Pak singer Adnan Sami now Indian citizen

New Delhi: Pakistani singer Adnan Sami has been granted Indian citizenship with effect from January 1 following his request to the Centre to legalise his status in the country on humanitarian grounds. The London-born 42-year-old had first arrived in India in 2001 on a year’s visitor visa. It was extended from time to time. His Pakistani passport expired on May 26, 2015, and was not renewed. Sami’s songs from the album Kabhi To Nazar Milao and Lift Karaa De were a sensation in the early 2000s. His song Bhar Do Jholi Meri in Salman Khan-starrer Bajrangi Bhaijaan was a smash hit. — PTI

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New app may help diagnose autism

Washington: Scientists have developed a smartphone app that may screen for symptoms of autism by reading children’s facial expressions for emotional cues. Autism and Beyond was developed at Duke University and the Duke Medical Center. It has children complete a series of questionnaires and watch short videos designed to make them smile, laugh and be surprised. The app, they said, “is not a self-diagnosis resource, but is intended to serve as a potential screening tool for autism and other developmental challenges”. — PTI

Dress code for devotees in TN temples

Madurai: Devotees entering temples in Tamil Nadu will have to follow a new dress code from January 1 on the orders of the Madras High Court. According to a notice outside the Palani temple, male devotees have to wear dhoti, shirt, pyjama or pant and shirt while women and girls should wear saris or churidhar or pavadai with half-sari. Devotees in lungi, bermudas, jeans and tight-leggings would not be allowed. Even Rameswaram and Meenakshi temples have put out the dress code. The HC had directed implementation of a dress code to enhance ‘spiritual ambiance’. — pti

Jaipur

IAS officer converts to Islam 

Alleging that he is being “victimised”, an IAS officer here from the SC community has converted to Islam and applied for VRS in protest against the extension of tenure awarded to Chief Secretary CS Rajan. “I am the chairman of RSRTC and Additional Chief Secretary for four years, and competent for the post of Chief Secretary but the present CS is given a three-month extension by the state government, hence I cannot work under a junior," said RSRTC chief Umrao Salodiya said. PTI

Hyderabad

Minor raped, attempts suicide

A 14-year-old girl attempted suicide on Thursday by setting herself ablaze after she was allegedly raped by her neighbour in Nizamabad district of Telangana. The girl took the extreme step after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by one Naresh (23) at his relative's house in Bodapalli village in the afternoon, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Armoor (Sub-Division), Ram Reddy said. The girl was immediately rushed to a hospital. "The accused has been taken into custody and is being questioned," he added. PTI

Agartala

12m passports issued in 2015  

India has ranked third in the world after China and the US for issuing 12 million passports this year, said an official from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). "In the current financial year, 12 million passports either have been issued or ready to issue against the last fiscal's (2014-15) number of 10 million," Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi, MEA joint secretary, said. IANS