International
Facebook, the groundbreaking social network that altered the world, celebrates its 20th anniversary
Founded 20 years ago as a simple virtual space to share with friends, Facebook has become a giant seasoned by a thousand battles, which, despite being thought of as only for parents and “boomers,” continues to grow and grow.
“I will never forget the day I ran to my high school Mac lab and signed up for Facebook,” said Jasmine Enberg, an analyst at Insider Intelligence, to AFP. “You felt at the same time that you were part of this small and exclusive community where your parents, grandparents, and teachers were not, but also part of something much bigger,” she recalls.
Launched as thefacebook.com by Mark Zuckerberg and three friends on February 4, 2004, the portal was only available to Harvard College students. It opened to the general public in 2006.
Facebook became a place to connect with almost everyone, everywhere. In 2023, it reported being used by over 3 billion people monthly, a 3% growth from the previous year.
“When it launched, Facebook was revolutionary,” said Enberg. “It’s hard to exaggerate the impact it has had in shaping everything from pop culture to how we behave on the internet.”
As more users interacted on the social network, displaying photos, comments, and other posts, it could show more ads to make money from the vast amount of information people shared.
Facebook is recognized for helping open a door for content to go viral and driving the trend of purely digital media.
- Advertising Giant –
Facebook gained a reputation for buying or copying its potential rivals. Now, it powers a “family” of platforms that includes Instagram and WhatsApp.
Zuckerberg, still at the helm of the company, stuck to the strategy of investing heavily in gaining users before integrating methods to generate revenue, such as targeted advertising.
“It remains irresistible to advertisers, thanks to its reach and performance,” noted Enberg.
Together with Google, Facebook became an internet advertising giant, with earnings reaching $23 billion in 2022, a year considered bad for the Silicon Valley-based company.
The platform is “part of the digital landscape,” especially for millennials born in the 1980s and 1990s, according to the analyst.
The business model of using personal information to offer more attention-grabbing content to users, as well as targeted advertising, has earned Facebook lawsuits and fines.
From allegations that Russia used the platform to try to influence the outcome of the 2016 US presidential elections to accusations in 2021 that executives prioritized profits over user well-being, Facebook has been in the eye of the storm.
Nevertheless, Facebook continues to grow, allowing it to invest in innovations such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
Arguing that Zuckerberg dreamed of a virtual and immersive world he would call the “metaverse,” Facebook changed its parent company’s name to “Meta” in late 2021.
- “No Alternative” –
“It’s possible that we are less involved, but we haven’t left because there really is no alternative,” explained Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Creative Strategies.
Facebook was in vogue with the addition of “groups,” allowing communities to be formed based on common interests, and gained popularity with Marketplace features for buying or selling products.
Although Enberg considers the best decision was the purchase of Instagram in 2012 as part of the shift towards smartphones. The move removed a rival, provided a new advertising platform, and attracted young users who were losing interest in Facebook.
Currently, over half of Facebook users are between 18 and 34 years old, according to DataReportal research.
How involved users are remains difficult to measure. “I go to Facebook very little, but what I post on Instagram automatically appears on Facebook as well,” says Milanesi. “So I’m certainly counted as ‘active’ (…) The figures may not reflect reality.”
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
International
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
Russia accused Ukraine on Saturday of violating a Victory Day truce that was reportedly agreed with mediation from the United States, claiming that Ukrainian forces carried out attacks on Russian territory as well as on the annexed Crimean peninsula.
Despite the declared ceasefire, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that Ukrainian forces attacked Russian military positions using attack drones and artillery.
According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces made twelve attempts to advance toward Russian-held positions across several sectors of the front line.
It also alleged that Ukrainian strikes targeted civilian infrastructure in Crimea, several border regions, the Caucasus, and other areas including Moscow and Perm in the Ural region.
The Defense Ministry estimated around 8,900 violations of the ceasefire in total, including more than 7,000 drone attacks and over 1,000 strikes involving tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launch systems, and mortars since the truce came into effect at midnight.
Russia said its forces responded “symmetrically” to what it described as violations by Ukrainian troops.
Earlier, the Kremlin denied claims that Ukraine attempted to sabotage a military parade in Red Square marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
“No attempts were made. Everything went well,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told local media.
International
Trump Says U.S.-Iran Talks Progressing, Signals Possible Deal on Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Washington is holding “very good” talks with Iran and stated that there is a strong possibility of reaching an agreement to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ve had very good conversations over the last 44 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll reach an agreement,” Trump said during an event held in the Oval Office at the White House.
The president’s remarks came just hours after he announced a temporary suspension of the military operation aimed at escorting vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf due to Iran’s blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Trump explained that the pause in operations is intended to facilitate diplomatic negotiations between both sides and prevent further military escalation in the region.
“We’re in good shape, and right now things are going well. Now we have to achieve what we need to achieve. If we don’t, we’ll have to go much further,” the Republican president warned.
In a post published on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump reiterated that if Iran accepts Washington’s proposed conditions, military operations and the naval blockade affecting the Islamic republic would come to an end.
However, he also issued a new warning to the Iranian government, stating that the United States would respond with attacks “of greater intensity” if Tehran rejects the agreement promoted by the White House.
Panama confirms drug contamination of El Salvador coffee shipment occurred on its territory
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
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