A Danish AI model named Life2vec, capable of predicting early deaths with 78 percent accuracy, was developed using data from 6 million Danish citizens and published in Nature. However, its application is not available to the public due to ethical concerns. Various online death calculators claiming to use Life2vec are misleading, as they are either inaccurate or explicitly state they are for entertainment purposes only. ChatGPT, a well-known AI, confirms that predicting the exact time of death is beyond AI's capabilities and advises consulting a healthcare provider for health concerns.

The blue crab, an invasive species in the Mediterranean, is being promoted as a sustainable food source in Italy. Chefs like Chiara Pavan at Venissa are incorporating it into their menus, while companies like Mariscadoras aim to introduce it into the Mediterranean diet and create a market for it. The species, which has no natural predators in the region, is thriving due to warmer sea temperatures. Efforts are being made to commercialize the blue crab, with initiatives like the Blueat project providing training on business opportunities. The startup Mariscadoras is also working to stabilize prices and supply chains for the blue crab, and has launched sauces in supermarkets. The article suggests that eating the blue crab is a contemporary way to adapt to ecosystem changes and could benefit biodiversity by controlling the species' population.

Alaa Abdel Fattah, a key figure in the Arab Spring and a software developer, has been imprisoned in Egypt and is on a hunger strike to protest political charges against him. His deteriorating condition and potential death during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh highlight the hypocrisy of the Egyptian government, which is criticized for human rights violations. The article discusses the broader context of oppression in Egypt, the government's attempts to silence dissent, and the international response, including criticism from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and activists like Greta Thunberg. It also touches on the controversy of COP27's organization, including its sponsorship by Coca Cola and the European Parliament's call for humanitarian requirements for hosting COP.

Google has announced agreements to pay over 300 European media outlets for their news on its search engine. The move follows the EU's copyright rules requiring payment for the use of work by musicians, artists, authors, publishers, and journalists. Google's new tool, the Extended News Preview, allows for paid snippets and thumbnails of articles, giving publishers control over their content's appearance in search results. The decision comes after a long battle by news publishers to get tech giants to pay for content use. Google initially removed news previews in France due to the EU law but later agreed to pay French publishers after a €500 million fine.

An internal report obtained by Vice reveals that Facebook may not know the whereabouts or the handling of the vast amounts of user data it possesses. Despite stringent privacy regulations from entities like the EU, the US, and India, Facebook's privacy engineers have warned of the company's inadequate control and understanding of how its systems use data. The report likens the situation to an ink bottle spilled on a table, making it impossible to separate or contain the data again. Facebook, however, claims the document does not reflect its privacy compliance processes. Privacy researcher Wolfie Christl suggests the report is a 'confession' to non-compliance with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Israel has blocked Ukraine from using the Pegasus spyware, produced by Nso Group, to avoid jeopardizing relations with Russia. Despite Ukraine's efforts to acquire Pegasus since the Russian invasion of Crimea in 2014, the Israeli Ministry of Defense did not permit Nso to sell the software to Ukraine. Pegasus is known as one of the most advanced hacking tools, capable of accessing photos, documents, recording calls, and decrypting messages without the target's knowledge. The United States supported Ukraine's access to the software, while Estonia, a member of the EU and NATO, was warned not to use Pegasus against Russian targets. Nso Group's spyware has been purchased by security agencies and governments in at least 45 countries, officially to fight organized crime and terrorism, but it has also been used to surveil journalists, human rights activists, and political dissidents.

Cryptocurrencies are playing a significant role in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, with Ukraine using them for international donations and Russians, including ordinary citizens, using them to circumvent international sanctions and protect their savings from the falling ruble. Since the war began, Bitcoin spending in rubles has increased by 260%, with the weekly value of rubles converted into Bitcoin reaching approximately $28 million. The number of Russian Bitcoin accounts has also risen, and the average transaction size has increased. While concerns exist that Russian oligarchs may use cryptocurrencies to move their fortunes, the majority of the increase in Russian cryptocurrency trading is dominated by small investors.

Instagram has introduced encrypted chats for users in Ukraine and Russia amidst the ongoing conflict. Announced by Nick Clegg, Meta's President of Global Affairs, the feature aims to protect communications from interception. Meta, which owns Facebook and WhatsApp, is also downgrading posts from Russian state media globally and has blocked RT and Sputnik in the region. Additional security features have been implemented, such as the ability for users to lock their Facebook profiles, preventing others from viewing friend lists or downloading profile and cover photos.

The online game Wordle has been purchased by the New York Times for an undisclosed amount, reported to be less than seven figures. Created in October by Brooklyn programmer Josh Wardle, the game quickly rose from 90 users to 300,000 in two months, with global popularity by January. The New York Times, known for its subscriber-only crossword and word games, has announced that Wordle will remain free to play. Clones of Wordle have emerged, such as Italy's Parolette, and Apple has removed blatant copycats from its store. Jonathan Knight, the New York Times' general manager of games, commended Wordle for capturing the collective imagination.

The heirs of Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso, including his granddaughter Marina Picasso and her son Florian Picasso, are entering the crypto-art world by selling NFTs of a previously unreleased ceramic work from 1958. The digital pieces will be sold on Nifty Gateway and Origin Protocol, with an auction at Sotheby's in March that includes a unique NFT and the actual ceramic bowl. A portion of the proceeds will go to charities addressing nursing shortages and reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide. The NFTs will feature music by Florian Picasso, John Legend, and Nas. The initiative aims to bridge the NFT and fine art worlds.

The article discusses the escalation of tensions between Serbia and Kosovo following a police operation against organized crime in northern Kosovo, which resulted in the arrest of 19 people, including 10 Serbian police officers. The Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić accused the operation of targeting the Serbian minority, while Kosovo officials, including President Hashim Thaci and Foreign Minister Beghjet Pacolli, stated the operation was aimed at dismantling criminal networks and was not a threat to Serbs. The NATO-led KFOR forces, through spokesperson Colonel Vincenzo Grasso, indicated that Belgrade was informed of the arrests, contradicting Vučić's claims. The article also touches on the broader conflict between Serbia and Kosovo, the failed negotiations over territory exchange, and the inflammatory remarks by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, which have further complicated relations. Vučić has called for a compromise to avoid further conflict, with the next step being a summit in Paris to discuss the resumption of negotiations.

Thousands of citizens have been protesting in Belgrade for the eighteenth consecutive Saturday against President Aleksandar Vučić and the government, demanding their resignation and free elections. Vučić, a center-right nationalist and head of the Serbian Progressive Party (Sns), is accused of authoritarian policies and limiting freedom of expression and media, creating an illiberal climate. Serbia ranks 76th in the world for press freedom according to Reporters sans frontieres, having dropped ten positions from the previous year. The protests began after the beating of Borko Stefanović, leader of the opposition Left Serbia (Ls) party. The protesters demand public media access in view of future elections. The latest demonstration in April was the largest since the protests began, with about 20,000 people. Vučić's party responded by organizing a counter-rally of 100,000 supporters. Vučić has been in power for seven years and is supported by the EU and the US for his role in stabilizing the region and continuing negotiations with Kosovo over territorial exchanges.