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  • Which ‘Mormon Wives’ stars joined ‘Dancing With the Stars’?

    Which ‘Mormon Wives’ stars joined ‘Dancing With the Stars’?

    “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” scandal, rivalry and viral TikTok dance moves will spill over to the upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars.”

    The final revelation on June 30’s two-hour Season 2 “Mormon Wives” reunion (now streaming on Hulu) featured the shocker – two stars of the Mormon MomTok reality hit will battle it out on Season 34 of the reality ballroom dance show this fall.

    Many of the assembled “Mormon Wives” stars had auditioned for “DWTS” − but most didn’t make the cut. Reunion host Nick Viall drew out the suspense, announcing the two new ballroom additions.

    Read on to find out who’s hitting the “DWTS” dance floor.

    ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’: Where to watch Season 2

    ‘Mormon Wives’ Jennifer Affleck and Whitney Leavitt join ‘DWTS’

    • Jennifer Affleck, 25, who met her husband Zac Affleck on a Mormon dating app in 2018, tied the knot in June 2019. The couple shares two children (Nora and Lucas) and is expecting their third child together. Affleck has made it clear on the show and in her TikTok dance videos that she has always dreamed of being on “DWTS.”
    • Whitney Leavitt, 32, arguably the villain of Season 1, Leavitt was the surprise second addition to “DWTS” following Affleck’s reality crowning. After making “DWTS,” the trained dancer and controversial TikTok sensation jumped into the arms of husband Conner Leavitt. The couple welcomed their third child, Billy Gene, in 2024, who joined older children, Sedona and Liam.

    Who is already on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 34?

    The “Mormon Wives” duo will face off against each other and two already-named “star” contestants with significant social media followings.

    • Social media influencer Alix Earle, who rose to fame on TikTok with her popular “get ready with me” videos, joined the cast in May.
    • Robert Irwin, son of late conservationist Steve Irwin and brother of former “DWTS” fan favorite Bindi Irwin, joined the show in April.

    “This has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid watching my sister’s incredible journey on the show back in 2016,” Irwin wrote on Instagram. “I cannot believe it is about to become a reality. So grateful.”

    More cast members and pro partners will be revealed in the upcoming months. But Season 34 is looking to get crazy.


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  • Death toll in Sigachi Industries fire rises to 34

    Death toll in Sigachi Industries fire rises to 34

    At least 34 people have been killed in a massive fire at a pharmaceuticals factory in the southern Indian state of Telangana, according to news agencies.

    The blast took place during work hours on Monday at a unit of Sigachi Industries, leaving several injured and in critical condition.

    “As many as 31 bodies have been extricated from the debris while three died in hospital while undergoing treatment,” senior district police official Paritosh Pankaj told the Press Trust of India.

    Police have registered a case against the management of Sigachi Industries, based on a complaint by the son of a victim.

    The company has said it is halting operations at the facility for 90 days, because of damage to equipment and structures within the plant.

    “The incident has unfortunately resulted in loss of human life, and there may have been individuals who sustained injuries,” Sigachi Industries said in a statement, adding that it was ascertaining the number who are injured.

    Authorities say approximately 60 people were in the building when the blast took place, leading to a complete collapse of the building.

    Many of the workers were migrants from states like Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal in the north and east of the country.

    The unit manufactured microcrystalline cellulose, a binding agent often used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food industries.

    “Pressure seems to have built up when the workers were operating the spray dryer,” a senior rescue official told the Indian Express newspaper. “Fine dust chemical particles too accelerated the blast and the subsequent fire.”

    At least 25 victims were rushed to nearby hospitals with varying degrees of burns and injuries, rescue officials told the newspaper. Many had reportedly inhaled poisonous fumes.

    Rescue workers are still clearing the debris at the blast site and have told ANI news agency that they are unsure how many people were still trapped.

    “Once we are all done with the clearing, only then we will be able to assess if any other body is still remaining under the debris or if it is all clear,” GV Narayana Rao, director of Telangana fire disaster response emergency, told Reuters.

