The Indian Council of Medical Research is all set to introduce a new digital finger-pricking blood sugar machine that will cost less than Rs.2 per blood sample and require 1000 times less blood than glucose meters use now. The new meter will take just 10 seconds to produce a blood glucose count.

Developed by Dr Suman Kapur, professor of biological sciences at BITS-Pilani, the test will be finally evaluated by July 15 and is expected to be ready for mass production by December.

India plans to screen all adult males above 30 years of age and pregnant women of all age groups in 100 districts across 21 states.

Currently India has over 61 million diabetics and by 2030 its diabetes burden is expected to cross the 100 million mark. The country had 983,000 deaths attributable to the disease last year. India also accounts for most of the 112,000 children in the region with Type-1 diabetes.

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Online matrimonial portal Jeevansathi.com conducted a survey that found an increasing number of women across India marry before they turn 25, with states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat heading the list.

Tamil Nadu registered a 19 percent increase in the last two years, followed by Delhi at a 14 percent increase. In effect 64 percent of Keralite girls, 54 percent in Gujarat and 53 percent in Andhra were married before they turned 25. Almost all states have shown a more than 10 percent increase.

The survey shows that most young ladies want to marry before the age of 25 due to various socio-economic factors and a need for companionship.

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The latest national Crime Records Bureau figures that compare incidents of crime with the population of a state, shows Kerala is most affected by crime with a rate of 424.1, more than double the national average of 187.6. Kochi's crime rate is 1,879.8 compared to most cities that average 341.9.

The crime rate refers to the number of crimes committed per 1 lakh of population, which is an index of law and order.

Madhya Pradesh is a distant second at 297.2 offences per a lakh of people and Delhi ranks third with a rate of 279.8.

Kerala also ranks highest in incidents of rioting and arson. It also accounted for more violent crimes than larger states like Rajasthan, and comparable to its larger neighbours Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Kerala's rate of crime against women is also high,at 27 while Delhi is 24.6.

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The job market has been pushed to an 18-month low and the worst is yet to come as companies have been revising their manpower requirements downwards.

According to senior executives of leading hiring and staffing consultants, a crippling combination of factors ranging from the fall of the rupee, global economic turmoil, a volatile stock market, policy paralysis, poor growth numbers and lack of investments has taken a toll and weakened corporate sentiment this quarter.

Hiring peaked in March-April 2011 but has now hit rock bottom, with hiring demand from clients plummeting some 30% compared to 2011.

People are in a wait-and-see mode watching factors that will determine hiring next quarter, factors such as the monsoon, the state of European markets and the state of the economy.

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A huge fire destroyed a revered 200-year-old Muslim Shrine of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani in the heart of Srinagar city causing anti government protests by residents who say firefighters were slow to respond.

The shrine is dedicated to the11th century saint popularly known as Ghaus-e-Azam, who is buried in Baghdad, Iraq. His relics were held in the shrine that served as an important centre of Islamic and spiritual teachings in Kashmir.

Authorities say the cause of the blaze was not immediately known, and the holy relics are safe and have been retrieved.

Scores of protesters threw stones at the firefighters and people chanted anti-India slogans demanding freedom from Indian rule. Police responded with bullets and tear gas. At least 30 protesters and 10 policemen were injured in the clashes and stores and businesses remained closed.

Anti India sentiment runs deep in Kashmir where rebel groups have fought since 1989 for independence from India or its merger with neighbouring Pakistan.

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