WBUR TODAY: All aboard (for $80)

 

❤️ Donate Wednesday, April 8, 2026

☀️ Sunny, with a high near 44. Good Morning Boston, The Trump administration says the U.S. and Israel will stop bombing Iran for two weeks as part of a ceasefire agreement that includes Iran allowing ships to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz. International stock markets surged, and oil prices dropped, on the news. Still, some members of Congress are alarmed about Trump's threats to wipe out the Iranian civilization if the country didn't reopen the strait. More than three dozen congressional Democrats — including several from Massachusetts — are calling for Trump's removal from office over the ultimatum. NPR has the latest updates on the ceasefire (which Israel is arguing does not apply its offensive in Lebanon) here.  Now, to local news: Ticket to kick it: MBTA train tickets for the first five World Cup games at Gillette Stadium this June go on sale at 11 a.m. today. Officials are encouraging soccer fans to act fast if they want to secure one of the 20,000 spots in those purple commuter rail train seats. The T is planning to run 14 trains a day, express from South Station to Foxborough, for each game at "Boston Stadium." But the agency is also facing criticism over its $80 pricing for the roundtrip tickets. Here's what to know: Where do I buy a ticket: You'll need to download the MBTA's mTicket mobile app and buy them ahead of time. You won't be able to buy tickets at the station. ( Check out the boarding schedule for each game here.) Do I need a match ticket to buy a train ticket? The answer from the T is that you "should." According to the agency, riders must register in the mTicket app with the email address they used to purchase World Cup match tickets. "In the event that a Boston Stadium Train ticket holder is found to not hold a World Cup match ticket, their Boston Stadium Train ticket may be cancelled," MBTA spokesperson Lisa Battiston told me in an email. Staff at South Station will be checking that riders have match tickets before they board the trains and riders without them will not be allowed to board. Train tickets also cannot be transferred or resold. Why are they so expensive? Typically, the MBTA's event trains for Patriots games and concerts at Gillette Stadium cost $20. T officials have reasoned that the $80 tickets are worth more because they also access grant to the entire commuter rail network on the day of the game — in case riders are coming from outside Boston. The T has also separately pointed out that it's running "unprecedented" levels of service and invested $35 million in upgrading Foxboro station for these games. Plus, it beats sitting in traffic for two hours and paying $150 to reserve the one of the limited stadium parking spots. "Taking the Commuter Rail will be one of the easiest and most affordable ways to get to and from the Stadium," MBTA General Manager Phil Eng said in a statement. Yeah, but: That hasn't quelled the criticism from soccer fans who already feel pinched (if not priced out) by exorbitant World Cup ticket prices. The Football Supporters' Association, which represents English soccer fans, said it is "incredibly disappointed" by the T's up-charged ticket prices. (England will play Ghana in one of the five group stage games at Gillette .) "For a stadium so far away from its advertised location, all organisers had a duty to ensure supporters could get there sustainably and for a fair price," the group wrote on social media. "Unfortunately, like much with this tournament, supporters are gouged." What's next: You'll have to wait if you're looking to buy train tickets for the Round of 32 and quarterfinal World Cup matches at Gillette. The T says those tickets will go on sale "closer to the match dates." More details on those will be announced later. In other soccer-related news: The future of White Stadium in Boston's Franklin Park goes before Massachusetts' highest court this morning. WBUR's Eve Zuckoff reports that the state's Supreme Judicial Court will hear arguments for and against the Emerald Necklace Conservancy's lawsuit to block city's redevelopment of the stadium with the Boston Legacy, the region's new NWSL team. (A lower court judge has already ruled in the city's favor, but the conservancy appealed to the SJC.) The stakes: Construction is already underway on the $325 million project. If the SJC overturns the lower court ruling and determines the stadium is protected parkland under state law, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu would need a two-thirds vote of approval from the state's Legislature to continue the project. P.S.