Will Boston pull off the World Cup? - The Boston Globe
When FIFA and the Kraft Group blinked and the little ol' town of Foxborough won its entertainment license stand-off back in the middle of March, many thought that meant the buzz and momentum for this summer's seven World Cup games at Boston/Gillette Stadium could finally begin. We're all still waiting. Two months later and 18 days out, it's mainly doubts and misgivings that are cascading. Story after story in the Globe and other media outlets are pointing out assorted missteps and miscalculations from either FIFA or the local Boston 26 host organizing committee.
Most of the 17 towns and organizations that received state grants to stage watch parties are still waiting to receive the public viewing licenses they need from FIFA to stage the event. No games, no watch party -- it's not complicated. That, and hotel sales are lagging behind projections and train sales are slow. Last week, the Globe's Shirley Leung pointed out how Airbnb was rebuffed in its attempt to become a private donor with the Boston 26 committee.
The city and state have locked horns on whether or not a portion of Summer Street near South Station needs to be totally shut down in order to safely handle up to 20,000 train-riding fans for each match. Not every story is a downer Stadium officials are telling spectators not to give up on driving to the stadium, their logic being that far more attendees will be using public transportation to get to these games than your average Patriots game, so even with the cutback in stadium parking lots, traffic won't be so bad and there will be plenty of parking. We'll see! No one's underestimating the complexity, cost, and magnitude of fundraising, security, transportation, parking, volunteers, and legacy projects that come with the 104 games to be played across all 16 North American cities.
The clock will continue to count down, and despite each kerfuffle and snag, kickoff at 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, for the Scotland-Haiti match-up is going to take place. One would think we're going to muddle through, at least. But until the games start and, presumably, take over the focus, it feels as if we're all stuck in the same unmoving and unavoidable traffic jam leading to Foxborough.
Tewksbury Hospital: Officials acknowledge they "could have communicated" better about several violent incidents in the state-run facility last month. Unpaid internships: Have you seen how much college is costing? One Emerson student asks: Isn't it time to end all unpaid internships? Protecting humans from AI's excesses: Pope Leo has called for the robust regulation of AI in a manifesto that ponders the future of humanity.
Plus, the pope makes a historic apology for the Vatican's role in rationalizing slavery. A hopeful moment? A century-long battle to save New England's elms is nearing a breakthrough. One kernel at a time: Rice feeds billions of people, but its role in changing our climate is growing, a Boston College study finds.
(The Conversation)