CNMI Budget Showdown: The House rejected the Senate’s FY 2027 budget version and sent the two competing plans to a conference committee, with major fights over Public School System and Northern Marianas College funding as the Oct. 1 deadline nears. Public Schools Crisis: The State Board of Education warned a $25 million “constitutional” baseline would trigger a structural collapse—potentially cutting instruction to just two or three days a week—sparking tense debate over lawmakers’ budget math. Settlement Fund Update: A federal judge approved the NMI Settlement Fund’s FY 2027 budget, raising spending 2.57% to cover Super Typhoon Sinlaku repairs and refunds to inactive members. Deep-Sea Mining Pushback: NRDC and local voices say the federal process is moving too fast without enough time to weigh impacts; Governor Apatang says he’ll support public outreach while litigation over a key federal concurrence plays out. Cultural Harvest & Sea Turtles: The Western Pacific Fishery Council urged federal agencies to expedite green sea turtle status reviews tied to restoring traditional cultural harvests. Migrant Worker Services: The Philippines said it will open a Migrant Workers Office in Guam to handle labor documents for CNMI and other Micronesian jurisdictions. Law & Public Safety: A Tinian senator proposed expanding enforcement authority against price gouging during emergencies; separately, a federal court sentenced an Alaska sex offender to prison and home detention for failing to register while in CNMI.