Dozens sick in Philippine villages hit by oil spill

12 Sept 23:25 Key points summarised by AI

Dozens of residents in Philippine villages have fallen ill with symptoms like vomiting and headaches after oil from the sunken tanker Princess Empress washed ashore.
The Princess Empress, carrying 800,000 litres of industrial fuel, sank over a week ago, contaminating waters and beaches across multiple provinces and raising concerns for marine life and local economies.
Clean-up efforts are underway, including deploying oil spill booms, but rough seas and challenges in locating the submerged vessel continue to hamper containment and recovery operations.

Examining Thailand’s four-part education revolution

Today 14:22 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Education Ministry is implementing a four-pronged strategy to address its students' below-average performance in PISA 2025 and tackle significant educational inequality.
The plan prioritizes closing performance gaps by increasing funding for small and low-income schools, overhauling the curriculum to foster critical thinking, and adopting a data-driven management system to reduce teacher workload.
Key initiatives include enhancing school safety, combating cyberbullying, and expanding mental health support through peer-to-peer networks, recognizing the severe impact of distress on academic performance.
An education expert advises verifying if PISA improvements stem from structural changes, advocating for a revived STEM curriculum with practical 'learn by doing' methods, and urging bureaucratic reform to link teacher evaluations to student development.