Italy and UAE announce deal on artificial intelligence hub
Abu Dhabi-based AI group G42 has entered into a partnership with Italian company iGenius to build "the largest AI computing infrastructure in Europe", Urso's ministry said in a statement.
G42 will be the main financier of the initial phase of the project, the ministry said.
Urso, speaking at an event in Milan, said the deal was aimed at building a supercomputer, adding that there were "strong chances" that the AI hub would be developed in the southeastern Apulia region.
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The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
‘Slapp addict' Italian oil firm accused of trying to silence green activists
When Antonio Tricarico was summoned to his local police station in October and told he was being investigated for defamation, he was stressed but not shocked. Months earlier, Tricarico, the director of the Italian environment NGO ReCommon, had filed a joint legal challenge against the country's biggest oil company, Eni, which he knew had a history of using lawyers to clamp down on critics. The company had previously limited itself to civil defamation lawsuits, including against ReCommon, but in Tricarico's case it initiated criminal proceedings over statements he had made in a television interview. 'There is intimidation against myself, for sure, which is not nice and is impacting daily work,' said Tricarico, who is now considering the energy and resources that would be needed if the case goes to trial. 'But I think the intimidation is broader.' Environment groups say Eni is engaging in a campaign to stifle critics, with the company having filed at least six defamation lawsuits against journalists and NGOs since January 2019. The publicly traded company, which is under the de facto control of the Italian economy ministry, is among the world's biggest historical polluters in terms of planet-heating gas. It plans to increase its underlying production by 3-4% a year over the course of the decade, even as roadmaps to stop the planet from heating call for rapid declines in fossil fuel use. Court documents show Eni has initiated legal proceedings against critics including the Italian public broadcaster Rai, Greenpeace and multiple newspapers. The company has sought more than €10m (£8.6m) in damages across the known cases, according to analysis shared exclusively with the Guardian by Aria, a non-profit research organisation. Eni's latest lawsuit does not seek compensation. Judges have ruled against Eni in three of the cases and another was resolved in a settlement agreement. Two more cases, including the criminal investigation into Tricarico and a civil case against Greenpeace and ReCommon, are continuing. Simona Abbate, a climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace Italy, said: 'Eni is trying to silence dissent. It's an international strategy that fossil companies use to limit the environmental movement.' Campaigners say the cases are examples of 'strategic lawsuits against public participation', known as Slapps, which can bully journalists and watchdogs into silence with the threat of spurious legal action that stands little chance of success. Eni disputes the characterisation. In April, a coalition of NGOs including Reporters Without Borders and Transparency International awarded Eni the title of 'Slapp addict of the year' for its defamation lawsuits. The groups highlighted Eni's 2024 case against Greenpeace and ReCommon after they sought to hold Eni accountable for climate damages. The company is responsible for 0.46% of global emissions since the Industrial Revolution, according to figures from the Carbon Majors database that include emissions released by customers burning its fuels. Eni's case against the NGOs seeks to stop them from characterising its actions as 'crimes' or using similar language in campaigns. A spokesperson for Eni said it 'has not only the right but the duty to turn to the judicial authorities when faced with false and defamatory statements that damage its reputation'. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion They said: 'It is important to note that Eni has not initiated any Slapp suits against environmental groups, as it has not sought any financial compensation, but only the judicial truth to which it is entitled.' In earlier defamation lawsuits that Eni lost, mostly concerning coverage of the acquisition of a Nigerian oilfield licence, the company had sought damages of €5m and €350,000 from the Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano and €5m from Rai. Eni was eventually acquitted of criminal charges in the corruption trial, which was brought about by NGOs including ReCommon. Climate activists and oil companies are increasingly turning to the courts as fights over pollution and public opinion have become more fraught. While several oil and gas companies have been criticised by free speech campaigners for using legal threats to fight off critics, Eni has filed more lawsuits against journalists and environment groups than other European oil majors are known to have done. Tricarico said there had been 'a change of pace' since Eni's attempts to claim damages from media organisations had failed, and it was now taking a more subtle approach by not asking for money. 'The company realised that probably this was not enough to stop the few critical voices – and actually was a pretty bad outcome in court,' he said. 'My feeling is that they are moving to a different approach that you might call a 'Slapp 2.0'.'
