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The iconic British rock band Oasis is bringing their reunion tour to Gillette Stadium next summer — and fans have until Thursday to register for the chance to buy tickets. But first, we have some other news involving the Foxborough stadium: Can't hold us him: New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is at the center of a controversy that exploded onto the national stage yesterday — crossing politics, music and sports. In a lengthy statement, the rapper Macklemore accused Kraft of barring him from opening for Ed Sheeran later this month at Gillette, leading to the Grammy winner getting dropped from the rest of Sheeran's U.S. tour . The reason? Macklemore's recent "Free Palestine" comments at a concert in New Jersey before a pro-Palestinian protest song. But according to Kraft, it goes deeper than that. - Why was Macklemore barred? In a statement yesterday afternoon, Kraft said Gillette Stadium does "not provide a platform for hate speech" and said allowing Macklemore at the Sept. 25 and Sept. 26 concerts at Gillette would "cross that line." Kraft's statement specifically referenced the rapper's onstage comments in New Jersey, along with "a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community."
- What antisemitism? Kraft's statement did not mention specific examples. But in 2014, Macklemore apologized for wearing an onstage disguise (including a fake nose) that he acknowledged after the fact could be "ascribed to a Jewish caricature." He reiterated yesterday his criticism of Israel's government should not be "conflated" with antisemitism, adding "one of the most effective ways" of silencing critics "has been to weaponize the accusation of antisemitism."
- Why was he dropped from the rest of the tour, too? Macklemore's statement said Sheeran "told [him] that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave [Sheeran] an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.” Kraft's statement did not confirm or deny that claim. However, the promoter of Sheeran's tour told Rolling Stone yesterday that six other NFL stadium owners said they would not allow a concert with Macklemore on the lineup. Other pro-Israel groups had pushed for Macklemore's removal from the tour, too.
- The big picture: Macklemore has made progressive political activism a trademark of his music since his breakout nearly 15 years ago. More recently, he's taken aim at Israel for committing what he (and a growing number of human rights groups) say is a "genocide" in Gaza. Meanwhile, Kraft, who is Jewish, has put millions of dollars into combatting antisemitism, anti-Zionism and the movement to boycott Israel over its treatment of Palestinians. He even got an award recognizing his efforts from Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu back in 2019.
- What's next: Kraft concluded his statement saying he'd "welcome the opportunity" to talk directly with Macklemore: "Ultimately our goal is the same – peace for all people, an end to suffering and an end to all hate." (You can read Macklemore's full statement here and Kraft's full statement here.)
In court: A federal judge in Boston has postponed a Trump administration rule that would limit international student visas to four years. In a decision yesterday, Judge F. Dennis Saylor called the government's rationale "exceptionally weak" and issued a preliminary injunction at least temporarily blocking the policy — which was set to take effect today — while the legal fight plays out. - Zoom out: For nearly 50 years, international students have generally been allowed to stay in the country for the duration of their programs. The Trump administration's rule would make students apply and pay a fee to stay longer than four years — which universities worried would hurt students in programs that often take longer, like medical degrees or Ph.D.s
- Zoom in: Saylor noted Boston-area universities rely heavily on international graduate students. For example, more than 40% of MIT's grad students and 56% of Northeastern's grad students last year were international.
In-state tuition 🤝 in-region tuition: The University of Vermont will offer tuition discounts to students from the other five New England states who enroll in certain majors, starting next fall. The school says these students will pay $30,240 for tuition a year — about $18,000 less than full price. - Why? It's part of the university's effort to boost both enrollment — and certain state workforce sectors, like agriculture and teaching.
P.S.— Logan Airport is holding a contest to be “the next voice” of the airport's PA messages. Officials are now accepting applications from any local who thinks they can capture that "Boston vibe," and they'll let the public vote on the finalists next month. WBUR's Andrea Perdomo Hernandez has the details. |
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| | | Nik DeCosta-Klipa Senior Editor, Newsletters | | |
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The Supreme Court has rejected the Trump administration's request to allow mail-in voting restrictions under a U.S. Postal Service plan for the midterm general election. Read more. |
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The targeted tax abatements would apply to projects in Charlestown, Allston and Brighton that city officials say are close to being financially feasible, but remain stalled amid high interest rates, construction costs and other market pressures. Read more. |
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The three Palestinian men wounded during a 2023 shooting in Burlington took the witness stand on Monday during the first day of the trial of their alleged shooter, Jason Eaton. Eaton’s attorneys are expected to argue that Eaton was legally insane at the time of the shooting and can’t be held criminally responsible for his conduct. Read more. |
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Scientists believe dark matter makes up most of the mass in the universe — about 95% of it. The LUX-ZEPLIN experiment, one of the most sensitive cosmic detectors ever built, may have caught a first glimpse of it. Read more. |
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Haitians in the U.S. lost their Temporary Protected Status under Trump's immigration crackdown. Now facing deportation to a homeland wracked by gang violence, disease and extreme poverty, Haitians in Miami are meeting the moment with grief, anger, and courage. Read more. |
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- Trump can’t get the media to use “Gulf of America.” Will “Lake America” be any different? (Nieman Lab)
- Donald Trump Jr.’s Bahamas Wedding Was Secretly Bankrolled by Russian Oligarch Close to Putin (ProPublica)
- Inside ‘Project Lily’: The Humans Reading Your ChatGPT Chats (404 Media)
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Daniela Filosa returned to the spot of her failed T meet-cute in search of a second chance with a blue-eyed man. Read more. |
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