JAKARTA/GENEVA: Thousands rallied across Indonesia on Monday as the military was deployed in the capital after six people were killed in nationwide protests sparked by anger over lavish perks for lawmakers.
At least 500 protesters gathered outside the nation’s parliament in Jakarta, watched by soldiers and police throughout the day, before dissipating after President Prabowo Subianto warned protests should end by sundown. But elsewhere protests were more volatile.
In Gorontalo city on Sulawesi island protesters clashed with police, who responded with tear gas and water cannon, according to a journalist. In Bandung on the main island Java, protesters hurled Molotov cocktails and firecrackers at the provincial council building.
Thousands more rallied in Palembang on Sumatra island and hundreds gathered separately in Banjarmasin on Borneo island, Yogyakarta on the main island of Java and Makassar on Sulawesi, according to journalists around the country.
UN urges investigation over use of force
“Our main goal is to reform the parliament,” protester and university student Nafta Keisya Kemalia, 20, said outside parliament before the protest ended. “Do they want to wait until we have a martial law?” The deadly protests, which began last week over MP housing allowances nearly 10 times the minimum wage in Jakarta, have forced President Prabowo Subianto and parliament leaders to make a U-turn over the perks.
Demonstrations began peacefully, but turned violent against the nation’s elite paramilitary police unit after footage showed one of its teams running over 21-year-old delivery driver Affan Kurniawan late Thursday.
Protests have since spread from Jakarta to other major cities, in the worst unrest since Prabowo took power less than a year ago. Police set up checkpoints across the capital on Monday, while officers and the military conducted city-wide patrols and deployed snipers in key locations, while the usually traffic-clogged streets were quieter than usual. At least one group, the Alliance of Indonesian Women, said it had cancelled its planned protest because of heightened security.
Schools and universities in Jakarta were holding classes online until at least Tuesday, and civil servants based in the city were asked to work from home.
On Monday Prabowo paid a visit to injured police at a hospital where he criticised protesters. “The law states that if you want to demonstrate, you must ask for permission, and permission must be granted, and it must end at 6:00 pm,” he said.
UN urges probe
The United Nations on Monday called for investigations into alleged use of disproportionate force after six people were killed in protests across Indonesia sparked by anger over lawmakers’ lavish perks.
“We are following closely the spate of violence in Indonesia in the context of nationwide protests over parliamentary allowances, austerity measures, and alleged use of unnecessary or disproportionate force by security forces,” said UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani.
“We stress the importance of dialogue to address the public’s concerns,” she said in a statement.
The UN rights office is calling for prompt, thorough and transparent investigations into “all alleged violations of international human rights law, including with respect to use of force”, she said.
• PTI parliamentary body says international community showed little interest in flood relief • Endorses boycott of by-polls and resignation from parliamentary committees; daily walkouts planned in NA and Senate to highlight ‘lack of democracy’ in country
ISLAMABAD: Claiming that the international community has not shown interest in supporting Pakistan after floods, the parliamentary committee of the PTI on Monday urged former prime minister Imran Khan to appeal to overseas Pakistanis to donate funds through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government to help flood-hit people in Punjab and KP.
The committee endorsed the decision of Imran Khan to boycott the by-elections and resign from parliamentary committees. It also decided to stage a daily boycott of the National Assembly to send a message to national and international community that the democracy does not exist in the country.
PTI leader Asad Qaiser, while talking to Dawn, said that during the meeting, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan briefed the committee on his meeting with party patron-in-chief Imran Khan, after which the committee endorsed the decision to boycott the by-elections and resign from parliamentary committees.
“However, as international community has hardly shown any interest in supporting the flood victims, the committee decided to urge Imran Khan to appeal to overseas Pakistanis to donate funds for their support,” he said.
Replying to a question, Mr Qaiser further said that the overseas Pakistanis would be asked to transfer funds either to KP government or charity organisations of Imran Khan. The funds would be used to support flood victims in both Punjab and KP, he said.
“We fear that the crops will be badly affected due to floods, and next year there will be enormous pressure on the rupee as government will have to import food items including wheat and rice,” he warned. He said that the committee had decided to boycott the parliamentary sessions on a daily basis.
To another question, the PTI leader explaining the decision said that members of parliament would attend the sessions of the Senate and National Assembly and then walk out in protest.
He added that the country lacked the democracy, which was leading to continuous problems and growing security issues.
Rain hits Gandapur meeting
Meanwhile, PTI had arranged a meeting of media persons with KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur at KP House in Islamabad but heavy rain disrupted the event.
Strong winds dislodged the canopy set up in the lawn, forcing organisers to cancel the meeting. Media persons were later informed that the session could not be held.
INTENSE rainfall is not uncommon in our plains and mountains. Rainfall exceeding 200mm has occurred several times in every province of Pakistan. ‘Climate change’, ‘cloudburst’ and ‘urban flooding’ are only recent additions to our media lexicon. Flood disasters, landslides, furious hill torrent flows and terrible droughts have been causing loss of life and damage to property, crops and infrastructure for decades. However, a hysterical media and a clumsy social media have sparked paranoia. The cacophony they have raised has kept us from discussing the underlying causes of these disasters. Regurgitating climate change and cloudburst rhetoric will not prevent catastrophic events.
