By Scottie Andrew, CNN

(CNN) — When audiences first met Jinkx Monsoon on the fifth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in 2013, she already seemed fully formed: eccentric and witchy in that Pacific Northwestern way, heartbreakingly earnest, and dripping with the tipsy wit and affect of a 20th-century character actress.

In 2025, Monsoon finally became a leading lady. In the spring, the two-time “Drag Race” winner starred on Broadway in “Pirates!”, a rework of Gilbert and Sullivan. But it was her turn as a demented Mary Todd Lincoln in the hit play “Oh, Mary!” that turned Monsoon into a stage supernova. Taking over the role after Cole Escola, the original star and playwright, moved on, Monsoon made Mary seem like a new creation while maintaining the show as must-see comedy. Monsoon’s tempestuous first lady bellowed like a bear in a trap, bounded across the stage like a rogue boomerang and raised hell.

“Oh, Mary!” is a broad farce, but Monsoon played the deranged heroine with touching sincerity. In perhaps her only moment of real vulnerability, Mary reflects on the promise and anguish of a “great day.” All great days end, she says, so she protects herself from having any more of them by drinking and throwing epic tantrums and marrying a bore like Abe Lincoln. Just a few scenes earlier, Mary vomited into a bucket, then drank her own mess. Monsoon as Mary breaks your heart.

Watching Monsoon ascend as a star actress was a great day that hasn’t ended: Next year, she’s reviving her legendary “Drag Race” Snatch Game character Judy Garland in “End of the Rainbow” in London’s West End.

What was the most memorable moment of the year?

Cole Escola accepting their Tony. I’ll never forget that. I had just stepped offstage, I had just finished performing. And I said, “Cole, you got this!” And then they did! So besides that, there’s nothing really in my mind. I can’t really remember anything except for “Wicked Witch!”

Which of your dreams came true?

I recorded an album of my sold-out “one night only” at Carnegie Hall concert, and that feels like one hell of a dream come true. It’s coming in 2026!

What do you already regret?

Nothing. I live in the now!… I already regret saying that.

What vices are you giving up or carrying with you into next year?

I’m giving up eating fistfuls of candy before bed. One fist’s-worth only.

Who do you think made the biggest splash this year (if not yourself)?

Young Cardamom [CNN: That was New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s rap alter ego.]

How did you survive the hard parts?

Having a stage to be on and an audience to perform for.

What’s the biggest existential threat to human life?

Apathy.

What’s a dream role you haven’t played yet?

Mame.

What did you learn about yourself this year that surprised you?

Apparently my sense of smell is top notch!

What were some of your favorite movies, music, memes or other pieces of pop culture this year?

“Weapons” is my favorite film of the year. My favorite musicians this year are Big Sis, Laufey,

Por Ella Nilsen, CNN

Los residentes de estados del Atlántico Medio como Maryland, Nueva Jersey y Pensilvania, que llevan años sufriendo los altos precios de la electricidad, acaban de recibir malas noticias: la ayuda no está a la vuelta de la esquina.

Como informó recientemente CNN, los clientes de servicios públicos en Maryland y la ciudad de Washington se encuentran entre los primeros del país en ver los efectos del auge de los centros de datos en sus facturas de electricidad residenciales. Gran parte de ese aumento de precios se debe a la anticipación de la demanda futura. La industria energética prevé que los centros de datos y otros clientes consumirán mucha más energía en tan solo unos años. Actualmente no hay suministro suficiente para satisfacer esa demanda, por lo que el acceso a la electricidad adicional que se necesitará pronto debe asegurarse con antelación.

En el Atlántico Medio, esas compras se realizan mediante subastas regionales. En una subasta reciente, los precios alcanzaron un máximo histórico, y habrían subido aún más de no ser por un límite de precios establecido a raíz de una demanda interpuesta por el gobernador de Pensilvania, Josh Shapiro.

Tanto los precios de la subasta como la demanda reflejan una dinámica creciente en la región, que alberga el mayor grupo de centros de datos del mundo —en Virginia— y se están añadiendo más en otros estados, como Ohio y Maryland. Los centros de datos consumen mucha más energía de la que existe actualmente en la red, lo que impulsa los precios al alza en medio de una pugna por los derechos de energía futura.

Las subastas están a cargo de PJM Interconnection, una organización sin fines de lucro poco conocida cuyo objetivo es garantizar que haya suficiente electricidad para satisfacer la demanda y distribuirla donde se necesite en la región. Otros estados bajo la jurisdicción de PJM, como Nueva Jersey, también están experimentando un aumento repentino en las facturas de servicios públicos. Los demócratas de Nueva Jersey se centraron en este tema en las elecciones a gobernador de este año. La gobernadora electa demócrata Mikie Sherrill hizo una intensa campaña sobre la asequibilidad de la energía.

