WBUR TODAY: ⚽ Foxborough's big World Cup finale

                                                       

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❤️ Donate Thursday, July 9, 2026 ☀️ Sunny and hot, with a high near 92. Good Morning Boston, It's a good Thursday to wrap up work early. Kicking off one last time: Foxborough is hosting its final 2026 World Cup match this afternoon between two teams that are no strangers to Gillette Stadium — or each other. France and Morocco will take the field at 4 p.m. for a quarterfinals game that's also a rematch of the 2022 World Cup semifinals . (Both teams also won group stage games in Foxborough.) According to the Associated Press, it might be the most intriguing of the four World Cup quarterfinal matchups. Where to watch: The city of Revere, which is estimated to be 10% Moroccan, is sponsoring watch parties at five local bars, with free giveaways. Meanwhile in Boston, the city is holding a free outdoor watch party in the North End's Christopher Columbus Park, following a live soccer podcast taping  with Mayor Michelle Wu and former Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez at 1 p.m. (which you can livestream here). Check out our guides to World Cup watch parties and soccer bars for other places to watch. The vibe: Fans of both France and Morocco rallied last night in downtown Boston ahead of the game, which caps off a busy few weeks of local World Cup tourism. "What's been exciting is to see all the different colors on all the different game days," John Murray, the co-owner of Murray Tavern in Revere, told WBUR's Amy Sokolow. "We're so close to Logan Airport and we have two local hotels, so we've been entertaining people from Scotland, which everybody knows about, but people from England, France, Haiti, Germany." Was it worth it? WBUR's Morning Edition spoke to Chris Dempsey, a leader of the No Boston Olympics campaign, about whether the World Cup has changed his view about the city hosting global sporting events. Headed to the game? Pack a water. Click here for more tips for staying safe during the game, given today's hot, humid weather. Lay off the layoffs? The Boston City Council rejected a proposal yesterday to call on the city to dip into its rainy day fund in a last-ditch attempt to prevent hundreds of looming educator layoffs this summer. "Boston has more than $500 million in available reserves," argued Councilor Erin Murphy. "If there was ever a rainy day, this would be it." However, the proposal fell one vote short of what was needed to pass the resolution. (Even if the measure did pass, it was a non-binding resolution; the Council would need Wu's administration to propose a supplemental budget.) Wu's allies on the Council have argued the layoffs are a "painful" but necessary consequence of declining Boston Public Schools enrollment and a tightening budget. They also said some teachers and paraprofessionals are being rehired and reassigned due to school closures. (The exact number of layoffs has been estimated from 400 to over 550.) "We're not sure about what the numbers are actually going to be until September, October," said Councilor Ben Weber. The vote came after Councilor Julia Mejia experienced a medical incident during the meeting and was stretchered from the council chambers. Fortunately, Wu's office said the mayor spoke with Mejia yesterday afternoon and "was relieved to hear that she is doing well." PSA: Norwell officials are urging residents to boil their water first (or use bottled water) after a sample of the town's water supply tested positive for E. coli. The bacteria can cause cramps, vomiting and diarrhea — and is especially dangerous for children, older adults and people with other health issues. The boil water order — in effect until further notice — stands not just for drinking water, but for any water used for food prep, making ice, doing dishes or brushing teeth. (And try not to swallow water during showers.) On Beacon Hill: The House passed its economic development bill yesterday — with a few new additions. Lawmakers added about $136 million to the bottom line and adopted a number of new policy amendments, including a "right of first refusal" provision that housing advocates have long sought as a way to empower renters. The bill also now includes new proposals on horse race bets, a psychedelic pilot program and a commission to figure out what to do about double utility poles. State House New Service has more details on the catch-all bill here. P.S.