Though July 4th, the day our incredible country was 'born' is always celebrated with great abandon at the White House, this year's celebration is even more special. That's because in addition to the nation's 238th birthday, today also happens to be first daughter Malia Obama's, sweet sixteen....

While humans tend to shy away from people that don't quite fit their perception of 'normal,' animals are different. Time and again we hear about alliances being formed between the most unusual species. The most recent heartwarming tale comes the zoo in Tbilisi, Georgia where a female rhino named Manuela has bonded with the resident donkeys....

While most of us don't need an excuse to devour one or even a few scoops of ice cream, it is always nice to have one. And what better reason than helping fulfill one's civic duty, which is what United States residents will be doing when they eat the creamy treat this month. That's because July happens to be National Ice Cream Month!...

Shanghai-based Hong Yi or 'Red' as she likes to call herself is known for her unusual and imaginative portraits. Her previous masterpieces include a sketch of Chinese film director Yimou Zhang created with 790 pairs of black, white and grey socks and one of basketball superstar Yao Ming painted with - you guessed it - a basketball! Popular Hollywood actor Jackie Chen was portrayed with chopsticks, while British singer/songwriter Adele's portrait was created with melted candles....

On Friday, June 20th, 29 dogs along with their doting owners came to Petaluma, California to participate in a rather unusual competition - one that seeks out and honors the World's Ugliest Dog'. Now in its 26th year, the contest is one of the biggest attractions at the annual Sonoma-Marin Fair....

On June 8th, 2014, fourteen-year-old Hunter Gandee and his seven-year-old brother Braden, trekked 40-miles to raise awareness about Cerebral Palsy. While that was certainly impressive, what was even more so is that the entire 'Cerebral Palsy Swagger', as the boys called it, was completed with Braden perched on his brother's back. And it is not because the younger boy is lazy, but because the muscular disorder has left him debilitated and unable to walk without help....

On June 19th, a group of animal lovers on a whale watching cruise off the coast of Sydney, were treated to a rare sight - a pod of mammals that included Migaloo, the world's first documented white humpback whale. The gorgeous 55-ton all-white humpback, was sighted with five other whales as they made their annual migration from the Antarctica to the breeding areas off Queensland and Western Australia....

Los Angeles-based alternative rock group OK Go, is one of the few music bands that is more famous for the music videos they put together than their actual songs. They first captured the attention of fans in 2006 with a video of their single 'Here It Goes Again', in which they sang the song whilst dancing on fast-moving treadmills....

For people that live in the Northern Hemisphere, Saturday, June 21st, will appear to be one of those glorious days when the sun has forgotten to set and depending on where they live, that may actually be true. That's because tomorrow is not just the first day of summer, but also, the longest day of the year....

Soccer, or 'football' as it is referred to in most parts of the world, has been played for over 150 years. While the rules of the game have remained fairly constant since the sport was conceived, the technology on and off the field is becoming increasingly sophisticated....

Artists use all kinds of mediums, ranging from snow and sand to even cups of latte, to show off their creativity. So it is not surprising to hear that New York-based photographer and illustrator Sarah Rosado, decided to pick cereal or to be more precise corn flakes, for her creations....

On June 11th, 2014, world famous Chinese artist Yang Yongchun unveiled his biggest work of art yet - Dubbed 'Rythyms of Youth', the 3D street painting that received two Guinness World Record titles - for the largest and longest street painting in the world - measures an astounding 365 meters long (1,197 feet) and covers 2,600 sq.meters (27,986 sq.feet) of a path on the campus of Nanjing's Communication University of China....

On Sunday, May 25th, 2014, India's Malavath Poorna, became the youngest female to climb to the summit of the world's highest peak - Mount Everest. The 13-year-old girl handily surpassed the previous record holder - Nepal's Nima Chemji Sherpa, who accomplished same feat in 2012, at the age of 16....

With the increasing popularity of text messaging and social media sites like Twitter, which allow limited characters, people have become increasingly innovative with conventional English words. Laugh out loud has transformed into lol and even the simple ok is now better recognized as just k. It is therefore not surprising to hear that HarperCollins, one of the world's largest publishers has decided to start legitimizing the new language by adding it to the 12th print edition of the Collin's English dictionary....

For those of us who believe that all ice cubes are created equal, here is some enlightening news - They are not. At least that's what the folks at California's Gläce Luxury Ice Co, would like us to believe. The Davis-based company asserts that the ice cubes they manufacture are healthier and last longer than the ones that we pop in our drinks on a daily basis. In addition the company also claims that their ice cubes do not leave behind an after-taste in drinks, like regular ones do....

A Chinese farmer is making headlines all over the world thanks to his unusual mode of transport - a motorized suitcase! The steerable scooter-suitcase that weighs 15lbs when empty, is powered by a rechargeable lithium battery and can carry two passengers for up to 60km (37-miles) at a maximum speed of 20km/h (12mph)....

From May 15th to June 15th, Muscovites seeking entertainment have a unique option - vocal, dance and even stand up comic performances by some of the world's most advanced robots. Called 'Ball of Robots', the month-long event at the city's Artplay Center features over 20 skilled robot entertainers from countries all around the world, including Canada, United States, Japan, France and New Zealand....

Anyone that has attempted to build a free-standing Lego tower knows how difficult it is to keep it from toppling over. So it is not surprising to hear that the elementary students in Budapest requested a team of official Lego builders from Denmark to help them build one that would surpass the existing record holder - a 112-ft 11-inch tower constructed in August 2013, by students from John Dickinson High School in Wilmington, Delaware....

This has been an exciting year for the 89-year-old Scripps National Spelling Bee. First there were the Missouri kids that exhausted the spelling list and had to have a rematch and now, two finalists who pulled off the same impossible feat in National Harbor, Maryland. This time around there was no second round. Instead, both were declared winners....

Looking for an excuse to chow down warm gooey donuts? Then you are in luck because Friday, June 6th, happens to be National Donut day. Since the only way to celebrate this important holiday is by eating the sweet rings, you really have no choice but to devour a few or even a few dozen!...

First there was the Milwaukee Zoo that provided their primates with iPads - complete with free apps and games and now, Smithsonian's National Zoo that has equipped their otters with a keyboard so that the animals can show off their musical talent....

For most kids, the end of a school year means the opportunity to start creating a back-to-school shopping list that includes amongst other things, a new backpack. However for many students in rural India where parents can barely afford school fees, owning even one backpack is a luxury that very few can indulge in....

The annual 'Cheese Rolling' in Gloucestershire, England, has to be amongst the most hilarious events in the world. As the name indicates, it involves contestants running or as is normally the case, tumbling down a steep 200-meter incline in pursuit of an 8lbs wheel of Double Gloucester cheese....

While pigeons can be a nuisance, they tend to scatter away when humans get too close. However the one encountered by Central-Linc Elementary school principal Vanessa Nasset and teacher Rob Freistadt on May 22nd, was different....