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  • The Week Evening Review
    Alaska talks, giant rats, and 'Animal Farm' turns 80

     
    TODAY'S BIG QUESTION

    Will Ukraine trade territory for peace?

    In the build-up to the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska today, the US president has made vague references to territorial swaps – a terrifying prospect for Ukraine and its allies, "given that all the territory in question" is Ukrainian, said the BBC.

    Speaking to reporters on Air Force One earlier, Trump said land swaps would be "discussed" but that, ultimately, the green light would have to come from Kyiv. "I've got to let Ukraine make that decision," he said, "and I think they'll make a proper decision."

    What did the commentators say?
    Volodymyr Zelenskyy has maintained that ceding land is impossible because Ukraine is prohibited from doing so by its constitution. More than three-quarters of Ukrainians "oppose trading land for a promise of peace", said The New York Times. Crucially, inside the military, "that figure is much, much higher," said Serhii Kuzan, chair of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center.

    The Ukrainian president's red lines are that Ukraine "will not hand over any of its territory", that it must be "fully involved in any negotiation", and that Kyiv must receive "security guarantees as part of any peace deal", said the Financial Times. Given that Trump has previously withdrawn military support and financial aid from Ukraine, it's hard to imagine what other leverage to make Kyiv accept a land-swap arrangement the US might have at its disposal.

    Russia and the US have reportedly discussed a "model" that "mirrors Israel's occupation of the West Bank", whereby Russia would have military and economic control of areas they've occupied, like Donbas, but these would technically stay under Ukrainian sovereignty, a source told The Times. Apparently, the idea was raised "weeks ago" in discussions between Steve Witkoff, Trump's peace envoy, and his Russian counterparts. The White House has denied that this is part of its plan.

    What next?
    The US president called the Alaska summit a "feel-out meeting" and the White House described it as a "listening exercise", perhaps to lower expectations in case a deal is not reached. In a call with Zelenskyy and European leaders on Wednesday, Trump apparently agreed that a ceasefire would be a prerequisite for any peace negotiations.

     
     
    THE EXPLAINER

    Britain's giant rat problem

    Over 518,200 rat infestations were reported to UK councils between 2023 and 2025, with nearly 23% of those in London, according to analysis of Freedom of Information data by Drain Detectives.

    The startling figures come on the tail of a flurry of sightings of abnormally large rats, including a record-breakingly large 22-inch specimen reportedly captured in Normanby, North Yorkshire. Usually, rats range in length from six to 12 inches but, when food and water are easily accessible, they can grow even larger.

    What's driving the increase?
    Rodents thrive in areas where they can easily access food and hide from sight. Poor waste management, including fly-tipping and the leaving out of food scraps from restaurants and takeaways, is a common reason for increased infestation, while the warmer weather (including milder winters) is allowing rats to thrive in urban areas.

    Overflows of rubbish left in the streets in Birmingham during the current bin strikes have sparked a series of sightings of oversized rats in the city, due to the free access rats have to masses of waste.

    Are rats dangerous?
    Rats can carry a number of diseases that are harmful or even deadly to humans, including leptospirosis, hantavirus and salmonella. Infection can be spread through rat droppings and urine, and by contamination of food around a house or business. Rats can also cause serious damage to buildings, including the plumbing, through which they often enter properties, and electrical wiring and insulation, which they can shred by chewing.

    What can be done about them?
    With both council and private pest control services stretched thin, prevention is the best solution. Properly disposing waste in sealed containers, maintaining tidy gardens and securing food storage are all key for avoiding infestations.

    But the onus also lies with water companies to fix defective drainage systems that can otherwise become easy access points for rats to reach homes in large numbers.

     
     

    Poll watch

    Almost half (46%) of Britons have never lived alone, according to a YouGov poll of 7,035 adults. Only 22% of those who took part in the survey – which asked respondents to disregard temporary accommodation or university halls of residence – said they currently live by themselves, while 32% had done so in the past.

