How a hacking campaign targeted high-profile Gmail and WhatsApp users across the Middle East

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this afternoon

View this email online in your browser  January 16, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 How a hacking campaign targeted high-profile Gmail and WhatsApp users across the Middle East: The phishing campaign targeted users on WhatsApp, including an Iranian-British activist, and stole the credentials of a Lebanese cabinet minister and at least one journalist. Read More ChatGPT users are about to get hit with targeted ads: OpenAI says that users impacted by the ads will have some control over what they see. Read More Trump administration wants tech companies to buy $15B of power plants they may not use: In an attempt to alleviate rising electricity prices, the White House wants grid operator PJM to hold an auction for new generating capacity, and it wants tech companies to bid. Read More Be the first to know when news breaks Subscribe to our News Alerts, and you won't miss a thing. Breaking news, exclusives, and special reports—straight to your inbox. Sign up for News Alerts! A message from Fidelity Start Scrappy. Scale Smart Managing your equity in a spreadsheet might work, until you're raising your next round, onboarding new hires, or navigating your first SAFE. Fidelity Private Shares' free cap table template can provide you with a clean start. And when you're ready to ditch the manual updates, we'll help you scale with confidence. Download Now Afternoon Must-Reads Supreme Court hacker posted stolen government data on Instagram: Nicholas Moore pleaded guilty to stealing victims' information from the Supreme Court and other federal government agencies, and then posting it on his Instagram @ihackthegovernment. Read More Chinese EVs inch closer to the US as Canada slashes tariffs: The country is dropping its import tax from 100% to just 6.1%, with an initial annual cap of 49,000 cars. Read More The rise of 'micro' apps: non-developers are writing apps instead of buying them: A new era of app creation is here. It's fun, it's fast, and it's fleeting. Read More Anthropic taps former Microsoft India MD to lead Bengaluru expansion: Irina Ghose joins Anthropic as India managing director after 24 years at Microsoft. Read More Snowflake, Databricks challenger ClickHouse hits $15B valuation: The $400 million round was led by Dragoneer. Read More A message from TechCrunch Events Start planning for 2026: RSVP for TechCrunch events now Founder-first interactive and networking sessions at TechCrunch Founder Summit. No-filter, exclusive VC intel at StrictlyVC. Three days of high-octane learning, deal flow, and networking at Disrupt. The 2026 TechCrunch events calendar is stacked. Join the waitlist for any or all events to secure early access to the lowest ticket prices within the next few weeks when they go live. Waitlist Now You missed these chats from Disrupt: Kindred talks home-swapping platform for travelers, Chef Robotics introduces AI into commercial kitchens, and Character.AI addresses chatbot safety with teens. Watch on Cheddar.com Watch on Streaming Last but Not Least From OpenAI's offices to a deal with Eli Lilly — how Chai Discovery became one of the flashiest names in AI drug development: The startup has partnered with Eli Lilly and enjoys the backing of some of Silicon Valley's most influential VCs. Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107