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Tag: middleton

  • Remembering that morning in September

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    It’s 24 years since that morning in September when a collective America watched in disbelief as within two hours two hijacked passenger planes took down New York City’s two 110-story world trade towers.

    By noon, two more hijacked planes went down, first, slamming into the Pentagon headquarters, followed by the forced crash of a fourth plane found incinerated in a field in Pennsylvania, its passengers having perished fighting the hijackers to avert them from their intended target thought to be the Capitol Building.


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    By Joann Mackenzie | Staff Writer

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  • ‘No Kings’ protests to be held across region Saturday

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    Numerous North Shore and Cape Ann communities will take part in mass protests planned to be held across the country this Saturday in opposition to President Donald Trump and his administration — the same day the president will host a military parade to celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary that also falls on Trump’s birthday.

    For one, Cape Ann Indivisible plans to stage a protest at Stage Fort Park on Hough Avenue this Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. for a “No Kings” rally in Gloucester.


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    By Times Staff

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  • House OKs $6.5B housing bill, drops transfer fee

    House OKs $6.5B housing bill, drops transfer fee

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    BOSTON — The state House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a $6.5 billion housing bill aimed at spurring the production of new homes, but dropped a controversial tax on real estate transactions to pay for housing development.

    The proposal, which passed 145-13, calls for a mix of tax breaks, changes to state laws, and bond authorization to increase the construction of much-needed market rate and affordable homes throughout the state.

    “The rents are high, the availability of stock is decreasing, there’s very few homes on the market,” House Speaker Ron Mariano, a Quincy Democrat, told reporters ahead of a final vote on the bill. “When you talk to folks and they say they don’t want to locate here because they can’t find homes for their staff or their employees, it’s a real problem.”

    The House bill adds more than $2.4 billion to Gov. Maura Healey’s $4.1 billion Affordable Homes Act plan, filed in October, which also included a range of tax breaks, policy changes and borrowing.

    It also didn’t include Healey’s controversial proposal to give communities the authority to add transfer fees from 2% to 5% onto property tax bills to pay for affordable housing projects.

    The proposal faced significant opposition from real estate brokers and other critics who argued it would drive up the costs of housing.

    The bill includes $1 billion to allow the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s water system to expand to the Ipswich River Basin, which includes Beverly, Danvers, Ipswich, Middleton, Peabody, Salem and other communities north of Boston.

    Lawmakers argue that the spending will help expand access to water resources in the region to offset the impact from building new homes and housing complexes.

    The proposal also includes a new $150 million program to help municipalities convert commercial properties for multiunit residential or mixed use. Developers would be eligible for a tax credit of up to 10% of the development costs.

    The bill also includes a new tax credit to incentivize production of home ownership units targeting households with incomes of up to 120% of the area median income, according to House Democrats.

    At least $2 billion would be devoted to the rehabilitation of more than 43,000 public housing units in the state, with 25% of the money dedicated to preserving housing for those with low incomes.

    The plan also makes permanent the state’s Community Investment Tax Credit Program, which funds community development corporations that build affordable housing, and raises the cap on donations from $12 million to $15 million.

    The policy initiatives in the bill include a proposal to authorize accessory dwelling units equal to or less than 900 square feet to be built by-right in single-family zoning districts in all communities.

    House lawmakers slogged through more than 200 amendments to the bill and approved dozens of them in bundles that passed on voice votes. The changes added another $300 million in borrowing to the final version of the bill.

    The legislation must be approved by the state Senate before it returns to Gov. Maura Healey’s desk for consideration.

    Beacon Hill leaders are trying to incentivize more home building amid a shrinking inventory they say is edging first-time buyers out of the market.

    The prolonged housing crunch is hurting the state’s economic growth, they say, making it much harder to attract new families and companies to invest in the state.

    Massachusetts has some of the highest housing costs and rents in the country. The median price of a single-family home hit a record $560,000 in March, according to real estate industry reports. Meanwhile, single-family home sales were down 7.4% in March versus the same month last year.

    Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

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    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Kate Middleton’s Return, Meghan and Flamingo Estate, Personal Anecdotes, and More

    Kate Middleton’s Return, Meghan and Flamingo Estate, Personal Anecdotes, and More

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    The ladies are back this week with reactions to Kate Middleton’s return to the public eye with the statement about her health (0:00). Plus, Meghan Markle’s failed investment attempt with Flamingo Estate (12:21), Travis and Taylor’s vacation moments, and a few personal anecdotes the ladies have to share.

    Hosts: Juliet Litman and Amanda Dobbins
    Producer: Jade Whaley

    Subscribe: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / Stitcher

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    Juliet Litman

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  • LeBron James Is a Podcaster, the Shohei Ohtani Affair, and Covering the Royals With Jay Caspian Kang and Ellie Hall

    LeBron James Is a Podcaster, the Shohei Ohtani Affair, and Covering the Royals With Jay Caspian Kang and Ellie Hall

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    On the Final Edition, Bryan has two guests for you! First, he speaks with his former teammate … Jay Caspian Kang of The New Yorker. They kick off the show by discussing the gambling story involving Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara (1:32). Then they talk about LeBron’s ventures into the podcasting space with JJ Reddick (15:17). Last, they discuss the first round of March Madness and the reaction from Oakland’s head coach Greg Kampe after their upset win over Kentucky (38:40).

