In today’s Bulldog wrapup of the latest technology news:

  • Nobel Chemistry Prize honors electron microscopy
  • Uber undercuts ex-CEO, other early investors in power play
  • Amazon must pay $295 million in back taxes, EU says
  • Greece backs extradition of Russian to US over bitcoin fraud

The details:

  • Nobel Chemistry Prize honors electron microscopy

Three researchers based in the U.S., U.K. and Switzerland have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developments in electron microscopy.

The $1.1 million prize is shared by Jacques Dubochet of the University of Lausanne, Joachim Frank at New York’s Columbia University and Richard Henderson of MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, Britain.

The Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences said Wednesday their method, called cryo-electron microscopy, allows researchers to “freeze biomolecules” mid-movement and visualize processes they have never previously seen.”

The development, it said, “is decisive for both the basic understanding of life’s chemistry and for the development of pharmaceuticals.”

  • Uber undercuts ex-CEO, other early investors in power play

Uber is curbing the power of former CEO Travis Kalanick and taking on Japan’s SoftBank Group as a major new investor as the ride-hailing service tries to recover from internal strife and a myriad of legal headaches.

The changes adopted unanimously Tuesday by Uber’s 11-member board strip Kalanick and other early investors of the extra voting power they were originally granted to control the privately held company’s direction, according to two people briefed on the board vote. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the board’s decisions are considered confidential.

Kalanick, who stepped down as Uber’s CEO in June under pressure from irate investors, was among the directors who approved putting everyone on equal footing. He agreed to the provision weakening his power partly to block another proposal that would have prevented him from ever returning as Uber’s CEO, according to one of the people.

For now, the job of Kalanick’s successor — Dara Khosrowshahi — appears safe. In another vote, the board agreed to pursue an initial public offering of Uber’s stock by the end of 2019. Before an IPO, two-thirds of the board would have to approve a switch in CEOs, a provision designed to prevent Khosrowshahi’s ouster, according to one of the people.

The truce cleared the way for SoftBank to invest about $10 billion in Uber and get two seats on an expanded board that will consist of 17 directors. SoftBank’s investment is based on Uber’s current valuation of about $69 billion.

  • Amazon must pay $295 million in back taxes, EU says

The European Union is telling member state Luxembourg to get $295 million in back taxes from Amazon, in Brussels’ latest regulatory move targeting U.S. tech companies accused of tax avoidance.

EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager also took Ireland to court for failing to collect a massive 13 billion euros ($15.3 billion) in taxes from Apple Inc., arguing that, like in Amazon’s case, the company had profited from a system allowing it to escape most of its taxes the EU felt were due.

Vestager said Wednesday that U.S. giant online retailer Amazon unfairly profited from special low tax conditions since 2003 in the tiny Grand Duchy, where its European headquarters are based.

The EU nations are actively looking to close loopholes for U.S. internet multinationals and are considering harmonized tax rules.

Amazon said in a statement it believed it “did not receive any special treatment from Luxembourg and that we paid tax in full accordance with both Luxembourg and international tax law.” It said it would consider appealing after studying the ruling.

Luxembourg too said it might appeal, but stressed it is “strongly committed to tax transparency and the fight against harmful tax avoidance.”

  • Greece backs extradition of Russian to US over bitcoin fraud

A Greek court ruled Wednesday to extradite Russian cybercrime suspect Alexander Vinnik to the United States, where he is wanted in connection with a $4 billion bitcoin fraud case.

The three-member panel of judges backed the U.S. extradition request for the 37-year-old, who was arrested while on vacation in northern Greece on July 25. Soon after the decision, Vinnik’s lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court on behalf of their client.

Russia is also seeking Vinnik’s extradition on separate fraud charges, but no date has yet been set for that hearing.

While fighting his extradition to the U.S., Vinnik’s lawyers said he would not contest the Russian request.

“We have not seen the formal decision and we’ll wait for it to come out before making comment,” Vinnik’s lawyer Alexandros Lykourezos said.

“We have taken immediate action and appealed the ruling and the case will be examined by the criminal division of the Supreme Court.”

U.S. authorities accuse Vinnik of running digital currency exchange BTC-e and of involvement in laundering money from criminal proceeds, charges he denies.