Author: admin@primenews

Imagine hopping on a school bus and being transported to an immersive, educational tour of the inside of the human body — and no, not on a fictional episode of “The Magic School Bus.” This is the kind of experience that Meta hopes to enable for students, digitally, through its Quest virtual reality headsets. Later this year, Meta will launch new software for educators that aims to make it easier to use its VR headsets in the classroom. The tools will let teachers manage and program multiple Quest headsets at once, give them access to a range of education-related apps…

It’s Tax Day in the United States for most Americans, and there are still plenty of people racing to file their 2023 income tax returns up until the clock strikes midnight. “With the April deadline upon us, we’re seeing a flurry of tax returns coming in during the final hours. We’ve already received more than 100 million [returns] and tens of millions more returns are being filed in the final days,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel told reporters on Friday. So if you’re a last-minute filer, you’re in good company — and even more so if you expect a refund. Werfel noted…

Chinese authorities have taken down the accounts of a top influencer who fabricated the viral story of a boy and his missing homework books. Thurman Maoyibei’s accounts on Chinese TikTok Douyin, Weibo and BiliBili all vanished over the weekend. Police said she and her company face administrative punishment, which could range from a warning to detention. In a video posted Friday night, she has apologised for “polluting the internet”. Thurman Maoyibei is the influencer’s social media persona. Police in the southern city of Hangzhou disclosed her surname as Xu. She has a combined following of 30 million on various Chinese…

Researchers are investigating whether Stonehenge aligns with the positions of the Moon, as well as the Sun. English Heritage and experts from other organisations are studying the connection between the ancient monument and a major lunar standstill, which happens every 18.6 years. The term refers to the point when moonrise and moonset are furthest apart along the horizon, and next takes place in 2024-25. The theory is that these lunar movements might have been noticed in the early phase of Stonehenge and gone on to influence its later design. Due to major lunar standstills occurring relatively infrequently, academics have jumped…

Organisers of the Beijing half marathon are investigating allegations that three African athletes deliberately allowed China’s star runner He Jie to win Sunday’s race. Footage appeared, external to show Kenya’s Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat and Ethiopia’s Dejene Hailu pointing to the line and slowing down before waving He past. He, 25, finished one second ahead of the trio, who tied for second place. The result was criticised by some Chinese social media users. A spokesperson at the Beijing Sports Bureau told AFP they were investigating the incident, adding: “We will announce the results to the public once they are available.” Xstep,…

This epic 28-minute instalment of the kids TV show, streaming on Disney+ from today, has been hotly anticipated – and its story is a deep reflection on change that proves, once more, it’s truly transcendental viewing. Last November, some Earth-shattering news for one global fandom dropped, when it was announced that an extended blockbuster episode of the kids’ cartoon show Bluey was in production – running to an epic 28 minutes. Now, after months of hype, The Sign premieres around the world today, and is an uplifting and energetic family drama about change, all playing out in its signature colourful…

From its “absurd” core to the baffling chemical composition of its surface, Mercury is full of surprises – not least the planet’s origins. But some answers could be held in rocks found in Cyprus. Curiosity has killed many an explorer, and Nicola Mari feared he was to be the next. Driving around Cyprus’s remotest mountains, Mari had relied on his cell phone for directions. But as the light of the day faded, so did his phone battery – and he found himself stuck in the middle of nowhere with little idea of the way back to his lodgings. “I’d travelled…

The Oklahoma City Thunder settled a historic contest for the top seed in the Western Conference on the final day of the NBA’s regular season. For the first time in the NBA, three teams had the same record after 81 games at the top of their conference. The Thunder thrashed the Dallas Mavericks 135-86 to clinch top spot heading into the play-offs. Defending champions the Denver Nuggets also won to seal the second seed while the Minnesota Timberwolves lost. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points in just 15 minutes as Thunder thumped a Dallas team that rested most of their starters,…

Donald Trump will set foot in a New York courthouse on Monday and become the first former US president to stand trial in a criminal case. He is accused of falsifying his business records to disguise a hush-money payment made to Stormy Daniels, a former adult film star, shortly before the 2016 election. Mr Trump, 77, faces a maximum of four years in jail if convicted, but could avoid jail time and be fined instead. He has pleaded not guilty. Mr Trump’s historic trial will take place against the backdrop of his presidential campaign, and could ultimately see the presumptive…

Oil prices fell in early Asian trade after Iran’s reprisal attack on Israel over the weekend. Brent crude – a key benchmark for oil prices internationally – was lower but still trading close to $90 a barrel on Monday morning. Prices had already risen in expectation of action by Iran, with Brent crude nearing a six-month high last week. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has said the confrontation with Iran is “not over yet”. “Clearly, the oil market does not see the need to factor in any additional supply threat at this point,” energy analyst Vandana Hari said. Brent crude…