CNMI Department of Labor Secretary Vicky I. Benavente on Friday said she had informally requested that the U.S. DOL consider expanding the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program for the Commonwealth.

GRACE Kalen told the court Friday morning that three-year-old Kody Fitial started shaking and crying when Stacey Laniyo called out his name.

THE Rota Legislative Delegation on Wednesday last week passed three local appropriations for medical referral assistance and scholarship programs.

DEPARTMENT of Fire and Emergency Medical Services Commissioner Dennis Mendiola said there is a need to “centralize” 911 emergency calls.

MAJURO — The Marshall Islands is one of few nations in the world to remain Covid-free. But it is following the global trend with rising numbers of mental health issues and domestic violence as seen in populations around the world that are heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with exten…

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Former President Donald Trump on Friday endorsed Republican challenger Kelly Tshibaka against Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the three-term Republican incumbent who voted to convict him after his second impeachment trial earlier this year.

ALTHOUGH school is out, the Marianas High School Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Dolphin Battalion cadets continue to carry out their duties and responsibilities.

DAVAO CITY (Mindanao News/Pacnews) — Ninety-nine Filipino seamen repatriated from Fiji arrived at Davao International Airport in the southern island of Mindanao on Wednesday via a chartered flight of Garuda Indonesia, Davao City Tourism Office head Generose Tecson said on Thursday.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) — An extreme heat wave that has already shattered temperature records across the U.S. Southwest threatened on Friday to push power systems to the brink of failure as residents cranked up air conditioners.

The Public School System leadership has been working with the administration of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios on the renovation of Hopwood Middle School which includes the construction of additional classrooms.  Recently at Hopwood, Torres,   Palacios and the governor…

A GROUP of Japanese volunteers last week completed the renovation of a World War II memorial at Suicide Cliff in Marpi.

(NMC) — Northern Marianas College is accepting applications for a Master of Education Degree with a concentration in International Teaching from Framingham State University.

DUBAI (Reuters) — Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline judge who is under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, secured victory as expected on Saturday in Iran’s presidential election after a contest marked by voter apathy over economic hardships and political restrictions.

HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The National Weather Service Guam Weather Forecast Office is monitoring a tropical disturbance west of Pohnpei.

HAGÅTÑA (GHS/OCD/NWS/The Guam Daily Post) — The National Weather Service Guam Weather Forecast Office is monitoring a tropical disturbance just southeast of Chuuk.

(Reuters) — A divided conference of U.S. Catholic bishops announced Friday that they had voted to draft a statement on Holy Communion that may admonish Catholic politicians, including President Joe Biden, who support abortion rights.

(Office of the Governor) — In coordination with the Governor’s Covid-19 Task Force, Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., Gov. Ralph DLG Torres on Friday announced the official cancellation of curfew hours and termination of reduced business hours for the CNMI, effective Friday, June 18, 2021.

(Office of the Governor) — On Thursday, June 17, 2021 (Eastern Daylight Time), President Joseph Biden Jr. signed S. 475, also known as the “Juneteenth Bill” designating June 19th, Juneteenth National Independence Day and a legal federal holiday.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — U.S. Congressmen Tim Walberg, R-Michigan, and Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Ind.-MP, on Wednesday introduced H.R. 3957, “Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act.” The bipartisan bill ensures Department of Labor employees receive the proper training t…

THE CNMI will move to Community Vulnerability Level Green beginning today, June 18, 2021, the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. and the Governor’s Covid-19 Task Force announced yesterday.

THE House of Representatives on Wednesday unanimously passed House Bill 22-54, which will raise to $4 from $3.75 (not $2.75 as earlier reported) the excise tax per 20 cigarettes, and impose a 75% levy on vaporizers that contain nicotine.

DOZENS of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance applicants staged a rally at Kilili Beach on Beach Road Thursday.

(Office of the Governor) — The CNMI Department of Labor is providing updates regarding the federal programs it administers such as the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation and Lost Wages Assistance programs.