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
‘Slapp addict' Italian oil firm accused of trying to silence green activists
When Antonio Tricarico was summoned to his local police station in October and told he was being investigated for defamation, he was stressed but not shocked. Months earlier, Tricarico, the director of the Italian environment NGO ReCommon, had filed a joint legal challenge against the country's biggest oil company, Eni, which he knew had a history of using lawyers to clamp down on critics. The company had previously limited itself to civil defamation lawsuits, including against ReCommon, but in Tricarico's case it initiated criminal proceedings over statements he had made in a television interview. 'There is intimidation against myself, for sure, which is not nice and is impacting daily work,' said Tricarico, who is now considering the energy and resources that would be needed if the case goes to trial. 'But I think the intimidation is broader.' Environment groups say Eni is engaging in a campaign to stifle critics, with the company having filed at least six defamation lawsuits against journalists and NGOs since January 2019. The publicly traded company, which is under the de facto control of the Italian economy ministry, is among the world's biggest historical polluters in terms of planet-heating gas. It plans to increase its underlying production by 3-4% a year over the course of the decade, even as roadmaps to stop the planet from heating call for rapid declines in fossil fuel use. Court documents show Eni has initiated legal proceedings against critics including the Italian public broadcaster Rai, Greenpeace and multiple newspapers. The company has sought more than €10m (£8.6m) in damages across the known cases, according to analysis shared exclusively with the Guardian by Aria, a non-profit research organisation. Eni's latest lawsuit does not seek compensation. Judges have ruled against Eni in three of the cases and another was resolved in a settlement agreement. Two more cases, including the criminal investigation into Tricarico and a civil case against Greenpeace and ReCommon, are continuing. Simona Abbate, a climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace Italy, said: 'Eni is trying to silence dissent. It's an international strategy that fossil companies use to limit the environmental movement.' Campaigners say the cases are examples of 'strategic lawsuits against public participation', known as Slapps, which can bully journalists and watchdogs into silence with the threat of spurious legal action that stands little chance of success. Eni disputes the characterisation. In April, a coalition of NGOs including Reporters Without Borders and Transparency International awarded Eni the title of 'Slapp addict of the year' for its defamation lawsuits. The groups highlighted Eni's 2024 case against Greenpeace and ReCommon after they sought to hold Eni accountable for climate damages. The company is responsible for 0.46% of global emissions since the Industrial Revolution, according to figures from the Carbon Majors database that include emissions released by customers burning its fuels. Eni's case against the NGOs seeks to stop them from characterising its actions as 'crimes' or using similar language in campaigns. A spokesperson for Eni said it 'has not only the right but the duty to turn to the judicial authorities when faced with false and defamatory statements that damage its reputation'. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion They said: 'It is important to note that Eni has not initiated any Slapp suits against environmental groups, as it has not sought any financial compensation, but only the judicial truth to which it is entitled.' In earlier defamation lawsuits that Eni lost, mostly concerning coverage of the acquisition of a Nigerian oilfield licence, the company had sought damages of €5m and €350,000 from the Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano and €5m from Rai. Eni was eventually acquitted of criminal charges in the corruption trial, which was brought about by NGOs including ReCommon. Climate activists and oil companies are increasingly turning to the courts as fights over pollution and public opinion have become more fraught. While several oil and gas companies have been criticised by free speech campaigners for using legal threats to fight off critics, Eni has filed more lawsuits against journalists and environment groups than other European oil majors are known to have done. Tricarico said there had been 'a change of pace' since Eni's attempts to claim damages from media organisations had failed, and it was now taking a more subtle approach by not asking for money. 'The company realised that probably this was not enough to stop the few critical voices – and actually was a pretty bad outcome in court,' he said. 'My feeling is that they are moving to a different approach that you might call a 'Slapp 2.0'.'
Reuters
4 days ago
- Reuters
Cirsa's Spanish IPO open to investors until July 7 in deal valuing it at nearly $3 bln
MADRID, July 2 (Reuters) - Blackstone's (BX.N), opens new tab Spanish gambling company Cirsa opened its initial public offering to investors on Wednesday and will close it on July 7, a bookrunner said in a document seen by Reuters. The new shares in the company would be allocated to investors on July 7 and would start trading on the Spanish stock market on July 9. Cirsa seeks a valuation of 2.52 billion euros ($2.97 billion) in the IPO, it said on Monday. The casino operator expects the operation to be worth between 453 million euros and 521 million euros, including a so-called greenshoe option that allows it to float more shares if demand is strong enough and a secondary sale by existing shareholders, the bookrunner said. Bookrunners for the IPO include BBVA, Jefferies, Mediobanca, Societe Generale and UBS. Cirsa is controlled by U.S. private equity fund Blackstone and operates casinos and gambling platforms in Spain, where it is the largest casino operator, Italy, Morocco, as well as in Latin America. It entered Portugal and Puerto Rico last year. The IPO would be the first in Spain since travel tech company HBX Group ( opens new tab raised 725 million euros in February in a deal that valued it at 2.84 billion euros at the time. ($1 = 0.8491 euros)
