Ukrainian Tartan Proves a Hit in Scotland

The Great Scot textile company decided to make a Ukrainian tartan and donate some of the proceeds to victims of Russia's invasion Andy Buchanan Digital/AFP
The Great Scot textile company decided to make a Ukrainian tartan and donate some of the proceeds to victims of Russia's invasion Andy Buchanan Digital/AFP
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Ukrainian Tartan Proves a Hit in Scotland

The Great Scot textile company decided to make a Ukrainian tartan and donate some of the proceeds to victims of Russia's invasion Andy Buchanan Digital/AFP
The Great Scot textile company decided to make a Ukrainian tartan and donate some of the proceeds to victims of Russia's invasion Andy Buchanan Digital/AFP

At a tartan workshop in northeast Scotland, machines slowly unwind miles of the familiar criss-cross patterns of fabric in green, red, black, blue and white.

But one chequered design at the Macnaughton Holdings' giant factory in Keith stands out for its unconventional colors: yellow and royal blue, said AFP.

For a few weeks now, the Great Scot company, a client of the firm, has been weaving its "Ukraine Forever Tartan", to raise funds for victims of the war.

"We saw what was happening on the news and like so many people we were appalled," said Patrick Lewtas, Great Scot's head of operations.

"We thought, what can we do? We could do something to raise some money and give to charities. Let's design a tartan," he told AFP.

"We've had an amazing response from this from all over the world."

The tartan design refers to the pattern of interlocking stripes of two or more colors running horizontally and vertically through the cloth.

It is Scotland's national fabric and different colors, particularly on kilts, have long been identified with Scottish regions and Highland clans.

Once banned in the 18th century, the design has since been popularized both as a political and a fashion statement, in Scotland and around the world.

When the Ukrainian tartan was first unveiled on Great Scot's Facebook page, it was shared 10,000 times, got nearly 140,000 likes and more than 2,700 comments.

Ukraine's foreign ministry also praised the initiative on its Twitter account.

- Proud history -
More than two miles (3.2 kilometers) of the fabric have already been sold, with strong demand from the United States, as well as Ukrainian expatriates.

The design is now included on the Scottish Register of Tartans, and each sale sees a donation to the UK Disasters Emergency Committee's Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

"Ultimately we'd like to raise more than £40,000 or £50,000 ($50,000-$63,000, 48,000-59,000 euros)," said Great Scot founder Margo Page, wearing a belted red tartan jacket.

"We're not there yet but people keep asking us to weave."

To those who accuse her of profiting from the war to boost sales, Page says she has chosen independent, family-run factories to produce the tartan.

"We could profit from many, many things. The whole basis of Great Scot is all about putting cloth to work in UK family-owned artisanal mills," she said.

"It's about keeping those traditions going."

She added: "We're not the most commercially viable by choosing those traditional mills. Our balance sheet proves we didn't profit from this tartan."

Creating a Ukrainian tartan has not been without financial risk: money has had to be advanced for yarns, dyes and production.

Now Page says her dream is to "put a kilt on (Volodymyr) Zelensky", Ukraine's president.

Euan Dalgliesh, assistant manager in the Keith factory, said: "We're proud of weaving our national fabric.

"If it helps other people it's great. We're always surprised by the demand for tartan. Generation after generation, we've been weaving tartan.

"But you think you're always at the peak but demand continues and continues.

"We're proud of our history and Ukrainians are proud of their history."



The Year's First Meteor Shower and Supermoon Clash in January Skies

People look up to the sky from an observatory near the village of Avren, Bulgaria, Aug. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Petar Petrov, File)
People look up to the sky from an observatory near the village of Avren, Bulgaria, Aug. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Petar Petrov, File)
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The Year's First Meteor Shower and Supermoon Clash in January Skies

People look up to the sky from an observatory near the village of Avren, Bulgaria, Aug. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Petar Petrov, File)
People look up to the sky from an observatory near the village of Avren, Bulgaria, Aug. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Petar Petrov, File)

The year's first supermoon and meteor shower will sync up in January skies, but the light from one may dim the other.