    Officials say DNA testing is being used to identify bodies that were charred beyond recognition.

    The ruling Congress government in the state expressed “deep shock over the massive fire accident” and said compensation will be given to the families of the deceased and injured.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences and announced compensation of 200,000 rupees ($2,336; £1,699) for each for the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees for the injured.

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  • Life on landfill: the people who scrape a living from our waste – in pictures | Art and design

    Life on landfill: the people who scrape a living from our waste – in pictures | Art and design

    Gulshan Khan: A Life in Plastic

    Poisoned Futures? features the works of three internationally acclaimed female photographers and examines how past industrial practices, colonial legacies and extractive mindsets continue to shape our world. In this 2018 image by Gulshan Khan, birds scavenge from the waste at Robinson Deep, Johannesburg’s largest landfill. The exhibition, Poisoned Futures? is at Hundred Heroines in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, until 28 September

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  • Nic Clear and Hyun Jun Park: Practitioner, first place, Eye Line 2025

    Nic Clear and Hyun Jun Park: Practitioner, first place, Eye Line 2025

    It says a lot about the complexity of Nic Clear and Hyun Jun Park’s submission that, just by looking at them, judges were sensitised to thinking that their images were – at some point in their evolution – stills from a video, so filmic do they appear in their nature.

    But throughout the judging process, the vaguely haunting, digitally created images lingered on in the minds of the judges to see them ultimately materialise in first place.

    Academics Clear (a professor at the School of Arts and Humanities, Huddersfield University) and Park (architecture course director, Leeds Beckett University) “capture, edit and manipulate point cloud data to document spaces, create speculative projects and spatial propositions that engage with, and respond to, specific site narratives”.

    The Ghost image declares itself “a collage that blurs delineation between actual and virtual”. The 3D laser scan echoes “drawings of Beaux Arts academicism”, rendered as black-and-white overlays of images, feeling like “X-rays” but critically “alluding to issues of time and the patina of age”. Judges responded to the highly composed nature of this image, intimating AI but remaining firmly under the control of the authors.

    But it was The WavEs – renders extracted from a point cloud scan video of Virginia Woolf’s garden and writing lodge at Monk’s House, her home in Rodmell, East Sussex – that really excited judges, “tracing dream-like vectors as if motivated by the desire-lines of Woolf’s restless characters”.

    “The other work is to some extent just beautiful collage,” observed Samantha Hardingham, “but this one really feels like an evocation or a study of a place in time.”

    Koldo Lus Arana agreed with the technical skill and ‘familiarity’ of the former, but said the latter had an “Eadweard Muybridge cinematographic feel – of flattened time passing”.

    Mary Duggan felt “compelled to move through the image” while Jan-Carlos Kucharek felt “a strange sense of being drawn through both time and space on paper”.

    “The scans are able to capture the garden in ways that appear both substantial and yet ethereal,” wrote Clear. But it was the artful complexity of the layering that somehow reified the drawing, with Lus Arana noting “a highly adept composition that becomes more alive the more you look into it.”


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  • BASF announces senior leadership changes for its global Electronic Materials business unit

    Ludwigshafen; Taipei – July 1, 2025 – BASF today announced senior leadership changes in its Electronic Materials business. The global business unit will strategically base its operations in Taipei, Taiwan as of July 1, 2025.

    The changes are intended to bolster innovation and growth in the supply of electronic and semiconductor materials, capitalizing on Taiwan’s prominent role as the world’s hotspot for semiconductor innovation and manufacturing. With a strong foothold in this key market, BASF aims to enhance its competitive edge and respond more effectively to the evolving needs of its key customers, mostly located in East Asia and the US. At the same time, the market proximity will also enhance serving needs of customers in the display and metal systems industries.

    Leadership changes of the BASF Electronic Materials global business unit:

    Effective July 1, 2025, Jens Liebermann will be appointed as Senior Vice President to lead BASF’s global Electronic Materials business. Jens recently serves as Vice President of Global Business Management Semiconductor Materials and Managing Director of BASF Taiwan. In his new role, he will leverage his extensive expertise and proven track record in the semiconductor industry to ensure continuity accelerating various strategic customer activities. His leadership will be pivotal in positioning the business unit for long-term growth, particularly in the rapidly evolving semiconductor landscape.

