Here are some stories we had our eye on today:

Amazon’s Hard Bargain Extends Far Beyond New York

The New York Times, Karen Weise, Manny Fernandez, and John Eligon

Virtually all of America’s largest businesses drive a hard bargain with governments, angling for benefits and financial incentives. Amazon, though, often plays politics with a distinctive message: Give us what we want, or we’ll leave and take our jobs elsewhere. The tactics help Amazon squeeze as much as possible out of politicians. 

Amazon to Launch New Grocery-Store Business

The Wall Street Journal, Esther Fung and Heather Haddon

First outlet could open later this year; chain would be distinct from company’s Whole Foods unit 

Congress wants Google to explain how it ‘forgot’ about Nest mic

The New York Post, Andy Meek

A week ago, we learned that there is, infact, a microphone Google included with its Nest Securehome security system that the tech giant says it forgot was there and thus forgot to tell anyone about. You could argue there are serious privacy implications inherent ina slip-up like that, which is precisely why a few US senators have now sent a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai asking him to explain himself. 

How Jeff Bezos Went to Hollywood and Lost Control

The New York Times, Amy Chozick

But then Mr. Bezos went to Hollywood. Inthe weeks since the Amazon founder tweeted that he and his wife of 25 years were divorcing, he has gone to war with a grocery store tabloid and escalated a conflict with the president of the United States. And he has essentially ceded control of his own narrative to two rogue characters: a swashbuckling A-list security consultant, Gavin de Becker, and his girlfriend’s fame-hungry brother-manager, Michael Sanchez. Locked ina feud, the two are prolonging the scandal’s news value almost daily.