Latest news with #CH
Local Norway
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Local Norway
Did you know that Oslo hasn't always been Norway's capital?
Avaldsnes Historians disagree about exactly when Norway was first unified as a kingdom, and the existence and true significance of some of the early kings is disputed. But according to the Icelandic sagas, anyway, it was King Harald Fairhair who first unified Norway after winning the Battle of Hafrsfjord in 872. He then went on to rule from his royal estate in Avaldsnes, now a village north of Stavanger, giving the town a claim to being Norway's first capital. The country split again after his death in 932 and it wasn't until 997 that a new national capital, Trondheim, was established. The construction of Nidaros Cathedral cemented Trondheim's place as Norway's religious capital. Photo: CH/VisitNorway Trondheim The new king, Olaf Tryggvason, founded Trondheim - then called Nidaros - in 997 after returning from decades of marauding in the British Isles. Trondheim then largely remained Norway's capital until it was supplanted by Bergen in 1217. Olaf II, "Olaf the Stout", or Saint Olaf, moved the capital to Sarpsborg, southeast of Oslo, for the duration of his 12-year reign. But on his death in 1028, the capital reverted to Nidaros where Olaf himself was buried, with the tomb later becoming the site of the magnificent Nidaros Cathedral. Advertisement Bergen Bergen, then called Bjørgvin, was founded in 1067 by Olaf III, and grew rapidly in importance, competing with Nidaros/Trondheim for dominance. When King Håkon Håkonsson was crowned in Bergen in 1247, Bergen arguably became Norway's capital, with Håkon's son Magnus VI ruling from the city between 1261 and 1265. Oslo Oslo didn't take on the mantle of capital until 1299, when Håkon V moved the royal residence to the city, after which it gradually became the central administrative capital, remaining dominant for another 100 years. Advertisement Copenhagen Oslo remained the administrative capital of Norway, but after the formation of the Kalmar Union in 1397, real power over Norway shifted to Copenhagen. After Sweden left the union in 1523, Copenhagen's dominance was to continue until Norway was passed to Sweden in 1814. Oslo continued to develop, however. After the city was destroyed by fire in 1624, the then king of Denmark-Norway, Christian IV rebuilt the city next to the Akershus Fortress, renaming it Christiania. Christiania/Oslo as capital After Norway was ceded to Sweden in the Treaty of Kiel in 1814, Christiania became the capital of a new, semi-autonomous Norway, which was then given its own constitution and a high degree of independence from Sweden. It wouldn't be until 1905, however, that Oslo, then still named Christiania, would become the capital of a fully independent nation for the first time over 700 years.
Eater
04-06-2025
- Business
- Eater
Malort Headquarters Serves Some of Chicago's Fanciest Sushi
Joto Sushi's beverage pairings for its sushi omakase meals do not include Jeppson's Malört. Chicago's famous bitter spirit, savored by the city's two-fisted drinkers, was made on premises at CH Distillery, where Joto opened this spring off Randolph Street in the West Loop. In recent months, the spirit's production has shifted to Pilsen. Still, the drink's connoisseurs visit CH as a pilgrimage, but their visits reveal a surprise. The home of the nation's most polarizing liquor also serves a 14-course omakase sushi feast featuring dry-aged bluefin tuna for a relatively affordable price of $125. There's also a 19-course variation Thursday through Sunday, and they've launched a more affordable Monday omakase for $100 aimed at drawing restaurant and bar workers who have the day off. There's feelings of anxiousness and curiosity for those who walk in, says CH Distillery General Manager Tony Frausto: 'They think we're just a bar, then they literally ask 'oh you guys do sushi?'' CH Distillery has no ties to Japanese cuisine or culture. The West Loop bar began serving sushi in March 2022 during the pandemic, using the name Jinsei Motto. It was one of those trademarked pandemic pivots to make use of its kitchen, left unused after COVID dining restrictions. After four successful years, building a strong following of regular customers, Jinsei closed in April. Co-founder and chef Patrick Bouaphanh plans on opening a new restaurant using the Jinsei name. Frausto calls the story of Jinsei a happy one, a tale of overcoming adversity and doing what he calls the best sushi in Chicago. The founders' departures gave CH an opportunity for a reset, to reimagine the space. They've added a kitchen for yakitori, donburi, and more veggie options: 'Our biggest challenge is that not everybody likes sushi,' Frausto says. Dry aging is the centerpiece of the menu. The process, about 32 days, imparts different flavors, and, as Frausto says, it also helps sustainability efforts. For folks who don't like salmon, Frausto estimates that about 40 percent of the population, dry aging can eliminate the oily texture some dislike, making it melt in your mouth. At Joto, they enjoy talking to customers about the process. The kitchen goes through about 250 pounds of tuna per week. The malört business was going so swimmingly with efforts to sell the liquor across state lines. Thus, CH needed to move production to a larger facility that could handle said success. Moving distillery equipment gave management the chance to redecorate a bit. They've taken steps to make it feel more like the streets of Tokyo. Joto Sushi , inside CH Distillery, 564 W. Randolph Street Sign up for our newsletter.