     
     

    Statistic of the day

    1.2 million: The drop in UK traffic to adult website Pornhub since age verification became mandatory for mature content. Daily visits have fallen from 3.2 million to 2 million, according to digital intelligence firm Similarweb – although the statistics do not account for users employing VPNs to mask their location and bypass the restrictions.

     
     
    TALKINg POINT

    'Animal Farm' at 80: still 'horribly' relevant

    George Orwell's "Animal Farm" may be 80 years old this weekend but it still "resonates today" – and "not just as a terrible indictment of left-wing idealism and communist tyranny", said writer A.N. Wilson in The Times. His animal characters' "pathetic weakness to believe political mantras" remains "horribly" relevant in 2025.

    'Stolen' by all political sides
    The book is a "parable about our willingness to compromise with evil when it suits us", said Wilson. "We hold up our hands in horror" at Jamal Khashoggi's murder in a Saudi consulate but "we'll extend a warm welcome" to the Saudi ruler, Mohammed bin Salman. "And we all know what is going on in China" but see British trade as "more important" than "the mass imprisonment of Uighurs".

    It's Orwell's "posthumous fate" that "Animal Farm", and his other great work, "1984", have been "stolen" by people of every political persuasion, said Matthew Purdy in The New York Times. For progressives, Donald Trump and other right-wing leaders embody his parable of corrupt authoritarianism, while the right sees Orwellian traits in "the left's approach to transgender issues and Covid mandates, and the 'cancelling' of people who do not comply". It's "unlikely" that Orwell, a "writer of precision", would have "approved of being slotted into every hole equally and simultaneously".

    'Indelible mark'
    Orwell's writings have "left an indelible mark on American thought and culture", said US Mark Satta, an assistant professor of philosophy, on The Conversation. Sales of "Animal Farm" and "1984" soared after whistle-blower Edward Snowden leaked confidential US national security documents in 2013, and "1984 rose to the top" of Amazon's bestseller chart after Trump's first inauguration in 2017.

    "Animal Farm" endures because "Orwell was also an artist", said Jim Beckerman on My Central Jersey, and in the "struggles of his animal characters, there is real pain". The part where Boxer the cart-horse is "sent to the glue factory" has "made more than one kid tear up". But "by osmosis", young readers can also absorb Orwell's warnings about "how power corrupts, truth can be distorted and high-sounding phrases can be used to justify horrific crimes".

     
     

    Good day 💣

    … for playing safe, as a playground in Northumberland reopens to young visitors after 177 Second World War bombs were removed from beneath its surface. The explosives stockpile, which had lain undisturbed since the 1940s, was discovered in January when new play equipment was being installed.

     
     

    Bad day 🎸

    … for metalheads, as thrash legends Megadeth announce plans to retire after 42 years. "Don't be mad, don't be sad; be happy for us all," said frontman Dave Mustaine in a statement announcing that the band's next album will be their last. Fans will get a chance to say goodbye at a farewell tour next year.

     
     
    picture of the day

    Parade order

    Soldiers from India's Border Security Force take part in the parade in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, to celebrate India's 79th Independence Day. The unit is famous for their colourful daily flag lowering ceremony opposite their Pakistani counterparts at the Attari-Wagah border crossing.

    Firdous Nazir / NurPhoto / Getty Images

     
     
    PUZZLES AND QUIZZES

    Quiz of The Week

    Have you been paying attention to The Week's news? Try our weekly quiz, part of our puzzles section, which also includes sudoku and crosswords 

    Play here

     
     
    THE WEEK RECOMMENDS

    Properties of the week: one-of-a-kind houses

    Denbighshire: Plas Yn Llan, Llangynhafal
    This 16th century house sits in an idyllic 1.3-acre, semi-rural setting. Main suite, 3 further beds, family bath, kitchen/breakfast room, 4 receps, parking. £1.15 million; Fisher German

    Essex: Redshank, St Osyth
    Designed by Lisa Shell Architects to resemble both Maunsell forts and redshanks (a wading bird), this unique home hovers above salty marshland, which floods at high tide. 1 bed, shower, kitchen/living room, balcony. £400,000; The Modern House