    Dr. Lothar Laupichler, heading the Electronic Materials Business since 2012, will retire from BASF after 32 years of service to the company. “Lothar has made a significant impact on BASF’s capabilities to serve the advanced semiconductor, display and specialized metal system industries,” said Gops Pillay, President of BASF Global Operating Division.

    At the same time, Dr. Moritz Ehrenstein, Managing Director Rolic Technologies, heading BASF’s Display Materials segment, will succeed Jens Liebermann as Vice President Global Business Management Semiconductor Materials located in Taiwan. Moritz has extensive industry experience, particularly in R&D for innovative technologies. Prior to leading BASF’s Display Materials business, he oversaw the global sales management for BASF’s semiconductor materials business.

    BASF is a global leader in the supply of Electronic Materials. BASF’s Electronic Materials business unit offers process chemicals and customized formulated solutions for the advanced semiconductor and display industry as well as specialized metal systems for consumer electronics and industrial applications.
     

     

    P-25-130

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  • Israeli forces martyr 95 more Palestinians in Gaza – RADIO PAKISTAN

    1. Israeli forces martyr 95 more Palestinians in Gaza  RADIO PAKISTAN
    2. Israel bombs Gaza aid sites, cafe and school, killing 95 Palestinians  Al Jazeera
    3. Israeli strike on cafe near Gaza City port kills dozens, hospital official says  CNN
    4. Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza, including aid seekers, as humanitarian crisis worsens  Ptv.com.pk
    5. Israel steps up Gaza bombardment ahead of White House talks on ceasefire  Dawn

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  • Ablation Still Best Option When Patient Has AF and Obesity

    Ablation Still Best Option When Patient Has AF and Obesity

    Demonstrating that the best solution is not always a multistage approach, a new trial shows catheter ablation is superior to a combination of antiarrhythmic drugs and lifestyle changes — weight loss, more exercise, and alcohol reduction — when treating atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients who also have obesity.

    The PRAGUE-25 trial, led by Pavel Osmancik, MD, PhD, with the Cardiocenter at Charles University in Prague, found catheter ablation was roughly twice as effective in an intention-to-treat analysis at controlling AF at the 1-year mark compared with a combination of antiarrhythmic drugs and lifestyle modification (73% vs 34.6%).

    A “referral to [catheter ablation] in this population should not be delayed until the patient loses weight,” according to the researchers, who published their findings online on June 30 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology simultaneously with a presentation at theNew York Valves 2025 Conference.

    Obesity: A Strong Predictor of AF

    AF, the most common sustained heart arrhythmia, affects about 60 million people worldwide. Obesity is one of its strongest predictors. An increase in BMI of 5 has been linked with a 19%-29% higher incidence of the rhythm disorder.

    The PRAGUE trial was a randomized, noninferiority trial conducted in five centers in the Czech Republic. Patients that were included had symptomatic AF (paroxysmal, persistent, or long-standing persistent) and a BMI of 30 to 40.

    Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 either to receive catheter ablation (n = 100) or a combination of medication and lifestyle changes (n = 103) from May 2021 to November 2023. Baseline characteristics were balanced, according to the researchers.

    After randomization, all patients had a baseline cardiopulmonary exercise test, echocardiography, quality of life analysis, blood biochemistry testing, and a baseline 7-day electrocardiographic Holter recording.

    Patients in the catheter ablation group underwent ablation within 6 weeks of randomization. Lifestyle modification was started within 4 weeks after randomization and was managed by teams of dietary specialists and physiotherapists, rather than cardiologists.

    Patients in the combination therapy group lost significantly more weight at 12 months (about 6 kg, P < .001 compared to 0.35 kg in the other group), and that weight loss was maintained through the 24-month follow-up. The weight loss goal in this trial was 10%, an ambitious target in the period, especially given the physical limitations associated with AF.

