Perrine Delacour fired five birdies in a five-under par 67 on Friday to maintain her lead midway through the Portland Classic in pursuit...

Kosovo's top Olympic body said Wednesday it had asked the International Olympic Committee to open disciplinary proceedings against Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic over his public...

A person’s choice of background on video call platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams can significantly impact other people’s first impressions of them, according to a new study. Researchers at Durham University found that objects like house plants or book shelves can alter whether people perceive someone as trustworthy or competent. Study participants were asked to judge still images of different subjects taking part in a videoconference, with statistical analysis revealing that people who used blurred, novelty or living space backgrounds were viewed as less trustworthy than those who had bookcases or plants in the background. The research also revealed that people who smile on video calls are also generally seen as more trustworthy. “This research shows how our Zoom backgrounds can affect the first impressions we make,” the researchers wrote. “If you want to come across as trustworthy and competent there are some backgrounds you should use and some you should definitely avoid.” Previous studies have demonstrated that first impressions can have significant impacts on people’s lives, capable of influencing everything from criminal sentencing decisions to romantic outcomes. The popularity of videoconferencing platforms that arose during the Covid-19 pandemic mean first impressions are often made via video chat rather than face-to-face contact. “In the professional environment, 75 per cent of business meetings are predicted to occur by videoconferencing by 2024. The findings of this study therefore have extensive implications for professional organisations and the general public,” the researchers wrote. “The findings are highly relevant to recruitment processes because competence is a strong predictor of hire ability... Beyond the boardroom, the implications of the study are pervasive for the criminal justice system as defendants are increasingly appearing by videoconferencing.” The research was detailed in a paper, titled ‘Virtual first impressions: Zoom backgrounds affect judgements of trust and competence’, published on Wednesday in the scientific journal PLoS ONE. Read More ChatGPT boss says he’s created human-level AI, then says he’s ‘just memeing’

Ivory Coast's former prime minister Guillaume Soro, sentenced to life in prison for undermining national security, on Sunday said he was ending his self-imposed...

Texas lawmakers have issued 20 articles of impeachment against state Attorney General Ken Paxton, ranging from bribery to abuse of public trust as state Republicans surged toward a swift and sudden vote that could remove him from office

About one in six Americans are now age 65 or older and, as the average population ages, a majority are reaching the age of retirement in a precarious financial position, as costs of personal care continue to rise.

Chris Rock is in final talks to helm a movie about the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. with Steven Spielberg also on board as an executive producer.

New Suns owner Mat Ishbia was involved in an altercation with Nikola Jokic on the sidelines during Game 4. His thoughts on a suspension were surprising.The on-court heat between the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets spilled onto the sidelines in the first half of Game 4. Without about two minutes ...

A list of heroes to best counter the tank hero Zarya in Overwatch 2.

England's Stuart Broad became just the fifth bowler to take 600 Test wickets when he dismissed Australia's Travis Head in the fourth Ashes Test...

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sat down with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in Atlanta Friday morning, a source familiar with the meeting confirmed to CNN, meeting for about 30 minutes to discuss the state of the 2024 race and the upcoming Republican debate.

Gvardiol FIFA 23 Shapeshifters SBC is now live and is great value for an endgame card. Here's how to complete the SBC.