The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks Friday night into Saturday morning, according to the American Meteor Society. In dark skies during the peak, skygazers typically see around 25 meteors per hour, but this time they'll likely glimpse less than 10 per hour due to light from Saturday's supermoon, The AP news reported.

“The biggest enemy of enjoying a meteor shower is the full moon,” said Mike Shanahan, planetarium director at Liberty Science Center in New Jersey.

Meteor showers happen when speedy space rocks collide with Earth’s atmosphere, burning up and leaving fiery tails in their wake — the end of a “shooting star.” A handful of meteors are visible on any given night, but predictable showers appear annually when Earth passes through dense streams of cosmic debris.

Supermoons occur when a full moon is closer to Earth in its orbit. That makes it appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the faintest moon of the year, according to NASA. That difference can be tough to notice with the naked eye.

Supermoons, like all full moons, are visible in clear skies everywhere that it's night. The Quadrantids, on the other hand, can be seen mainly from the Northern Hemisphere. Both can be glimpsed without any special equipment.

To spot the Quadrantids, venture out in the early evening away from city lights and watch for fireballs before the moon crashes the party, said Jacque Benitez with the Morrison Planetarium at the California Academy of Sciences. Skygazers can also try looking during early dawn hours on Sunday.

Wait for your eyes to get used to the darkness, and don’t look at your phone. The space rocks will look like fast-moving white dots and appear over the whole sky.

Meteor showers are named for the constellation where the fireballs appear to come from. The Quadrantids — space debris from the asteroid 2003 EH1 — are named for a constellation that's no longer recognized.

The next major meteor shower, called the Lyrids, is slotted for April.

Supermoons happen a few times a year and come in groups, taking advantage of the sweet spot in the moon’s elliptical orbit. Saturday night’s event ends a four-month streak that started in October. There won't be another supermoon until the end of 2026.


New Maritime Theater in Jazan to Host the City's Festival Opening

The site also includes various amenities, such as shopping zones, kiosks for dining, an art gallery - SPA
The site also includes various amenities, such as shopping zones, kiosks for dining, an art gallery - SPA
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New Maritime Theater in Jazan to Host the City's Festival Opening

The site also includes various amenities, such as shopping zones, kiosks for dining, an art gallery - SPA
The site also includes various amenities, such as shopping zones, kiosks for dining, an art gallery - SPA

The Jazan city theater on the southern corniche will host the opening ceremony of the Jazan Festival 2026 on Friday. This event will take place at a 35-square-kilometer site that features the Kingdom's largest maritime theater, SPA reported.

The theater accommodates more than 10,000 spectators and features five VIP areas. To ensure a smooth experience, the venue offers parking for over 9,000 vehicles, providing easy access during peak times.

Built specifically for the festival, the stage meets stringent safety and technical standards, providing a high-quality audiovisual experience against the stunning backdrop of the Red Sea.

The site also includes various amenities, such as shopping zones, kiosks for dining, an art gallery, a play area for children, a bird garden, and a regional museum, showcasing the region's history and culture.

This temporary maritime theater aims to provide a cohesive experience, integrating entertainment, culture, shopping, and services in one location, further establishing Jazan as a year-round destination for tourism and entertainment.


Saudi Post Issues Commemorative Stamp for Riyadh Air

Saudi Post Issues Commemorative Stamp for Riyadh Air
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Saudi Post Issues Commemorative Stamp for Riyadh Air

Saudi Post Issues Commemorative Stamp for Riyadh Air

Saudi Post, in collaboration with Riyadh Air, has launched a commemorative stamp set priced at SAR3 to celebrate the airline’s inaugural flights on October 26, 2025, coinciding with the start of its operational phase.

This issuance marks the beginning of operational activities for Riyadh Air as a new national carrier, aiming to serve over 100 destinations worldwide, SPA reported.

Saudi Post's stamps commemorate major national and international events, preserving important moments in Saudi history and appealing to collectors and historians alike.