    Ramesh Hariharan, MD, cardiac electrophysiologist at UTHealth Houston and Memorial Hermann Health, Houston, who was not part of the study, said much of this research was conducted before the widespread use of GLP-1 receptor agonists, and those medications may help current patients achieve greater weight loss faster.

    But even with greater weight loss, Hariharan said, the new findings reinforce the idea that no option alone is enough. Lifestyle changes and medicines need to accompany ablation, not replace it, he said, “otherwise we’re going to end up doing [ablations] more frequently.”

    What’s more, technology has improved in the last year with nonthermal pulsed field ablation, which offers “far fewer collateral damage complications” and results in a 45-minute procedure “compared to a 2- to 4-hour procedure before. It has made ablation a lot easier.”

    Gregory M. Marcus, MD, MAS, associate chief of cardiology for research at 
    UCSF Health, San Francisco, said the evidence “is already definitive that catheter ablation is superior to antiarrhythmic drugs, and there is evidence that successful lifestyle change can reduce the burden of atrial fibrillation.” But this trial is the first to show a head-to-head comparison of ablation with a combination of antiarrhythmic drugs and lifestyle changes.

    Marcus said he is not convinced the findings exclude the possibility some in this patient population may still be able to treat their AF without ablation.

    “For an obese, very sedentary person who drinks too much alcohol, those are, at least theoretically, the prime candidates for lifestyle modification as a way to effectively treat their Afib,” he said.

    One important lesson, Marcus said, is that this adds to the growing evidence that when considering the population at large with AF, “on average, catheter ablation is pretty definitively the most effective way to reduce the chance of atrial fibrillation recurrence.”

    But some of the most interesting results were in the group who underwent lifestyle modification, he said. In addition to weight loss and improved exercise capacity, they experienced a statistically significant decrease in hemoglobin A1c concentrations of 1.4 mmol/L compared with an increase of 2.5 mmol/L in patients who received catheter ablation. “Those are things that will prolong life and will also improve quality of life,” he said.

    “Whether we’re going to do an ablation or not,” Marcus added, “we should always counsel our atrial fibrillation patients about healthy lifestyle management. There are other things to life besides atrial fibrillation.”

    The study authors and Hariharan reported no relevant financial disclosures. Marcus is a consultant and was a co-founder of the startup InCarda Therapeutics, which is investigating a novel therapy for the treatment of acute AF.

    Marcia Frellick is an independent, Chicago-based healthcare journalist and a regular contributor to Medscape.

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  • Park Hyatt Emerges In South Africa With The Opening Of Park Hyatt Johannesburg

    The 31-key Park Hyatt hotel offers guests an intimate new expression of understated luxury in the heart of Johannesburg’s dynamic Rosebank district

    CHICAGO (JULY 1, 2025) Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced the opening of Park Hyatt Johannesburg, marking the luxury brand’s third destination in the African region. Set within the vibrant Rosebank district, celebrated for its cultural richness and urban vitality – Park Hyatt Johannesburg offers a refined, residential-style experience where thoughtful design, immersive art, and warm hospitality come together in perfect balance.

    “We are extremely proud to open Park Hyatt Johannesburg, extending the legacy of the Park Hyatt brand to Rosebank,” commented Mitch Gemmell, general manager, Park Hyatt Johannesburg. “Our team is dedicated to offering deeply personalized service and thoughtfully curated experiences, delivered with meticulous attention to detail and the essence of modern luxury hospitality in every interaction.”

    Local Heritage & Architecture

    The hotel elegantly preserves its architectural heritage, blending classical and contemporary elements inspired by colonial residences. Originally constructed in the 1930s as a stately colonial mansion, the building reflects the influence of Sir Herbert Baker, whose architectural legacy helped shape the character of Johannesburg’s early residential estates. Today, Park Hyatt Johannesburg honors this legacy through the careful restoration of original features such as graceful arches, high ceilings, and wide verandahs, creating a serene oasis that seamlessly connects heritage with modern luxury. The hotel is structured around a central open-air courtyard, anchored by a magnificent jacaranda tree, sculpted gardens, and a heated outdoor pool, creating a serene focal point for relaxation and reflection. Embedded across the property is a locally curated art and design program, with each floor and space featuring site-specific themes inspired by the region’s landscapes, botanical history, and archival collections.

