Amazon

Climate activists are campaigning against AI data centers and Amazon's plan to build what would be the largest gas-fired power plant in the United States. Protesters argue that the booming energy demands of artificial intelligence are driving new fossil fuel infrastructure, undermining climate goals. The story, reported by Democracy Now!, highlights growing tension between the tech industry's expansion and environmental commitments.

Peru is appearing before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights over its failure to adequately protect isolated Indigenous peoples living in the Amazon. The case examines whether the state has met obligations to safeguard territories from incursions such as logging and drug trafficking. Rights groups say the outcome could set a precedent for how governments protect peoples in voluntary isolation across the region.

Microsoft announced expanded Azure transparency reporting, new Surface devices and its own custom AI chips, strengthening its cloud and hardware lineup. The company is positioning the chips to reduce reliance on outside suppliers and to lower costs for AI workloads running across its data centres. Coverage focuses on how the moves fit Microsoft's broader push into artificial intelligence infrastructure alongside rivals such as Amazon, Google and Nvidia.

Amazon shares moved higher in premarket trading ahead of the company's quarterly results, with investors focused on the performance of Amazon Web Services and the size of its capital expenditure plans. Traders are watching whether AWS growth and spending on AI infrastructure justify the stock's recent run-up.

Amazon is offering its Prime delivery service on merchants' own websites at no additional fee, extending the programme beyond Amazon.com. The move lets participating retailers display fast Prime shipping benefits on their own storefronts while Amazon handles fulfilment. It reflects Amazon's push to embed its logistics network deeper into third-party e-commerce and tighten its hold on online retail.

Amazon plans to invest $100 million in a new manufacturing facility in Indiana. The investment, reported by The Robot Report, is expected to expand the company's manufacturing footprint in the state. Details on the facility's exact location, timeline and expected number of jobs have not yet been disclosed.

Amazon has expanded its partnership with Affirm to let shoppers pay for purchases over up to 48 monthly instalments directly in checkout. The move extends buy-now-pay-later beyond short-term instalments, making long-duration financing a standard option on one of the world's largest retail platforms and deepening the fintech's presence in mainstream e-commerce.

An environmental group is challenging air quality permits tied to a large Amazon data center project in North Carolina, with Duke Energy supplying power to the facility. The challenge targets regulators' approval of emissions permits for the mega site, raising concerns about pollution and energy demand from rapidly expanding data center infrastructure. The dispute puts a spotlight on how states weigh tech industry growth against environmental standards.

Amazon customers in the United States could receive refunds of up to $200 automatically as part of an expanded $2.5 billion settlement. The payouts stem from a legal settlement over Amazon's Prime subscription practices, and eligible shoppers do not need to file a claim to receive money. Coverage is urging people to check whether they qualify.

Amazon has blocked Meta's Muse AI shopping agent from accessing its storefront, cutting off the assistant's ability to browse and shop on Amazon on users' behalf. The move highlights growing friction between major tech companies over who controls the customer relationship as AI agents that shop autonomously become more common. Observers are debating whether this is a routine defence of platform control or an early skirmish in a broader war over agentic commerce.

Amazon is trialing lower-carbon aluminum in the construction of a data center in Ohio. The move is part of the company's efforts to reduce the embodied carbon of its infrastructure buildout, as data center expansion draws scrutiny for its environmental footprint. Details on the aluminum supplier and expected emissions savings were not disclosed.

Amazon has sent a warning to members of its Prime subscription service, according to a report by TheStreet. The details of the warning and which member policies or fees it concerns have not been made fully clear in the available reporting. The story is drawing attention as Prime members watch for changes to the benefits and pricing they pay for.

US stock futures for the Nasdaq and S&P 500 rose as investors awaited earnings from Advanced Micro Devices and reports tied to SpaceX, following a strong rally in Palantir shares. Traders are also watching a slate of stocks in focus, including Snap, Amazon, SanDisk, Lucid, SLS and AST SpaceMobile, as earnings season drives market direction.

MacKenzie Scott, the novelist and philanthropist who divorced Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019, has released her first novel since the split. Early coverage of the book says it leaves readers with more questions than answers, with reviewers puzzling over its themes and what, if anything, it reveals about her life and marriage.

Amazon and Duke Energy have secured permits for hundreds of generators, but opposition to the projects continues. Environmental opponents say they are not done fighting the decision, signalling further legal or regulatory challenges ahead over the air-quality and permitting approvals in the region.