— Another reason to step out of work early? The Royal Air Force's Red Arrows will do a colorful smoke-filled flyover above Boston this afternoon. If you have a view of the city skyline, take a peek outside around 3:10 p.m. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Senior Editor, Newsletters The Rundown Accused of rape, Maine's Graham Platner drops U.S. Senate bid The final blow in progressive Graham Platner's scandal-plagued campaign came this week, after a former girlfriend said he raped her. He has denied the allegation. His spectacular rise and fall is hugely consequential for Democrats, who view the Maine Senate race as vital in their quest to win back control of the U.S. Senate. Read more. More than 4,000 nurses strike over wage dispute at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital Thousands of nurses at one of the region’s biggest medical centers walked off the job Wednesday morning to protest their employer, Mass General Brigham, and demand better pay. Read more. Markey, Moulton trade barbs, try to claim the mantle of change during first debate To hear the candidates tell it, the U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Massachusetts is a battle of ideas. During a debate Wednesday hosted by Springfield's WWLP, incumbent Sen. Ed Markey and challenger Rep. Seth Moulton tried to position themselves as the person bringing new perspectives and energy to Congress. Read more. Boston sues social media companies over 'addictive design' impacting kids  The suit, filed against Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube, alleges negligence by the social media giants and seeks removal of "addictive features and (to) compensate the city for the mental health support our students need," according to the mayor's office. Read more. They're keeping New Hampshire's French-Canadian heritage alive — and on the tip of the tongue At the peak of the North Country's timber industry a century ago, thousands of French-speaking Canadian immigrants came to the Berlin region, to work in the city's mills. Today, their descendants are promoting that language as a link to their heritage. Read more. Anything Else? The team representing Boston in the new Women's Professional Baseball League will be named (drumroll, please) the Hunters. Why? The moniker is inspired by Harriot K. Hunt, a 19th century Boston physician and women’s rights activist. In fact, all four of the WPBL teams are named after pioneering women. Tucked away in the basement of a Brookline community center for veterans, a lively jazz scene is forming — with no cover charge and free snacks. WBUR's Artemisa Luk has an inside look. The "Rose of Nevada" stars George MacKay and Callum Turner as crew members of a fishing vessel that mysteriously returns 33 years after it went missing. Film critic Sean Burns writes that it "doesn’t look or sound like anything else you’ll see in theaters this year." This week, the State Department began offering commemorative passports for America's 250th anniversary featuring an image of President Trump inside. Here's how to get one — or avoid one. What We're Reading 📚 Cambridge wine bar Dear Annie to close, citing increasingly corporate restaurant scene (The Boston Globe) This Is One of the Hardest Jobs in America. Millions Are Doing It Alone. (The New York Times) Israeli strike kills World Cup screening organizer in Gaza just before kickoff (The Associated Press) Tell Me Something Good A switch to school buses prompted Scottish soccer fans to donate to Mass. charity  Scottish soccer fans have left another gift to the region: a $15,000 donation to a charity administered by the Massachusetts Teachers Association that helps students in financial need. Read more. Play: WBUR's daily mini crossword. Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: How do you top Drake Maye and David Ortiz? We have some ideas.  😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up here. 🔎 Explore WBUR's Field Guide stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. Check out all of our newsletter offerings. 📱 Download the WBUR App for iPhones and iPads or Android devices.               Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? Click here. Trustees of Boston University on behalf of WBUR 890 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA, 02215, US Copyright © 2026 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.

