The University of Bath is currently accepting applications for its undergraduate Economics courses for the academic year 2024-25. According to the university press release, the undergraduate Economics programs offer students the opportunity to engage in professional placements and study abroad experiences. The courses are designed to explore the decision-making processes of consumers and producers and their impact on supply and demand. Those interested in starting their studies in September 2024 will need to submit their applications through the Universities and Colleges Admission Service’s (UCAS) official website, ucas.com, by January 31, 2024.

Application process:

The application process includes the submission of a personal statement, a teacher’s reference, and other required information.

Eligibility criteria:

For students from the CBSE and CISCE boards in the 12th standard, an average of 85 per cent across four approved subjects is necessary, with 85 per cent in Mathematics for BSc Economics and BSc Economics with Politics, and 90 per cent in Mathematics for BSc Economics and Mathematics.CBSE exam takers are required to focus on the subject of Mathematics, not Applied Mathematics.Information regarding the entry prerequisites for A-level and the International Baccalaureate Diploma can be located on the dedicated pages for each course.Students who may not meet the academic requirements in time have the option to complete an International Foundation Year with Bath’s partner institution, Bath College. Students who achieve the required grades at Bath College are guaranteed progression to a University of Bath degree. Foundation Years offered by other UK colleges and universities will also be considered on a case-by-case basis. Students from different boards, pursuing other qualifications, or uncertain about their 12th Standard subject choices should get in touch with undergraduate admissions at admissions@bath.ac.uk.Applicants must also meet the University of Bath’s English language requirements. BSc Economics and BSc Economics with Politics necessitate an IELTS score of 7.0 overall with no component scoring below 6.5, while BSc Economics with Mathematics requires an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with no component scoring below 6.0. The University also accepts Indian 12th standard English scores for students studying CBSE, ISC, or CISCE boards, in addition to some other qualifications. Students looking to enhance their English language skills may be eligible to enrol in a pre-sessional course.

Fee structure:

The annual tuition fee for Indian students commencing these programmes in 2024 is 25,700 pounds (Rs 26,28,786). Students undertaking a placement year are required to pay 7,135 pounds as they receive support from the University during this period. Tuition fees increase annually, so it’s advisable to budget for a potential increase of up to five per cent each year throughout the course. Tuition fees are to be paid annually in accordance with the specified payment terms.

For further details, visit the official website.

Financial support for international students

International scholarships offer a reduction in tuition fees to outstanding overseas students based on their academic performance.

The Chancellor’s Scholarship

The Chancellor’s Scholarship is a grant that covers the first-year tuition fees, valued at a maximum of 2,000 pounds (Rs 2,04,567). It is designed for international and EU students who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievements in their studies. All eligible international students will be granted a first-year tuition fee waiver of up to 2,000 pounds. These scholarships are available without a set limit, so meeting the criteria ensures you will receive an award.

Qualification requirements

To be eligible for the Chancellor’s Scholarship, you must:

Be classified as a new first-year overseas fee-paying student.Attain A-Level grades of at least A* A* A, or their equivalent.

Application process

If you apply to the University of Bath and meet the eligibility criteria, you will automatically be considered for both the Chancellor’s Scholarship and the International Baccalaureate 50th Anniversary Scholarship. You will be notified by email if you qualify for one or both of these Scholarships upon confirmation of your examination results.

The International Baccalaureate 50th Anniversary Scholarship

The International Baccalaureate 50th Anniversary Scholarship is a grant covering the first-year tuition fees, worth up to 8,000 pounds (Rs 8,18,332).

To find out about other scholarships, click here

The online chat platform Omegle has officially shut down after a 14-year run. Introduced in 2009, this free service was known for randomly matching users for anonymous one-on-one conversations. With the primary goal of connecting strangers and facilitating interactions with other people online, Omegle played a unique role in providing a platform for users to meet new users in a virtual setting.

Why is Omegle shutting down?

