Author: TMC Palau
The world’s least populated sovereign states share a common pattern: small land area, geographic isolation, or unique political status combine to keep numbers low. Pacific island nations dominate, alongside three European microstates and two Caribbean island countries. Vatican City sits at the top of every list of this kind despite being a UN observer rather than a full UN member state, because it is the only fully sovereign country measured in hundreds of residents. Below are the ten least populated countries in the world, ordered smallest to largest, using United Nations 2025 mid-year population estimates (UN World Population Prospects 2024…
The upgrade is part of ongoing efforts to modernize and centralize aviation education. [Photo: SUPPLIED] A steady increase in demand for skilled aviation professionals across Fiji has prompted a renewed focus on specialized training as the sector grows alongside tourism and regional connectivity. In response, the Fiji National University launched the Pacific Centre for Aviation Studies at its Nadi campus last night. Formerly the Department of Aviation Studies, the Centre has been upgraded to align with evolving industry requirements and strengthen Fiji’s position as a regional aviation training hub. The Centre will introduce specialized sub-courses to strengthen technical capability and…
Fans turned up to support Moana Pasifika as they fought hard at home in their last Super Rugby Pacific game for 2026. Photo: RNZ/Coco Lance Analysis – Miracles do happen. That’s what Moana Pasifika has continued to believe in. Against the Reds at home in Albany this afternoon, a miracle almost happened, the home side falling 33-31 at the end after a last try by the Reds. Since the revelation that the franchise would wrap up their stint in Super Rugby Pacific at the end of the current season, a number of interested parties have been in discussions with Pasifika…
Mexico beat Ghana 2-0 in Puebla on Friday in a World Cup warm-up that offered a glimpse of the excitement building less than three weeks before the country opens the tournament. While Puebla is not among Mexico’s World Cup host cities, fans in green shirts created a lively atmosphere throughout the night. Repeated Mexican waves rolled around the stadium despite visible empty sections closed under FIFA sanctions linked to discriminatory chants at previous national team matches. Brian Gutierrez set the tone immediately, curling home from the edge of the box after two minutes at Cuauhtemoc Stadium.Article continues after advertisement Teenage…
[File Photo] Fiji Airways men’s sevens player Apete Narogo has signed with French Top 14 club RC Toulon, making the 23-year-old winger’s switch to 15s official ahead of the new phase of his career. Narogo joins Toulon as the club continues to rebuild following a disappointing 2025–2026 season that has already seen them miss out on playoff contention with two rounds remaining in the regular season. The former sevens talent will add pace and finishing ability to Toulon’s backline as he prepares for his Top 14 debut in the Var-based side. His move follows a growing trend of Fiji sevens…
[Source: Fijian Drua/Facebook] The boys will step up for Kitione Salawa in his 50th appearance for the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua when they face the Western Force tonight, says head coach Glen Jackson, who believes the milestone will inspire a strong team performance. It’s a special moment for the flanker, who has been reflecting on his journey from the early days of the franchise based in Lennox Head during the COVID-19 period, to becoming a key figure in the Drua forward pack. “My favourite memory at the Drua was when we were in Lennox Head during COVID-19. It was just…
Fans turned up to support Moana Pasifika as they fought hard at home in their last Super Rugby Pacific game for 2026. Photo: RNZ/Coco Lance Miracles do happen. That’s what Moana Pasifika has continued to believe in. Against the Reds at home in Albany this afternoon, that miracle almost happened, the home side falling 33-31 at the end after a last try by the Reds almost on time. Head coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga has repeatedly said in his many media interviews since revelation, that the franchise club would wrap up their stint in Super Rugby Pacific at the end of…
Melvin Mani produced a moment of magic in the dying stages to hand Labasa FC a thrilling win over Rewa in their Extra Premier League clash this afternoon at Subrail Park. Labasa took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Peniasi Rotidara found the back of the net in the first spell. Rewa responded strongly after the break, with Kavaia Rawaqa leveling the scores early in the second half. But with the match heading towards a draw, Mani stepped up with a classy back-heel finish in the final minutes to seal a memorable victory for the Babasiga Lions.Article continues after advertisement…
Source: Entertainment Weekly At least one moment on the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood set was no fairytale. Director Quentin Tarantino admonished his star Brad Pitt during the making of the 2019 film, actor Bruce Dern recalled in an interview with PEOPLE at the Cannes Film Festival. The ’60s-set dramedy about Leonardo DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton trying to make a comeback in the entertainment industry features a scene in which Pitt’s Cliff Booth (Dalton’s stuntman) comes to visit Dern’s George Spahn, the owner of a ranch where movies were once filmed that has been taken over by the Manson Family.…
Overview: A remote atoll in the Marshall Islands, once home to families displaced by U.S. nuclear testing, is now offering scientists a rare glimpse into how marine ecosystems recover after decades without human activity. An international expedition led by National Geographic Pristine Seas is surveying the isolated waters of Ujelang Atoll, where returning seabirds, seagrass beds and untouched reefs may reveal new insights into ocean resilience and conservation. MAJURO, 20 MAY 2026 (PMN)—A remote atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, once linked to forced displacement caused by American nuclear testing, is now the focus of a major international…