Esta dinámica continuará en el futuro próximo, según los expertos.

“Preveo que la escasez de suministro durará algunos años más y que la mayoría de los 65 millones de personas de la región pagarán facturas más altas durante ese tiempo”, declaró Rob Gramlich, CEO de la consultora Grid Strategies LLC. “Es una pena que los estados y PJM no hayan logrado proteger a los consumidores de la volatilidad de los mercados eléctricos”.

PJM reconoció el drástico desequilibrio entre la oferta y la demanda de electricidad. En los últimos dos años, los precios han aumentado más de un 1.000 %.

“Esta subasta deja claro que la demanda de electricidad de los centros de datos sigue superando con creces la nueva oferta”, declaró Stu Bresler, nuevo director de operaciones de PJM, y añadió que “la solución requerirá una acción concertada entre PJM, sus accionistas, socios estatales y federales, y la propia industria de los centros de datos”.

El problema para los consumidores es que los precios se mantendrán altos hasta que se genere más electricidad, y el costO de construir nuevas centrales eléctricas y la infraestructura para transportar la electricidad también será elevado.

En los últimos dos años, PJM ha propuesto más de US$ 11.000 millones en mejoras de infraestructura eléctrica en la región, principalmente para atender el crecimiento de la carga de los nuevos centros de datos. El próximo año podrían necesitarse otros US$ 12.000 millones, según David Lapp, asesor del pueblo de Maryland y principal funcionario del estado especializado en la defensa de los consumidores en materia de facturas de servicios públicos.

“La mayoría de esos costos serán cubiertos por todos los clientes, aunque c

By Chelsea Bailey, CNN

(CNN) — The chaotic apprehension of an undocumented man in St. Paul, Minnesota, ended violently Sunday after the man allegedly struck two federal officers with his vehicle during a stop – causing one officer to fire “defensive shots” – before the man was ultimately apprehended, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The arrest comes as the Trump administration continues its immigration enforcement efforts across the Twin Cities, which have stoked controversy in recent weeks over Immigration and Customs Enforcement tactics and concerns over racial profiling.

But Sunday’s pursuit points to a troubling trend that’s emerged during the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts, which left some officials warning about the potential for escalation and violence.

It began when agents tried to detain a man DHS later identified as Juan Carlos Rodrigues Romero, an undocumented Cuban immigrant, during a stop.

“Romero was noncompliant and refused to roll down his window, causing officers to warn that they would have to break the window if he continued to not comply with lawful orders,” the agency said in a statement posted online.

That’s when Romero drove off, DHS said, and a chaotic chase began.

An attempt to flee ends with shots fired

As Romero fled the scene, he allegedly struck one of the ICE officers with his vehicle. He then drove into a nearby parking lot and hit two parked cars, according to DHS.

As officers commanded Romero to exit the vehicle, he allegedly “began ramming his car into an ICE vehicle and struck another ICE officer,” DHS said in a statement.

“The officer who was struck by Romero’s car defensively fired two rounds from his service weapon, causing Romero to drive off again,” the agency said. “No one was struck by any of the defensive shots fired.”

Romero, however, continued to try to elude apprehension, according to the agency. He allegedly rammed another ICE vehicle before attempting to flee into his apartment on foot.

The agency said ICE officers brought Romero to the ground as he “continued to violently resist arrest and bit one of the officers.”

The officers involved sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the pursuit and were taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation, according to DHS.

Romero was also evaluated at a hospital and is currently in ICE custody pending further charges, the agency said.

It was not immediately clear if Romero had obtained legal representation.

CNN has reached out to ICE for further comment on the arrest.

In a statement posted on social media, Saint Paul Police said they arrived at the scene after the incident and learned the federal agent had been struck and fired his service weapon.

“No Saint Paul police officers were involved in the arrest or use of force,” the department said.

Police use of force has become a lightning rod in Minnesota following the murder of George Floyd. In the aftermath, local police have spent years trying to reform department protocols during police encounters.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara alluded to how the federal police presence has at times complicated those efforts during a news conference Tuesday.

“We have been training our officers for the last five years very, very intensely on de-escalation,” O’Hara said.

Por CNN en Español

El Gobierno de Venezuela advirtió este lunes que el bloqueo naval ordenado por Estados Unidos contra buques petroleros sancionados que entren o salgan del país afectará el suministro de energía y advirtió que el mundo se encamina hacia un escenario de confrontación global, en una carta del presidente Nicolás Maduro a la comunidad internacional, leída por el canciller Yván Gil.

La misiva denunció el “secuestro y robo de dos buques en altamar que contenían aproximadamente cuatro millones de barriles de petróleo venezolano” y afirma que esas intervenciones, que calificó como “actos de agresión”, perjudicarán no solo a Venezuela, sino que incrementarán la inestabilidad de los mercados internacionales. “La energía no puede convertirse en un arma de guerra ni en instrumento de coerción política”, expresó.

