New knocking sounds offer hope for two missing in Laos cave

10 Sept 21:06 Key points summarised by AI

Rescuers detected repeated knocking sounds from a vertical shaft above a flooded cave in Laos, significantly boosting hopes for locating two missing Laotians.
Search operations persist despite heavy rainfall and flooding, which complicate efforts both inside the cave and on the mountain above.
The missing pair, believed to have ventured deeper into the cave, may be sheltering in an elevated chamber, prompting a multi-pronged search by international expert teams.
This ongoing search follows the successful rescue of five other individuals who were trapped in the same cave due to a landslide and flooding.

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.