YET another groundbreaking ceremony was held on Thursday, this time for Phase II of Route 36 Windward Road/Chalan Kalabera Road improvements.

THE nine firefighters who were terminated for refusing to take the Covid-19 vaccine have asked the CNMI Superior Court for an order reinstating them in their previous jobs until a decision is reached in their lawsuit.

THE Marianas Public Land Trust has extended the deadline to June 24, 2021 for the Department of Public Lands to remit a total of $5,620,461.

The Public School System's Special Education Program led by Director Donna M. Flores held an end-of-school-year professional development on Wednesday at the Pacific Islands Club facilitated by June De Leon of Guam’s Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and…

“I’M not resigning,” said Chief Prosecutor John Bradley of the Office of the Attorney General’s criminal division when asked regarding his planned departure.

(MCS) — Mount Carmel School has announced that long-time educator Filmah Buenaflor will serve as vice-principal for the 2021-2022 school year. Mrs. Buenaflor will succeed former vice-principal  Bobby Nelson Baldazo.

MANILA (Reuters) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday that a run for vice president in next year's elections was a "good idea" because he has unfinished business, including solving the country's drug problem.

NEW YORK (Reuters) — The eight leading candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor exchanged jabs on Wednesday over public safety, housing and homelessness at the final televised debate before Tuesday's primary election.

(Office of the CNMI Congressional Delegate) — U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan thanked U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for extending parole for long term resident applicants through the end of 2021 or until their applications are adjudicated, whichever comes first. U…

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Office of the American Samoan Congressional Delegate) — On Wednesday, U.S. Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata cosponsored legislation supporting establishment of a new committee of Veterans from throughout the five U.S. territories and the three Freely Associated States to bett…

(Press Release) — Pride Marianas Youth and its champion partners are excited to invite you to join us for our Pride at the Park Event at the NMI Museum of History and Culture this coming Friday June 18, 2021 at 6 p.m.- 9 p.m.!

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed and sent to President Joe Biden a bill making June 19, or "Juneteenth," a federal holiday commemorating the end of legal enslavement of Black Americans.

(BECQ) — The Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality analyzed water samples collected from Rota's recreational beaches and storm drainages this week.

HAGATÑA, Guam (U.S. Attorney’s Office) — Shawn N. Anderson, United States attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Jerome Michael Cruz, age 26, from Barrigada, Guam, was sentenced in the United States District Court of Guam to 10 months im…

(Commonwealth Utilities Corp.) — There will be scheduled power service interruptions on Tuesday, June 22, 2021.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — A bipartisan group of 20 U.S. senators — 10 from each caucus —  said on Wednesday it supported a framework for infrastructure investment.

LYNN Fitial on Wednesday told the court that the Department of Public Safety investigator “mixed up” her statement to the police.

IMPERIAL Pacific International LLC has petitioned the Superior Court to conduct a judicial review of the Commonwealth Casino Commission’s decision to suspend indefinitely its casino license.

THE chair of the House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations plans to call at least 15 witnesses, including Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, to testify before the panel.

THE Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center or IC3 released a 2020 Elder Fraud Report that included statistics for Guam and the CNMI.

SUPERIOR Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho has voluntarily recused himself from hearing the case of 17-year-old Kenneth Thomas Blas Kaipat who was charged with sexual assault.

THE Division of Customs Services has approved the applications of 294 importers who want to be considered “low-risk” importers, Customs Director Jose Mafnas said on Wednesday.

THE House minority bloc members, in separate joint letters, are asking U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan and Gov. Ralph DLG Torres to “impress upon” the federal government the need to include CNMI-only permanent residents who were “inadvertently” disqualified from the Pandemic …

DEPARTMENT of Fire and Emergency Medical Services senior drill instructor Robert Cruz said the 14th Fire Academy has high expectations for its fire cadets.

THE Public School System-Child Nutrition Program and the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs-Nutrition Assistance Program have extended the application deadline for Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer, or P-EBT, program.