Latest news with #Russian-style
Borneo Post
2 days ago
- General
- Borneo Post
Traditional ethnic crafts find new life via modern twists
An exhibitor (R) makes cultural and creative products with visitors during the 9th Inner Mongolia Cultural Industry Expo in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng) HOHHOT (July 28): Located on the main street of China's only Russian ethnic township, Enhe, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Wang Xiufen's cafe exudes a warm, woody aroma. The scent of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the earthy smell of wood, drifting from a weathered log cabin — a traditional Russian-style house. Step inside, and the eye is drawn to vibrant textiles: handwoven tapestries, colorful crocheted wall hangings, and intricate woolen ornaments, all crafted by Wang herself. For Wang, an inheritor of Russian ethnic textile craftsmanship, this cafe is more than a business. It's a window for showcasing her ethnic traditions. 'Weaving was once passed down through generations in my family, but young people weren't interested,' Wang said. 'Now, they come for coffee, snap photos of these decorations, which are perfect for sharing on social media, and suddenly, they want to know more and even learn.' Across the diverse ethnic communities in Inner Mongolia, many traditional craft inheritors are wrapping their cherished culture in new contexts to make heritage feel not like a relic, but a living, breathing part of the present. A short walk away in Enhe, another custodian of tradition is reimagining her craft. Fu Yanmei has spent over 20 years making lieba, a Chinese transliteration of the Russian word for bread, and her bakery, once a quiet local staple, now buzzes with activity. Years ago, she launched a DIY lieba program, inviting visitors to shape the dough themselves. But Fu doesn't just let them bake — she tells them about lieba's history and how it's made with natural sourdough, no additives. Young tourists, she noted, make up most of the participants. 'Tasting their own baked lieba is a joy they remember.' Further east, in Oroqen Autonomous Banner near the Greater Khingan Mountains, the Oroqen people, one of China's smallest ethnic groups, are also breathing new life into their heritage. In the old days, they crafted canoes, cradles, baskets, and other tools and vessels from birch bark, prized for its waterproof and durable qualities. Today, at the Oroqen intangible cultural heritage museum, Meng Shuling, a master of birch bark craftsmanship, showcases these traditional items and her modern reinventions. Her workshop showcases delicate birch bark earrings, glossy fridge magnets, and tiny cradle-shaped pendants, all pieces that marry the material's natural texture with contemporary tastes. 'The old ways can't stay locked in the past,' Meng said, running a finger over a birch bark jewelry box. Beyond these grassroots efforts, institutional support is also fueling the revival of traditional crafts. Since 2023, Inner Mongolia's institute of culture and tourism development, in collaboration with several universities, has launched a program to revitalize intangible cultural heritage by harnessing the creativity of the younger generation. This initiative encourages students to draw inspiration from intangible heritage elements to create digital illustrations, IP characters, and fashion designs. To date, it has yielded more than 300 pieces of intangible heritage-themed cultural and creative design drafts and handicrafts. 'Young people want things they can wear, display and cherish daily. That's how we keep the skill alive,' Meng said. – Xinhua China ethnic handicraft traditional crafts
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
At ‘No Kings' protests against Trump, remember this civil rights icon
Hundreds of thousands of protesters are expected to hit the streets on Saturday as a way to push back against President Donald J. Trump's self-serving military parade, and Flag Day and birthday (his) celebration. The spectacle in downtown Washington, D.C., estimated to cost U.S. taxpayers north of $50 million when it's all said and done, is to mark, in the most ostentatious way, the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. As someone whose brother and three uncles (as well as numerous other friends and relatives) served in that proud military branch, I wholeheartedly agree that it is a birthday worth noting. But President Trump, as is his wont, has turned it into a gaudy celebration of him worthy of an authoritarian regime because it's his birthday . . . sheesh. Opinion: Trump's mass deportations hurt Floridians like these. It's a shame to US values. Cue the concerns that this has a lot of people feeling some kind of way; and rightly so given the growing tension around Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids from Tallahassee to Omaha to San Diego. (I won't get into the hypocrisy compared to the deadly Jan. 6 insurrectionists' attack on the U.S. Capitol Building.) And coming as it is, in the wake of the president siccing the California National Guard and U.S. Marines on largely peaceful protesters in Los Angeles over the past week, the planned Russian-style military procession of troops, tanks and missiles in our nation's capitol is all the more galling to many citizens. So much so that the arrests and detainment of several hundred protesters, so far, have inspired some 1,800 "No Kings Day" protests throughout the country — including Palm Beach County. To be sure, there have been a relative handful of rioters and looters who've taken advantage of the situation by burning several cars, defacing storefronts and even throwing water bottles at police. Thankfully no law enforcement has been reported injured. But police have also responded with force using batons and firing rubber bullets to quell the violence. That's why during these "No Kings Day" protests, I implore those exercising their right to peaceful assembly to indeed follow the lead of one king: Martin Luther King, Jr. Remember, King made "peaceful protests" the centerpiece of the Civil Rights Movement. And it was effective. Opinion: There are a trillion issues with the Big Beautiful Bill. Tax cuts are a big one. Yes, there were plenty of doubters along the way, both inside and outside of the movement. How could there not be when you're being beaten, bloodied and fire-hosed every day. Imagine the intestinal fortitude needed to not strike back, or return the next day after watching you wife or child being attacked by a police dog. But King's message of "passive resistance" through peaceful boycotts, sit-ins and protests, from the streets to the lunch counters, no matter your pain or anger is what eventually won the day. It's a hard lesson lost on many of us today seeking instant gratification rather than strapping in for the long haul. Over and over again, King stressed that returning fire only played into their attackers' hands. It's worth mentioning here that King didn't have to contend with "edited" video and deepfakes on social media. But that violence only gave them the excuse to do even more terrible things, and eventually drown out the message of treating people humanely. Today's protests, and those to come, are an opportunity to show those lessons are not lost. Peace. Rick Christie is the Florida State Opinion Group Editor for the USA Today Network-Florida and Interim Editorial Page Editor for The Palm Beach Post. You can email him at RChristie@ This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: At Trump protests, remember Martin Luther King Jr. | Opinion
Telegraph
17-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Russia to feed its troops using company seized from US
Russia is planning to feed its troops with food from a seized American company, in a move that threatens to spoil Moscow's improving relations with Washington. Glavprodukt, a major producer of canned meat and vegetables, was brought under Kremlin control in October as the only US company in Vladimir Putin's hands. The seizure was ordered to ensure stable production and future supplies to the Russian military, a letter from the company's new Russian management to the prosecutor general's office has revealed. First reported by Reuters, the document states that Glavprodukt's produce would be sent to the Russian ministry of defence as well as the national guard, a militarised force that reports directly to Putin. The company is not believed to have produced food for the Russian military while it was under US control. It comes after Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, hinted last month that Glavprodukt's seizure would be discussed during negotiations aimed at normalising US-Russia relations. 'There are opportunities to work together, and obviously that's going to entail talking about not just Russian assets that have been seized by the Europeans or the US or what have you, but also American companies that have been hurt,' he said in an interview with the Right-wing Breitbart News Network. Following the seizure in October, the company's assets were confiscated on March 12 following a court order from the prosecutor general's office. Russian prosecutors accused Leonid Smirnov, Glavprodukt's American owner who fled the Soviet Union in the 1970s, of moving 1.38 billion roubles (£12.8 million) out of Russia from 2022 to 2024. Mr Smirnov described the accusations as a ' Russian-style corporate raid ' and denies any wrongdoing. The letter seen by Reuters confirmed that Glavprodukt's new Russian director was named at the request of a company called Druzhba Narodov, which formerly supplied food to the national guard. 'Save my company' Mr Smirnov has urged Donald Trump to help save his $200 million (£151 million) business, which is regarded as the Russian equivalent of Heinz. 'We basically have this company being destroyed on a daily basis,' he told the New York Post. 'I am asking president Trump to get involved and save my company, save all other American companies.' The Moscow-based company, which employs 1,000 people across three factories, began making losses for the first time in its history after it was seized. Mr Smirnov estimates that it has lost around 30 per cent of its value since it was taken over by the Kremlin. Roughly a dozen companies have been placed under 'temporary management' by Russia over the past three years, but these have mostly been European.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Russia to feed its troops using company seized from US
Russia is planning to feed its troops with food from a seized American company, in a move that threatens to spoil Moscow's improving relations with Washington. Glavprodukt, a major producer of canned meat and vegetables, was brought under Kremlin control in October as the only US company in Vladimir Putin's hands. The seizure was ordered to ensure stable production and future supplies to the Russian military, a letter from the company's new Russian management to the prosecutor general's office has revealed. First reported by Reuters, the document states that Glavprodukt's produce would be sent to the Russian ministry of defence as well as the national guard, a militarised force that reports directly to Putin. The company is not believed to have produced food for the Russian military while it was under US control. It comes after Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, hinted last month that Glavprodukt's seizure would be discussed during negotiations aimed at normalising US-Russia relations. 'There are opportunities to work together, and obviously that's going to entail talking about not just Russian assets that have been seized by the Europeans or the US or what have you, but also American companies that have been hurt,' he said in an interview with Right-wing Breitbart News Network. Following the seizure in October, the company's assets were confiscated on March 12 following a court order from the prosecutor general's office. Russian prosecutors accused Leonid Smirnov, Glavprodukt's American owner who fled the Soviet Union in the 1970s, of moving 1.38 billion roubles (£12.8 million) out of Russia from 2022 to 2024. Mr Smirnov described the accusations as a 'Russian-style corporate raid' and denies any wrongdoing. The letter seen by Reuters confirmed that Glavprodukt's new Russian director was named at the request of a company called Druzhba Narodov, which formerly supplied food to the national guard. Mr Smirnov has urged Donald Trump to help save his $200 million business, which is regarded as the Russian equivalent of Heinz. 'We basically have this company being destroyed on a daily basis,' he told the New York Post. 'I am asking president Trump to get involved and save my company, save all other American companies.' The Moscow-based company, which employs 1,000 people across three factories, began making losses for the first time in its history after it was seized. Mr Smirnov estimates that it has lost around 30 per cent of its value since it was taken over by the Kremlin. Roughly a dozen companies have been placed under 'temporary management' by Russia over the past three years, but these have mostly been European. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
USA Today
17-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Exclusive: Moscow plans to use seized US-owned company to feed Russian army, document shows
Exclusive: Moscow plans to use seized US-owned company to feed Russian army, document shows LONDON, April 17 (Reuters) - Plans are afoot for an American-owned company seized by the Kremlin and placed under state control to be used to supply food to the Russian army, a document seen by Reuters showed, potentially threatening Moscow's warming relations with the U.S. As the U.S. and the Kremlin negotiate to stop the war in Ukraine, the canned food maker Glavprodukt which was seized in October and is the only American-owned firm to be taken under state control, has been caught in the crosshairs. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said its treatment will be part of the conversation about resetting U.S.-Russia relations. The seizure was necessary to ensure stable production, including for future supplies to the national guard and defence ministry, according to a letter, reviewed by Reuters, addressed to Russia's prosecutor general from Glavprodukt's new management. Glavprodukt is now under the control of Russia's federal property management agency Rosimushchestvo having been seized from Los Angeles-based Leonid Smirnov. Russia's industry and trade ministry and Rosimushchestvo did not respond to requests for comment on the state's plans for Glavprodukt and questions about its new management. More: 'Everybody's to blame': Trump accuses Zelenskyy of starting Russia's war on Ukraine Russian prosecutors have accused Smirnov and companies controlled by him of moving about 1.38 billion roubles ($17 million) out of Russia from 2022 to 2024, the RBC daily reported in March. On March 12, Glavprodukt's assets were seized by the Moscow Arbitration Court at the request of the prosecutor general's office. A hearing is scheduled for April 18. Smirnov denies wrongdoing and says the lawsuit is a "Russian-style corporate raid" to steal his company. The prosecutor general did not immediately respond to a request for comment. About a dozen European companies have had their Russian subsidiaries expropriated by presidential decree, including Danish brewer Carlsberg and Finnish utility Fortum and the Kremlin has warned of more asset seizures. The Ukraine invasion was expected to be a quick operation, but the war has now stretched to more than three years, seeing Russia hike defence spending and secure tighter control of strategic assets. In 2022, Russia was scrambling for military supplies, including food. WHO STANDS TO GAIN FROM SEIZURE? The letter reviewed by Reuters shines a light on the people standing to gain from the expropriation. It said that Rosimushchestvo appointed Glavprodukt's new director general at the request of food producer Druzhba Narodov. Druzhba Narodov was the sole supplier to Russia's national guard for 2019-20, according to a 2018 press release. A person familiar with the matter said that Glavprodukt never previously supplied Russia's army. A 2018 investigation by late opposition politician Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund revealed that then President Dmitry Medvedev had in 2017 signed off on Druzhba Narodov becoming the national guard's sole supplier. Ownership information for Druzhba Narodov is classified, but Russian newspaper Kommersant reported in 2022, citing then publicly available information on Russia's EGRUL corporate registry, that entities connected to agriculture holding 'Agrocomplex named after N. I. Tkachev' had acquired Druzhba Narodov. More: Kremlin says instant results not possible after Trump demands Ukraine progress Reuters could not independently verify that as the information is now classified, but the Agrocomplex holding referred to, and Druzhba Narodov, share the same domain name for some email addresses, according to their websites and filings from Russia's Spark corporate registry. Druzhba Narodov and Agrocomplex did not respond to requests for comment. The holding's ultimate owner is Alexander Tkachev, according to the company's 2025 independent audit filings, reviewed by Reuters. Tkachev, sanctioned by the European Union in 2014 for his support of Moscow's annexation of Crimea, was appointed Russia's agriculture minister the following year, and is the holding company's board chairman, the filings show. (Reporting by Anna Hirtenstein and Alexander Marrow in London;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
