Marpi Tourism Upgrades: The Marianas Visitors Authority broke ground Sept. 3 on the $1.095M Marpi Tourist Sites Improvement Project for Bird Island Lookout, Suicide Cliff, and Last Command Post, with safety and accessibility work plus ADA-compliant stairs, walkways, viewing platforms, and a new restroom at Last Command Post, funded through the U.S. Economic Development Administration and targeted for summer 2027 completion. Meta Youth-Safety Settlement: CNMI Attorney General Edward Manibusan joined a landmark $17.1B multistate settlement with Meta over Instagram and Facebook youth harms, requiring new limits like daily time caps and nighttime blocks for children. Fuel Costs Rise: CNMI gasoline and diesel prices jumped this week—regular up 15 cents and diesel up 10 cents in Saipan/Tinian/Rota—adding pressure to already tight household budgets. Immigration Custody Scrutiny: China demanded answers after a 51-year-old Chinese national died hours after being booked into ICE custody in Saipan, with questions raised about required medical screening and the cause of death still under investigation. Seabed Mining Leadership Shakeup: A key federal official tied to Marianas seabed mining lease timelines is reportedly leaving for Halliburton as regulators move toward a Dec. 16 sale date, leaving Guam’s role still unclear. Local Business & Services: JuanPay added Western Union transfers to about 1,400 locations in the Philippines, with Western Union noting Guam and CNMI as part of its regional footprint. Power & Weather Notes: Tinian scheduled a CUC islandwide power interruption Sept. 3 for temporary generation setup, while forecasters flagged a developing system near the Marianas but said it’s not expected to be a major concern.