Trump hikes India levy over Russian oil as tariff deadline looms

15 Sept 13:18 Key points summarised by AI

US President Donald Trump ordered an additional 25-percent tariff on Indian goods, raising the total duty to 50 percent for many products, due to India's continued purchase of Russian oil.
This tariff increase is part of Trump's strategy to pressure Moscow to end the war in Ukraine, with threats of penalties extending to other countries importing Russian oil.
India's foreign ministry condemned the new tariffs as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable," highlighting that Washington had previously encouraged Russian oil imports for global energy stability.
The tariffs on India are part of a broader escalation of Trump's trade wars, with new duties also impacting Brazil and dozens of other economies, including the European Union, Japan, and South Korea, as a tariff deadline approaches.

Examining Thailand’s four-part education revolution

Yesterday 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.