The Beautiful Game: Former FIFA executive Charles Blazer admitted when he pleaded guilty to corruption in 2013 that he and other officers of soccer’s governing body took bribes and payoffs for the assignment of broadcast rights and playing venues for major soccer tournaments, including the World Cup.

Blazer admitted it all to a judge and got a lighter sentence in exchange for his cooperation in a continuing investigation into FIFA’s business. Part of Blazer’s deal included recording conversations with other corrupt FIFA leaders.

It appears to have been standard business for FIFA. In his statement to a federal judge Blazer said, “I and others on the FIFA executive committee agreed to accept bribes in conjunction with the selection of South Africa as the host nation for the 2010 World Cup,” and that he “and others agreed to accept bribes and kickbacks in conjunction with the broadcast and other rights” to five Gold Cups, a regional championship.

Nation: The terrorism suspect killed in Boston Tuesday had bought combat knives and talked about attacking “boys in blue,” the FBI said. Agents said Usaama Rahim was presenting an imminent threat to behead police officers.

Court documents quote Rahim in a recorded telephone conversation saying, I’m just going to, ah, go after them, those boys in blue.”

The police had to explain the killing quickly. Rahim was a black man from a well-known Boston family. His brother is an Imam who preaches that violence is un-Islamic. Police said that a video shows Rahim brandishing a large knife and refusing to put it down when officers at first backed away. They say the unreleased video shows Rahim was not shot in the back as his brother first claimed.

World: An explosive fire during a rainstorm at a gas station in Ghana’s capital Accra killed about 90 people who were taking shelter there. Authorities say fire erupted at a nearby truck terminal and flooding spread loose fuel to the gas station, which blew up.

Rich Man, Poor Man: Nearly six in 10 Americans think the government should do something to reduce income inequality, according to a NY Times/CBS News poll. While Democrats tend to be more concerned, about half of Republicans, despite what their politicians say, think the divide between rich and poor is something to be concerned about.

The Gathering Crowd: Republican, Independent, Democrat, senator and governor. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island has been all of them and yesterday he declared himself a candidate for president. Chafee is the son of the late well-liked moderate Sen. John Chafee. The younger Chafee is in favor of abortion rights and as a Republican senator voted against the Iraq war. He plans to make that an issue with Hillary Clinton who voted to invade.

>Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who famously forgot in a debate which department of government he would shut down, announced he’s taking a second run at the presidency. He’s the 20^th Republican to declare. It seems like he should at least win a toaster or something.

Family Ties: Reality television parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar admitted to Fox News that their son Josh had sexually molested four of his sisters years before the launch of their show “19 Kids and Counting.” They said Josh’s offense amounted to inappropriate touching through clothing. One of the Duggar sisters defended Josh saying, “I do want to speak up in his defense against people who are calling him a child molester or a pedophile or a rapist. I’m like, that is so overboard and a lie, really.”

Lord Stanley’s Cup: The Chicago Blackhawks beat Tampa Bay 2-1 last night to take the first game of hockey’s Stanley Cup finals. Hockey’s a great game, but it does seem as if they ought to finish the season while there is still naturally frozen ice somewhere in the cities that have teams.