TechCrunch Top 3

Meet Vurt, the mobile-first streaming platform for indie filmmakers embracing vertical video: Micro-drama apps make billions in consumer spending, so VURT launched its streaming app to allow indie filmmakers to capitalize on the vertical video trend. Read More

Marquis says over 672,000 people had personal and financial data stolen in ransomware attack: Fintech company Marquis is notifying hundreds of thousands of people that hackers stole their personal and financial information, including their Social Security numbers. Read More

Why Garry Tan's Claude Code setup has gotten so much love, and hate: Thousands of people are trying Garry Tan's Claude Code setup, which was shared on GitHub. And everyone has an opinion: even Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini. Read More

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Morning Must-Reads

Google's data center power playbook comes into focus: Google has long procured clean power for its operations and data centers, but recent deals show the company is changing tactics. Read More

Mistral bets on 'build-your-own AI' as it takes on OpenAI, Anthropic in the enterprise: Mistral Forge lets enterprises train custom AI models from scratch on their own data, challenging rivals that rely on fine-tuning and retrieval-based approaches. Read More

Kalshi's legal troubles pile up, as Arizona files first ever criminal charges over 'illegal gambling business': It's the latest salvo in an escalating battle between state regulators and an industry that claims it's not beholden to them. Read More

Russians caught stealing personal data from Ukrainians with new advanced iPhone hacking tools: A suspected group of Russian government hackers was caught targeting Ukrainians with new iPhone hacking tools designed for espionage and potentially to steal crypto. Read More

Apple rolls out first 'background security' update for iPhones, iPads, and Macs to fix Safari bug: Apple's first-ever "background security improvement" fixes a vulnerability in its Safari browser running its latest software. Read More

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Last but Not Least

DOD says Anthropic's 'red lines' make it an 'unacceptable risk to national security': The Defense Department said concerns that Anthropic might "attempt to disable its technology" during "warfighting operations" validate its decision to label the AI firm a supply chain risk. Read More