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Saudi Arabia Brings Together 19 Countries to Prepare a New Generation of Nuclear Scientists

The launch of the 3rd edition of INSO 2026 with students from 19 countries (Mawhiba)
The launch of the 3rd edition of INSO 2026 with students from 19 countries (Mawhiba)
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Saudi Arabia Brings Together 19 Countries to Prepare a New Generation of Nuclear Scientists

The launch of the 3rd edition of INSO 2026 with students from 19 countries (Mawhiba)
The launch of the 3rd edition of INSO 2026 with students from 19 countries (Mawhiba)

The city of Jeddah has become a global platform for young minds with the launch of the third edition of the International Nuclear Science Olympiad (INSO 2026), which Saudi Arabia is hosting for the first time.

The event, which brings together 120 students and experts from 19 countries, reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening its presence on the international scientific stage while developing national talent in one of the fields most closely linked to the future of development.

The International Nuclear Science Olympiad is the world’s leading competition for high school students in this field. It is organized under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in partnership with the Ministry of Education, the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), King Abdulaziz University, and the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy.

The Olympiad aims to promote scientific excellence and international cooperation in the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology.

During the opening ceremony, Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan stated that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of this global event reflects the strong support provided by the Kingdom’s leadership to education, research, and innovation.

He described the event as a practical expression of the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Human Capability Development Program through investment in human capital, strengthening the Kingdom’s position as a global destination for knowledge, and attracting major scientific competitions.

He explained that the Olympiad, officially endorsed by the IAEA since 2024, brings together outstanding students and experts as a global platform for exchanging expertise and inspiring a new generation of scientists capable of developing solutions and innovations in the fields of peaceful nuclear energy applications, nuclear security, and nuclear technologies.

Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Technical Cooperation at the IAEA Hua Liu said the third edition marks an important milestone in the development of INSO, which is rapidly evolving into an inspiring global platform for young people.

He noted that nuclear science and technology play a pivotal role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through their peaceful applications in disease diagnosis and cancer treatment, strengthening food security, managing water resources, protecting the environment and cultural heritage, improving industrial processes, and generating reliable low-carbon energy.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Dr. Anas Al-Wafi, Chairman of the Scientific Committee for Hosting the Olympiad, said that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of this edition reflects the importance and support that the Kingdom’s leadership places on education, scientific research, and the development of national capabilities.

He added that the royal approval to host the event underscores the central role of science and innovation in Saudi Arabia’s development journey.

Al-Wafi explained that the scientific committee includes a distinguished group of local experts from King Abdulaziz University, several government agencies, and Saudi universities, alongside international experts from universities and research centers specializing in nuclear sciences and technologies.

This, he said, ensures that the examinations are prepared and judged according to the highest international standards while promoting fairness and transparency throughout all stages of the competition.

He added that the Olympiad’s examinations are designed to measure scientific thinking rather than rote memorization. Nuclear science is inherently multidisciplinary, combining physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, and computer science. Consequently, the competition evaluates a student’s ability to apply knowledge from multiple disciplines to solve real-world scientific problems rather than simply recall theoretical information.

Al-Wafi noted that the questions simulate practical applications in nuclear energy, nuclear medicine, environmental science, and industry.

He stressed that the student most likely to excel is “not the one who has memorized the most information, but the one who possesses scientific curiosity, logical reasoning skills, and the ability to transform fundamental knowledge into practical solutions.”

These are the skills that will shape the future of nuclear science and technology.

He also revealed that the Olympiad’s impact extends well beyond the announcement of results. He cited the example of a Saudi student who participated in the previous edition without winning a medal, yet whose experience became a turning point in his academic journey. The student is now studying nuclear engineering at one of the top universities in the United States.

Al-Wafi stressed that the true success of the Olympiad “is not measured by the number of medals won, but by the lasting impact it has on students’ futures.”

He added that the international committee maintains ongoing engagement among participants through events and activities that connect alumni from previous editions with new competitors, helping build a global scientific community that exchanges expertise and encourages collaboration among young people.

Al-Wafi further explained that King Abdulaziz University was chosen to host the Olympiad because of its scientific legacy spanning more than 50 years.

The university’s Department of Nuclear Engineering is the oldest specialized department of its kind in the region and has played a key role in developing highly qualified national talent, specialized academic and research expertise, and advanced laboratories that support education, training, and scientific research in nuclear engineering and technology.

