Backbone

A detailed look at what it would mean for US politics if Texas voted Democratic in a presidential election. The argument: Texas's 40 electoral votes have been the backbone of the Republican path to the White House, so a Democratic Texas would make GOP victories far harder and reshape campaign strategy nationwide. Growing demographics and shifting urban and suburban voters have made the state's long-term trend a subject of intense speculation.

Ukraine has struck data centres belonging to Russian tech giant Yandex, according to a Financial Times report. The attack targeted infrastructure supporting one of Russia's largest internet companies, marking a continuation of Kyiv's campaign against Russian industrial and digital assets. The strikes underline how the war has expanded beyond the battlefield to hit Russia's technology and communications backbone.

Booth Level Officers engaged in India's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls are asking for security, expecting strong public anger during door-to-door verification. The officers, who form the backbone of the exercise, report growing anxiety about facing hostile voters as the revision proceeds, highlighting tensions around the voter list update.

Ukraine has struck a data center operated by Yandex, the Russian technology giant, in what appears to be part of an ongoing campaign of drone attacks on Russian infrastructure. The strike has prompted discussion about how exposed Russia's internet backbone is to further drone attacks, and whether critical digital infrastructure could become a bigger target as the war continues.

SpaceX has signaled it wants to retire its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsules, according to a report by Florida Today. The Falcon 9 has been the backbone of US launch activity for years, and any move to phase it out would mark a major shift toward the company's next-generation Starship system. Details on timing and replacement plans remain limited.