Virtual and augmented realities such as those of 'metaverses' need latencies far lower than those tolerated by applications now. That means bringing more of the internet's capabilities closer to its users, reveals The Economist.

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The Economist

The internet got better and faster by moving data closer to users

Are social networks dying? Two decades on from the launch of Facebook, The Economist considers how the arrival of competitors such as TikTok has forced older platforms to reinvent themselves.

As Facebook turns 20, politics is out; impersonal video feeds are in

Rumours have swept Kyiv that Volodymyr Zelensky is about to fire his armed forces commander - Valery Zaluzhny. The Economist reflects on why removing a man as popular with his soldiers and the public as the general will carry political and military risks.

The feud between Ukraine’s president and army chief boils over

Is N. Korea’s propagandist-in-chief also a dictator-in-waiting?

Kim Yo Jong is known for her barbed tongue. But she is also a woman of immense power: an influence over her nuke-wielding brother and potential successor. In this review of “The Sister” by Sung-Yoon Lee, The Economist discovers why Kim Yo Jong is more than just the dictator’s sister.