by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, December 27.
- Cyclones, floods and wildfires among 2025’s costliest climate-related disasters (“Christian Aid annual report’s top 10 disasters amounted to more than $120bn in insured losses”)
- ‘It’s frightening’: How far right is infiltrating everyday culture
- Russia launches mass attack on Kyiv ahead of Trump-Zelensky peace talks (Under Putin, Russia is a terrorist nation.)
- Trump to POLITICO: Zelenskyy ‘doesn’t have anything until I approve it’ (Trump is, among his many other horrible traits, a f’ing asshole.)
- Exclusive: Zelensky “ready” to call referendum on Trump plan with ceasefire
- Thousands without power in Kyiv after massive Russian attack
- Russia Strikes Kyiv a Day Before Zelenskiy-Trump Meeting
- Zelenskyy to hold talks with European leaders amid fresh strikes on Kyiv (“Attacks leave hundreds of thousands in city without heating as Ukrainian leader prepares for flurry of weekend diplomacy”)
- Exclusive: Russia likely placing new hypersonic missiles at former airbase in Belarus, researchers find
- Zelenskiy says Russia using Belarus territory to circumvent Ukrainian defences
- Netanyahu’s Mar-a-Lago visit “crucial” for future of Gaza deal
- Israel becomes first country to formally recognise Somaliland as independent state
- Fear and confusion in Nigerian village hit in US strike, as locals say no history of ISIS in area
- Trump’s Claims About Nigeria Strike Belie a Complex Situation on the Ground (Kinda funny how the NY Times snuck in the word “lie” in “belie.” Of course, they could just say that Trump’s lying about everything, but…guess they’re not up for that.)
- Why is the US bombing Nigeria? (“Humanitarian intervention, MAGA-style.”)
- Saudi Arabia Strikes Yemeni Militia Backed by Rival Gulf Power U.A.E.
- Trump Invited White South Africans to America. One Ended Up in Detention. (“An Afrikaner flew to the United States expecting protection. Instead, he has spent months locked up in Georgia alongside hundreds of other immigrants.”)
- Thailand and Cambodia sign a new ceasefire agreement to end border fighting
- UK campaigner targeted by Trump accuses tech giants of ‘sociopathic greed’
- The U.S. sank the alleged narco-terrorists’ boat — and let them go (“In blowing up the vessel, destroying evidence and repatriating the survivors, the U.S. cut short a process that’s helped bring down traffickers.”)
- Federal judge to hold hearing on whether Kilmar Abrego Garcia is being vindictively prosecuted (Is that even a serious question?)
- The Supreme Court Cast Its Lot With Trumpism. It Should Be Very Worried.
- White House pushes to dismantle leading climate and weather research center (Insanity.)
- The great unchurching of America
- Trump Promised Radical Change in His Second Term. Here’s What He’s Done So Far.
- Dragged down by an unpopular president, Republicans are bracing for a midterm trouncing
- Trump on DOJ discovery of 1M more Epstein documents: ‘When do they say NO MORE’
- Trump Spent Christmas Posting Over 100 Times on Truth Social (Deranged.)
- Republican behind Epstein files act responds to Trump ‘lowlife’ taunt (“Kentucky’s Thomas Massie used the president’s insult to raise funds to run against a Trump-endorsed candidate”)
- Patel Says FBI Headquarters to ‘Permanently Close’ With Move (“FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency’s historic-but-aging headquarters in Washington would be “shut down permanently” as he shifts personnel into the building once occupied by the now-defunct US Agency for International Development.”)
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announces she’s pregnant with second child
- Kennedy Center Chief Threatens Legal Action Over Canceled Christmas Concert
- Kennedy Center criticizes musician who canceled performance after Trump name added to building (Ridiculous headline; in fact, it’s a Trump lackey who criticized that.)
- Billionaire Trump Threatens Kennedy Center With Tacky Marble Makeover
- Perriello racks up endorsements, funding for campaign (“CBS19 reached out to Rep. John McGuire for comment but did not receive a response.” Of course not.)
- Top 50 Blue Virginia Posts of 2025
- Virginians’ drug prescriptions now come from warehouses in other states
- First responders in Virginia get $20M boost in federal funding for staffing, training, more
- Spanberger could fire college board members, experts say
- Spanberger Talks Future Of Cannabis In The Commonwealth
- Virginia HD17 Democratic Firehouse Primary This Sunday: Who’s Running, Who’s Endorsing Which Candidate, When/Where to Vote, etc. (This is being held to select a Democratic nominee to succeed Del. Mark Sickles, who is headed into the Spanberger administration)
- New Kent expects 100,000 I-64 speeding tickets by year’s end, netting the county millions in revenue (“The sheriff said the cameras appear to be having a deterrent effect, citing evidence that the number of violations is falling.”)
- CWG Live: Partial sun and chilly today, with another rain chance late Sunday (“Temperatures warm up each day through Monday. Cold again by Tuesday.”)
********************************************************