    Then Bryan talks with Ellie Hall, who discusses the royal family and how they are covered by the British press (40:34).

    Then, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

    This podcast was recorded before the announcement that Princess Kate Middleton has been diagnosed with cancer.

    Host: Bryan Curtis
    Guests: Jay Caspian Kang and Ellie Hall
    Producer: Brian H. Waters

    Subscribe: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / Stitcher / RSS

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    Bryan Curtis

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  • UK Royals Busted for Another Manipulated Photo Taken by Kate Middleton

    UK Royals Busted for Another Manipulated Photo Taken by Kate Middleton

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    Just one week after Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, apologized for editing a photo of herself and her children on Mother’s Day, the UK royal family is in hot water again over another family portrait—which coincidentally is connected to Middleton.

    Getty Images Wants AI to Stop Copying Them

    Getty Images, one of the world’s largest photo agencies, alerted the public to the second manipulated image on Monday when it placed an editor’s note on a photo of the late Queen Elizabeth II surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. “Image has been digitally enhanced at source,” reads the editor’s note on the photo, which is still available for licensing.

    The photo, a rare look at the late monarch with the family’s youngest members, was taken by Middleton in August 2022 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. It was shared by the official social media account for the Prince and Princess of Wales on April 21, 2023, to commemorate what would have been Queen Elizabeth’s 97th birthday. Queen Elizabeth died in September 2022. The photo was also sent to agencies like Getty.

    Getty was one of many photo agencies, along with the Associated Press and Reuters, that removed Middleton’s Mother’s Day photo from its offerings last week. The agencies only allow minimal editing in the photos they distribute.

    “Getty Images is undertaking a review of handout images and in accordance with its editorial policy is placing an editor’s note on images where the source has suggested they could be digitally enhanced,” a Getty Images spokesperson told Gizmodo in an emailed statement on Tuesday.

    The press office of the Prince and the Princess of Wales couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

    To my untrained eyes, it’s not clear how many edits have been made to the photo of Queen Elizabeth with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and Getty didn’t specify. CNN reports that it found 19 possible alterations, while The Telegraph found 7.

    Here are the ones I can see with my face pressed up to my computer screen:

    • There is a misalignment of Queen Elizabeth’s plaid skirt near her right elbow. This one is pretty bad. The misalignment run from the skirt to the green couch, where the fabric dimples near the button don’t align.
    • There is a black cutout above Prince George’s shoulder. You can see it set against the green dress of Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor.
    • Prince Louis, who is on the right next to the vase with the red rose, looks like his head was cropped out from somewhere else if you zoom in.
    • Savannah Philips, the Queen’s great-granddaughter who is sitting next to her in red, looks like her blonde hair is going through her red sleeve. It then magically reappears.
    • On the side of the couch near the vase with the rose, there’s another bad alignment. Dimple marks don’t line up.

    If you all find more, please feel free to let me know in the comments!

    While Middleton hasn’t come out to say the edits were her work—it’s very possible she only took the photo—it’s hard not to make the connection. (The Royal Family credited the Princess as the photographer on social media.) The incident calls the UK royal family’s reputation into question and increases the storm of scrutiny already surrounding them due to Middleton’s months-long disappearance from the public eye after abdominal surgery. Middleton’s absence has prompted a slew of conspiracy theories, with some speculating that she’s getting a divorce from Prince William or is actually dead.

    Coupled with AI, which has been creating fake celebrity porn and other atrocities, the incident seems to reflect the dawn of a new era where we can’t trust what we see.

    In an interview last week, Phil Chetwynd, the global news director of Agence France-Presse (AFP) said that the palace had been considered a trusted source for a long time. Asked if it was still a trusted source, Chetwynd said: “No, absolutely not.”

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    Jody Serrano

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  • Kate Middleton Admits To Editing Family Photo

    Kate Middleton Admits To Editing Family Photo

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    After releasing a Mother’s Day photo of her and her children that immediately drew skepticism due to several glaring Photoshop errors, Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, admitted that “Like many amateur photographers, [she does] occasionally experiment with editing.” What do you think?

    “My god, who knows what other software she’s been learning?”

    Taliyah Ortega, Salt Inspector

    Zelensky Challenges Putin To Settle Ukraine War On The Dance Floor

    “Sounds like something a dead person would say.”

    Lyndon Burch, Shop Instructor

    “Did anyone notice?”

