Major quake off Philippines kills one, triggers tsunami warnings

11 Sept 00:05 Key points summarised by AI

A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines, causing at least one fatality and significant building collapses, including a shopping center and school in General Santos City.
The offshore quake immediately triggered widespread tsunami warnings for coastal regions across the Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, Taiwan, Papua New Guinea, and Japan, prompting urgent calls for evacuation to higher ground.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos suspended school classes in affected Mindanao areas and urged immediate evacuation, while Indonesian and Japanese authorities issued similar advisories for their respective coasts.
This event underscores the Philippines' location on the seismically active Pacific 'Ring of Fire,' following other major quakes in October that caused multiple deaths and widespread damage.

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.