More than 800,000 Pacific people are expected to benefit from USAID Climate Ready Project. Photo: AFP / THEO ROUBY
Pacific/US - aid
The United States aid agency, USAID, says it has mobilised $US562 million through its Climate Ready Project to help Pacific countries pay for their resilience projects.
USAID said since 2016 the project has worked to implement climate change adaptation policies to improve access to climate financing and improve adaptation project management capacity.
The agency said the money will benefit more than 800,000 people, and train more than 2,500 people to better manage and implement adaptation projects.
Tonga - guilty
A man has been found guilty of grievous bodily harm after striking a man on the head with a machete.
His two sons were found guilty of common assault after punching the man.
Matangi Tonga reports the confrontation happened in October last year when the victim was drunk and standing in the road, and the defendant was in his vehicle.
The defendant and his two sons will be sentenced on October 5.
Samoa - exhibition
An exhibition exploring historical and contemporary photographic portraits of Samoans has opened at The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata.
Titled, Then and There, Here and Now: Samoan Portraits, the exhibition is curated by Dr Annika Sippel.
It explores how traditions of presentation and Samoan values from the past have continued - or changed - in Aotearoa New Zealand in the present.
Dr Sippel said Samoa's relationship with Aotearoa is unique, complex, and deeply entrenched in a shared colonial history that began with the New Zealand Administration of Samoa from 1914-1962.
She said Samoan New Zealanders continue to stay connected to their heritage and explore their identity through a variety of ways.
The exhibition is on until December.
West Papua - lands
In West Papua, the Regent of Bintuni Bay has officially recognised the ancestral lands of three indigenous clans.
According to the decree issued, about 6,200 hectares of land have been officially designated as the territory of the Masakoda, Yen, and Yec clans' indigenous communities.
Jubi reports the Masakoda clan intends to request customary forest management rights from the Indonesian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
This would potentially change the status of forests claimed by the state in their area, to customary forests.
Australian judokas for Pacific Games
Australia have named a 20-strong athletics team as well as eight judokas for this year's Pacific Games in Solomon Islands.
The Australian Olympic Committee has selected 10 male and 10 female track and field athletes to compete in Honiara.
Like New Zealand, Australia sends a largely development team to the Games.
Among those selected are 400 metre runner Ellie Beer who represented Australia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and Calab Law who won men's 200m bronze at last year's World Under-20 Championships.
Beer said she wants to run "super-fast" times in Honiara as she prepares to stake a claim at the 2024 Olympics.
The selection takes Australia's team size up to 53 as it looks set to send a 80-strong delegation to the Games.
Oceania tennis competition
The Oceania Nations Cup defending champions and last year's finalists made it through to the last four in both the men's and the women's competition.
This includes the Tahiti and Samoa men's teams and the Fiji and Samoa women's teams.
The remaining semi-finalists include the Fiji and the Tuvalu men's teams and the Tahiti and the Cook Islands women's teams.
There have been some incredibly tough matches throughout the week highlighted by the Tahitian women upsetting the hosts and number one seeds from Samoa.
The semi finals are being played on Friday.
Fijiana loses to Japan
The Fijiana women's rugby team lost 29-24 to Japan in Oita at the weekend.
Japan led 19-nil at halftime but the Fijians got back into the game with tries to Teresia Tinanivalu, Evivi Senikarivi, Adita Miliana and Mere Naivosa.
Fijiana coach Inoke Male said they have the chance to redeem themselves in the second Test this coming weekend.
The side is preparing for the World Women's XV Challenge for tier 3 nations in Dubai next month.
French Polynesia boxing
The newly-formed French Polynesian National Boxing Federation has joined the breakaway amateur body for the sport, World Boxing.
Denmark, Panama, and Mongolia are also part of the latest cohort to affiliate to the body, which was formed in April.
Inside the Games reports the French Polynesian National Federation has received approval from its National Olympic Committee and Sports Ministry, although its athletes compete under the French flag at the Olympic Games.
It is the third Oceanian member of World Boxing following New Zealand and Australia.
World Boxing is seeking recognition from the International Olympic Committee.
Since World Boxing's formation, the IOC has taken the unprecedented step of banishing the ruling International Boxing Association from the Olympic movement following a deterioration in relations under its Russian president.
Tonga and Solomon Islands got the OFC U-16 Women's Championship 2023 off and running in Papeete, Tahiti. 14 September 2023 Photo: Oceania Football Confederation
Tonga downs Solomon Islands U16 women's
A spectacular five-goal performance from Tamaa Faletau inspired Tonga to an impressive 5-1 win over Solomon Islands in the opening match of the Oceania Under-16 Women's Championship in Papeete, Tahiti.
Faletau gained her hat-trick before the break, and added two more in the second half.
Solomon Islands had some reward for their endeavours in the 74th minute when substitute Gracester Kini scored.
In yesterday's other match, New Caledonia and hosts Tahiti fought out an entertaining goalless draw at Stade Pater.