Miami
Talarico draws attention in Texas as Washington acknowledges orbital weapons and Austrian bread turns into a luxury in New York
In its daily roundup, Der Spiegel highlighted three US stories: the impact of a James Talarico interview, Washington’s admission that it has space control weapons in orbit, and the price of a rye loaf in Manhattan.
In Texas, Democratic state Senate candidate James Talarico became a focal point after an interview with Jimmy Kimmel that, according to the host, could not be broadcast on television after the Federal Communications Commission warned ABC, its partner networks and local stations of possible consequences, Der Spiegel reported.
The full interview was instead uploaded to YouTube, where it has reached 10 million views, according to the magazine. Der Spiegel said Talarico is in a close race for a Senate seat against Republican candidate Ken Paxton, described as backed by Donald Trump. It also noted that Texas has been in Republican hands for more than 30 years and that a Talarico win would be historic.
The magazine quoted correspondent Britta Kollenbroich as saying Talarico’s campaign is tapping into changes underway in Texas and that he has managed to appeal not only to more liberal big-city voters but also to moderate conservatives as an alternative to Paxton.
In a separate item, Der Spiegel reported that Troy Meink, a senior official at the Department of the Air Force, said the United States has space control weapons in orbit, while declining to provide details about them or whether they had been tested.
The outlet added that Western countries feel threatened by the space activities of China and Russia, which are suspected of spying on satellites and possibly testing methods to interfere with or even destroy them. It also said communication satellites used by the Bundeswehr had likely been examined in that way.
According to Der Spiegel, Meink’s ambiguity could be problematic because, rather than clearly deterring rivals, it may contribute to escalation in space. The publication cited its reporter Christoph Seidler, who said many military experts believe an opponent must not only know a weapon exists but also understand when and how it would be used and what damage it could inflict.
The third story takes place in Manhattan, where a traditional Austrian bakery is selling a rye loaf for $60, Der Spiegel reported. The magazine stressed that the product is a standard sourdough made with Austrian rye and water.
That price was justified by Tim Auer, the founder’s son, on the basis of operating in one of the world’s most expensive cities and on one of its most expensive streets, according to the same report.
Sources
About this piece. Written by El Notero with AI assistance, from reporting published by the outlet cited above. El Notero did no original reporting on this story.