En reclamo a mayor acción de los líderes de la región y organismos internacionales, Maduro advirtió: “Si se tolera el uso unilateral de la fuerza, la ejecución de civiles, la piratería y el saqueo de recursos de estados soberanos, el mundo se encamina hacia un escenario de confrontación global de proporciones imprevisibles”.

Maduro también afirmó que las acciones de EE.UU. constituyen “una amenaza directa al orden jurídico internacional y la seguridad global”.

La semana pasada, en un intento de cortar la principal fuente económica de Caracas, Trump ordenó un bloqueo “completo” de los petroleros sancionados que entran y salen de Venezuela. Los dos buques interceptados hasta el momento se dirigían en última instancia a Asia, según dijeron anteriormente funcionarios estadounidenses.

La carga de tanqueros en Venezuela bajó este lunes al mínimo, con la mayoría de los barcos transportando cargamentos petroleros únicamente entre puertos nacionales, según datos marítimos y fuentes reportados por la agencia Reuters. Algunos barcos que se dirigían a la costa venezolana también dieron marcha atrás o suspendieron la navegación en los últimos, según datos de monitoreo de LSEG. Los futuros del crudo Brent y WTI subieron por la mañana más de 2 %.

Sobre el despliegue militar que EE.UU. viene realizando desde agosto en el Caribe, bajo el argumento de combatir al narcotráfico, Maduro dijo en la carta que “es una amenaza directa del uso de la fuerza” y aseguró que Venezuela “no ha cometido acto alguno que justifique esta intimidación militar”.

La carta también condenó los ataques del Pentágono a embarcaciones en el Caribe y el Pacífico, que ya dejaron más de 100 civiles muertos, y aseguró: “No se trata de incidentes aislados, sino una práctica sistemática de uso letal de la fuerza fuera de todo marco legal e internacional, e incluso del propio marco constitucional de Estados Unidos”.

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Con información de EFE y Reuters

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By Ella Nilsen, CNN

(CNN) — In the latest blow to the US offshore wind industry, the Trump administration announced Monday it is suspending the federal leases for all large offshore wind projects currently under construction, citing unspecified national security risks.

It marks a major escalation in President Donald Trump’s attacks against offshore wind, a form of energy he has long railed against. The suspension could impact billions of dollars of investment and stall nearly six gigawatts of new electricity set to come online in the next few years.

The new sweeping order impacts five projects being built in the Atlantic Ocean, including a massive Virginia offshore wind farm that could eventually be the largest such project in the nation. Set to be completed by the end of 2026, it would supply electricity to Virginia, the state with the world’s largest cluster of power-hungry data centers — and skyrocketing energy costs partially tied to that growing demand. Other wind farms impacted are off the coast of New England.

The exact national security risks of concern are unclear. In a news release, the Interior Department cited “national security risks identified by the Department of War in recently completed classified reports,” but didn’t say specifically what those risks were. The release also noted the potential for wind turbine movement and light reflectivity to interfere with radar.

In a Monday Fox Business interview, Interior Sec. Doug Burgum said the Department of Defense has “conclusively” determined that large offshore wind farms “have created radar interference that creates a genuine risk for the US,” especially “our east coast population centers.”

CNN has reached out to the Department of Defense for comment on its new report.

Last year, Sweden blocked the construction of new wind farms over concerns they could interfere with military radar, amid heightened tensions between the European Union and Russia. But experts have noted the design of wind farms can be adjusted to account for the issue, and it’s something US government officials have been aware of for decades.

In his Fox Business interview, Burgum said radar interference can “create real issues for trying to determine what’s friend or what’s foe in our airspace for our country” and suggested they could also create issues for commercial aircraft “given the proximity to all the large airports” on the East Coast.

The Trump administration’s move drew critiques from clean energy and fossil fuel groups alike.

“Companies with roots in the oil and gas sector have committed substantial capital to participate in the build-out of our offshore wind sector,” Erik Milito, president of the National Ocean Industries Association — a group that represents offshore oil, gas and wind companies. “We urge the administration end this pause and to resist taking further action that may harm jobs and investment.”

Oceantic Network, a trade group representing offshore wind companies, said its member companies have worked with the Department of Defense for over a decade to address national security concerns.

The Department of Defense has “signed off on every offshore wind lease ahead of construction,” said Liz Burdock, the group’s president and CEO.

Burdock called Interior’s suspension “another veiled attempt to hide the fact that the President doesn’t like offshore wind,” and said the move would kill American jobs by the thousands and raise electricity prices.

“The US needs an all-of-the-above energy strategy,