US, UK, NZ accuse China of cyber attacks on 'democratic institutions'

14 Sept 02:34 Key points summarised by AI

The United States, Britain, and New Zealand have jointly accused Beijing-backed cyber groups of extensive attacks targeting lawmakers and key democratic institutions over the past decade.
The US Justice Department charged seven Chinese nationals for a 14-year 'prolific global hacking operation' (APT31) to aid China’s 'economic espionage and foreign intelligence objectives,' targeting over 10,000 emails.
The UK confirmed APT31 targeted its lawmakers and compromised the Electoral Commission between 2021-2022, leading to sanctions against two individuals and one company linked to the group.
New Zealand specifically blamed China's state-sponsored APT40 group for compromising its Parliamentary Counsel Office, a significant accusation given China is its largest trade partner.
China vehemently denied the allegations, calling them 'political manipulation and malicious slander,' and asserted it 'never encouraged, supported or condoned cyberattacks,' claiming to be a major victim itself.

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.