SOCIETY

New Zealand's much awaited National Business Review (NBR) Rich List of 2014 is out. The new rich list has Auckland-based billionaire Graeme Hart at the top. Hart retained his top slot this year too and added more wealth than last year. His wealth is $7 billion, up by $600 million compared to 2013.

Delegates from Pacific Island nations have arrived in Palau to attend the Pacific Islands Forum to discuss climate change, marine life protection and non-communicable diseases. The forum began on July 29 and is expected to last until August 1 with the attendance of observers from the U.S., India and China.

New Zealand is leading the way in developing a plan to end the bid of Japanese whalers from hunting in Antarctic waters. The Kiwi government has urged the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to implement a strict approval of "scientific permits" to delay Japan's next whaling operation in late 2015.

A little girl, who is smitten with her baby brother, became an Internet star after her “crying video” went viral. In the viral video, 5-year-old Sadie can be seen crying and declaring that she does not want her baby brother to grow up.

Japan has wrapped up its whaling campaign in the Pacific with 115 whales caught and killed in its two-and-a-half month operation. It is the second whaling hunt of Japan since the United Nations' international court had ordered Japan to stop catching and killing whales in the Antarctic.

A new scam involving the tragic crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 has gone viral in Facebook. The viral post with the eye-grabbing headline "Watch the MH17 Plane Missile Hit Video Tape in Mobile" attracts Facebook users to click on its link featuring an alleged "live video" of the MH17 crash in Ukraine.

Australia has been ranked one of the best places in the world to live in with the recent United Nations Human Development Report reaffirming the country's position. The 2014 UN Report said Australia ranked second in the world for human development.

On Saturday, July 26, puzzled North York witnesses took to social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube their UFO sighting experience. Mysterious bright lights were spotted flashing over the Yonge St. and Sheppard Ave. neighborhood in Toronto, Canada.

The fatal downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in Ukraine has been called a possible "war crime." According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, the act of shooting down a passenger aircraft is a "violation of international law" and declared every effort will be made to bring the perpetrators to justice "no matter who they are."

The fatal downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in Ukraine has been called a possible "war crime." According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, the act of shooting down a passenger aircraft is a "violation of international law" and declared every effort will be made to bring the perpetrators to justice "no matter who they are."

The 2014 Delta Aquarids meteor shower, which is set to peak on July 28-29, promises a good viewing experience for the interested observers due to the absence of a bright Moon in the night sky. As the Delta Aquarids peak, the Perseid meteor shower begins after the NASA cameras in New Mexico spotted a couple of Perseid fireballs on Sunday, July 27, after Earth entered the stream of debris that the Comet Swift-Tuttle left behind.

Married couple Amy and Ian Hicks found out that their wedding photo has become viral and created the trending Twitter hashtag #westillcoming because of the different story told about the unique image. On Friday, July 25, the couple decided to reveal the true story behind the viral wedding photo to The Washington Post.

A Canadian child was killed after getting hit by a car. The 6-year-old girl died within a couple of days after she had been taken to hospital.

A New Zealand-born soldier was killed in a battle with a group of Hamas gunmen in the southern Gaza Strip. According to reports, Staff Sergeant Guy Boyland, had been planning to return to New Zealand before he and his sister reached the age for mandatory military service in Israel.

New Zealanders are willing to pay the government more tax to protect the country's endangered Maui and Hector dolphins. According to a report by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), the world's biggest international cetacean conservation organisation, a large majority of Kiwis supported the conservation of the dolphins to the point that they were willing to pay for it.

The last three civilian aircraft crashes may be the deadliest in 2014 with the same number of deaths within a seven-day period when compared to all plane crash fatalities in 2013.

The recent and tragic crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 that killed 298 people may have filled the news along with the other aircraft fatalities of TransAsia and Air Algerie but no one has forgotten about the mysterious disappearance of MH370.

A father and his daughter are becoming Internet stars fast because of their viral dance-off video. The shared viral video that can make the viewers smile features the adorable pair dancing to the Ariana Grande hit song “Problem.”

A man's penis was chopped off reportedly due to a case of mistaken identity. Despite the horrific attack, he had declined to file any complaint with the police.

As the bodies of the MH17 victims return to their respective homes, grieving families were shocked to discover that their departed loved ones' belongings have been taken from the crash site in Ukraine.

When it comes to dancing, a viral video proves that age is just a number. An unnamed old man has captured the attention of viewers on the Internet because of the shared video of his dancing moves to the 1950s songs beginning with “Rock Around the Clock” apparently at some social event.

Australian woman Mahassen Issa is facing adultery charges in Lebanon, and her family wants her to go to jail.

As Malaysia Airlines suffers another blow with the aftermath of the MH17 crash over the Ukraine border, Australia said the latest disaster will not affect the ongoing search operations for the lost MH370.

Asylum seekers in an Australia-run detention centre on Christmas Island attempt poisoning to end their lives. The Australian Human Rights Commission has confirmed that there have been multiple suicide attempts and self-harm incidents.

As the world continues to mourn for the family of the passengers aboard that Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, another aviation disaster happened on July 23 near Magong Airport in Taiwan.

Taking pictures or videos using drones may become the next big trend as Tourism New Zealand hires drones to help people record their holiday memories. According to reports, experts predict that drones will become more popular in tourist destinations.

Too much alcohol may have gotten the former Destiny’s Child star into trouble again. Farrah Franklin was reportedly arrested for disorderly conduct. She was arrested for the same charge in the year 2011 as well.

While Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to admit any responsibility for the downing of the Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17, Russian citizens in Moscow have step up to ask for forgiveness through a memorial. The entrance to Moscow's Dutch Embassy has been turned into a memorial as Russians commemorate the victims and some leave signs claiming "Putin is a terrorist."

Jeremy Meeks initially became a viral star for his handsome and sexy Stockton Police Department mug shot that spread online. The “handsome felon” went viral once again but this time for a different reason which is a death hoax article posted on the Huzlers.com Web site.