‘French Spiderman’ Climbs Paris Skyscraper to Mark Turning 60

"French Spiderman", climber Alain Robert, climbs the TotalEnergies skyscraper in La Defense near Paris, France September 17, 2022. (Reuters)
"French Spiderman", climber Alain Robert, climbs the TotalEnergies skyscraper in La Defense near Paris, France September 17, 2022. (Reuters)
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‘French Spiderman’ Climbs Paris Skyscraper to Mark Turning 60

"French Spiderman", climber Alain Robert, climbs the TotalEnergies skyscraper in La Defense near Paris, France September 17, 2022. (Reuters)
"French Spiderman", climber Alain Robert, climbs the TotalEnergies skyscraper in La Defense near Paris, France September 17, 2022. (Reuters)

Alain Robert, the free climber dubbed the "French Spiderman", scaled a 48-storey skyscraper in Paris on Saturday, fulfilling a goal he had set for himself once he reached the age of 60.

Dressed in red, Robert raised his arms aloft as he reached the top of the 187-meter (613-foot) Tour TotalEnergies building, which towers over the French capital's La Defense business district.

"I want to send people the message that being 60 is nothing. You can still do sport, be active, do fabulous things," said Robert, whose 60th birthday was last month.

"I promised myself several years ago that when I reached 60, I would climb that tower again because 60 symbolizes retirement age in France and I thought that was a nice touch," he told Reuters.

Robert, who also wanted to use the climb to raise awareness about the need for climate change action, had already climbed the TotalEnergies tower on numerous occasions.

He began climbing in 1975, training on the cliffs near his hometown of Valence in southern France. He took up solo climbing in 1977 and rapidly became a top climber.

Since then, he has climbed more than 150 towering structures around the world including Dubai's Burj Khalifa - the world's tallest building, the Eiffel Tower, and San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.

Often climbing without permission, he has been arrested repeatedly. He climbs without a harness, using only his bare hands, a pair of climbing shoes, and a bag of powdered chalk to wipe off the sweat.



Saudi Falcons Club Raises Endangered Wakri Falcon Count to 14 Through Hadad Program

The club has implemented a comprehensive scientific strategy to enhance biodiversity - SPA
The club has implemented a comprehensive scientific strategy to enhance biodiversity - SPA
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Saudi Falcons Club Raises Endangered Wakri Falcon Count to 14 Through Hadad Program

The club has implemented a comprehensive scientific strategy to enhance biodiversity - SPA
The club has implemented a comprehensive scientific strategy to enhance biodiversity - SPA

The Saudi Falcons Club has achieved a major environmental milestone by raising the number of endangered Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus) breeding pairs, known locally as Wakri, from two to 14 through its flagship conservation initiative, the Program to Return Falcons to their Original Habitat (Hadad).

Club spokesman Walid Al-Taweel stated that the Wakri falcon is one of the Kingdom’s rarest and most endangered native species.

He emphasized that the club has implemented a comprehensive scientific strategy to enhance biodiversity, restore ecological balance, and preserve the rich heritage of falconry, aligned with the environmental sustainability goals of Saudi Vision 2030, SPA reported.

Al-Taweel added that the club aims to become a national leader in conserving rare falcons by adopting advanced practices rooted in global standards. It also seeks to engage the local community in falcon rewilding efforts and in reviving their natural habitats, thereby supporting the natural breeding process within the species’ indigenous environments.

The Saudi Falcons Club continues to launch pioneering initiatives that preserve the cultural legacy of falconry, ensure its transmission to future generations, and raise public awareness about the importance of protecting and sustaining rare species as part of the broader goal of achieving environmental balance.