In 1999, a farmer donated 87 acres for a park for just $10; today, the land is being sold for a data center in a deal that could bring $10 million to the city and $30 million in tax revenue | World News

Farmer’s donated park land becomes part of a data center deal (Representative AI image) A nearly three-decade-old land donation in Taylor, Texas, has become the subject of a legal dispute after property originally designated for future parkland was sold for a data centre project. The 87.97-acre tract was donated in 1999 for a nominal fee…

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Laura Loomer defends Usha Vance, says ‘brown Hindu woman’ gets hate for no reason: ‘I hope SLOTUS never converts’

Laura Loomer (Left) Usha Vance (Right) Far-right political activist Laura Loomer has come to the defence of US second lady Usha Vance, arguing that hate directed at her is because of her Indian heritage and Hindu faith.Loomer’s comments came after a clip from a recent CBS interview featuring Usha Vance and US vice president JD…

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Sharjah announces new parking timings, paid hours extended to midnight from July 1 | World News

Sharjah extends parking timings to 8am–12am From July 1 Sharjah to extend paid public parking hours across the emirate starting July 1, with fees applying until midnight, Sharjah Municipality announced. The new timings will cover Sharjah city, Kalba, Khorfakkan and Al Dhaid, with parking charges running daily from 8am to 12am.The change standardises operating hours…

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It can take years to find the courage to say what you really think. To speak up in a meeting, to disagree with someone you respect, or to tell people who you truly are. Melinda Gates, who has spent much of her life working to lift up women and girls around the world, believes that finding this kind of voice is one of the surest signs of strength. A woman with a voice, she says, is by definition a strong woman. But she is honest about the other half of the truth too. The search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult. Getting there is rarely simple, because so many quiet pressures push people, and women in particular, to stay silent. The quote holds both ideas at once, the strength and the struggle. Quote of the day by Melinda Gates “A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.” Who is Melinda Gates Melinda Gates, also known as Melinda French Gates, is an American philanthropist and one of the world’s most prominent advocates for women and girls. With her former husband she co-founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has spent enormous sums on global health, education and reducing poverty. She later started her own organisation focused on advancing women. Much of her work has centred on a single idea, that helping women find their footing, their rights and their voices makes life better for whole communities. She first shared this line in a 2003 speech, while talking about how a girl grows into a strong woman. The answer, she suggested, begins with one deceptively simple step. She finds her voice. Understand the meaning behind the quote by Melinda Gates The quote makes two linked points. The first is a kind of definition. To Melinda Gates, having a voice is itself a mark of strength. By voice she does not simply mean the ability to talk. She means the power to express what you think, to stand up for yourself, and to be heard. A person who can do that, she argues, is by definition strong, because doing it takes real courage. The second point is the honest catch. Finding that voice is hard. It is not something most people are simply handed. It often has to be searched for, sometimes over many years and against a great deal of resistance. So the quote celebrates the strength of having a voice while being honest that reaching it is a real struggle. Why finding a voice can be so hard When she first said this, Melinda Gates went on to explain why the search is so difficult. Part of it, she noted, is unequal access to education. In many parts of the world, women and girls receive far less schooling than men, and some receive none at all, which makes it harder to find and use their voices. But she pointed to something subtler too. From a young age, she said, people meet countless small pressures, some obvious and some hidden, that quietly encourage them to mute themselves in order to please others. Over time, those little nudges add up, and many people learn to stay quiet long before they ever discover what they might have said. Why this quote is relevant Although Melinda Gates was speaking about women, the struggle she describes is one many people recognise. Plenty of us, of any background, have held back an opinion, swallowed a disagreement, or gone along with something we did not believe, simply to avoid friction. The quote is a reminder that learning to speak up is not a small thing. It is a real form of strength, and one worth building. It also gently reframes the difficulty. If finding your voice feels hard, that does not mean something is wrong with you. It means you are attempting something that has always been hard, and that the struggle itself is part of growing stronger. How to apply this quote in daily life You do not have to change the world to use this idea. It starts with small choices. Start small and build up. You do not need your full voice overnight. Speak up in low stakes moments first, and let your confidence grow from there. Notice the pressures that quiet you. Pay attention to when and why you hold back. Often it is a fear of displeasing someone, and naming that pressure makes it easier to push past. Surround yourself with people who listen. It is far easier to find your voice among people who respect it. Seek out friends or mentors who want to hear what you think. Help others find their voice too. If you have found yours, use it to make room for quieter people. Simply asking someone what they think can be the nudge they needed. Other famous quotes by Melinda Gates Gates has spoken and written often about people, equality and possibility. Here are a few more of her lines. “If you want to lift up humanity, empower women. It is the most comprehensive, pervasive, high-leverage investment you can make in human beings.” “Women and girls should be able to determine their own future, no matter where they’re born.” “Connect deeply with others. Our humanity is the one thing that we all have in common.” “Optimism isn’t a belief that things will automatically get better; it’s a conviction that we can make things better.” There is something encouraging in the way Melinda Gates frames this. She does not pretend that finding your voice is easy, and she does not treat the struggle as a weakness. Instead she calls the search itself a sign of strength. Whoever you are, the lesson holds. The quiet work of learning to say what you think, and to be heard, is worth doing. | World News

It can take years to find the courage to say what you really think. To speak up in a meeting, to disagree with someone you respect, or to tell people who you truly are. Melinda Gates, who has spent much of her life working to lift up women and girls around the world, believes that…

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Nicholas Dockery: He threw himself on a grenade and saved his fellow soldiers: Meet US Medal of Honor recipient Nicholas Dockery | World News

More than a decade after risking his life to save fellow soldiers during a fierce battle in Afghanistan, US Army officer Nicholas Dockery has received the Medal of Honor, America’s highest military award for bravery. Dockery was honoured at a White House ceremony in June 2026 for his actions during a Taliban ambush in Kapisa…

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UK parents jailed over 12-year-old son’s ‘entirely preventable’ death from untreated diabetes | World News

Tamara Thomas and Damion Thomas/Image: X A teacher couple has been jailed after their 12-year-old son died from undiagnosed diabetes, despite showing severe symptoms hours before his death.Tamara Thomas, 46, and Damion Thomas, 48, failed to seek urgent medical help for their son Joshua after he became critically ill at their home in Kings Heath,…

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Top 50 highest-earning creators of 2026: Collective earnings surpass $1 billion for the first time | World News

The creator economy reached a historic milestone in 2026. According to Forbes’ 2026 Top Creators list, the world’s 50 highest-earning social media stars generated a combined $1.02 billion between March 2025 and March 2026, marking the first time collective earnings crossed the billion-dollar mark. The total represents a 20 per cent increase from the $853…

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NASA plans to crash the ISS into the Pacific Ocean: Experts raise concerns for marine ecosystems’ health |

As the International Space Station (ISS) approaches the end of its operational life, NASA is preparing for one of the most ambitious and controversial space engineering projects ever attempted. The agency plans to guide the 420-tonne orbital laboratory through a controlled re-entry before directing surviving debris into a remote region of the Pacific Ocean, often…

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