Russian film crew in orbit to make first movie in space

13 Sept 08:35 Key points summarised by AI

A Russian actor and director successfully launched to the International Space Station (ISS) to film "Challenge," the first feature film shot in orbit.
Actor Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko, accompanied by veteran cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, will spend 12 days on the ISS to capture scenes for the movie, which centers on a surgeon performing an emergency operation in space.
This pioneering mission is a strategic move by Russia's Roscosmos to reassert the nation's space prowess and promote its space program through an innovative artistic project.
The endeavor positions Russia as the first country to produce a full-length movie in space, preceding a similar project previously discussed by NASA and actor Tom Cruise.

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.