Founder Leif K-Brooks cited the substantial costs of managing Omegle and addressing potential misuse as the primary reasons behind the site’s shutdown. He said in a statement, “As much as I wish circumstances were different, the stress and expense of this fight – coupled with the existing stress and expense of operating Omegle, and fighting its misuse – are simply too much. Operating Omegle is no longer sustainable, financially nor psychologically.” If you visit the Omegle website now, you will see a tombstone reading, “Omegle 2009-2023.” 

Omegle also faced scrutiny for its role in online abuse, leading to it being shut down. K-Brooks mentioned the platform’s vulnerability to attacks and the financial strain of addressing misuse. “There can be no honest accounting of Omegle without acknowledging that some people misused it, including to commit unspeakably heinous crimes,” he wrote.

Despite the challenges, K-Brooks highlighted Omegle’s positive impact, fostering connections across cultures and offering support. He expressed gratitude to users who responsibly used the platform. “Over the years, people have used Omegle to explore foreign cultures; to get advice about their lives from impartial third parties; and to help alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation. I’ve even heard stories of soulmates meeting on Omegle, and getting married. Those are only some of the highlights,” he added. 

The hashtag #RIPOmegle is trending on X (formerly Twitter) with users reminiscing about their time on the platform. 

A user wrote, “I started using Omegle back in 2013 to get chatzy links for glee roleplay. Nowadays, I use it to roleplay Wolfstar, Jegulus, Hotwings, BkDk, Destiel, Gentlebeard, Ineffable Husband and OC Omegaverse. My heart is broken  #RIPOmegle.” 

I started using Omegle back in 2013 to get chatzy links for glee roleplay. Now a days I use it to roleplay Wolfstar, Jegulus, Hotwings, BkDk, Destiel, Gentlebeard, Ineffable husband and OC Omegaverse. My heart is broken ???? #RipOmegle pic.twitter.com/IKWAxjjKvC

— bluexhibiscus (@bluexhibiscus) November 9, 2023

Another comment read, “Omegle shutdown?!?!!!???!!!” with a gif of a man crying.

omegle shut down?!?!!!???!!! #ripomegle ????️????️ pic.twitter.com/X4TDYRs9ex

— e m m a (@emma_minton_57) November 9, 2023

“The absolute end of an era… Thank you, Omegle for the years of fun and smiles. So crazy,” someone else wrote. 

The absolute end of an era… Thank you Omegle for the years of fun and smiles. So crazy ???? #ripomegle pic.twitter.com/UBWBsmy5oY

— Billy Wilkins (@WillyGWilks) November 9, 2023

Another user stated, “I’m really sad they closed Omegle because I’ve met my biggest online friend there.” 

i’m really sad they closed omegle because i’ve met my biggest online friend there ???? #RipOmegle

— ire ♡ (@ghxstijn) November 9, 2023

Omegle’s shutdown marks the end of an era in online chat. 

The US cannot “get tough” with China because it depends on it for a modern way of life, Indian-American Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has said, asserting that Washington needs to declare economic independence from Beijing.

The 38-year-old multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur made the comment on Wednesday during the Republican Party’s third presidential debate in Miami, Florida.

Indian-American presidential candidate Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott participated in the debate. Former US president Donald Trump, who is leading the race, did not participate in the debate again.

“Here’s why we can’t get tough with China. It’s because we depend on them for our modern way of life. And we have to declare economic independence from our enemy,” Mr Ramaswamy said.

“That’s the Declaration of Independence that Thomas Jefferson, at the age of 33, would have signed. And today, if he were alive, that’s the Declaration of Independence that I will sign as the next president,” Mr Ramaswamy said in response to a question.

Underlining that the actual defence industrial base of the US depends on China for the supply chain, he said, “For the F-35 jets, for the ships that we’re building. Think about this. Why are we stockpiling that if it isn’t to actually be strong against our enemy, China? We depend on them for that. Just like we depend on them for pharmaceuticals. Just like we depend on them for semiconductors.” 

“We need politicians who are independent of the forces that increase our dependence on China. My message to Xi Jinping is this, you are done buying land in this country. You will not donate to universities in this country. US businesses won’t expand into the Chinese market until you play by the same set of rules,” Mr Ramaswamy said.

He added that the US needs to increase its naval capacity by at least 20 per cent over the next several years.

