Gov. Mike Dunleavy has signed Alaska’s state budget into law, drawing mixed reactions from lawmakers over funding priorities and spending cuts. Legislators could return next week to consider possible veto overrides.
Month: June 2026
For the first time ever, Ivory Coast has qualified for the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup. Ivory Coast sealed its progression with a straightforward win over Curaçao on Thursday in Philadelphia. Nicolas Pépé scored once in each half, including one in the seventh minute that put the African nation in control from the start. Here are our takeaways: 1. Ivory Coast Will Be A Tough Out … Ivory Coast got a late winner to earn three points against Ecuador in its opening match, and it was moments away from a draw against Germany. It’s clear Les Éléphants have a competitive squad, highlighted by Yan Diomandé in attack and veteran Franck Kessié in midfield. The team took care of business against Curaçao, clearly creating the better scoring chances and dominating possession. It even had a respectable 40% of the ball against Germany, despite scoring the first goal in the 30th minute and playing on the back foot for most of the game. This squad is full of players from top clubs in Europe. Striker Ange-Yoan Bonny is at Inter Milan, winger Amad Diallo at Manchester United, while midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré is also a regular in the Premier League for Nottingham Forrest. Ivory Coast will not be intimidated by any opponent, a sentiment that will come in handy in its next game. 2. … So Watch Out Norway (Or France) The Ivory Coast’s prize for finishing second in Group E might not be seen as a positive one by many. Les Éléphants will be drawn against the second-place team in Group I, which will be either France or Norway. Both teams are on six points entering their Friday catchup, but the French have a superior goal difference. That means Norway has to beat France to win Group I. Regardless of which team Ivory Coast will face, it will be an underdog to advance. France has some of the best players in the tournament, while Erling Haaland powers a Norway attack that is one of the best in the tournament. 3. Diomandé’s Price Tag Keeps Going Up The 19-year-old winger, who currently plays his club soccer at RB Leipzig in Germany, has been a hot topic this summer, with Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool rumored to be very interested in his services. He has shown why with three impressive performances in the group stage for Ivory Coast. Diomandé provided the assist for Pépé’s opening goal on Thursday, getting possession after a mistake from Curaçao in its own 18-yard box and putting it on a plate for Pépé. Having a player like Diomandé, who can create a chance out of nothing, will be huge moving forward for Ivory Coast. Chances may be at a premium for Les Éléphants in the knockout stages, but Diomandé is capable of making sure their quality looks at goal. 4. Curaçao’s Presence Won’t Be Forgotten This World Cup has featured some of the smallest nations ever to compete in the tournament, which makes sense given the expansion to 48 teams. No country is smaller than Curaçao, which has a population of 158,000 people. Only one player in the squad was born there (Tahith Chong), while the other 22 were born in the Netherlands with ancestry from the country. Of course, the tournament started with a 7-1 thumping against Germany, but Curaçao followed that up with an impressive defensive effort to hold Ecuador to a 0-0 draw. Cape Verde has captivated the tournament with two draws to open the tournament, while DR Congo held Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal scoreless. While there have been some lopsided scorelines in the tournament, it’s encouraging to see some of these teams get their shot on the biggest stage — and occasionally look like they belong.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
The most high-profile team to miss out on the 2026 World Cup, Italy, is picking a new crop of officials to revamp its discredited soccer association — as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s allies failed in their bid to take more control over the body.
Veteran sports official Giovanni Malagò, a former president of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) for more than a decade, overcame opposition from Italy’s right-wing government to become the new president of the Italian soccer association (FIGC) earlier this week.
Malagò’s key challenge is to mend ties with Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi, with whom he has clashed in the past and who publicly questioned Malagò’s soccer credentials. Until the very last minute, Meloni’s government tried to block Malagò from clinching the FIGC’s top job — but ultimately failed.
In a soccer-mad country where the sport carries outsized cultural weight, Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup turned into a proxy battle over governance, reforms, investment and the Meloni administration’s willingness to extend political influence into independent institutions.
