Indian Commit Suicide as Sposnor Refused him Permission to Marry

JEDDAH, 10 February 2003 — An Indian who was keen to return home to marry his fiancee committed suicide because his Arab sponsor refused to give him permission and demanded huge amount of money to get an exit/re-entry visa. According to his friends, 29 year-old Muneer died because the sponsor refused to let him go home to get married. The sponsor demanded an exorbitant amount of money. Muneer came to Saudi Arabia to make money, become rich and then marry his fiancee back hom. His long cherished dream was to go home and marry his long time fiancee. He was virtually counting the days, months and years, said his friends. After working hard for three years he saved some money to make his dream come true. As was required, Muneer filed his request for his annual vacation a month in advance. For some reason, his request was denied by his sponsor, who told him he must pay a large sum equal to the money Muneer had saved for his wedding. The sponsor would allow him to go hom only if he paid him the money that he saved in three years. Apparently due to frustration, he committed suicide in his room. -KM

US Signals War as Nationals Asked to Leave Region

The United States gave the all-clear for a voluntary evacuation of its nationals from several Middle Eastern countries Saturday, and shut down its interests section in Baghdad, as war clouds hung low over Iraq. In line with US State Department directives, "dependents and non-emergency personnel" were authorized to leave from Jordan, Syria, Israel, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, US embassies said in statements across the region. At the same time, Washington padlocked the Polish-run US interest section in Baghdad-in a highly symbolic move that historically signals the onset of hostilities between countries. -KM

CBSE Allows Indian School Students in Kuwait to attend CBSE Exams in India, UAE

Kuwait : February 9, 2003 The Controller of Examinations, Central Board of Secondary Education, Delhi, has announced that Kuwait would be retained as an examination centre for those students who wish to take the examination in Kuwait itself for both Class X and Class XII Board Examinations.The following instructions for the CBSE Class X and XII Board Examinations March, 2003 were issued by the CBSE, said an Indian Embassy press release . Indian School Students whot wish to take the exam outiside Kuwait can take the examinations in India at the centres indicated by them or in nearby places of that centre. Alternative centres in United Arab Emirates (UAE) as indicated by the students and communicated to the CBSE have also been arranged by the CBSE for non-Indian students.
The admit cards that have now been received by the students will be valid at the new centres in India and UAE as designated by the CBSE in each case.

For students who stay back in Kuwait and wish to take their examinations here and if they have any disruption because of local conditions, the issue of their re-examination may be considered at an appropriate time keeping in view the number of such students. Students are advised to report to the new centres in India and in UAE as early as possible. However, they would be allowed to take the examination even if they report to the new examination centre a day or two before the commencement of the examination, the release said.

The issue of question papers has no bearing on the performance of students. Different sets of question papers that are administered in the examination in India and abroad have a parallel level of difficulty. The students, therefore, need not be concerned about this issue, the clarification said. Based on these arrangements, the CBSE is preparing the necessary materials and letters to be despatched to the concerned schools in Kuwait and the new designated examination centres in India and in the UAE.

"The CBSE is fully alive to the situation in Kuwait and accordingly will do its best to ensure that there is no inconvenience to the candidates taking up Class X and XII board examinations from March 3," it said. "All students of Class X and XII of all Indian Schools in Kuwait are requested to contact their respective schools immediately to indicate their final option for the centre at which they would wish to take the CBSE board examination. For any further clarifications, the students are advised to contact their respective school principals," it added.