    Kent: The Tower, Hadlow Castle
    A historic Grade I property (the world's tallest Victorian gothic tower) with breathtaking 360° views. 4 beds (3 en suite), kitchen/breakfast room, 4 receps, roof terrace, lift, garden. £2.78 million; Fine & Country

    Somerset: Birdcombe Court, Wraxall
    A magnificent Grade II medieval manor house set in almost two acres. Pevsner records the house as an "astonishing survival", with the hall dating back to the 13th century. 3 suites, 3 further beds, family bath, 2 studies, kitchen, 3 receps, garden, chapel, coach house, stables. £2.85 million; Inigo

    Argyll & Bute: An Cnocan Dubh, Coillabus, Isle of Islay
    An architect-designed, turf-roofed, stone-clad lodge set in a wonderfully unspoilt location on the Oa peninsula, with views across the sea towards Kintyre. 2 suites, sauna, kitchen, open-plan living/dining room, parking. OIEO £375,000; Savills

    See more

     
     
    QUOTE OF THE DAY

    "I had to visit the trauma unit last weekend. He prefers the term dad."

    Comedian Andy Gleeks drops the one-liner that's been named funniest joke at this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The (Some Guy Called Dave) Award – judged by a random Fringe visitor named Dave – is a tongue-in-cheek reference to TV channel Dave, which used to sponsor the prize for the Fringe's funniest gag.

     
     
    instant opinion

    Today's best commentary

    As thousands more teenagers scramble for university places, I have to ask – why?
    Simon Jenkins in The Guardian
    After performing "utterly archaic feats of memory" in their A-levels, our teenagers "embark" on an university experience "that has almost nothing to do with real life", writes Simon Jenkins. England's universities are in "a terrible mess" and "students seem miserable", with "soaring mental illness" and mounting debt. Employers are "disregarding" degrees, so the "graduate 'premium' is plummeting". The obvious solution? "Cut back", with two-year courses, mass mergers and "a return to vocational colleges".

    These Six Media Lies Are Stoking the Anti-Migrant Protests
    Simon Childs on Novara Media
    "The UK is in the grip of anti-migrant fever once more", writes Simon Childs, stirred up by "dishonest politicians, rent-a-gob pundits, dodgy AI and YouTube grifters". Many protestors wrongly believe that asylum seekers are "living it up" in hotels "at the taxpayer's expense, while British people struggle". In reality, migrants in hotels experience "overcrowding, assault and sexual harassment from staff", with nothing but "the meals provided and £9.95 a week to live on".

    Overheated council swimming pools leave us in the soup
    Libby Purves in The Times
    If you "fancy a swim" and need to "feel your skin thrill and the brain stem cool", writes Libby Purves, head to a "sensible lido" or "clean sea pool", because public baths are now heated to a "minestrone warmth that only algae would request". "What has happened to us?" A proper British swim "means getting in with a cry of 'Oh, bloody hell!'", then swimming "vigorously", shouting, "'Lovely once you're in!'".

     
     
    word of the day

    Otrovert

    Move over, introverts and extroverts; otroverts are the new personality type in town. They neither shun nor seek social interaction but have a "disinterest in group membership and assimilation", said psychiatrist and self-confessed otrovert Rami Kaminski in New Scientist. Otroverts stand out, he added, for their "originality and emotional independence".

     
     

    In the morning

    Look out for our Saturday Wrap in your inboxes tomorrow, which includes a closer look at Donald Trump's contentious plan to add a $200 million ballroom to the White House.

    Have a great weekend and thanks for reading,
    Rebecca

     
     

     Evening Review was written and edited by Rebecca Messina, Jamie Timson, Richard Windsor, Genevieve Bates, Chas Newkey-Burden, Steph Jones, David Edwards and Helen Brown, with illustrations by Stephen Kelly

    Image credits, from top: Illustration by Stephen Kelly / Getty Images; AFP / Getty Images; Steven May / Alamy; Firdous Nazir / NurPhoto / Getty Images; The Modern House / Fisher German / Fine & Country / Inigo

    Morning Report and Evening Review were named Newsletter of the Year at the Publisher Newsletter Awards 2025
     

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