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Khaleej Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Saudi Crown Prince's viral thank you gesture to Trump could soon be an emoji
When US President Donald Trump made an announcement to lift sanctions on Syria during his recent Middle-East tour, it was Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince's reaction that caught everyone's attention. Expressing gratitude to Trump, Mohammed bin Salman had placed his hands on his chest — a gesture that spread all over Saudi and Arabic social media with people recreating it in images and videos. Now, MBS' viral gesture could soon become an emoji. Saudi software engineer Ali Al-Mutairi has submitted a proposal to the Unicode Consortium for the creation of a new hand-on-the-chest emoji inspired by the Saudi Crown Prince. Sharing his motivation for proposing the emoji, Al-Mutairi told Khaleej Times: "It was a sincere moment that caught the world's attention, and I felt it deserved to be immortalised in the language of the era: emoji. This gesture has become popular and is now used to express deep appreciation in many humanitarian situations." Al-Mutairi said the emoji's design, reflecting Saudi and Gulf values of gratitude and respect while adapting to the region's evolving digital expressions, has officially been submitted to the Unicode Consortium in accordance with approved standards. He emphasised, "Many cultures are already represented in emojis, such as the Japanese kimono, the Indian sari, and the Russian matryoshka doll. Now it's time for Saudi and Gulf cultures to be recognised in this global language." The proposal is currently under review by Unicode and has generated unprecedented interaction on social media, with one of Al-Mutairi's tweets about the emoji amassing over 3.2 million views in less than 24 hours. For Al-Mutairi, the creation of this emoji is also about ensuring that it is available for global use. "This type of project represents us all, and it's worth joining forces to deliver our symbols and culture to global platforms, in our own language and with our own unique touch." Symbol of appreciation and solidarity People across Saudi Arabia, as well as Syrians and others across the Arab world, recreated the move in videos and pictures, making it an iconic symbol of appreciation and solidarity. Saudis, in particular, showcased their admiration by sharing videos and photos mimicking the gesture, a powerful expression of pride and respect for their leadership. Syrians, too, joined in, using the same gesture to celebrate the Crown Prince's support for the lifting of sanctions on Syria. One Syrian expat, Basel Al-Hamwi, based in Sharjah, said the decision meant a lot to Syrians all over the world. He expressed deep gratitude toward Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his role in supporting the lifting of sanctions on Syria. "This moment meant so much to us," he said. "After years of hardship, seeing a regional leader like the Crown Prince stand in support of Syria gave us hope again. It wasn't just a political gesture,it felt personal, like someone was finally acknowledging our pain and offering a hand." Basel added that the viral hand-on-the-chest gesture symbolised that support perfectly, and many Syrians saw it as "a sign of sincere solidarity that we'll never forget." Cultural identity On social media platform X, user @fathi_adawi described the Crown Prince's gesture as one that transcended its original context to embody the warmth and generosity that have long defined Saudi culture. He stated, "This greeting, combining human warmth and deep appreciation, was not merely a fleeting gesture but transformed into an expressive icon emulated by young and old alike." The movement resonated deeply, with many people, from young to old, emulating the gesture, and it quickly became a viral expression of unity and love for the nation and its leadership. As @fathi_adawi continued, "The Crown Prince's greeting is not just a movement of hands; it is a message of love and unity, demonstrating how leaders can inspire their people with simple gestures carrying profound meanings. Since that day, this greeting has become a slogan reflecting the Kingdom's renewed spirit and a bridge connecting generations in a splendid scene pulsating with pride and belonging."
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why the Isle of Wight needs a hovercraft emoji right now!