Three human-induced factors, in particular, have made the hydro-climatic events more intense. Rampant deforestation that has denuded mountains of their green cover, increased obstructions on waterways that impede natural flows and climate-insensitive infrastructure are the root cause of the havoc. August’s second half proved calamitous for the provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan. In one week, the number of casualties dwarfed the total toll of the previous five weeks.
The disaster in these areas did not result from a few abnormal downpours or landslides. Havoc was being nurtured in the belly of the mountains for decades. Malakand, famous for its dense forests, is now infamous for its menacing pace of illegal deforestation. The Swat valley has several areas where deforestation takes place. The massive logging in Bahrain, Madyan, Kalam, Matta, Malam Jabba, Gabin Jabba and other areas is no secret. The woodlots policy has been blatantly abused in these areas. A news report last year revealed that up to 15 to 20 timber-loaded trucks were being transported to Punjab every day. Forests are a natural glue that protect mountains from fragmentation and abrasion. As forest cover thins out, the mountains are exposed to gushing flows. When natural barriers are removed, these flows attain a ferocious velocity that erodes big boulders and rocks.
Boulders roll down these denuded hills into roaring streams that rise from high altitudes and plummet sharply to thousands of metres. Buner, which endured terrible devastation, inclines upwards from 360 metres in the south to reach a maximum height of 2,910m at the Dosara Peak in the north. Given such drastic variations in altitude, a bout of intense rainfall can generate torrents of unimaginable potency. Forests in Swat were ruthlessly devoured during 2007 to 2009 when the Taliban seized the territory.
The disaster was not caused by a few abnormal showers.
Kashmir tells a similar story. A news report last month mentioned that floods in the Neelum Valley brought a huge bounty of illegally cut timber to Nauseri Dam near Muzaffarabad. Clandestine deforestation in the area intensified the floods. Research based on variations in forest cover maps in 2023 concluded that GB lost over 1,700 square kilometres of forest cover in two decades. It disclosed that Chilas subdivision witnessed the highest rate of deforestation between 2000 and 2010 when over 8,600 acres of forest vanished from the map. Darel/Tangir and Astore ranked second and third in this race to the bottom. These areas felt the impact of the recent devastation.
The upper Indus Basin is dotted with more than 3,000 glacial lakes that burst due to heavy rains and generated lethal flows. GB’s population has nearly doubled since 1998. New settlements have been created. Careless tourism has further tested the fragility of the ecosystem. The burgeoning population, especially the poor, tend to occupy empty land in
the mountains, the river plains, forests and deserts everywhere in the country, as witnessed in the floodplains of Punjab and Sindh, where large numbers of people were displaced from katcha areas due to the devastating floods in the last week of August. As admitted by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Sialkot was submerged due to encroachments hindering the waterways. The dry beds of the Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab rivers were massively encroached upon and hence witnessed damage and displacement when the floods roared in after four decades.
Encroachments have clogged the waterways in the urban and rural areas. Infrastructure has been developed without giving any thought to the impact of the raging climatic events. From the mountain peaks to the coastline, a comprehensive climate audit and a grand overhaul of the ecosystem has become a necessity.
Recurring disasters in the mountains of Swat and GB and the floodplains of southern Punjab and Sindh need to be scrutinised from a different angle. Putting together the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, a sad picture reveals itself: disasters are triggered more by frequent and sustained bursts of misgovernance than cloudbursts.
WE may be among the most crisis-prone nations globally. In this writer’s view, we have faced nearly 30 crises since 1990 or one every 14 months on average. This includes political crises when the ruling set-up or its head were removed in contentious circumstances (seven); economic crunches that led us to the IMF (eight); natural and health-related calamities like earthquakes, floods and Covid-19 (four); internal or external security challenges (five) and crises due to street unrest (five).
This sorry status arises from the state’s predatory, security and autocratic bent. The economic crises arise as our predatory rulers induce fickle growth via high twin deficits. The external security crises reflect the hold of hawks on both sides of our eastern border. The internal challenges come from the gripes of excluded ethnicities or our tolerance in the past of violent groups to gain a regional security edge. The political crises and street unrests relate mainly to establishment feuds with politicians. Natural crises cause excessive harm as our rulers eschew disaster management. Economic progress requires peace and economic stability, which need political stability, which, in turn, requires political legitimacy. So, a prolonged loss of political legitimacy lies at the root of all our crises.
The longest crisis-free phase after 1990 was 2001-2005 when a military-led set-up induced questionable stability via fickle US aid and repression. But it only delayed and magnified the inevitable crises that erupted during our first polycrisis from 2005-08. We witnessed the 2005 earthquake, the start of Baloch and TTP violence, Benazir Bhutto’s death and street unrest, and the 2007-08 economic crisis the set-up caused. They led to its fall despite its macho aura of invincibility and debatable claims of progress.
Flawed policies are fomenting future trouble.
