Spain Scraps Wolves' Protected Status in Rural North

FILE PHOTO: An Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) exercises at Basondo Animal Refuge, in Kortezubi, Spain, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Vincent West/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) exercises at Basondo Animal Refuge, in Kortezubi, Spain, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Vincent West/File Photo
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Spain Scraps Wolves' Protected Status in Rural North

FILE PHOTO: An Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) exercises at Basondo Animal Refuge, in Kortezubi, Spain, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Vincent West/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) exercises at Basondo Animal Refuge, in Kortezubi, Spain, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Vincent West/File Photo

Spain's parliament voted to remove wolves' protected status on Thursday, four years after their inclusion, opening the way for the predators to be hunted again in the country's rural north.
Farmers hailed the measure, while conservationists deplored it as "tragic" both for wolves and the country's biodiversity.
Parliament's action reverses a measure introduced by the Socialist government in 2021 that extended protection for the wolf north of the Douro river. Controlled wolf hunting had been allowed until then in northern Spain, Reuters reported.
Efforts to protect the wolf in Europe are faltering after the European Commission last week proposed to downgrade the animal's protective status because of their growing number and the threat they pose to livestock.
A change of law in Europe could lead to the authorization of wolf hunting also south of the Douro, which until now is strictly prohibited.
Thursday's move by Spanish lawmakers was approved in an amendment to a law about food waste proposed by the conservative People's Party (PP). Controlled wolf hunting can restart north of the Douro when the law is published in a few days' time.
The Association for the Protection and Study of the Iberian Wolf on Thursday accused right-wing parties that voted for the amendment of "legal subterfuge" by burying it within changes to a law that had nothing to do with the environment.
"It is a tragic day not only for the wolf, but also for the rest of Spain's biodiversity," the association said in an emailed statement.
The agricultural association COAG celebrated the legislative change after years of organizing protests against the measure on behalf of farmers, who said their livelihoods were at risk.
COAG has said that wolves were responsible for the killing of 15,000 farm animals in Spain each year.
Environment Minister Sara Aagesen said before the vote took place that biodiversity policies should be based on science, and said that the government would study what tools it had to protect the wolf.



Elevator at Obelisk Offers Breathtaking View of Buenos Aires

Aerial view showing a man looking down from the Obelisk observation deck in Buenos Aires on May 8, 2025. (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)
Aerial view showing a man looking down from the Obelisk observation deck in Buenos Aires on May 8, 2025. (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)
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Elevator at Obelisk Offers Breathtaking View of Buenos Aires

Aerial view showing a man looking down from the Obelisk observation deck in Buenos Aires on May 8, 2025. (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)
Aerial view showing a man looking down from the Obelisk observation deck in Buenos Aires on May 8, 2025. (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)

The famous Obelisk in Buenos Aires Obelisk now offers a breathtaking new perspective. With the addition of an elevator, visitors can ascend this iconic monument to have panoramic views of the vibrant city below.

Quoting Architect Juan Vacas, AFP said the 67.5-meter-tall Obelisk was erected in 1936, and stands at the intersection of Corrientes Street, renowned for its dynamic theater scene, and Avenida 9 de Julio, which according to tourist guides is the widest avenue in the world.

Vacas describes the monument as “the heart of Buenos Aires.”

The Obelisk witnessed pivotal events in Argentina’s history, including Raul Alfonsin's historic 1983 presidential campaign and a tribute for football legend Diego Maradona in 2020.

Recently, the Obelisk was illuminated with the image of late Pope Francis.

During the 2022 World Cup, millions gathered around the city’s Obelisk where pictures of the players were projected. Some fans broke its doors and climbed to the top through service stairs.

The elevator rises the equivalent of twenty floors in just 55 seconds, although visitors must still climb 35 steps to reach the viewing platform, from where visitors can see Rio de la Plata.

This tourism project, completed recently, was “a major challenge for architects” as all materials had to be brought in through a narrow door.

“The entire system was prefabricated, meticulously assembled and reassembled within the Obelisk's narrow space,” noted Vacas.

Currently in a trial phase, the elevator has attracted 25,000 eager people for early access, the municipality said in a statement on its Instagram account.