    Guestrooms & Suites

    The hotel features 31 elegantly appointed guestrooms and suites, each offering king-size beds and floor-to-ceiling windows designed to maximize natural light and provide serene garden views. Select rooms and suites feature private patios, further enhancing the sense of tranquility. The carefully designed interiors boast plush cotton linens, marble bathrooms with deep soaking tubs, bespoke Ndebele-patterned throws, and curated South African artwork. Art themes within the rooms include Sea Algae, Trees, Safari, Forest, Explorer, and Leaves, all celebrating South Africa’s diverse biospheres. Local artistic work is also exhibited in public spaces, comprising pieces employing a warm neutral palette enriched by artisanal details and botanical illustrations dating back to the 1800s, many sourced from historical archives.

    Culinary Mastery

    Culinary excellence forms the heart of Park Hyatt Johannesburg. The hotel’s Room 32 restaurant – named to play on the property’s 31 rooms – presents guests with an immersive gastronomic journey, showcasing innovative cuisine prepared over live-fire grills, emphasizing seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Guests can witness the artistry of chefs transforming humble ingredients into culinary delights. Complementing this experience, The Lounge provides a sophisticated yet relaxed setting to savor handcrafted cocktails, fine wines, and a carefully selected array of premium cigars. Celebrating South Africa’s rich winemaking heritage, the wine list is guided by a focus on terroir and quality, with selections that reflect the country’s diverse viticultural landscape. Guests can look forward to an elevated oenological experience guided by a dedicated sommelier, offering thoughtful pairings and insight into the provenance and character of each wine.

    Culturally Inspired Wellness

    With the spa set to open soon, wellness experiences at Park Hyatt Johannesburg will invite guests to rejuvenate through exclusive treatments inspired by international and South African traditions. Signature therapies incorporate native ingredients such as rooibos, marula oil and baobab extract, known for their healing and antioxidant properties. Drawing on the holistic principles of local wellness rituals, treatments aim to restore balance and energy while offering a sensory journey that connects guests with the natural richness of the region. The hotel also features a fully equipped fitness center and a heated outdoor pool nestled within beautifully landscaped gardens, offering a tranquil environment amidst the city. Park Hyatt Johannesburg is also proud to collaborate with luxury publisher Assouline to bring iconic Assouline titles, signature candles, and refined design elements to the hotel’s lounge and suites, enriching the atmosphere with a sense of timeless sophistication.

    Intimate Events & Gatherings

    At Park Hyatt Johannesburg, guests can experience the perfect blend of sophistication and functionality for gatherings. The property provides a flexible event space accommodating up to 60 guests, ideal for intimate meetings and elegant celebrations. Whether it’s a wedding, corporate event, or private party, the dedicated hotel team ensures that every detail is meticulously crafted to create unforgettable memories.

    “The opening of Park Hyatt Johannesburg embodies our commitment to providing exceptional service, care and luxury deeply connected to the city’s rich heritage and vibrant culture,” commented Hamza Farooqui, CEO of Millat Group. “Our aim is to offer an unparalleled experience, blending refined hospitality with authentic South African artistry.”

    Conveniently located near key cultural attractions, galleries, boutique shops, and acclaimed dining establishments in the city, Park Hyatt Johannesburg is set to become a definitive luxury destination for discerning business and leisure travelers alike.

    For more information, visit: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/south-africa/park-hyatt-johannesburg/johpj

     

    The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.