AsiaOne
01-06-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
Why These Buyers Chose Older Leasehold Condos—And Have No Regrets, Money News
"Old" and "leasehold" are Singaporeans' least favourite combination of words. We ourselves have seen that, despite numerous presentations on how leasehold can outdo freehold, there's just a strong reluctance to accept it: on some visceral level, many like to feel that they're paying for 25+ years of their lives for something permanent. So why did three of these homeowners we speak to decide to purchase not only leasehold condos, but older leasehold condos? Here are their stories: 1. Affordability issues when both spouses are self-employed CH is Malaysian but works in Singapore, and his wife is a Singaporean; he's currently awaiting a change in his citizenship status. The couple's main worry, when choosing their property, was twofold: First, qualifying for a loan was tougher for both of them. Banks apply a haircut of 30 per cent to variable sources of income, for Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) purposes. The TDSR, in turn, limits home loan repayments to 55 per cent of monthly income, inclusive of other debts. Because CH and his wife are both self-employed, their maximum loan amount was cut by a third; and this required them to put down a larger down payment. The second reason was the fear of losing clients, late-paying clients, and other cash flow issues faced by the self-employed. CH says that: "If one of us has a salary it's not so bad, but when it's both of us, it's possible both of us go through a dry spell at the same time." The affordability concern was such that, for a time, the couple even considered buying a condo in Malaysia instead. But this idea was eventually scrapped, as the couples' clients were all Singaporeans, and even CH's father happens to live in Singapore. The two had a difficult time finding a unit large enough, but at the same time cheap enough to meet tighter affordability limits. CH says they viewed five or six different projects, but were unimpressed until they found their unit on the East Coast. While they don't want to divulge the name, the couple says the condo dates back to 1986, and is close to East Coast Beach (in fact they can walk there). CH says: "At first we were surprised the agent wanted to bring up this condo, because it was leasehold and quite old. Also there are over 1,000 units, which we had specified we didn't prefer as we prefer privacy. But when we visited the view of the sea, along with the area being very private despite the condo's size, won us over. Furthermore the unit was around 937 sq ft, and it was around $1,279 psf. Our agent warned us that we were unlikely to find such a large unit with a sea view at that price, even though it was leasehold. After we tossed and turned for about a week, we couldn't get it out of our heads. So we went ahead with it, even though it was an older leasehold." The total cost, according to the couple, was under $1.2 million, leaving them more than sufficient funds to renovate and furnish without a loan. Even better, CH says it became possible to place the condo entirely under his wife's name, due to the lower cost. This leaves him with the possibility of buying another property, if it comes up in the future. Still, for the long term, CH says he's not really worried: 60 years is a long remaining lease for a couple already in their early forties. The two have no long-term plans to upgrade or move, and they may hold the condo to the end. 2. The privilege of living in the heart of Chinatown, until the en-bloc came SY is one of the few Singaporeans who has no qualms about older leasehold properties, because he has owned one and come out on top from it. When he was in his mid-thirties, SY and his spouse purchased a unit at Pearl Bank Apartment in Chinatown — today redeveloped as One Pearl Bank. At the time he made his purchase, he was given numerous warnings by his family and friends not to go ahead. The original Pearl Bank Apartment was built back in 1976; and by the time SY moved in (sometime in the 1990s) it already had a bad reputation: it was known that some vice workers rented out units there, and some of the common areas were not in good condition. SY says that: "We chose to stay because it was close to the temple which we frequent, so it was very convenient. Any time, day or night, there was all kinds of wonderful food to eat. I could just cross one road to buy anything I wanted, or to reach the Chinatown MRT. " When Pearl Bank was bought by CapitaLand in 2018, SY's decision was proven to be a good one. While he doesn't want to disclose the figures, SY does point out that - compared to two of his brothers and a sister who bought newer properties — his was the one that saw the best gains. (We did our own snooping around though: CapitaLand purchased Pearl Bank Apartments for $728 million, and the various units — which ranged from 1,323 sq ft to 3,339 sq ft, received between $1.8 million to $4.9 million for the sale.) SY even briefly considered buying a unit in the redeveloped One Pearl Bank, but unfortunately his living situation had changed, and he needed to be closer to his children. Nonetheless, he considers it one of his best decisions; and his sale proceeds more than covered the cost of his current resale condo. 