The Baloch and TTP-linked crises have raged on since then. The frequency of crises has gone up. The PPP inherited the 2007-08 economic crisis that was boosted by the 2008 global recession. It witnessed the mega floods of 2010 and the removal of its prime minister in 2012. Its government caused an economic crisis in 2013. The PML-N inherited the economic crisis, faced the PTI dharna in 2014, lost its prime minister in 2017 to court decisions, and caused an economic crisis itself in 2018. The PTI inherited the problems, faced Covid-19 in 2020, caused an economic crisis in 2021 and saw its prime minister removed through a no-trust vote in 2022. This started our second polycrisis with floods in 2022, mismanaged economic crisis, PTI protests till 2024, spikes in militant violence and war with India in 2025.
Given the internal boost from the war, resurgent ties with the US and (fickle) economic stability, this hybrid set-up is claiming stability and invincibility. But Pakistan is the humbling ground of many a haughty regime that exuded sham invincibility. In trying to escape the strong pull of the root causes of crises, it faces the same insoluble puzzle as past set-ups — achieving elusive stability. Repression may only delay the inevitable and cause a bigger polycrisis.
Flawed policies are already fomenting future trouble. The failure to fix our perennial external deficits may cause an economic crisis as growth picks up. Given the government’s inability to fix the deeper causes of insecurity, our three external and local security foes may jointly try to inflict more violence. If civilians are supposed to forego democratic freedoms in order to fortify the ‘same page’, it may, instead, lead to cracks and divisions in the regime, ie, establishment-civilian, the PPP-PML-N, intra-PML-N, and cause a political crisis. Greater autocracy may spark national anger against oppressive policies, which may ignite Arab Spring-type protests. Natural crises remain a wildcard given the neglect of disaster control.
So, despite the rulers’ incumbency plans, based on dubious assumptions of durable stability, we may be an external shock away from an economic crisis, a terrorist attack away from war, a spark away from street unrest, a civilian refusal away from a political crisis and a big monsoon season away from a natural crisis. Such events may quickly negate the desperate attempts to exude an aura of invincibility that set-ups with low legitimacy need badly and that cause their fall.
A crisis-weary nation can see an end to the recurrent crises only through political legitimacy based on fair polls and civilian sway. Otherwise, with external, economic, demographic, security and natural threats set to increase in the coming decades, we may become even more crisis-prone.
The writer has a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, in political economy and 25 years of grassroots to senior-level experiences across 50 countries.
(Bloomberg) — Asian stocks posted modest gains at the open Tuesday, with attention back on technology shares and the artificial intelligence sector following the surge in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.’s shares.
Shares in Japan and South Korea rebounded after Monday’s losses while Australia’s declined. US equity-index futures edged lower after cash markets were closed Monday for Labor Day. West Texas Intermediate crude oil climbed in early trading and gold extended its gains to a sixth day, its longest winning streak since April 2024.
Treasuries retreated in early trading with yield on the benchmark 10-year rising three basis points to 4.26%. Japan’s 10-year government bond auction Tuesday will be a key test of investor appetite amid growing expectations of rate hikes by the Bank of Japan and mounting political uncertainty.
After a selloff in technology shares in Wall Street Friday, the record-breaking stock rally faces a pivotal test this month, with jobs numbers, inflation data and the Federal Reserve’s rate call all landing within the next three weeks. Tariff tensions and questions over the Fed’s independence are also compounding the risks in September, historically the weakest month of the year for US markets.
“The bar to derail a Fed rate cut on Sept. 17 appears high,” Deutsche Bank AG economist Peter Sidorov wrote. “But with Fed funds futures now pricing over 140 basis points of easing by the end of 2026, markets are expecting an amount of easing that since the 1980s has only occurred around recessions.”
A gauge tracking emerging-market equities notched its best session in a week amid thin liquidity due to the US holiday, boosted by AI-related stocks in Hong Kong and China.
The MSCI EM Index closed 0.7% higher as Alibaba jumped 19% in Hong Kong — the most in three years — after the Chinese e-commerce giant reported a triple-digit percentage gain in AI-related product revenue as well as a better-than-anticipated 26% jump in sales from the cloud division. The rally marks a break from last week’s broader Asian market decline after a tech selloff hit Wall Street.
Another key factor for the markets is the Cboe Volatility Index sitting at 16.12, not far off its 2025 closing low of 14.22.
“The fact that investors are still betting heavily on new lows in volatility, even with VIX at what appears to be a floor, and with markets up sharply from their April lows to all-time highs, should be viewed with caution,” said Jeff Jacobson, a strategist at 22V Research, in a note Monday.
Traders will also be closely monitoring Indonesian markets after stocks tumbled the most in nearly five months on Monday. Political risks have recently flared, with President Prabowo Subianto canceling a China trip after deadly unrest over living costs and inequality. Stress also was evident in the bond market, with yields on the nation’s 10-year government note rising to the highest in almost three weeks.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said India offered to cut its tariff rates following the US imposition last week of 50% levies as punishment for its purchases of Russian oil.