“I think we have to, at minimum, be able to meet our AUKUS agreement standards. Right now, we are at risk of not even being able to meet our AUKUS standards with Australia and the UK. So, what we need to do is have a plan that reverses the trajectory of the divest to invest programme by 20 per cent over the next three years,” he said.

The AUKUS pact is a trilateral alliance between the UK, the US and Australia, seen as a counter to an aggressive China in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.

During the debate, Mr Ramaswamy alleged that fellow Indian-American Republican presidential candidate Haley called China a great friend of America while serving as the US Ambassador to the UN, “When she was UN Ambassador, called them literally her words, not my, ‘Our great friend’. You can’t be fair-weather fans of the right policy. Get to the root cause. Even US companies in Silicon Valley are regularly doing it,” he said.

Haley denied the allegations.

“When he talks about me praising China, he doesn’t know the fact that the reason China was praised was because I negotiated with China and Russia the largest set of sanctions against North Korea in a generation,” she said.

“That is literally the reason North Korea stopped testing ballistic missiles. So, I said China did good on their part. That was a negotiation you could never — had fought against China my entire career at the United Nations,” she added.

“You’ve brought them to South Carolina. … Look at the actual hard facts. You brought them to this country,” Mr Ramaswamy alleged.

“..By making sure no one could get any agency heads in the UN. I did it by making sure that we called them out on human rights. I did it by making sure that we held them accountable for everything that they did. That’s the reason we got out of the Human Rights Council. That’s the reason we called them out,” Ms Haley said in defence.

The two Indian Americans clashed on the debate stage multiple times. It started when Ramaswamy called Haley, former US vice president Dick Cheney in three-inch heels. The former South Carolina governor was the only woman on the debate stage.

“You have the likes of Nikki Haley, who stepped down from her time at the UN, bankrupt or in debt is — was her family. Then, she becomes a military contractor. She joins the board of Boeing and otherwise. And is now a multi-millionaire. So I think that that’s wrong when Republicans do it or Democrats do it. That’s the choice we face,” he alleged.

“Do you want a leader from a different generation who’s going to put this country first, or do you want Dick Cheney in three-inch heels?” Mr Ramaswamy said.

Haley blasted Mr Ramaswamy when her turn came soon thereafter.

“Yes. I’d first like to say they’re five-inch heels, and I don’t wear them unless you can run in them. The second thing that I will say is: that I wear heels. They’re not for a fashion statement. They’re for ammunition,” Ms Haley said amidst cheers from the audience.

She also blasted Mr Ramaswamy, asking him not to bring her daughters into the debate.

Mr Ramaswamy mentioned her daughter during the portion of the debate that discussed the ban on TikTok.

“I want to laugh at why Nikki Haley didn’t answer your question, which is about looking at families in the eye. In the last debate, she made fun of me for actually joining TikTok, while her own daughter was actually using the app for a long time. So, you might want to take care of your family first before preaching to anybody else,” he said.

“Leave my daughter out of your voice,” a furious Ms Haley responded.

“Adult daughter,” Ramaswamy said as he was booed. “And that’s actually the point. You have her supporters propping her up. That’s fine. Here is the truth,” he said.

Talking about the multiple bills signed in August by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis prohibiting Chinese citizens from purchasing land in the state, Mr Ramaswamy said, “Bring in the CCP to South Carolina. What he left out though, Ron, and to be honest about it, there was a lobbying-based exemption in that bill that allowed Chinese nationals to buy land within a 20-mile radius of a military base lobbied for by one of your donors. So, I think we have to call a spade a spade.” Ramaswamy also asserted that his administration would ban any US company from transferring data to the Chinese.

“Here is a story most people don’t know. Airbnb hands over US user data to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Now, that’s a US-owned company. So, this is the problem when you have Republicans that temporarily go the way the winds blow, and now it’s popular to talk tough on China,” he said.

Speaking about Tiktok, he said, “Cut the virtue signalling. The fact of the matter is Democrats are on TikTok today. The only person, one of the few people who is putting up content the way the actual algorithms work, speaking for pro-Israel views or others, is me.”