     

    -ENDS-

     

    MEDIA CONTACTS: 

    Chloe Duncan

    Hyatt – Middle East and Africa

    Chloe.duncan@hyatt.com

     

    Ankita Raturi

    Park Hyatt Johannebsurg

    ankita.raturi@hyatt.com

     

    About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

    Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of March 31, 2025, the Company’s portfolio included more than 1,450 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 79 countries across six continents. The Company’s offering includes brands in the Luxury Portfolio, including Park Hyatt®, Alila®, Miraval®, Impression by Secrets, and The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®; the Lifestyle Portfolio, including Andaz®, Thompson Hotels®, The Standard®, Dream® Hotels, The StandardX, Breathless Resorts & Spas®, JdV by Hyatt®, Bunkhouse® Hotels, and Me and All Hotels; the Inclusive Collection, including Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Hyatt Ziva®, Hyatt Zilara®, Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Hyatt Vivid Hotels & Resorts, Sunscape® Resorts & Spas, Alua Hotels & Resorts®, and Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts; the Classics Portfolio, including Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Destination by Hyatt®, Hyatt Centric®, Hyatt Vacation Club®, and Hyatt®; and the Essentials Portfolio, including Caption by Hyatt®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Studios, Hyatt Select, and UrCove. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Mr & Mrs Smith, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar® DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions® technology services. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

     

    About Park Hyatt

    Park Hyatt hotels provide discerning, global travelers with a refined home-away-from-home. Guests of Park Hyatt hotels receive quietly confident and personalized service in an enriching environment. Located in several of the world’s premier destinations, each Park Hyatt hotel is custom designed to combine sophistication with understated luxury. Park Hyatt hotels feature well-appointed guestrooms, world-renowned artwork and design, rare and immersive culinary experiences, and signature restaurants featuring award-winning chefs. There are currently 48 Park Hyatt hotels in the following locations: Abu Dhabi, Auckland, Bangkok, Beaver Creek, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Busan, Canberra, Changbaishan, Carlsbad, Changsha, Chennai, Chicago, Doha, Dubai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Hyderabad, Istanbul, Jakarta, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Kyoto, London, Maldives, Marrakech, Melbourne, Mendoza, Milan, New York, Ningbo, Niseko, Paris, Saigon, Sanya, Seoul, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Siem Reap, St. Kitts, Suzhou, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Vienna, Washington, D.C., Zanzibar, and Zurich. For more information, please visit parkhyatt.com. Follow @ParkHyatt on Facebook, X and Instagram, and tag photos with #LuxuryIsPersonal.


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  • The Sky Today on Tuesday, July 1: See Iapetus near Saturn

    The Sky Today on Tuesday, July 1: See Iapetus near Saturn

    Saturn’s two-toned moon Iapetus reaches superior conjunction this morning, just south of the ringed world.

    Iapetus lies due south of Saturn this morning, while Titan lies to the east. Credit: Stellarium/Oleg Pluton (CC BY 4.0)

    Visible in the early-morning sky today, Saturn’s two-toned moon Iapetus reaches superior conjunction just 1.4′ due south of Saturn. The proximity makes the now-11th-magnitude moon easier to find, as it spends much of its time far east or west of Saturn, several arcminutes from the planet. 

    Try your luck about two hours before sunrise, while the sky is still dark and the dim moon will be easiest to see against the background. At that time, 1st-magnitude Saturn stands some 30° high in the southeast, easy to find in southern Pisces below the Circlet asterism. Center your scope on the ringed planet to find Iapetus less than 2’ south of the disk; brighter Titan, shining around 8th magnitude, is roughly the same distance east of the planet. Observers with larger scopes may also catch Enceladus, around 12th magnitude, just northeast of the planet’s equator, north of the rings. This moon can be difficult to see because of its proximity to the bright rings, but since they’re tipped such that they appear relatively thin, you may have better luck. Enceladus is heading behind the planet, however, and disappears shortly before 5 A.M. EDT. Meanwhile, 10th-magnitude Tethys reappears from occultation behind Saturn’s southeastern limb around 4:35 A.M. EDT — see if you’re able to catch the moment it winks back into view. 

    Sunrise: 5:35 A.M.
    Sunset: 8:33 P.M.
    Moonrise: 12:11 P.M. 
    Moonset: 12:02 A.M.
    Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (39%)
    *Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.