In Europe, bonds weakened broadly, with a week to go before a confidence vote that could topple France’s government. The French-German 10-year spread, a key measure of risk, was little changed at 79 basis points. The gauge closed at 82 on Aug. 27, the highest since January.
Longer-maturity bonds may be in for a treacherous September, if history is any guide.
Over the last decade, government bonds globally with maturities of over 10 years posted a median loss of 2% in September, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That’s the worst monthly performance of the year.
Corporate News:
Nestlé SA dismissed Chief Executive Officer Laurent Freixe after only a year due to an undisclosed workplace affair, extending the management turmoil at the world’s biggest food company that’s known for its conservative corporate culture. Mizuho Financial Group Inc. is aiming to become Asia’s top investment bank by bolstering equity underwriting and M&A advisory, seeking to replicate the headways the firm has made in the US. Some of the main moves in markets:
Stocks
S&P 500 futures were little changed as of 9:30 a.m. Tokyo time Japan’s Topix rose 0.2% Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.3% Euro Stoxx 50 futures rose 0.2% Currencies
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed The euro was little changed at $1.1707 The Japanese yen fell 0.1% to 147.34 per dollar The offshore yuan was little changed at 7.1338 per dollar Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin rose 0.1% to $109,025.14 Ether rose 0.3% to $4,303.79 Bonds
The yield on 10-year Treasuries advanced three basis points to 4.26% Japan’s 10-year yield advanced 2.5 basis points to 1.625% Australia’s 10-year yield advanced three basis points to 4.34% Commodities
West Texas Intermediate crude rose 1.2% to $64.80 a barrel Spot gold rose 0.2% to $3,482.86 an ounce This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation.
–With assistance from Joanna Ossinger and Masaki Kondo.
MORE provinces or empowered local governments? The debate has been sparked, it seems. And it wasn’t just due to forwarded-as-received WhatsApp posts, which ‘announced’ multiple, smaller provinces but also the research presented by media owners-turned-public intellectuals, who are so convinced of the need for this reform that they are now trying to shape opinion at large.
The government and its allies profess ignorance and deny that any such move is in the offing. But the rest of us know better and are taking these ‘mazameen’ (inspiration) from ‘ghaib’ (unknown) rather seriously. After all, unlike the government, the rest are openly aware of the importance of the unknown. As a result, the debate rages on.
More provinces are needed, we are told. India has been carving out states whenever needed. It helps improve governance because the ‘seat’ of the government is closer to the people; for instance, the people of south Punjab would find, say, Multan more accessible than Lahore. It would also ensure cities such as Karachi get the resources and attention they deserve. And, aside from these other benefits, some argue, it would also weaken political dynasties that control entire provinces.
But not everyone is convinced. In fact, there has been commentary and discussions highlighting how cumbersome and time-consuming the process of establishing new provinces could be. For instance, every new province requires a two-thirds majority in the relevant assembly and even if this is managed, it would be followed by a drawn-out process of administrative measures (such as the drawing up of new boundaries) and the setting up of governments in multiple parts of the country. It has been asked if this would not add to the existing polarisation. Local government has been offered as a solution — an alternative that has, perhaps, more supporters than the idea of new provinces.
Whether the empowerment of the people is really the objective is the question.
These proposals have generated an interest because of the acknowledgment that the current political system is not working and — whether in democratic set-up or a hybrid dispensation — all political parties have struggled with governance and implementation of the needed reform. This is the silent consensus regardless of party affiliation — other than the party heads who have turned parties and provinces into fiefdoms and have no interest in any change. Indeed, the 18th Amendment has ensured the older, mainstream parties now only have regional ambitions, ie, dominating the provinces rather than trying to increase their cross-country appeal. There is a direct link between the 18th Amendment and the increasing focus of the PPP in Sindh and the PML-N in Punjab.
But this is a digression. Most others realise the need for change in the political set-up, assuming, or rather hoping, that this will lead to badly needed reform, especially in the economic sphere, and an improvement in governance.
However, the various discussions on the topic should not ignore the larger, political context in which these solutions are conjured up. And this larger context is one in which political parties are hampered, civilian space is limited (if not non-existent) and very unsubtle efforts are being made to argue that parliamentary politics and parties have failed to deliver.
In the past, whenever we have had similar moments, the devolution of power has always been offered as the magical solution. This age-old formula is supposed to ease the people’s misery, empower them and rid them of corrupt politicians. But whether the empowerment of the people is really the objective is the question because it is offered at moments when the centralisation of power is also at play. It appears as if the present times may prove to be no different.
But this is not all. The second issue is that such efforts rarely prove permanent. Just consider Pervez Musharraf’s local government system. By the time general elections were held in 2002 and ‘parliamentary democracy’ restored, the politicians at the provincial and national level began to slowly reverse or weaken the local government systems. Come 2008, and the system was more or less wrapped up.
