Hungry Rat Terrifies the Queen in Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace and the forecourt is seen in central London. Photo: Reuters
Buckingham Palace and the forecourt is seen in central London. Photo: Reuters
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Hungry Rat Terrifies the Queen in Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace and the forecourt is seen in central London. Photo: Reuters
Buckingham Palace and the forecourt is seen in central London. Photo: Reuters

A hungry rat spotted in one of Buckingham Palace's kitchens in London left the Queen Elizabeth II horrified.

The palace's staff has called in a pest control squad that shortly arrived to address the situation.

The British Pest Control Association admitted that the country witnesses an invasion or a new species of rodents with immunity against poison, which raised anger among Britons.

The proliferation of rats and mice has become a major problem hitting the ancient buildings of Britain such as the royal palace that dates back to 1703, the parliament, and other governmental edifices.

It is reported that officials have given staff, in particular kitchen workers, basic training such as shutting cupboard doors and sweeping away bits of food in order to stop the problem spreading.

The tiny animals developed a genetic mutation known as LG20, which renders many toxins useless.

A spokesperson for the British Pest Control Association admitted that the long-tailed rodents had grown increasingly immune to the poison.



Octogenarian Skateboarder Shreds Concrete in Spain’s Bilbao 

Skateboarder Juanjo Urbizu, 88, rides his skateboard in a bowl at the Etxebarria Skatepark in Bilbao, Spain, January 31, 2024. (Reuters)
Skateboarder Juanjo Urbizu, 88, rides his skateboard in a bowl at the Etxebarria Skatepark in Bilbao, Spain, January 31, 2024. (Reuters)
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Octogenarian Skateboarder Shreds Concrete in Spain’s Bilbao 

Skateboarder Juanjo Urbizu, 88, rides his skateboard in a bowl at the Etxebarria Skatepark in Bilbao, Spain, January 31, 2024. (Reuters)
Skateboarder Juanjo Urbizu, 88, rides his skateboard in a bowl at the Etxebarria Skatepark in Bilbao, Spain, January 31, 2024. (Reuters)

Grinning mischievously, Juanjo Urbizu dons a baseball cap, tucks his T-shirt neatly into his sweatpants and adjusts the velcro straps on his elbow pads before positioning his skateboard on the bowl's edge, ready for the "drop".

Other skaters, dressed in baggy streetwear, crane their necks while the sun casts long shadows over the graffiti-covered concrete.

Urbizu's attempt at a gnarly trick draws stares because the athlete is a sight to behold, wheeling around the unassuming skate park in northern Spain having just turned 88.

For the cheerful octogenarian, each skating session begins by carefully clearing the square bowl of pebbles to guarantee a smooth ride.

"My bones are special," he chuckles in Bilbao's working-class neighborhood of Begona. "Though I touch wood."

In a rapidly ageing country, where more than half the population is over 44, the demographic shift is increasingly becoming a topic of national debate. Economists fret over the welfare state's sustainability when government data shows there are 137 people aged 64 and older for every 100 under 16.

But Spain's generally warm climate is conducive to outdoor activities and studies have proven the importance of physical exercise in bettering the quality of life and reducing the risk of disease for the elderly.

Urbizu took up skateboarding aged 70, partly because it was cheaper than his beloved snow sports. He finds the extreme sport more than just a way to stay fit, also offering an escape from monotony.

"By breaking the routine, you bring something new to everyday life, and that gives you a sense of rest," he argues.

For other people his age considering taking up skateboarding, he advises do it little by little.

"Falls here are truly bad, much worse than in the snow. Anyone who does something like this should wear full protection."