He added that through hosting this edition, Saudi Arabia seeks to demonstrate not only its organizational capability to host global events, but also its scientific foundation and national expertise capable of leading the technical and academic dimensions of a highly specialized international event. This reflects the maturity of Saudi universities and institutions and their ability to integrate effectively with international expertise.

Al-Wafi linked the Olympiad to the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s national atomic energy program, explaining that the event supports efforts to build human capabilities and prepare a new generation of scientists, engineers, and researchers capable of contributing to the future of peaceful nuclear energy and technology applications.

It also strengthens Saudi Arabia’s presence within the international scientific community and creates broader opportunities for collaboration among universities, research centers, and specialized institutions while fostering sustainable scientific partnerships.

He emphasized that nuclear science is no longer limited to energy production. It now plays an important role in medicine, agriculture, industry, environmental protection, and even the preservation of cultural heritage and archaeological sites.

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Varieties

Indonesia Moves 8 Endangered Orangutans to Safety after Borneo Fires

A Borneo orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) named Mama Lifa, along with her baby Lifa (unseen), who were rescued from an area affected by wildfires, leave the cage during translocation at Batu Nyambu protected forest area in Ketapang regency, West Kalimantan province, Indonesia, October 9, 2026. Muffidz Ma’sum/Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI)/ Handout via REUTERS
A Borneo orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) named Mama Lifa, along with her baby Lifa (unseen), who were rescued from an area affected by wildfires, leave the cage during translocation at Batu Nyambu protected forest area in Ketapang regency, West Kalimantan province, Indonesia, October 9, 2026. Muffidz Ma’sum/Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI)/ Handout via REUTERS
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Indonesia Moves 8 Endangered Orangutans to Safety after Borneo Fires

A Borneo orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) named Mama Lifa, along with her baby Lifa (unseen), who were rescued from an area affected by wildfires, leave the cage during translocation at Batu Nyambu protected forest area in Ketapang regency, West Kalimantan province, Indonesia, October 9, 2026. Muffidz Ma’sum/Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI)/ Handout via REUTERS
A Borneo orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) named Mama Lifa, along with her baby Lifa (unseen), who were rescued from an area affected by wildfires, leave the cage during translocation at Batu Nyambu protected forest area in Ketapang regency, West Kalimantan province, Indonesia, October 9, 2026. Muffidz Ma’sum/Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI)/ Handout via REUTERS

Indonesian authorities and conservation workers successfully moved eight orangutans to a safe location after the endangered primates' homes were destroyed by wildfires in the forests of Borneo, they said on Sunday.

The Southeast Asian nation is battling its most intense wildfires in 11 years, mainly on Sumatra and Borneo islands, and the government has warned the blazes could continue until November, aggravated by the El Niño weather pattern.

Three mother-child pairs and two adolescent male orangutans were among those rescued between August and September from several locations, ⁠the Indonesian government ⁠and wildlife foundation, Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI) said in a statement.

"Their relocation to Batu Nyambu protected forest is expected to give the eight orangutans a chance to return to living naturally," the statement read, according to Reuters.

Orangutans are critically endangered great apes found in the wild ⁠only on the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Sumatra, with Indonesia home to all three recognized species, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Populations have declined due to deforestation, wildfires and poaching.

The relocation operation took six hours by car, one hour on boats, and two more hours on foot, with the orangutans in cages carried on bamboo poles. Before they were moved, YIARI conservationists checked the animals' health.

Since August, the West ⁠Kalimantan Natural ⁠Resources Conservation Agency and YIARI have rescued 46 orangutans affected by fires, agency head Murlan Dameria Pane said.

From January to July this year, fires burned around 202,000 hectares (500,000 acres) in Indonesia. No official data for subsequent months has been released, but non-governmental organizations estimate fires have burned at least 600,000 hectares more since.

Haze from the fires has caused 175,000 cases of respiratory illness in Indonesia, with the smog affecting neighboring Singapore and Malaysia where many schools were closed on Friday as air quality deteriorated.

Varieties

'No Divisions, No Borders', French Astronaut Says of Seeing Earth

European Space Agency (ESA) French astronaut Sophie Adenot cries while speaking to the media as she returns to Europe, following the return of NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 mission to Earth after nearly eight months in space, in Cologne, Germany, October 10, 2026. REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen
European Space Agency (ESA) French astronaut Sophie Adenot cries while speaking to the media as she returns to Europe, following the return of NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 mission to Earth after nearly eight months in space, in Cologne, Germany, October 10, 2026. REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen
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'No Divisions, No Borders', French Astronaut Says of Seeing Earth

European Space Agency (ESA) French astronaut Sophie Adenot cries while speaking to the media as she returns to Europe, following the return of NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 mission to Earth after nearly eight months in space, in Cologne, Germany, October 10, 2026. REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen
European Space Agency (ESA) French astronaut Sophie Adenot cries while speaking to the media as she returns to Europe, following the return of NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 mission to Earth after nearly eight months in space, in Cologne, Germany, October 10, 2026. REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen

French astronaut Sophie Adenot went through "all human emotions, from the most joyful to the hardest" during her eight months in space, she said back on solid ground on Saturday in Germany.