Once the 18th Amendment was passed, power was concentrated at the provincial level, and the local governments were left to the mercy of each government (the amendment conveniently allowed each provincial assembly to pass its own local government act and decide how much powers to devolve). Initially, even this legislation was delayed till pressure from the courts forced the hand of the provincial governments. And the parties running the provinces made sure they passed legislation that led to weak and ineffective local governments. Perhaps one can say that the local governments enjoyed about as much power as the present federal government does. Even the PTI, which introduced a relatively stronger local government in KP, progressively weakened them as time went on.
Hence, it might not be a waste of time to ask how long-lasting any such move will be. Partly because half the challenge in Pakistan is the back and forth between different experiments as elites try to strengthen themselves against their rivals. This tug of war means there is little stability in terms of the path ahead.
Perhaps what we need additionally at the moment is not just a discussion on the political reform needed but also a debate about what could create a consensus on the need for more devolution of power. What would push political parties to not just acknowledge but also accept the need for local governments or more provinces? Without this kind of a consensus, any such effort to devolve power will not be easy and if pushed through coercion, it will last as long as its creators enjoy power. Beyond that moment, anything is possible. Such formulas bring neither stability nor progress.
Sony’s newest flagship wireless noise cancelling headphones – the Sony WH-1000XM6 – has dropped to the lowest price of the year. As part of its Labor Day Sale, Adorama is offering it for only $379 after you apply coupon code “AUGU2925” during checkout (when you put in your payment info). That’s 15% off the normal $449 list price. The WH-1000XM6 builds upon our previous favorite headphone with better sound, noise cancelation, and ergonomics.
Sony WH-1000XM6 Headphones for $379 (was $449)
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The Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones replaces the WH-1000XM5 that were released way back in 2022. The three year span makes for more significant improvements than you might think. Both sound quality and noise cancelation have been noticeably improved thanks to a new and more powerful QN3 audio processor and a total of 12 microphones (including 6 beam-forming mics) that do a great job of cancelling out unwanted noise. The XM6 is also easier to stow away than the XM5 because the earcups can be folded inwards and fit in a smaller carrying case. The headphone can last up to 30 hours and it also supports fast charging; a quick 3 minute top-up over USB Type-C will give you up to 3 hours of continuous playback. You can save some money by going with an older generation XM5 or even the XM4, but as long as it is within your budget, the XM6’s improvements in sound quality, noise cancelation, and ergonomics makes the new model worth it.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn’t hunting for deals for other people at work, he’s hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
TEM analysis evaluated the size and morphology of NPs. Figure 2a and b shows images of α-Fe2O3NPs. In Fig. 2c, the corresponding histogram was plotted using TEM images of the nanoparticles and analyzed with Image J software. The average particle size was estimated to be 45 nm with a standard deviation of 11 nm. Besides, they have a somewhat spherical shape and some porosity on their surface.
Fig. 2
a, b TEM images of α-Fe2O3 NPs, c particle size distribution from TEM images, analyzed using Image J (mean:45 nm; SD: 11 nm).
The XRD pattern of α-Fe2O3NPs is shown in Fig. 3a, which agrees with the standard pattern data (JCPDS card No. 33–0664)37. The peaks appearing in the 24.10, 33.09, 35.61, 40.82, 49.44, 54.00, 57.46, 62.41, and 63.95 degrees have been attributed to the diffraction planes (012), (104), (110), (113), (024), (116), (018), (214) and (300) of NPs crystalline respectively. All sharp and narrow peaks appearing in the range of 2θ indicate the crystalline nature and the high purity of α-Fe2O3NPs extracted by the combined of green synthesis and hydrothermal method. In addition, the XRD pattern of nanocomposite is shown in Fig. 3b. In this pattern, all the characteristic peaks related to α-Fe2O3NPs and the characteristic broad peak at the angle of 2θ = 20.26 related to CS biopolymer have been observed, confirming the successful formation of this nanocomposite38.
Fig. 3
XRD pattern of a α-Fe2O3 NPs, b CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite.
The crystallite size of α-Fe2O3NPs can be estimated by using the Williamson–Hall method (Eq. 1) 39:
$$beta cos theta =left( {0.89lambda } right)/d+4varepsilon sin theta$$
(1)
In this equation, β is full width at half maximum (FWHM), θ is the diffraction angle, λ is the X-ray wavelength, d is the average crystallite size, and ε is the lattice strain. The crystallite size of α-Fe2O3NPs was determined by drawing a diagram (Fig. 4) and calculating the width from the origin. With these interpretations, the crystallite size was estimated to be 43 nm.
Fig. 4
Williamson–Hall diagram of –Fe2O3 crystallite.
