The European Union will bring antitrust charges against Amazon on Tuesday, part of a long-running data privacy battle against the online retail giant and other global tech companies.
It is the latest move in a data privacy clash between US and EU rules. Concern has grown in Europe since the EU's top court struck down an information-transfer pact known as the EU-US Privacy Shield.
The charges filed by Margrethe Vestager, the European commissioner who oversees competition, centre on Amazon's dual role as a platform for third-party vendors and as competition to those retailers, two sources told the Financial Times.
The concern is that Amazon may be using data it receives from third party vendors to help its own retailing site.
Ms Vestager has previously secured more than €8 billion ($9.48bn) in fines against Google in antitrust cases, while Apple was ordered to pay €13bn in back taxes to the Irish government. Both companies have appealed.
Amazon has not commented on the current charges. The business is also being investigated in the US, where the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission launched antitrust cases, and in Germany, where the national watchdog launched a probe similar to the EU one.
For independent sellers, Amazon is free to use and it can increase reach hugely, but questions remain over how much of data the companies should surrender in return for access.
As the EU prepared its charges against Amazon, Google said on Tuesday it was buying into OVH, a French cloud company.
From next year, Google’s customers will be able to access its cloud services over Roubaix-based OVH’s physical infrastructure, with a guarantee on where their data is stored.
The deal could give Google a stronger foothold in a European market dominated by Amazon and Microsoft.
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
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THREE
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
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Towering concerns
WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
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How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United 6 (McTominay 2', 3'; Fernandes 20', 70' pen; Lindelof 37'; James 65')
Leeds United 2 (Cooper 41'; Dallas 73')
Man of the match: Scott McTominay (Manchester United)
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