    Brodie Whyte, Ballet Grader

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  • Kate Middleton Says Sorry, Admits She Photoshopped the Viral Photo of Her and Her Kids

    Kate Middleton Says Sorry, Admits She Photoshopped the Viral Photo of Her and Her Kids

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    Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, wants everyone to chill out about the photo of her and her kids, which has caused an international firestorm after being pulled by some of the world’s biggest photo agencies for being “manipulated.” According to Middleton, that is correct. In fact, she Photoshopped it herself.

    Treating GIFs as Fine Art | Gizmodo Interview

    “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” Middleton said in a post on her and Prince William’s X, formerly Twitter, account on Monday morning. “I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C.”

    Middleton posted the photo, which shows her sitting down and smiling with her children George, Charlotte, and Louis, to social media on Sunday to commemorate the U.K.’s Mother Day holiday. Ironically, the photo appeared to be aimed at quelling the intense speculation around Middleton’s absence from the public eye for nearly two months after a planned abdominal surgery.

    Her rare disappearance set off a swirl of rumors and conspiracy theories, with some stating that it was proof that she and Prince William were having problems in their marriage. Others speculated that she was suffering from a more serious health condition and could be in a coma.

    “Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day,” the Sunday photo caption read, ending with “C” to indicate that it was posted by Middleton. The caption also added that it was taken by Prince William in 2024.

    As of the time of publication of this article, the photo had been viewed more than 68 million times on X. It was also still available on Middleton and Prince William’s X account.

    Middleton’s Mother’s Day Photo Fuels Conspiracies

    However, instead of calming the public’s conspiracy theories, Middleton’s recent photo only fueled them. Online sleuths pointed out that Middleton was not wearing her wedding ring in the photo—Gizmodo also could not see a ring on Middleton’s left hand—and that her face appeared different from a paparazzi photo taken less than a week ago. (It’s not clear that it was Middleton in the photo.)

    The firestorm only intensified when some of the world’s biggest photo agencies pulled the image from their wires and issued a “kill notice,” claiming the photo had been manipulated. The Associated Press and Getty confirmed to Gizmodo that they had pulled the photo, with the AP stating that Princess Charlotte’s hand been edited.

    “The Associated Press initially published the photo, which was issued by Kensington Palace. The AP later retracted the image because at closer inspection, it appears that the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP’s photo standards,” AP spokesperson Nicole Meir said in an emailed statement. “The photo shows an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left hand.”

    Reuters and Agence France-Presse also pulled it, according to The Telegraph. The photo agencies did not immediately return Gizmodo’s request for comment.

    While I didn’t see what was up with Princess Charlotte’s hand at first, after a lot of concentration and zooming, you can clearly see that part of her left arm has been erased. Some users on X also noticed that Middleton’s hair was strangely blurred, which I can also see. They also pointed out that the Princess’ hand holding Prince George was also blurred (ditto, I see that too).

    Gizmodo reached out to media representatives for the royal family on Monday morning but did not immediately hear back.

    TLDR: Middleton Is Probably Just a Mom Who Edited a Pic She Didn’t Like

    With key words like “royals,” “missing princess,” “kill notice,” and “manipulated photo,” it’s no wonder why this incident quickly snowballed into one of the biggest stories of the last few days. I get it. But I also have a lot of friends who are moms, and a lot of friends who are women, that edit their photos all the time—especially when their significant other is the one snapping the pic. If I had to bet, that’s what probably happened here. (Feel free to remind me if I turn out to be wrong so I can eat my computer.)

    In today’s ruthless and fake photo landscape, it’s normal to see “flaws” where there may not be any and want to fix them. Maybe Princess Charlotte had a seam popping out of her sweater, or maybe Middleton had a gray hair that was visible. Technology makes it easier than ever to fix these details or erase them, but it also creates a vicious cycle where people are motivated to keep editing their photos in search of “perfection.”

    Unfortunately, while Middleton is probably just a mom who didn’t like the photo her husband took or simply looked at it for way too long, when you’re one of the main members of the UK royal family, you’re not allowed to do normal things like editing your photos. Middleton has been in the royal family’s orbit for more than two decades, so I have no doubt she knows this. But alas, she’s a human who’s recently had abdominal surgery and is under a lot of public scrutiny. In this situation, anyone can make a mistake, even a person who’s known for being a pro at her job.

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    Jody Serrano

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  • Kate Middleton Spotted, Rihanna’s $6 Million Performance, Cyrus Family Drama, and More | Jam Session

    Kate Middleton Spotted, Rihanna’s $6 Million Performance, Cyrus Family Drama, and More | Jam Session

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    The ladies return this week with a plethora of celebrity topics and news to discuss, starting with Kate Middleton being spotted for the first time since her abdominal surgery (2:30). Later on in the pod, the ladies get into Rihanna’s $6 million performance in India (21:18), the Cyrus family drama (24:57), and Jay Shetty’s self-help book (29:23).

    Hosts: Juliet Litman and Amanda Dobbins
    Producer: Jade Whaley

    Subscribe: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / Stitcher

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    Juliet Litman

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