3. Needing the size for a production studio as well as a home GT works in product design and prototyping, and his clients have ranged from toy companies to packaging firms. As he runs his own business, he wanted a home that was also versatile enough to act as his office and his showroom: "This is practical for me as I also meet clients in my home, and I have a gallery to show them my process and end-results," GT says. "So I made my needs plain to my agent from day one, and it was agreed we would probably be looking at leasehold, as I needed a lot of space but the budget was very fixed." When the agent showed him a 1,180 plus sq ft unit in Lakeshore, GT said he felt something "jump" in his mind. Despite viewing three other projects, he said: "I didn't find the others appealing because of cost, maintenance, or a layout that would take too much work to reno." For the Lakeshore unit, GT already had a clear idea in his mind: he would merge two of the bedrooms into a bedroom or office, and use the study space as a separate gallery from the living room, thus separating his work by theme. "When I already have such a strong impression I guess it's hard to let go," GT says, "And what sealed the deal was the price, which was exactly within budget." GT says the unit was about $1.6 million, which would be a minimal stretch after the sale of his previous two-bedder. GT says the lease is 99-years from 2002, which he doesn't feel is very old at all (most Singaporeans feel a condo is getting old when it nears 25). GT is open to the idea of upgrading again to a larger unit — but for now, he enjoys living so close to the convenience of Jurong East. [[nid:718256]] This article was first published in Stackedhomes.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
dacadoo Launches Generation 5 of Its Award-Winning Digital Health Engagement Platform
Zurich, CH, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- dacadoo, a global leader in digital health engagement technology since 2010 with over 100 granted patents, announces the launch of Generation 5 of its Digital Health EngagementPlatform (DHEP). This next-generation platform delivers a simpler, smarter, and more engaging experience to help organizations empower healthier living and drive sustained customer Smarter. More DHEP is the trusted platform used by leading insurers, health partners, retailers, and banks to improve health outcomes, deepen engagement, and power data-driven decisions. Generation 5 represents a significant evolution, shaped by client feedback, user insights, and market AI trends. dacadoo's features are available as white-label solutions and through API, allowing clients to integrate seamlessly within their own services and environments. Simplerdacadoo Generation 5 helps organizations boost user engagement and improve accessibility across diverse populations. To achieve this hyper-personalization, dacadoo introduces a new Discover page, a centralized content hub that makes health and wellness resources easier to find. The updated Me page, now featuring an Instagram-like layout, along with enhancements to the Track, Social, and Reward sections, improves navigation and streamlines interactions. The platform is fully compliant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA and the EU Accessibility Act, ensuring an inclusive experience for all users globally. dacadoo's DHEP is the trusted platform used by leading insurers, health partners, retailers, and banks to improve health outcomes, deepen engagement, and power data-driven decisions. Generation 5 represents a significant evolution, shaped by client feedback, user insights, and market AI trends. dacadoo's features are available as white-label solutions and through API, allowing clients to integrate seamlessly within their own services and environments. SmarterUsers receive clearer personalized guidance through tools like 'My Health Score Potential,' which highlights how they can improve their lifestyle and well-being, and what actions matter most. A new messaging framework and recommendation engine provide timely, personalized prompts. Coming later in 2025, dacadoo will roll out an Agentic AI feature to deliver proactive, personalized coaching at scale. More Engagingdacadoo Generation 5 encourages daily interaction with a configurable Me page, personalized onboarding flows, and a dynamic feed for news and highlights. Clients can tailor content, branding, and promotions across key pages, reinforcing brand alignment, creating hyper-personalization, and deepening the user experience. 'Over the past 15 years, we have focused on great digital health solutions and AI that evolve with their users,' said Peter Ohnemus, President and CEO of dacadoo. 