Adenot splashed down in the Pacific Ocean Thursday off the coast of California in the Dragon capsule that carried Crew-12, having returned to Earth from a mission on the International Space Station (ISS), Agence France Presse reported.

She had spent a total of 235 days in space, breaking the record for the longest uninterrupted orbital stay by a European astronaut.

At 400 km away from Earth, Adenot could see there are "no divisions, no borders" but "just a precious planet that we all share," she said Saturday on the tarmac of the European Space Agency (ESA) training center in Cologne, occasionally in tears.

The 44-year-old astronaut looked visibly weakened on her arrival in Germany and was assisted by two ESA physicians.

In space, the body adapts to the absence of gravity, which leads to bone loss, muscle wasting, cardiovascular deconditioning and even visual problems.

Adenot must now begin an intensive recovery program of about three weeks to regain her pre-flight condition.

"It's a cocktail of astonishing emotions, it's incredible. It's great to be back on Earth, but it also comes with its share of challenges, especially physiological ones," she told a press conference.

She also described the "difficult" moment of Thursday's splashdown, when the capsule bringing back the four astronauts on her team had to endure "a lot of waves for 25 minutes.”

"And when the commandos pulled me out of the capsule, the first thing I said to them was, 'Send me back to space, please!' It was much easier up there," she added.

During the mission, Adenot became the first French female astronaut to venture outside the space station for a spacewalk. In all, she undertook three spacewalks on August 18 and 25, and September 1.

Varieties

Wolf Near Athens Removed after Suspected Attacks

An ambulance leaves Corinth General Hospital, in Greece, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Vasilis Psomas)
An ambulance leaves Corinth General Hospital, in Greece, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Vasilis Psomas)
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Wolf Near Athens Removed after Suspected Attacks

An ambulance leaves Corinth General Hospital, in Greece, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Vasilis Psomas)
An ambulance leaves Corinth General Hospital, in Greece, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Vasilis Psomas)

Greek conservation groups have caught and removed a male wolf suspected of links to attacks on joggers in Mount Parnitha near Athens in recent months, officials said late on Thursday.

The move was authorized by the environment ministry after the animal allegedly attacked and slightly injured a jogger in a forested area of the rural town of Kryoneri, northeast of the capital, on September 24, the Callisto group said, according to AFP.

"After a lengthy chase during the night of October 5 to 6, 2026, the male wolf that had alarmed the residents of the Kryoneri, Varybobi and Olympic Village settlements in recent months due to his frequent appearances within the urban fabric was successfully and safely tranquilized," the group said.

The wolf had been fitted with a tracking collar in July and returned to the woods but it continued to return to urban areas near Mount Parnitha, mainly to prey on stray cats, Callisto said.

"(It) continued to display bold behavior, even following citizens at close range," the group said.

The wolf allegedly attacked a jogger in February and again in September.

It was taken to a wolf sanctuary operated by the Arcturos wildlife organization in northern Greece.

Wolves are protected in Greece under the Bern Convention, to the consternation of many farmers who claim their numbers have swelled in recent years.

The population stands at 2,075 individuals, mainly in the north of the country, according to a recent study by Callisto.

In mid-August, a female wolf suspected of having attacked and injured a four-year-old child near Thessaloniki was also captured.

She was found to be missing a leg and was in poor health.

In September 2025, another wolf reportedly attacked and injured a five-year-old girl near a seaside resort in Chalkidiki, northern Greece.

On its website, Callisto explained that wolves inhabited remote areas far from people when suitable wild prey is abundant there. But when that natural habitat is destroyed, they move closer to areas where they could find food.

In Greece, "populations of wild ungulates that could naturally sustain wolves-such as roe deer and wild boar-remain relatively sparse...

"As a result, wolves in Greece currently depend to a significant extent on livestock, refuse dumps, animal carcasses originating from slaughterhouses and livestock farms, and other human-associated food sources," it explained.