Frustrated Italian soccer fans, who have seen their country miss out on qualifying for the last three World Cups, just want Malagò to pick Italy’s new head coach.
The favorites for the job are Roberto Mancini and Antonio Conte — two soccer grandees who both previously coached the Italian national team. Another soccer legend, former AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini, is being touted for a new job as a bridge between the FIGC and the players, according to Italian media.
But that’s not the only item sitting in Malagò’s in-tray.
Italy must nominate five stadiums capable of hosting matches at Euro 2032, which it will co-organize with Turkey, by an October deadline. That’s potentially problematic given that Europe’s governing body, UEFA, warned that Italy could lose its role as co-organizer unless it upgrades its dilapidated soccer infrastructure.
Politics
(The Center Square) – Eliminating a de facto “electricity tax” and boosting funding for school choice programs share space in one legislative proposal handed back to Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives late Thursday afternoon.
(The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker was joined by state lawmakers and other officials Thursday to sign a four-bill package of legislation aimed at targeting deceptive and fraudulent business practices Thursday.
(The Center Square) – A new report shines a light on local governments that have burdensome and costly regulations for short-term rentals. They’re in states varying from California and Nevada to Illinois and New York.
(The Center Square) – The IRS processed nearly 139 million returns in 2026, but millions of taxpayers still faced refund delays, identity theft backlogs and phone lines they couldn’t reach, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins said.
Alaska athletes win medals at the Special Olympics USA Games, Mat-Su seeks animal shelter volunteers, Fairbanks updates multiple parks, and Juneau celebrates K-9 Dax’s birthday.
Categories
Spot the Pol!
This host-city mayor visited a “fan festival” in her city’s Fairmount Park, where a combined 250,000 attendees have gathered thus far to watch matches.
That’s Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker inaugurating the Lemon Hill festival site early in the tournament. The city is hosting Curaçao and Côte d’Ivoire at Lincoln Financial Field today.
Politics
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Earlier today, we reported that Jenni “JWoww” Farley married longtime boyfriend Zack Carpinello in a surprise ceremony on Wednesday.
And while some of her Jersey Shore castmates were on hand for the occasion, it seems that four of them were not in attendance. And that was partially by design.
Yes, according to TMZ, both Angelina Pivarnick and Ronnie Ortiz-Magro were left off the guest list for JWoww’s surprise wedding celebration.
Sources told the outlet that neither reality star received an invitation and that both were reportedly shocked by the decision.
As previously reported, JWoww and Carpinello managed to keep their wedding plans under wraps for months.
Guests believed they were attending a premiere event for JWoww’s upcoming movie before discovering they were actually there to watch the couple exchange vows.
The intimate ceremony reportedly included several familiar faces from the Jersey Shore universe.
Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Deena Cortese and her husband Chris, Sammi Giancola and her husband Justin, and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and his wife Lauren were all in attendance.
Interestingly, TMZ reports that Pauly D and Vinny Guadagnino were invited but did not attend. Sources indicated that it remains unclear why the pair missed the celebration.
The absence of Angelina may not come as a complete surprise to longtime viewers.
After all, the relationship between Angelina and several of her castmates has been rocky for years.
One of the franchise’s most memorable controversies took place during Angelina’s own 2019 wedding, when JWoww, Snooki, and Deena delivered a speech that did not go over well with the bride or the crowd.
The incident sparked a major feud that played out on social media for months afterward.
Whether that history played a role in the guest list remains unclear.
As for Ronnie, no reason has been publicly provided for his reported exclusion. TMZ claims he was also hurt and surprised after learning he would not be attending the ceremony.
In a statement about their wedding, JWoww and Zack explained that they wanted the event to feel personal and meaningful, emphasizing the surprise element, focus on family, and intentionally small guest list.
Apparently, however, keeping the gathering intimate meant that a few members of the Jersey Shore family were destined to be left on the outside looking in.
And if history has taught us anything, it’s that hurt feelings among this group rarely stay private for long.
Ronnie Ortiz-Magro & Angelina Pivarnick Were NOT Invited to JWoww’s Wedding: … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip