MS Allure of the Seas is an Oasis-class cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. The Oasis class are the largest passenger ships ever constructed, and Allure is 50 millimetres (2.0 in) longer than her sister ship Oasis of the Seas, though both were built to the same specifications. Designed under the name “Project Genesis”, she was ordered from Aker Finnyards in February 2006 and her construction began at the Perno shipyard, Turku, Finland, in February 2008. She was named in May 2008 after a contest was held to name her and her sister. The keel of Allure of the Seas was laid on 2 December 2008, shortly after the shipyard had been acquired by STX Europe.

For a long time the laws of Canada have explicitly banned gambling in any form. This may be the reason why the country does not have so many gambling establishments as the USA - but their quality surely makes up for the quantity. The first Canadian casino was opened in Dawson City, Yukon, in 1972 - it was the first one after gambling has been banned in the country in 1892. The Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Casino did not operate for long, though. The first permanent commercial casino was opened in 1989, and it was the first of many - there are currently 75 casinos operating on Canadian soil.

Nowadays, crossbreeding and gene splicing are creating things that would never have occurred in nature. Thanks to gene splicing, modern man can witness mice that glow in the dark, goats that produce milk which is then used to make bulletproof vests, and even cows that produce milk that is almost identical to human breast milk. One of the latest feats of human genius is the creation of Thompson and Morgan. By combining the genes of tomatoes and potatoes they were able to create a “TomTato”, which is essentially a plant that grows tomatoes and potatoes at the same time. With creations such as this, the world’s hunger problem may be resolved in a few decades.

People wrapped in blankets sit on the road as they are evacuated from a hotel after an earthquake in Kumamoto, southern Japan, in this photo taken by Kyodo April 14, 2016. A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 knocked over buildings in southern Japan on Thursday evening, and police said people may be trapped underneath. (Photo by Reuters/Kyodo News)

Migrants scramble aboard a train at the station in Beli Manastir, Croatia September 18, 2015. Migrant numbers in Europe will build up in coming days and their flows may fragment further into new routes, the U.N. refugee agency said on Friday, urging the European Union to grasp a last chance to resolve the refugee crisis next week. (Photo by Laszlo Balogh/Reuters)

“Check out this praying mantis totally bossing a trek through the Borneo jungle – on the back of a snail. Yes, it may not be the fastest mode of transport for the discerning traveller, but at least the green chap isn't getting his feet wet. The slightly sinister sight was captured by snapper Nordin Seruyan in central Borneo”. – Sara C. Nelson via Barcroft Media. (Photo by Nordin Seruyan/Barcroft Media)

A baby Jack Russell and Chihuahua mix has defied the odds by surviving despite its tiny size and being abandoned by its mother. The owners of named the puppy “Miracle” and have taken over the feeding and care of the baby after its four siblings passed away shortly after being born. Owner Kayley-May Coles, age 10, said, “Everyone thinks she is absolutely beautiful. My friends absolutely love her. My teacher thought she might be the smallest dog ever to be born. She is just perfect”.

A 15-year-old girl denied a horse from her parents has turned to a cow to fulfil her riding dreams. Teenager Regina Mayer, from southern Germany, is able to ride her cow, Luna. She has even trained her bovine pet to soar over a beer-crate hurdle like a regular show jumper. Why, you may well ask, when most cow-owners are surely content to let the creatures chew and lactate and sit down to indicate the imminent arrival of rain? Well, Regina's parents wouldn't let her have a horse.