WBUR TODAY: Nurses on strike

                                               

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❤️ Donate Wednesday, July 8, 2026

☀️ Sunny, with a high near 82. Good Morning Boston, It's Quock Walker Day today in Massachusetts — named after the man whose 1781 lawsuit helped abolish slavery in the state. Listen to this interview on WBUR's Morning Edition to learn how the case became a national model. But first, the news: On the picket line: More than 4,000 nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital are away from the bedside and officially on strike this morning. It's the largest nurses strike in Massachusetts history — and the state's first nurses strike since 2022. Let's go over a few basic questions about the strike and its impacts with the help of WBUR health reporter Priyanka Dayal McCluskey: Why are they striking? The biggest sticking point is wages. Brigham nurses get 5% "step" increases every year for their first 20 or so years on the job. On top of that, they've also traditionally received cost-of-living raises. But hospital officials aren't offering those cost-of-living increases this time. They say it would be too expensive and that Brigham nurses are already the highest paid in the state. On the other hand, the union argues that the hospital could afford it, since many of the system's top executives make millions of dollars a year. What's the hospital's backup plan? The Brigham's owner, Mass General Brigham, has hired 1,300 traveling nurses to temporarily replace the striking nurses. They're also increasing non-nursing staff during the strike.  How long will the strike last? It's technically only a one-day strike. However, hospital officials say the replacement nurses contractually require a five-day minimum, so unionized nurses will be locked out through the weekend. They'll be allowed to return at 7 a.m. next Monday, July 13. How does this affect patients? Hospital officials say the replacement nurses are enough to maintain staffing levels and keep things running mostly as normal — at least at the main Brigham hospital itself. The Foxborough surgery center will however be closed today through Friday (patients have had surgeries there rescheduled or moved). Back at the main Boston hospital, it will be hard to miss nurses picketing outside. Related to that, the Brigham says patients should expect more traffic around its campus. What else? Brigham nurses aren't the only ones on strike. Today also marks the beginning of a seven-day strike by 450 workers in the Mass General Brigham home care program. They plan to picket at five locations around the region today, before consolidating their demonstrations outside MGB’s headquarters at Assembly Row in Somerville for the next six days. On Beacon Hill: The House is expected to pass an economic development bill today that would authorize hundreds of millions of dollars in state borrowing — and make a few notable policy changes. There's language to allow religious institutions to build multifamily housing as of right on their property. And — unrelated to development — the bill includes Gov. Maura Healey's proposal to change how e-bikes and scooters are regulated. What didn't make the cut: Notably, the bill does not include the Healey administration's "GlobalMass" proposal to set aside at least $70 million to attract foreign investors and companies to Massachusetts. State officials had framed the proposal as a centerpiece of their original economic development bill, but some public employee unions voiced concerns, according to The Boston Globe. What's next: The bill still has to go through the Senate, so we'll likely see more changes as the two chambers come together on a compromise. Shipping down to Boston: The Boston Fleet are actually going to play in Boston on the regular this season. After taking the ice at Lowell's Tsongas Arena for their first three seasons, the PWHL team announced yesterday that Boston University's Agganis Arena will be their "primary" home for the 2026-27 season. The move comes after the Fleet sold out four of the six games they played at Agganis over the past two seasons (not to mention a sold-out game at TD Garden earlier this year, too). At City Hall: Several Boston city councilors are calling for a review of the city's summer safety plans, after a spate of shootings over the Fourth of July weekend. Two people were killed and 11 were wounded in several shootings Saturday night into Sunday morning in Roxbury and Dorchester. Councilors Ed Flynn and Erin Murphy plan to present a nonbinding resolution at today's meeting pushing for a public safety summit and a review of the city's summer safety plans. P.S.— The first Senate primary debate between incumbent Sen. Ed Markey and his challenger, Rep. Seth Moulton, is this afternoon in western Massachusetts. MassLive has details on how to watch it (or wait for the WBUR-hosted debate between the two Democrats on Aug. 20). Nik DeCosta-Klipa Senior Editor, Newsletters The Rundown The behind-the-scenes scramble begins to replace Graham Platner as he weighs his future Nearly all of the leaders of the Maine Democratic Party — including the party chairman, legislative leaders and other Democratic nominees for Congress and governor — have called on Platner to withdraw from the race. Meanwhile, the list of potential nominees to replace Platner is growing. Read more. At NATO summit in Turkey, Trump says he believes ceasefire with Iran is 'over' President Trump said he believes the current ceasefire with Iran is over following an exchange of attacks between the U.S. and Iran in the latest escalation straining the agreement to end the war. Read more. What's behind the push to make peptide therapies more readily available Marketed for longevity and wellness benefits, the unproven therapies are sold through a grey market online. Compounding pharmacies say they should be able to make them legally to meet demand. Read more. Heirs of 'odious' 169-year-old Supreme Court ruling see modern parallels Descendants of Dred Scott and Chief Justice Roger Taney spoke about reconciliation at a church in the shadow of the Supreme Court last week as the high court wrestled with race and who can be an American. Read more. Trump administration abruptly cancels grants for teen pregnancy prevention Health departments, universities and nonprofit grantees had spent months adapting to President Trump's executive orders. They say the funding cut was completely unexpected. Read more. Anything Else? Looking ahead to the weekend? Here are five things to do around Boston, including Cambridge's growing Porchfest, an "Earlybirds" dance party and an outdoor staging of "Julius Caesar." Heads up — literally: The Red Arrows are returning to Boston tomorrow for the first time since their colorful 2019 flyover. The British Royal Air Force's aerobatic team is planning another flyover of the city Thursday at precisely 3:10 p.m. If you're downtown, the U.K. consulate suggests watching the flyover from near the State House or Boston Common — and to get in position early. Defending World Cup champions Argentina kept their repeat hopes alive yesterday, coming back from a late 2-0 deficit to beat Egypt. Next, they'll play Switzerland in the quarterfinals Saturday night. Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Victor Petreca writes in this Cognoscenti commentary that the overprescribing crisis is real, but the current debate overlooks the most vulnerable. What We're Reading 📚 Inside the United States’ Billion-Dollar Blind Spot (The New York Times) Man captured in viral video throwing food on ground at Mass. bagel shop. ‘I couldn’t believe it,’ owner says. (The Boston Globe) Behind Golden Temple’s closure: Siblings feud in court, allegations of stolen millions and a federal labor investigation (Brookline.News) Tell Me Something Good These unusual Connecticut River fish are 'ecosystem engineers.' How to stop worrying and love the lamprey They’re long. They’re ancient. Their hideous whorl of a mouth looks like a “vortex of pain.” But sea lamprey are native to the the Connecticut River watershed and a vital part of the ecosystem. Read more. Play: WBUR's daily mini crossword. Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: Promise kept. 🥹 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up here. 🔎 Explore WBUR's Field Guide stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. Check out all of our newsletter offerings. 📱 Download the WBUR App for iPhones and iPads or Android devices.

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