WORLD

Mermaids made it to the headlines in May 2013 after Animal Planet ran a hit mockumentary called "Mermaids: The New Evidence." Many viewers thought the YouTube promo video was for real. Now the same mythical creature can be hired for your theme parties for under $2,000 - if you're in Malaysia.

It was 50 years ago when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr first delivered the “I Have A Dream” Speech right at the Lincoln Memorial.

Current nuclear-crisis embattled Japan, along with Ukraine, are set to hurtle into space a satellite that's specifically designed to monitor the amounts of radiation emitted by global nuclear power plants, such as that of the crippled Fukushima of 2011 and Chernobyl of 1986.

Occurrences of worldwide flooding has cornered the bulk of global insurance claims for the first half or six months of the year 2013, according to preliminary data released by Switzerland-based reinsurance giant Swiss Re on Wednesday.

At least 19 areas in the Philippines' Luzon region have been put in a state of calamity following the onslaught of rains and floods brought by a Storm Trami-intensified southwest monsoon.

Here are some helpful tips on how you can help not just your loved ones from emergency situations but also your furry babies.

Tropical storm Maring (international name: Trami) may already be pressing the panic buttons of most residents in the Philippine capital of Metro Manila, but state weather forecasters continued to pacify the Filipino populace that the rains it dumped was still far off compared from those dumped by the fatal 2009 typhoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana).

The Philippine government was forced to suspend offices and classes in 14 provinces, including in the capital Metro Manila, as tropical storm Maring (international name: Trami) maintained its strength and continued to enhance the southwest monsoon early Monday. The state forecasting weather agency has advised the 14 provinces to brace for severe flooding.

Some said it sounded like a huge thunderstorm. Others said it was like snapping popcorn. But one thing is for sure. The 100-foot sinkhole in Florida awakened all vacationers at the Summer Bay Resort in Orlando, Florida.

The 2013 Perseid meteor shower has astounded numerous sky gazers from around the world during its peak activity on August 11 and 12. The weekend may have offered a good meteor shower display for many witnesses who were able to capture images and share their viewing experience but the Perseid meteor shower is predicted to continue lighting up the night skies until it fades out on August 24.

To update you with the latest record attempts which made it this 2013, here is a good list of the most interesting ones that will capture your attention.

While waiting for Comet ISON’s near-Earth approach in December, spectators can witness first a stunning display coming from the 2013 Perseid meteor shower. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) describes the annual space event as the “best meteor shower of the year” and it is set to peak during the nights of August 11 and 12.

Trending, viral memes circulating social media channels could soon send netizens to jail. Philippine senator Nancy Binay has proposed the Electronic Violence Against Women (E-VAW) Law of 2013, a bill against "electronic violence." On Facebook, social media users referred to the bill as anti-meme, a retribution to those who had mocked the senator through memes during the campaign.

Manufacturers of Russian vodkas stand to suffer potential losses after the global LGBT movement has unilaterally decided to ban the type of alcoholic drinks from gay bars in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's crackdown against the sector in his home country.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) officially released the dazzling image of the 2013 Comet ISON that Hubble Space Telescope was able to capture last April 30, 2013. The image shows Comet ISON speeding its way close to planet Earth with a visible tail and spectacular background.

'In the Way' guy is not "ridiculously photogenic" or "unimpressed." But he is the latest star in the funny viral memes circulating the social media sites via Reddit today. Thanks to him, photobombing reaches a whole new level. Have you seen him yet on Facebook, Twitter?

Still reeling from the devastating floods in June, China has been struck again with another catastrophe. On Monday, China's western Gansu province was hit by two earthquakes, killing 89 and injuring more than 500 people. Authorities feared the death toll could go up as about 1,200 buildings had collapsed and tens of thousands more badly damaged.

Here are the photographs that shocked the world.

Here are the photographs that shocked the world.

A picture is worth a thousand words. The most shocking pictures are worth much more.

It may sound sappy, but the bond between a mother and her children run thicker than blood even. But what happens when mothers turn killers of their own children? One such high profile case has been the brutal murder of Keisha Abraham by her own mother, Kristi. And it wasn't just the murder but the cover-up story that Kristi concocted to get away scot-free that has made her one of Australia’s most hated mothers.

Six years ago, a girl named Talia Castellano was diagnosed with cancer and interest in makeup helped in distracting her from the ailment. Unfortunately, the 13-year-old bubbly girl who became a YouTube sensation as a makeup guru lost the battle with cancer and passed away on July 16 with family and friends surrounding her.

Google decided to celebrate the 66th anniversary of the Roswell UFO incident in a fun way with the creation of an interactive Google Doodle. The black-and-white Google Doodle video game allows the Internet users to aid an alien search for the missing parts of his spaceship.

A Dallas, Texas gym teacher named Dale Irby caught the attention of social media Web sites when pictures of him surfaced wearing the same clothes for 40 years in the school yearbook. The 63-year-old Prestonwood Elementary school teacher unintentionally wore the same collared disco shirt with V-necked brown tank top in two successive yearbook photos, and his wife, Cathy, dared him to do it again for the third time.

In 2011, a 3-year-old girl named Iris Halmshaw from Leicestershire was diagnosed with autism. The child is unable to speak due to the neural development disorder but she can express feelings through her impressive painting skills.

Members of the Warwick University Rowing Club have a busy schedule that comprises of studying, training for competitions and posing nude to a calendar photo shoot for a good cause. A portion of the raised money will go to the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation that fights against homophobia and bullying.

Teenager Zara Hartshorn has been living a life comparable to Brad Pitt’s character in the film “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” because she is only 16 years old but looks 60. Zara, her sister Jolene and mum Tracey suffers the rare genetic disorder Cutis Laxa that causes skin to become inelastic and loosely hanging in folds which explains the premature ageing.

The 2013 Supermoon lit up the night sky over the weekend and worldwide viewers who were able to capture images of the spectacular phenomenon shared in on the internet. Those who were not able to witness the Supermoon, web site Space.com offers a free webcast on Sunday at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 June 24, Monday) courtesy of the Slooh Space Camera.

It was supposed to be a regular maintenance workday for 49-year-old Stephen Schmidt and 26-year-old Victor Carballo, two New York City window washers, over 500ft high at Hearst Tower Manhattan until their tolerance for high places was put to the test. The men were stuck for 90 minutes on the platform that suddenly collapsed before the rescue team saved them.