Latest news with #NPC
News.com.au
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Bodybuilder Sergio Taranto lists Lysterfield mansion
The luxury Lysterfield home designed and built for competitive bodybuilder and sports nutritionist Sergio Taranto has hit the market with $6.5m-$7.15m price guide. Taranto, who once set his sights on becoming a YouTube fitness star, is well known in Melbourne's personal training scene for helping others achieve weight loss transformations through clean eating, muscle-building programs and no-nonsense nutrition. He also has serious competition credentials, placing second in the 2024 IFBB Sydney Championships (Open Super Heavyweight) and again in the 2025 NPC Perth Championships (Classic Physique Masters). AFL icon's family farewells home after 115 yrs Couple's wild brothel move exposed Property documents confirm Taranto owns the home a striking architectural residence perched at one of the highest points in the prestigious Carrington Estate, and crafted as the ultimate lifestyle base for a high-performance family. The four-bedroom, four-bathroom home occupies a sprawling 5928sq m parcel of land, where Taranto is understood to have drawn inspiration from cutting-edge European design and elite wellness retreats. A sleek black facade, soaring ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glass make a commanding first impression, with jaw-dropping views stretching across Melbourne's skyline. Inside, the home centres on a soaring void with a floating staircase and bespoke chandelier that anchors multiple living zones across two levels. A statement kitchen is fitted with dual stone island benches, integrated appliances, and extensive storage, including a concealed butler's pantry — designed to handle everything from family dinners to strict macro meal prep. A home cinema with plush recliners, zoned living areas, and a full-length entertainers' balcony with alfresco dining space provide room to relax, or entertain a crowd. In the basement, a dark-toned garage with vertical LED strip lighting displays Taranto's pride and joy, a luxury vehicle parked like a centrepiece in a private showroom. Barry Plant Rowville's Anthony Johnson — who declined to comment on the identity of the owner — said the home 'sets a new benchmark' for the Carrington Estate and had already attracted interest from high-net-worth buyers seeking space, luxury and seclusion. 'It's a commanding presence at the top of the hill,' Mr Johnson said. 'The architecture is modern but still welcoming, and those sunset views are just extraordinary.' Taranto's digital footprint confirms his passion for health and performance, with a now-archived YouTube channel offering three-minute dessert hacks, 'non-diet' fat-loss tips, and commentary on fitness trends such as The Game Changers documentary. While the home was a dream realised, it's now time for a new chapter, with the next owner set to enjoy one of the outer east's most architecturally ambitious family homes. Private sale campaign details are available via Barry Plant Rowville.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Bizarre Chinese national park ad for ‘wild man' job draws thousands of applicants
A bizarre job listing in central China looking for 'wild men' to roam the Shennongjia National Park has gone viral, attracting over 10,000 applications. The job listing offers 500 yuan ($69.60) per day to act as non-player characters (NPCs) – essentially live-action performers – to roam in the park mimicking the famous legend of wild men of the region. The organisers are using fan groups on short-video platforms such as Douyin or Xiaohongshu to find people interested in applying for the job, according to China Daily. So far, they have created more than 20 such fan groups, and each group has 500 members, which adds up to around 10,000 people who have expressed interest or joined the recruitment effort. However only 16 individuals will actually be selected for the job. Located in Hubei province, the Shennongjia Forestry District is known for its lush, mountainous terrain and folklore surrounding a mysterious creature said to roam the forests. Described as about two metres tall (6.5ft), covered in reddish-brown hair, and making haunting "woo woo" calls, these so-called wild men are a long-standing part of Chinese mythology, often likened to Bigfoot or the Yeti. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 華夏Focus (@chinafocusofficial) The job posting called for performers to dress in costume, patrol tourist areas, and occasionally perform abstract dances, all while refraining from speaking human language. They are required to only make "woo woo woo" sounds. Open to all ages and genders, the only requirements to secure the job are a healthy body and a willingness to live in the wild. Candidates should be comfortable being fed by tourists, preferably able to eat raw food, and ideally enjoy isolation or the chance to "act out their real nature". While the employer provides accident insurance, the selected participants must bring their own tents, arrange meals, and be ready to 'run if confronted by unknown creatures', the listing says. The listing has taken Chinese social media by storm with a user on Weibo joking that, 'Who can refuse a job where you get to go mad and earn money?' Another user on Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social networking and e-commerce platform, said: 'I'd pay 500 yuan just to play the wild man!'
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar ranks among top ten countries in 2025 Global Competitiveness Report
Tribune News Network Doha The National Planning Council (NPC) has announced that the State of Qatar has made remarkable progress in its development journey by ranking 9th globally in the 2025 Global Competitiveness Report, issued by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD). This marks the first time Qatar enters the top ten countries in the global competitiveness ranking. The achievement reflects Qatar's well-established position in economic and administrative performance indicators and reaffirms the effectiveness of its long-term national policies in implementing the Third National Development Strategy and achieving Qatar National Vision 2030. The Global Competitiveness Report assesses the performance of 67 economies across more than 330 indicators covering four main themes: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure. Qatar has made significant progress in overall ranking, rising from 11th in 2024 to 9th in 2025. A key driver of this advancement was Qatar's leap in the business efficiency axis, from 11th place in 2024 to 5th in 2025, reflecting ongoing reforms to enhance labor market flexibility, stimulate entrepreneurship, and empower the private sector. Qatar also maintained its 7th place globally in both economic performance and government efficiency, highlighting the resilience of its fiscal policy, the efficiency of public institutions and the quality of governance, especially in light of the current global economic challenges. In the infrastructure axis, Qatar moved up three ranks, indicating continued strategic investment intransport, education, healthcare and digital infrastructure. Commenting on this achievement, HE Dr Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Secretary General of the National Planning Council, stated: 'Qatar's entry into the top ten globally in the competitiveness Report is a true testament to the clarity of our strategic vision, the solidity of our institutions, and the cohesion of our national efforts. This progress underscores the country's firm commitment to building a dynamic knowledge- and innovation-based economy, that offers fair and sustainable opportunities for all. We continue to implement the Third National Development Strategy in alignment with Qatar National Vision 2030, while focusing on enhancing competitiveness, achieving sustainable development, and improving the quality of life for the entire population.' The report pointed out that Qatar recorded a significant improvement in several key indicators, where real GDP growth increased by 2.4%, real GDP per capita increased by 0.82%. Additionally, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded a modest 1.07% year-on-year increase, while the homicide rate dropped to 0.07 cases per 100,000 people—the lowest globally. Moreover, Qatar ranked first globally in 14 sub-indicators in the report, including youth unemployment rate, overall unemployment rate, consumption tax rate, individual income tax rate, homicide rate, human capital from expatriate labor, use of big data and analytics, effectiveness of corporate boards, banking and financial services, credit availability, perceived need for economic and social reforms, environmental legislation, financing of technological development, and healthcare infrastructure. Qatar also ranked second in several other sub-indicators, reinforcing its leading position in various aspects of competitiveness. This progress yields tangible benefits for individuals and businesses alike. Qatar's high ranking in global indices boosts investor confidence, generates greater levels of foreign direct investment, and expands job opportunities in developed and future-oriented sectors. It also contributes to creating a business environment that stimulates growth and innovation and supports the diversification and long-term stability of the national economy, which is a key pillar of the Third National Development Strategy. This advancement underscores the effectiveness of Qatar's data-driven policy approach, empowering the private sector, and instilling a governance system based on performance, transparency and innovation, ensuring Qatar's position as a regional and global leader in competitiveness and sustainable development. It should be noted that this is Qatar's 17th consecutive participation in the Global Competitiveness Report, representing a sustained collaboration between the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) and the National Planning Council.
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar among top ten countries worldwide in Global Competitiveness Report 2025
DOHA: The National Planning Council (NPC) announced that the State of Qatar has made remarkable progress in its development journey by ranking 9th globally in the 2025 Global Competitiveness Report, issued by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD). This marks the first time Qatar enters the top ten countries in the global competitiveness ranking. This achievement reflects Qatar's well-established position in economic and administrative performance indicators and reaffirms the effectiveness of its long-term national policies in implementing the Third National Development Strategy and achieving Qatar National Vision 2030. The Council indicated in its statement that the Global Competitiveness Report assesses the performance of 67 economies across more than 330 indicators covering four main themes: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure. Qatar has made significant progress in overall ranking, rising from 11th in 2024 to 9th in 2025. A key driver of this advancement was Qatar's leap in the business efficiency axis, from 11th place in 2024 to 5th in 2025, reflecting ongoing reforms to enhance labor market flexibility, stimulate entrepreneurship, and empower the private sector. Qatar also maintained its 7th place globally in both economic performance and government efficiency, highlighting the resilience of its fiscal policy, the efficiency of public institutions and the quality of governance, especially in light of the current global economic challenges. In the infrastructure axis, Qatar moved up three ranks, indicating continued strategic investment in the sectors of transport, education, healthcare and digital infrastructure. Commenting on this achievement, Secretary-General of the National Planning Council Dr Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa said, "Qatar's entry into the top ten globally in the competitiveness Report is a true testament to the clarity of our strategic vision, the solidity of our institutions, and the cohesion of our national efforts. This progress underscores the country's firm commitment to building a dynamic knowledge - and innovation-based economy, that offers fair and sustainable opportunities for all." "We continue to implement the Third National Development Strategy in alignment with Qatar National Vision 2030, while focusing on enhancing competitiveness, achieving sustainable development, and improving the quality of life for the entire population," he noted. The report pointed out that Qatar recorded a significant improvement in several key indicators, where real GDP growth increased by 2.4 percent, real GDP per capita increased by 0.82 percent. Additionally, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded a modest 1.07 percent year-on-year increase, while the homicide rate dropped to 0.07 cases per 100,000 people, the lowest globally. Moreover, Qatar ranked first globally in 14 sub-indicators in the report, including youth unemployment rate, overall unemployment rate, consumption tax rate, individual income tax rate, homicide rate, human capital from expatriate labor, use of big data and analytics, effectiveness of corporate boards, banking and financial services, credit availability, perceived need for economic and social reforms, environmental legislation, financing of technological development, and healthcare infrastructure. Qatar also ranked second in several other sub-indicators, reinforcing its leading position in various aspects of competitiveness. This progress yields tangible benefits for individuals and businesses alike. Qatar's high ranking in global indices boosts investor confidence, generates greater levels of foreign direct investment, and expands job opportunities in developed and future-oriented sectors. It also contributes to creating a business environment that stimulates growth and innovation and supports the diversification and long-term stability of the national economy, which is a key pillar of the Third National Development Strategy. This advancement underscores the effectiveness of Qatar's data-driven policy approach, empowering the private sector, and instilling a governance system based on performance, transparency and innovation, ensuring Qatar's position as a regional and global leader in competitiveness and sustainable development. It should be noted that this is Qatar's 17th consecutive participation in the Global Competitiveness Report, representing a sustained collaboration between the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) and the National Planning Council.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Govt's funding a step towards future-ready mainstream media
KUALA LUMPUR: The allocation of RM30 million announced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for media organisations in the country to implement digital transformation and adopt new technology received kudos from journalists, as it will go a long way to attract the younger generation to mainstream content. This initiative is also seen as significant to ensure that the mainstream media remains relevant in the fast-paced digital era, by positioning it as a platform capable of content creation to deliver information in a more creative, engaging, accurate and high-impact manner. National Press Club (NPC) vice-president Farrah Naz Abd Karim described the allocation as a catalyst for media organisations to use creative approaches in delivering important issues to make them more digestible for young readers. 'This also proves that the MADANI government is paying attention to this industry by working together to think about ways to improve the quality of output from players in the journalism industry,' she said, thanking the government for the allocation. Meanwhile, Sinar Harian Group Editor-in-Chief Zamri Rambli, when contacted, said the funding was an important step in strengthening the country's media industry. According to him, digital transformation is no longer an option but a necessity in ensuring journalism remains relevant and sustainable. 'Government support for media organisations will help us adapt to the challenges of new technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and shifts in reader habits. 'We hope that this fund can be effectively utilised, not only to enhance digital infrastructure but also to empower journalists to deliver news faster, more accurately and with integrity,' he said. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, during the HAWANA 2025 summit at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre here last Saturday, announced an allocation of RM30 million for media organisations in the country to implement digital transformation and adopt new technologies. The HAWANA 2025 celebration, organised by the Communications Ministry with Bernama as the implementing agency, aims to recognise the role and contribution of media practitioners in national development. May 29 was gazetted as National Journalists' Day in conjunction with the publication of the first edition of the Utusan Melayu newspaper on May 29, 1939, to celebrate the contribution of industry players as a medium in shaping the minds of an informed society.
