Election Administration: The CEC held ballot-placement raffles for the 2026 general election, with gubernatorial tickets drawing No. 1 (Tenorio/Edmund Sablan Villagomez), No. 2 (Torres/Benjamin Mendiola Jones Jr.), and No. 3 (Camacho/Edith Deleon Guerrero), while the voter roll reached 18,022 ahead of the Sept. 4 registration deadline. Ballot Access: The CEC certified 73 of 75 candidates after reviewing petitions, leaving two still in limbo—Saipan mayoral candidate Luis Sablan over signatures and Northern Islands mayoral candidate Keli Tenorio due to a residency challenge. Federal Policy & Tourism: The State Department launched a new birth tourism prevention task force, and DHS is rolling out tighter EVS-TAP vetting for Chinese tourists—prompting the MVA to review how changes could affect CNMI arrivals. Security & Foreign Affairs: A Chinese national pleaded guilty in Utah for trying to smuggle U.S. military communications tech to Beijing, with court records saying Saipan was once discussed as a pickup point. Public Safety: CNMI mayors jointly asked the DEA for immediate help to combat a meth epidemic they say has overwhelmed local resources. Courts: The District Court ordered Amalia Abo Guanlao to explain why her lawsuit should not be dismissed after she failed to serve defendants for nearly a year. Disaster Recovery: IRS tax relief for Super Typhoon Bavi victims extends key federal filing and payment deadlines to Feb. 1, 2027.