One of the important characteristics of colloidal suspensions is the tendency of their particles to stick together. In an aqueous environment, particles continuously interact, and the stability of such solutions is determined based on these interactions. In order to create a stable solution, short-range repulsive forces are needed, among which we can mention the steric interfacial forces that play an important role in stabilizing suspensions. Therefore, these electric forces create layers around the NPs, and this issue plays a significant role in the value of zeta potential and ultimately prevents particles from agglomerating40. In this research, the stability of the CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite solution originates from the strong bonding of CS on the surface and the charge of α-Fe2O3NPs, which causes repulsion between them. The CS, a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, forms a protective layer around the α-Fe2O3NPs, preventing them from agglomerating and thus contributing to the stability of the solution. In order to study the stability of α-Fe2O3NPs and CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite solutions with pH 5.11 and viscosity 0.9327 mPas, zeta potential analysis as a critical parameter was performed, and their results are shown separately in Fig. 5a and b. In these graphs, the distribution function of the zeta potential of individual NPs and nanocomposite in the solution is presented as a percentage, and the average zeta potential of unmodified α-Fe2O3NPs and CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite was measured 29.93 and 36.67 mV, respectively. Also, by comparing the two graphs, the results indicate that adding CS to α-Fe2O3NPs narrows the peak width of the graph, which indicates that a large percentage of nanocomposites have the same zeta potential, and this issue was evaluated as stabilization of CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite suspension. In an experiment, two solutions of NPs and CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite with the same concentration of 5 mg/ml were prepared, and the role of adding CS in stabilizing the α-Fe2O3NPs solution after 72 h is shown in Fig. 5c. Another result obtained from the zeta potential of CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite suspension indicates the net positive charge of these nanocomposites. Furthermore, these nanocomposites can stick and penetrate cancer cells with a negative charge through electrostatic forces41.
Fig. 5
Zeta potential distribution function diagram of a α-Fe2O3 NPs, b CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite, c comparing the stability of Fe2O3 NPs solution and CS-Fe2O3 nanocomposite solution after 72 h.
Figure 6a and b shows the UV–visible absorption spectrum of α-Fe2O3NPs and CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite between 200 and 900 nm. The absorption peak for α-Fe2O3NPs and CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite is 450 and 380 nm, respectively. This result is significant and reassuring, as it aligns with the data of another research36 enhancing our confidence in the findings. Considering the absorption in the infrared region, this issue guarantees the wide potential of this nanocomposite to be used in cancer treatment by PTT and PDT with an 808 nm laser.
Fig. 6
UV–Visible absorption spectrum of a α-Fe2O3 NPs, b CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite.
The optical band gap of α-Fe2O3 NPs can be calculated by using Tack’s equation (Eq. 2)42.
$${(alpha hnu )^n}=Aleft( {hnu – {E_g}} right)$$
(2)
In this equation, α is the absorption coefficient, A is a constant, hν is the photon energy, and n is a constant that depends on the nature of the electron transition, which is 2 for direct transition and 1/2 for indirect transition. Since α-Fe2O3 NPs have a direct energy gap, the graph of (αhν)^2 in terms of energy is drawn in Fig. 743. The value of the energy gap associated with α-Fe2O3 NPs was approximated at 1.8 eV using the extrapolation method, which is comparable to the result of another research44. Also, our Experimental investigation indicates that the NPs exhibit an indirect band gap of roughly 1.7 eV.
Fig. 7
α-Fe2O3 NPs Tauc diagram.
FTIR analysis was performed in the 400–4000 cm− 1 wave number range to determine the bonds and functional groups on the surface of CS powder, α-Fe2O3NPs, and CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite. The FTIR spectrum of α-Fe2O3NPs is shown in Fig. 8a. A broad peak in the range of 3445 cm− 1 is assigned to the stretching vibration between oxygen and hydrogen belonging to the functional groups of hydroxyl and water molecules, which proves the absorption of some water at the surface of α-Fe2O3NPs45. Also, two sharp absorption peaks in the range below 1000 Cm− 1 indicate the main characteristics of α-Fe2O3 NPs, which are attributed to the stretching frequencies of metallic iron. The high frequency peak in 526 cm− 1 refers to Fe-O deformation in tetrahedral and octahedral environments. At the same time, the peak at low frequency in the range of 450 cm− 1 refers to the Fe–O shape change in the octahedral environment of hematite46. In the spectrum of CS powder, the peaks appearing in the 3445 cm− 1 and 3360 cm− 1 range are related to O–H and N–H stretching vibrations, respectively, and intra molecular hydrogen bonds. The peaks around 2925 cm− 1 and 2854 cm− 1 are attributed to symmetric and asymmetric C–H stretching vibrations, which are common bonds characteristic of polysaccharides. The remaining presence of N-acetyl groups was confirmed by peaks in the range of 1741 cm− 1 related to C=O stretching vibrations. Also, C–H bending vibrations and the symmetric deformation were confirmed by the peak in 1369 cm− 1. The peak appearing in 1020 cm− 1 is attributed to C–O stretching vibrations. All peaks related to CS material are shown in Fig. 8b47. By analyzing the FTIR analysis of CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite, all the characteristic peaks of the infrared Fourier transform of α-Fe2O3NPs except Fe–O and all the characteristic peaks of CS were observed (Fig. 8c).
Fig. 8
FTIR spectrum of a α-Fe2O3 NPs, b CS, c CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite.
Three different concentrations of CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite solution were prepared to study PTT effects using an ultrasonic bath. Three ml of each of these different concentrations were poured into a tube and placed in a relatively dark under the radiation of 808 nm laser with a power density of 1 W/cm2. The temperature change was measured by a digital thermometer equipped with a thermal sensor for 15 min. Figure 9 shows temperature changes over 15 min for nanocomposite solutions at 0.1, 0.5, and 2 mg/ml concentrations, and DI water, with increases of 7.4, 10.9, 13.8, and 5.8 °C, respectively. Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 3), with error bars indicating standard deviation. Detailed temperature differences for each concentration are provided in Table 1 .Due to the appropriate temperature change and low concentration, the 0.5 mg/ml concentration was determined as the optimal concentration.
Fig. 9
Temperature change diagram according to 808 nm laser irradiation time CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite solution in different concentrations. Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 3). Error bars represent standard deviation.
Table 1 PTT details for CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite and DI water under 808 nm laser irradiation.
The photothermal conversion efficiency of the CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite was calculated using Roper’s method under 808 nm laser irradiation. Roper’s equation models the photothermal process as a balance between the heat generated by light absorption and the heat lost to the surroundings, allowing photothermal conversion efficiency to be derived from the steady-state temperature and system parameters48. In the experiment, the temperature of the nanocomposite solution increased from 24 °C to a saturated value of 42.1 °C, while DI water under identical conditions reached only 34.2 °C. Based on this temperature rise and heat transfer analysis, the efficiency was determined to be 7%. Detailed calculations, fitting procedures, and related graphs are provided in the Supplementary Information.
When α-Fe2O3NPs as semiconductors are exposed to laser irradiation, the photocatalytic process is activated, in which the photon energy is used to transfer electrons from the valence band to the conduction band, and at the same time, it creates a similar number of holes in the valence band, which ultimately leads to the formation of an electron-hole pair. Continuing this separation and transfer of charges to the surface leads to oxidation and reduction reactions with the molecules around these α-Fe2O3NPs, which can produce ROS. By studying previous research, the ability of α-Fe2O3NPs to create hydroxyl ROS was determined35. Therefore, methylene blue was used as a hydroxyl radical probe to detect indirectly this type of free radical. For this purpose, in an experiment, 1 mg of NPs powder was dissolved in 1.5 ml of DI water and 0.5 ml of methylene blue (0.2 mg/ml) using an ultrasonic bath. Two similar samples were prepared, and in a relatively dark room, 3 ml of each sample was placed on magnetic stirrers, and only one sample was exposed to an 808 laser with a power density of 1 W/cm2 for 10 min. Then, the methylene blue absorption spectrums of two samples were measured by a spectrometer, and the reduction of the characteristic absorption peak of methylene blue in the sample under laser irradiation compared to the non-irradiated sample at the wavelength of 664 nm was observed. The results are shown in Fig. 10. The electrons and holes created by the photocatalytic process provide the conditions for producing active oxygen species around the α-Fe2O3NPs. In this way, the holes formed in α-Fe2O3NPs lead to the oxidation of the methylene blue molecule, which turns it into an active substance that is ready to react. Also, the electrons on the surface of α-Fe2O3NPs are transferred to oxygen molecules dissolved in water, which produces superoxide radical negative ions. These ions, after reacting with water molecules, can decompose, and consequently, hydroperoxyl radicals and hydroxyl ions are produced. In the end, after reacting hydroperoxyl radicals with water molecules and proton absorption, this process produces hydroxyl radicals as Eq. (3)49:
$$begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {alpha – F{e_2}{O_3}+hnu to alpha – F{e_2}{O_3}+{e^ – }+{h^+}} \ {{h^+}+MB to M{B^{ cdot +}}} \ {{O_2}+{e^ – } to O_{2}^{{ cdot – }}} \ {O_{2}^{{ cdot – }}+{H_2}O to HO_{2}^{ cdot }+O{H^ – }} \ {HO_{2}^{ cdot }+{H_2}O to O{H^ cdot }+{H_2}{O_2}} end{array}$$
(3)
Fig. 10
Methylene blue absorption spectrum before and after 808 nm laser irradiation for α-Fe2O3NPs.
To assess the cytotoxicity of the CS-α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite, an MTT assay was carried out on AGS gastric cancer cells under in vitro conditions. This experiment includes three independent biological replicates, each containing five technical replicates. The percentage of relative cell viability was determined by calculating the ratio of treated cell viability to that of untreated control cells. Results are expressed as the mean of three biological replicates (n = 3) ± standard deviation. Statistical analysis was carried out using GraphPad Prism (version 9), with group comparisons performed via analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. A p value < 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. These Cells were treated with two concentrations of the nanocomposite: 250 ppm (Group 1) and 500 ppm (Group 2). Each concentration was tested under two conditions—with and without irradiation using an 808 nm laser (power density: 1 W/cm², duration: 15 min). Untreated cells were used as the negative control, while a separate control group consisting of cells exposed to laser alone (without the nanocomposite) was included to isolate the impact of irradiation itself.
In Group 1, treatment with 250 ppm of the nanocomposite in the absence of laser exposure resulted in minimal cytotoxicity, with a high cell viability of 97%. However, upon laser irradiation, viability decreased slightly to 88%. In Group 2, treatment with 500 ppm of the nanocomposite without irradiation maintained a similarly high viability of 95%, indicating low inherent toxicity. In contrast, laser-irradiated cells in this group showed a significant decrease in viability to 68%, suggesting a pronounced phototoxic effect. The corresponding results are presented in Fig. 11.
Fig. 11
Effect of CS-nanocomposite at two concentrations (250 ppm and 500 ppm), with and without 808 nm laser irradiation, on the viability of AGS cells as determined by the MTT assay. The data are presented as the mean of three independent experiments ± standard deviation. Comparisons among multiple groups were performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test (ns = non-significant, ** = p < 0.01, # = statistically significant compared to untreated cells).
The 250 and 500 µg/mL non-laser groups did not show any statistically significant cytotoxicity compared to the control group. Moreover, at the concentration of 250 µg/mL, there was no statistically significant difference between the laser and non-laser treated groups (ns). However, at 500 µg/mL, a statistically significant difference was observed between the laser and non-laser groups. These findings highlight the biocompatibility of the nanocomposite in the absence of laser activation, even at higher concentrations. Conversely, under laser exposure, a concentration-dependent reduction in cell viability was observed, demonstrating the nanocomposite’s potential for application in PTT and PDT therapy.
SEOUL/MUNICH, September 2, 2025 – Hyundai Motor Company has released the latest teaser image of Concept THREE, the IONIQ sub-brand’s first-ever compact EV concept.
Following the initial round of teaser images shared last week, Hyundai Motor has now officially confirmed the model’s name as Concept THREE ahead of its global debut at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich.
The new image showcases the future-forward design of Concept THREE. Its side profile reveals a bold, energetic stance, shaped by Hyundai’s design language, Art of Steel. Inspired by the way steel bends and flows, the body features sculpted surfaces, clean intersections and distinctive character lines that emphasize both motion and precision. This expressive side view also previews the Aero Hatch, a new typology that reimagines the compact EV silhouette.
While further details remain under wraps, Concept THREE will make its global debut at IAA Mobility 2025, held in Munich from September 9 to 14. Hyundai Motor’s participation in Europe’s largest mobility showcase marks its return to the event after four years, reaffirming the company’s dedication to the European market and its leadership in sustainable innovation.
“Designing the Concept THREE was an opportunity for us to rethink the compact EV from the ground up,” said Simon Loasby, Senior Vice President and Head of Hyundai Design Center. “We defined the ‘Aero Hatch’ typology to craft a silhouette that captures a sense of flow and becomes a beautifully proportioned sculpture.”
Manuel Schoettle, exterior designer of Concept THREE added, “The authenticity of the way we treated the steel fits perfectly. It just felt natural, making the Concept THREE extremely pure, and hopefully it will bring a smile to your face.”
At the IAA Open Space, Hyundai Motor will provide an in-depth look at Concept THREE and its role in redefining the compact EV segment. Further details will be revealed during Hyundai Motor’s press conference on September 9.
The newly constituted bench formed to hear the case regarding incarcerated Pakistani neurosci-entist Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s health and repatriation has been dissolved.
Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday forwarded the file to the IHC chief justice, Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, for the for-mation of a larger bench.
This case had earlier been transferred from the court of Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, who had issued contempt notices to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his cabinet members for disregarding its order to provide reasons for not assisting a US court hearing the case of Dr Aafia.
On Monday, Justice Minhas heard arguments regarding Dr Aafia’s health and return from a US prison while hear-ing the petition filed by Dr Aafia’s sister, Dr Fowzia Sid-diqui,
Counsel for the petitioner, Advocate Imran Shafiq, told the court that the matter had become quite complicated. The judge stated that it was not the case and that his ruling was clear regarding the chief justice being the master of the roster.
“Justice Munib [Akhter] also held [that the CJ is the mas-ter of the roster], and I have given the same ruling. How-ever, since another [judge’s] opinion differs, I am referring this issue to a larger bench. The larger bench will decide who the master of the roster is.”
Earlier, this case was heard by Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, who, on July 21, initiated contempt proceedings against PM Shehbaz and his entire cabinet. “The replies of all the ministers, including the prime minister, shall be filed within two weeks from today,” said the order authored by Justice Khan.
The judge noted that in his last order he had given the government time to revert with its decision, while cau-tioning the state law officer that inaction would result in contempt proceedings.
The federal government on July 15 approached the Su-preme Court, seeking to overturn the May 16, 2025, or-der of the IHC that allowed amendments to a previously settled petition concerning Dr Aafianearly a decade af-ter its filing.
Justice Ejaz Ishaq Khan was to go on summer vacation from July 21. However, he had announced at the last hearing that he would hear the case on July 21. Interest-ingly, the IHC did not list the case for hearing before his bench.
The judge, nevertheless, heard the case and later issued a blistering order. He also criticized IHC Chief Justice Dogar and the entire “demolition squad catapulted into” the IHC after the 26th amendment.
Dr Aafia Siddiqui is a Pakistani neuroscientist and educator who gained international attention following her conviction in the United States.
