El Nino is threatening rice crops while grain supplies already are squeezed by the war in Ukraine

13 Sept 12:39 Key points summarised by AI

An earlier and potentially stronger El Nino is expected to severely hamper rice production across Asia, which accounts for 90% of global rice output, due to warmer and drier weather.
This climate event compounds existing pressures on global food security, which are already strained by the war in Ukraine (disrupting fertilizer and grain shipments), past floods in major exporting countries, and various export restrictions.
The combination of El Nino and other factors is driving up rice prices, increasing production costs for farmers, and raising concerns about potential food shortages and heightened vulnerability for several nations.

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.