In this whirlwind of digital communication we navigate, the emoji has become a potent tool. A well-placed smiley face can soften a terse message, a thumbs-up can convey swift agreement, and a string of party poppers can share joyous news without typing a word. From hieroglyphs to pixels, we've always sought succinct expression. Yet, for us Islanders, there's a glaring omission in this colourful lexicon, a void frankly more noticeable with each Solent crossing. I speak of the majestic, iconic, and utterly indispensable hovercraft. Now, I'm sure the Unicode Consortium, our emoji gatekeepers, are frightfully busy. They're no doubt deliberating over the precise curvature of a new croissant emoji or the exact shade of a contemplative face. We appreciate their diligence. We have emojis for steam trains, for cruise ships, even for a rather futuristic-looking monorail. But no hovercraft. How can this be? Imagine the scene: you're gliding across the water, the Spinnaker Tower shrinking in your wake, a seafort slipping by. You want to share this moment, to send a quick message to a loved one - "Just leaving Southsea, be with you soon!" And then you reach for the emoji keyboard. A ferry? Too pedestrian. A speedboat? Not quite the same gravitas. A rocket? Well, perhaps a slight exaggeration of its speed. The current situation is frustrating. I've found myself resorting to unsatisfactory combinations - perhaps a ship, a gust of wind, and a bird's wing, hoping the recipient deciphers my Solent-specific shorthand. It's hardly ideal. Possible, but you lose something in the translation. Think of the sheer utility! A quick tap of a hovercraft emoji could signify "I'm on my way over," "Meet you at the terminal," or even, with a preceding sad face, "Oh dear, it looks like the hover might be off due to this pesky fog!" The possibilities are endless, and the boost to Island pride immeasurable. Perhaps this seems a trivial matter in the grand scheme of things. But isn't it often the small, everyday things that bring a touch of joy or, in this case, a minor but persistent niggle? We Island dwellers are a practical, innovative bunch. We built the world's first commercial passenger hovercraft service, for goodness sake! Surely, we deserve the digital equivalent to acknowledge this pioneering spirit. So, I put it to you, fellow hovercraft fans, and perhaps even to those mysterious emoji arbiters across the globe: isn't it time the hovercraft took its rightful place amongst the digital icons of our age? It's a small ask, but one that would bring a disproportionate amount of satisfaction to those of us who know and love these remarkable machines. After all, if there's room for a floppy disk emoji (a relic most of Gen Z have never encountered), there's certainly space for a vessel that continues to zip across our waters with such distinctive panache. Let the campaign commence! Now, who knows the email address for the Unicode Consortium?
New York Times
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
10 Japanese Innovations That Shape Our Daily Lives
Asian Pop 'J-pop' is an umbrella term encompassing a range of subgenres blending elements of Western and traditional Japanese music across various decades, but often it refers to the catchy, upbeat music that emerged in Japan in the late 1980s. This music soon made its way to other countries, including Korea, where it proved sonically influential and provided a model for the idol system, which relies on professionally trained groups of all-around entertainers. So while it's K-pop that has more fully broken through on a global scale, J-pop helped pave the way. The country that changed modern culture and design, from A to Z Emojis Reflective of a national interest in both electronics and kawaii, or cuteness, some of the first emojis were the work of the designer Shigetaka Kurita and were released on Japanese cellphones and pagers in 1999. Kurita's set of 176 pixelated icons was acquired by New York's Museum of Modern Art in 2016, by which point the software standards nonprofit known as the Unicode Consortium had agreed to make emojis recognizable across operating systems and Apple had added a keyboard for them to its mobile devices. Today, billions of emojis are sent daily around the world. Instant Noodles Momofuku Ando, the founder of Nissin Foods, invented instant noodles — which are flash fried and then dried — in his backyard shed in Ikeda in 1958. (He used a watering can to sprinkle them with chicken soup.) Starting in 1970, when Nissin began operating in California, they became a satisfying, inexpensive staple in the United States and beyond. Nissin maintains plants in countries ranging from Vietnam to Mexico to Hungary, with flavors varying slightly according to local tastes, and now has many competitors. Hence one of Ando's catchphrases: 'Mankind is noodlekind.' Karaoke The first karaoke-style machine, the coin-operated Sparko Box, debuted in Japan in 1967; by the mid-80s, karaoke venues were ubiquitous there and were beginning to change nightlife abroad too. The erstwhile Los Angeles establishment Dimples, which opened in 1982 — with a single stage, as opposed to the private singing rooms that were standard in much of Asia — is thought to have been the first of thousands of American karaoke bars. Canada, Finland and Britain were also enthusiastic adopters. Evidently, Japan's salarymen weren't the only ones willing to set self-consciousness aside for the brief chance to feel like a star. Explore More Read the editor's letter here. Take a closer look at the covers. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The National
01-04-2025
- Politics
- The National
Apple flags change in Syria emoji for iOS 18.4
