democratic state based on justice, freedom, equality and a renunciation of corruption". AFP

Kabul police chief back in job despite militant attacks

Kabul: The Kabul police chief who tendered his resignation after a string of attacks in the city will stay on in the role, officials said on Monday, as Afghanistan struggles to respond to rising militant unrest. Zahir Zahir had been under pressure due to attacks in the capital targeting foreign guesthouses, embassy vehicles, US troops and a female member of parliament, as NATO ends its 13-war in Afghanistan. AFP

'Parasitic' drones to suck pollution from city air

Beijing: A group of designers aim to develop 'parasitic' drones that perch on neon billboards in Hong Kong and suck up pollution to produce fuel and grow plants. During the day, the drones, which the designers call "parasitic robots" would perch on neon billboards that line Hong Kong streets with their wings spread. PTI

A whole lot of love in Rio: nearly 4,000 tie the knot

Rio De Janeiro: It was Rio's biggest mass wedding: a total of 1,960 couples who exchanged vows in a hall next to the famous Maracana stadium. Dubbed "I Do Day," the event was sponsored by authorities to encourage many people who might not be able to afford to marry if they had to pay for licenses and banquet halls. AFP

Pak security forces seize truck with 5,000 kg explosives

Karachi: A truck loaded with 5,000 kg of explosives was seized by Pakistani security forces in the country's restive Balochistan province, a provincial minister said on Monday. The forces raided the vehicle near the provincial capital Quetta, apparently the destination of the explosives. PTI