The Northern Mariana Islands government and IT&E have signed a $53 million agreement to build a fiber-optic network under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, advancing the project amid the U.S. territory's recovery efforts following Super Typhoon Sinlaku.

While defense spending in the Northern Marianas may temporarily increase economic activity, it undermines long-term self-sufficiency and fails to sustain wealth locally.

The Port Authority of Guam anticipates commencing the procurement process for new ship-to-shore gantry cranes in two weeks, entering the next phase of the $74.5 million federally funded project.

Consumer prices on Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are expected to surge amid soaring shipping costs and freight charges due to supply chain disruptions.

Across the Northern Marianas, businesses are struggling to reopen as the islands operate on a patchwork of generator power. Grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants and hardware suppliers are running limited hours because of fuel shortages and the high cost of keeping generators online.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency has awarded Lockheed Martin Corp. a new $407 million contract modification to expand the Guam missile defense program, raising the project’s value from $1.5 billion to $1.9 billion.

Disaster recovery efforts and relief assistance continued to pour into communities affected by Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which pounded Chuuk, Guam and the Northern Marianas in mid-April.

By Ron Rocky Coloma Federal plans to open waters near Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa to seabed mining could allow long-term leases to be issued before full environmental reviews are completed, legal experts warn. The concern centers on how the U.S. government is using the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to advance offshore mineral development, a process that experts say prioritizes early lease sales while deferring deeper scientific analysis to later

A legislative committee is seeking an investigation into $22.6 million in questioned costs identified in the government of Guam's fiscal 2024 single audit, which flagged contract irregularities and procurement anomalies.

Among the recurring issues for a delegate to address in Congress include federal programs for seniors, persons with disabilities and children in low-income households and veterans.

As artificial intelligence tools rapidly enter daily life, Guam officials are confronting a complex balancing act: how to regulate and adopt the technology without overwhelming the island’s infrastructure, workforce or cultural priorities.

Jeff Pleadwell By Jayvee Vallejera Gubernatorial candidate Jeff Pleadwell said “it’s not right” for the Guam Election Commission to take issue with his legal name in his nominating petitions while accepting the use of another candidate’s nickname. Pleadwell, who is running with Charlie Hermosa as an Independent tandem, also pointed out that the GEC has not publicly taken issue with the nominating petitions of Republican lieutenant governor candidate E.J. Calvo, who is pair