Among the various emoji updates in Apple's iOS 18.4, users might notice that Syria's flag emoji has been changed to reflect the rapid developments that have taken place since December. The new flag emoji now has three red stars in the centre on a white backdrop and a green stripe at the top. The older flag emoji had a red stripe at the top and featured two green stars on the centre white stripe. Former president Bashar Al Assad's fall from power in December prompted many at the time to display what was widely considered to be the country's opposition flag, which features three stars and green, white and black stripes. This has led to calls for the flag, first used in the 1940s after independence from France, to officially replace the country's current banner, which was adopted in 1980 under former president and Bashar Al Assad's father, Hafez. Those calls spilled over into the digital world, with many Syrians pushing for the flag to be available as an emoji on their phones. Calls were so strong that the Unicode Consortium, the authority charged with standardising emoji codes and digital characters across billions of smartphones and mobile devices globally, had to clarify its role. Unicode told The National at the time that the design and colours of emojis are up to smartphone and mobile device makers, not Unicode. Unicode also referred The National to a blog post from 2022 titled The Past and Present of the Flag Emoji, in which the consortium announced that it would no longer be accepting flag emoji submissions. 'The inclusion of new flags will always continue to emphasise the exclusion of others,' the blog entry reads in part. "And there isn't much room for the fluid nature of politics – countries change but Unicode additions are forever – once a character is added it can never be removed. 'We realise closing this door may come as a disappointment – after all, flags often serve as a rallying cry to be seen, heard, recognised and understood,' Unicode added, while also pointing out that 'font designers can always update the designs as regimes change.' Unicode also stated that despite being the largest emoji category, flags are some of the least used, with a few exceptions such as the rainbow flag. It said it can be cumbersome and time-consuming to encode more flag standards across the board. Several years before Unicode's 2022 flag emoji freeze announcement, Nato tried unsuccessfully to convince the consortium to lay the groundwork for the political and military alliance to have its own flag emoji. The Unicode Consortium does occasionally add new emojis based on ideas submitted to its subcommittee, but the responsibility is on the submitter to prove there is justification for the new design. Ultimately, how the emojis look is up to the operating system, smartphone and device makers. The former Syrian flag features horizontal stripes of red, white and black from top to bottom, common colours to represent Arab unity. Two green stars adorn the middle white section, representing Egypt and Syria as the founding nations of the short-lived United Arab Republic formed after the end of European colonialism. It was first designed in 1958, but the flag was modified several times before its adoption in the 1980s.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Yahoo
iOS 18.4 beta: 5 cool iPhone features that may be coming soon
Apple is set to launch a few new products next week. What are they? Well, no one knows for sure. There have been rumors of a new iPhone SE or perhaps something new for the Apple Vision Pro line. But we do know of one of Apple's anticipated releases: iOS 18.4 beta, which, according to Bloomberg's Apple insider Mark Gurman, is set to roll out next week. iOS 18.4 beta is set to bring the iPhone some new features and capabilities. Here are some of the cool things that iPhone users can expect. Listen, this isn't the most innovative thing coming to the new iOS beta, but let's be honest: It's what users will be utilizing the most. Credit: Unicode Consortium Seriously, look at this "tired face with bags under its eyes" emoji. It's very likely you'll be seeing this one everywhere in your late-night iMessage group chats. There's also a harp, shovel, beet-like rootless vegetable, purple ink splatter, and a barren leafless tree that's expected to be on the way, too. Apple usually includes the newest emojis approved by the Unicode Consortium in its latest iOS releases, so you'll likely see these added, too. Siri is poised to get an Apple Intelligence upgrade, according to Bloomberg's Gurman. And that upgrade could very well be coming in the iOS 18.4 beta. Apple first announced its own set of AI features, Apple Intelligence, last June. Apple was already late to the AI space with the announcement. But, even then, the company took months to officially start rolling them out. On top of all that, quite a few of those Apple Intelligence features still haven't been released more than 8 months later. SEE ALSO: iOS 18.3 is here. 3 major changes to know On top of that list of upcoming AI features: A smarter, Apple Intelligence-powered Siri voice assistant. Some of these Siri features include personal context or the ability for the voice assistant to utilize your own data to answer your questions and queries. Siri could also get an on-screen awareness capability, which would allow Siri to interact based on what you're already doing on your device. Apple also previously said that Siri will have a "richer language understanding, more natural communication" and the "ability to take action in and across apps." Here's one feature that was taken away that we're expected to get back: News summaries. Apple Intelligence was originally launched with a feature that generated news summaries via iPhone notifications. There was one problem, though. AI can often get these types of summaries wrong, and when we're talking about breaking news and current events, getting those summaries wrong could be dangerous. After pushing out a few blatantly false AI-generated news summaries that went viral, Apple pulled the features for the News & Entertainment category of news and added a warning that the feature "may contain errors" in the settings sections for other news categories. Apple said the AI news summaries that were disabled would return after the company made improvements. It seems likely that Apple will reintroduce the feature in the iOS 18.4 beta. As MacRumors reports, Apple has been required by the EU's Digital Markets Act to allow users to set their own default Map and Translation app instead of using the default one provided by Apple. Based on the timeline for rolling this out, it seems likely that those settings changes will be coming in the iOS 18.4 beta. Yes, Apple is only required to do this in the EU, and other DMA-required features haven't all rolled out in the U.S. But this one seems like a feature that Apple will bring to all of its users. Apple's expected robot vacuum support was nowhere to be found in the Home app for the last iOS release. Well, to be clear, as MacRumors points out, it was found somewhere: Hidden in iOS 18.3's code. Yet, the feature didn't go live with iOS 18.3's launch. Apple still mentions the feature on its website, which allows users to control their robot vacuum cleaner functions and monitor its status. Did Apple still need some more time to fine-tune robot vacuum support in the Home app? There's a good chance you'll be able to finally use Siri to control your robot vacuum very soon, possibly in the upcoming iOS 18.4 beta.