— NASA has released the first photos taken by Artemis II astronauts during their historic flight around the moon — and they're pretty spectacular. (If you're reading this on your phone now's the time to switch to a bigger screen.) Click here to see their photos of an "Earthset," solar eclipse, moon craters and more. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Senior Editor, Newsletters The Rundown THIS IS A MUST READ! READ THE ARTICLE AND SCRUTINIZE THEIR  BABBLE!  WEALTHY REPUBLICANS ARE GONNA MANDATE AFFORDABILITY  POLICIES THAT THEY HELPED CREATE?  THEY WERE BAKER BOOB APPOINTEES AND DID WHAT? SCRUTINIZE THEIR RECORDS!  WHOFULLY OUT OF TOUCH OFFERING  SLOW ZONE SHORTSLEEVE WHO CREATED THE MBTA DISASTERS IS  GOING TO SOLVE WHAT? WASN'T HE IN CHARGE WHEN THAT NO BID  BATHROOM WAS BUILT? CAN'T EVEN ABIDE BY REASONABLE POLICY NEVER MIND STATUTORY REGULATIONS? GOV. CHARLLIE BAKER JUST EXCUSED HIS FAILURES!  WHAT HAVE THE OTHER BOOBS DONE?  WHEN THAT MOM IS STRUGGLING TO FEED HER KIDS, HAVE ANY SINGLE ONE OF THEM CONTRIBUTED TO A FOOD PANTRY?  THAT'S AFFORDABILITY WHEN MOM CAN'T FEED HER KIDS!  HAVE A SINGLE ONE OF THEM SUPPORTED PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE  AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE? HAVE THEY PROMOTED A SINGLE PROGRAM THAT WOULD EDUCATE THAT MOM TO GET A BETTER PAYING JOB?  WHAT HAVE THEY DONE WITH THEIR WEALTH?  Mass. is increasingly unaffordable. But not for the GOP hopefuls for governor All three Republican gubernatorial candidates have blasted Gov. Maura Healey over the cost of living in Massachusetts. Public records show each owns at least one multi-million-dollar home and additional high-end properties that reflect a standard of living far above that of most residents. Read more. Officer improperly canceled visa of Harvard scholar charged with frog embryo smuggling, judge rules A U.S. judge says a customs officer improperly canceled the visa of a Russian-born scientist and Harvard University researcher charged with smuggling frog embryos in the U.S. The case stems from in incident last February, when Kseniia Petrova was returning from a vacation in France and was questioned about the frog embryos while passing through customs in Boston. Read more. ICE acknowledges it is using powerful spyware In a letter sent last week, ICE's top official indicated to members of Congress the agency is using a spyware tool to intercept encrypted messages of fentanyl traffickers. Read more. Telehealth abortion will remain available for now, after a federal judge's ruling The abortion pill mifepristone must undergo a safety review by the FDA, the judge said. Louisiana's case seeking to ban its use through telemedicine will proceed after that review. Read more. Astronauts suggest naming a moon crater 'Carroll' after their commander's late wife The Artemis II crew, led by Reid Wiseman, was the first to lay eyes on several craters on the far side of the moon. The astronauts want to name one of them after Carroll Wiseman, who died of cancer in 2020. Read more. Anything Else? Check out our arts and culture team's options for taking advantage of this weekend's spring-like weather, from a jazz festival in Arlington to open studios in Boston's South End. A Cape Air flight out of Nantucket had to quickly return to the island after a door opened while the plane was in midair. Click here to see video of the "nerve-wracking" event from inside the cabin. The Front Porch Arts Collective in Boston is hosting two staged readings this weekend of “The Wash.” The play is inspired by the 1881 Atlanta Washerwomen's Strike, one of the first major labor actions in the U.S. that was led by Black women. A few months ago, Linda Button traveled to Seoul for a taekwondo festival. At 68, she was one of the older participants. But as she writes in this Cognoscenti commentary, that doesn't stop her from twirling, jumping and kicking (impressively high in the air). What We're Reading 📚 Massachusetts has the highest electricity bills in the continental US. But some ratepayers pay noticeably less. (The Boston Globe) AP says it will offer buyouts as part of pivot away from newspaper-focused history (The Associated Press) Beer cans, helium balloons and mortgages: An unexpected mix of things affected by war (NPR) Tell Me Something Good With hope for healing, women incarcerated on Cape Cod are writing their life stories Women incarcerated in the Barnstable County Correctional Facility are taking memoir writing classes to write their own life stories as a therapeutic tool. Read more. Play: WBUR's daily mini crossword. Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: A PSA for husbands and boyfriends. 😎 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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