    For a look ahead at more upcoming sky events, check out our full Sky This Week column. 

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  • Asia’s mobile app economy grows by 150%: Report

    Asia’s mobile app economy grows by 150%: Report

    AppsFlyer today unveiled its comprehensive State of App Marketing in Asia 2025 report, revealing the region’s remarkable mobile growth trajectory and the strategic evolution reshaping the app economy.

    Asia has achieved unprecedented scale, tripling its app installs in just six years and growing by 150%. The region now accounts for more than half of global mobile activity, driven by expanding smartphone penetration, maturing digital economies, and sophisticated full-funnel performance marketing strategies.

    “Asia’s app economy has entered a transformative phase characterized by exceptional complexity alongside sustained growth, and the region now hosts the world’s most dynamic mobile markets and sophisticated marketing ecosystems,” said Ronen Mense, President and Managing Director of APAC, AppsFlyer. “Beyond sheer scale lies a fundamental evolution: the decisive shift from volume-driven acquisition to strategy-led performance optimization. India, Indonesia, and the Philippines have emerged as critical growth engines, each requiring precisely calibrated creative, pricing, and product strategies to unlock value at scale. Our new report, launching after our latest successful MAMA Asia event, examines that strategic evolution and provides a comprehensive framework for marketers seeking to navigate Asia’s next chapter with strategic clarity and purposeful execution.”

    The report analyses billions of app interactions across 14 Asian markets, revealing how marketers are navigating divergent growth strategies. While emerging markets prioritize speed and scale, mature markets emphasize user quality, privacy compliance, and profitability optimization.

      

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    Key Findings from the 2025 Report:

    • $14.77 billion in user acquisition spend. Finance, Food & Drink, and Shopping verticals dominate investment, with marketers doubling down on performance-driven strategies across emerging and mature markets.

    • Gaming hybrid monetization grew 3.4x since 2023. Non-gaming verticals increasingly rely on in-app purchases for revenue stability, while gaming successfully balances ads and purchases for optimal monetization.

    • $4.47 billion invested in remarketing campaigns. Lifecycle marketing has become critical, especially in high-growth markets like India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, signaling a strategic shift toward full-funnel engagement.

    • Bots comprised over 80% of fraudulent installs in 2024. Fake publisher fraud increasingly targets re-engagement campaigns, particularly on iOS, while install hijacking shows declining trends across the region.

    Strategic Market Segmentation

    The report identifies two distinct growth paradigms across Asia’s diverse markets, emerging versus mature markets, and platform versus vertical strategy. Emerging markets, led by countries like India, prioritize high-velocity, cost-efficient user acquisition strategies to capitalize on rapid market expansion. These markets emphasize scale and speed, focusing on broad reach to capture the expanding user base as smartphone penetration accelerates.

    Vertical performance patterns show Food & Drink and Shopping categories demonstrating strong recovery momentum following earlier market disruptions, while Gaming maintains consistent growth through increasingly sophisticated hybrid monetization models that balance advertising revenue with in-app purchases.

    The data reveals Asia’s app marketing landscape rapidly diversifying, with marketers implementing increasingly nuanced strategies tailored to specific platforms, verticals, and user segments.

    Methodology

    The 2025 Asia App Marketing Report is based on anonymized and aggregated data sourced from AppsFlyer’s platform, covering over 30,000 apps, 15 billion installs, and $14 billion in user acquisition and remarketing spend across Android and iOS. The data spans January 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, and includes 14 key markets in Asia, such as India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and Australia. Insights were drawn from app categories with statistically significant activity, including Gaming, Finance, Shopping, Food & Drink, and Entertainment. Fraud trends were identified using AppsFlyer’s proprietary machine learning-based detection tools, analyzing patterns such as bot-driven installs, install hijacking, and fake publisher fraud. All monetary values are in USD, and data has been normalized to account for market size, attribution differences, and regional skews to ensure an accurate and representative view of Asia’s mobile marketing landscape.

    (Image by Iqbal Nuril Anwar from Pixabay)

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