CNMI Legal & Benefits: CNMI says a Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) lawsuit is moot after a year-long hearing delay, arguing a fair hearing is set for Sept. 1, 2026, over claims a Saipan man wasn’t given the required due-process steps for his food-benefit calculation. Youth Mental Health & Digital Safety: A major multistate settlement with Meta (Facebook/Instagram) is framed as a “Big Tobacco”-level youth safety win, with required changes including daily time limits, “productive pauses,” nighttime blocks, tighter age checks, and stronger parental controls—claims include addictive design and misleading parents; the Northern Mariana Islands is listed among participating jurisdictions. CNMI Politics & Community Values: In the Marianas Press 2026 gubernatorial debate, CNMI gubernatorial bets argued the military buildup should be leveraged for local economic opportunity, with calls for federal contractors to register, pay CNMI taxes, and prioritize local businesses and workers. Education-to-Workforce: The same debate pushed ideas to align schools and Northern Marianas College/Technical Institute with workforce needs, connect students to jobs that keep them in CNMI, and target livable-wage career pathways. Regional Diplomacy: CNMI delegates attended the Micronesian Islands Forum in Pohnpei, highlighting efforts to coordinate regional risk-management and “healthy communities” priorities ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau. Social Security Reminder: September 2026 SSI payments up to $994 are scheduled to go out in two days, with eligibility tied to age/disability and residency rules that include the Northern Mariana Islands.