'With Generation 5, we are raising the health and engagement bar again. It's not just about offering engagement features, but about creating an experience that is truly simpler, smarter, and more engaging!' Proven ResultsClients report a 37 percent increase in page views*1 and a 40 percent rise in time spent in-app*2. A recent independent study validated a 5 percent reduction in healthcare costs*3 for insurers using dacadoo's platform. Retail partners saw average order value increase up to 30 to 50 percent*4, with higher conversion rates on promoted products. Generation 5 is now live for new and existing dacadoo clients worldwide. With future-ready features like Agentic AI and hyper-personalized health services integration, dacadoo continues to set the gold standard for digital health engagement. References: *1,2,4 - : All performance metrics are based on anonymized, aggregated data from dacadoo client implementations across multiple industries. Client identities remain confidential in accordance with privacy agreements. *3 - : The impact of a lifestyle behaviour change program on healthcare costs: Quasi-experimental real-world evidence from an open-access mobile health app in the Netherlands About dacadoo dacadoo is a Swiss-based technology company that develops technology solutions for digital health engagement and health risk quantification. Our Enterprise SaaS based digital health engagement platform (DHEP) is a mobile-first solution that leverages behavioral science, AI, and gamification to help end-users improve their health outcomes while helping clients to improve customer engagement and loyalty through personalization. This platform is available in over 18 languages and can be licensed as a white label offering or through APIs to develop/enhance custom solutions. Our award-winning Risk Engine, which calculates relative risk on mortality and morbidity in real-time, is also available for license through APIs. dacadoo's global employees are committed to making the world a healthier place. We strongly value security and privacy, with an Information Security and Privacy Management System certified to ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 standards. Press inquiries dacadoo Masako Boskovski marketing@ Othmarstrasse 8. CH-8008 Zurich Switzerland Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
At a glance: What's in the UK-EU deal?
The UK and the EU have reached a new deal setting out post-Brexit relations on areas including fishing rights, trade and defence. The full details will be set out later. But here's a look at what we know is in the deal. Live updates and reaction to UK-EU deal UK-EU deal moves on from Brexit rows, Starmer says A new deal will keep the current status quo giving EU boats continued access to UK waters until 2038 The 2020 Brexit deal, which saw the UK regain 25% EU fishing quotas, was due to run out next year The UK will continue to agree yearly quotas with the EU and Norway and issue licences to control who fishes in its waters Later, the government is due to unveil a £360m "fishing and coastal growth fund" to invest in coastal communities In return for extending current fishing rules, the UK has secured a deal to reduce checks on food exports to the EU Officials will drop some routine border checks on animal and plant shipments to and from the EU The new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement means the UK can sell raw burgers and sausages back into the EU for the first time since Brexit A formal UK-EU defence and security pact has been established Both sides have been pushing for closer cooperation and information-sharing since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Donald Trump has re-entered the White House The government says the agreement "paves the way" for UK-based arms firms to access the Security Action for Europe (Safe) - a £150bn EU fund providing loans for defence projects The UK and EU will link their carbon markets to avoid taxes on carbon-intensive goods like steel and cement travelling between the UK and EU The UK launched its own carbon system after exiting the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) The government says it will save £800m in taxes and shield British steel from EU tariffs, thanks to a UK-only deal worth £25m a year British holidaymakers will be able to use e-gates at more European airports When Brexit ended freedom of movement, it changed the rules for people travelling to European countries. Now, British passport holders can't use "EU/EEA/CH" lanes at EU border crossings A new passport system will make it easier for UK pets to travel, ending the need for repeat vet certificates The BBC understands some key aspects are still subject to further negotiation – such as the idea of a youth mobility scheme The government say any "youth experience schemes" would be "capped and time-limited" like deals Britain has with Australia and New Zealand What finally makes it into this package will set the agenda for the next set of post-Brexit negotiations early next year. Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond.
