Game 9 of the 12 Games of Christmas: Chocolate Factory

Associated Press
Crew of NASA's earthbound simulated Mars habitat emerge after a year
The crew of a NASA mission to Mars emerged from their craft after a yearlong voyage that never left Earth. The four volunteer crew members spent more than 12 months inside NASA's first simulated Mars environment at Johnson Space Center in Houston, coming out of the artificial alien enviroment Saturday around 5 p.m. Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell and Nathan Jones entered the 3D-printed habitat on June 25, 2023, as the maiden crew of the space agency's Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog project.
AFP
Israeli protesters push for Gaza truce as war enters 10th month
Israeli protesters blocked roads in Tel Aviv for a second day on Sunday, demanding the government secure a hostage deal with Hamas as the Gaza war enters a 10th month.Flag-wielding demonstrators stopped traffic at an intersection in Tel Aviv, calling for elections and for the government to do more to free remaining captives in Gaza.
AFP
French voters turn out in number, as far right eyes power
French voters turned out in number on Sunday for the second round of a historic election that is expected to leave the far right as the biggest force in a deeply divided parliament.At midday, according to interior ministry figures, some 26.63 percent of voters had turned out for the high-stakes poll -- the highest number at that time since 1981.
CNN
Beryl is expected to regain strength and slam into Texas as a hurricane, marking the first US landfall of the Atlantic season
Tropical Storm Beryl will strengthen as it tracks toward the Texas-Mexico border this weekend, bringing a risk of damaging winds, life-threatening storm surge and dangerous flooding to Texas beginning late Sunday. It will mark the first US landfall storm of the 2024 Atlantic season. Here’s the latest:
USA TODAY
Most Americans who vow to leave over an election never do. Will this year be different?
As voter anxiety rises ahead of a divisive election, there are signs that more Americans are taking a more serious look at the exits.
Reuters
Could Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump in November's presidential race?
She worries Republican donors, has name recognition, and Democratic Party heavyweights are beginning to line up behind her. Vice President Kamala Harris would be President Joe Biden's natural successor if he bowed to growing pressure and stepped aside as the Democratic candidate in the 2024 election, top Democrats say. Now party donors, activists and officials are asking: Does she have a better chance than Biden of beating Donald Trump?
Associated Press
Rafah is a dusty, rubble-strewn ghost town 2 months after Israel invaded to root out Hamas
Two months ago, before Israeli troops invaded Rafah, the city sheltered most of Gaza's more than 2 million people. Bedrooms and kitchens are visible from roads dotted with rubble piles that tower over the Israeli military vehicles passing by. Israel says it has nearly defeated Hamas forces in Rafah — an area identified earlier this year as the militant group's' last stronghold in Gaza.
Associated Press
Israeli protesters block highways, call for cease-fire to bring back hostages as war marks 9 months
Marking nine months since the war in Gaza started, Israeli protesters blocked highways across the country Sunday, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step down and pushing for a cease-fire that could bring back hostages held by Hamas. The demonstrations come as international mediators have renewed efforts to broker a deal, with Hamas over the weekend appearing to have dropped a key demand for an Israeli commitment to end the war, according to Egyptian and Hamas officials who spoke to The Associated Press. The war, triggered by the Palestinian militant group following a cross-border attack on Oct. 7, saw 1,200 people killed and 250 others taken hostage.
USA TODAY
California now forces credit cards to assign special code to gun stores as16 states ban it
Credit card companies can now assign a unique code to firearms sellers known as the merchant category code. California requires it, Florida bans it.
Associated Press
A Ukrainian drone triggers warehouse explosions in Russia as a war of attrition grinds on
A village in western Russia’s border region was evacuated Sunday following a series of explosions after debris from a downed Ukrainian drone set fire to a nearby warehouse, local officials said. Gov. Aleksandr Gusev said that falling wreckage triggered the “detonation of explosive objects." Roads were also closed with emergency services, military and government officials working at the scene.
Reuters
Democracy is in bad health, Pope Francis says
Democracy is not in good shape, Pope Francis said on Sunday, urging politicians to shun populism and instead work together to build stronger societies and tackle voter apathy. The 87-year-old pope was in the northeastern city of Trieste for a flying visit -- his fourth trip within Italy in just over two months as he prepares for a 12-day journey across Asia in September, the longest of his papacy. Speaking at an annual Roman Catholic convention on social affairs, the pope said many people felt excluded from democracy, with the poor and the weak left to fend for themselves.
CNN
Death Valley sets a new daily record with a searing 128 degrees as West Coast heat wave drags on
Extremely dangerous heat is dragging on in the West along with heat and humidity in the eastern US.
USA TODAY
Trump's presidency viewed more favorably than Biden's, post-debate poll finds
More than half of voters now approve of Trump's performance as president, despite low ratings when he was in the job.
USA TODAY
Masks are key tool against COVID-19. Should they be banned for war protesters?
Politicians who championed masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 began looking to ban them following protests over the war in Gaza.
USA TODAY
Win for Trump, surprise on abortion: Takeaways from historic Supreme Court term
The Supreme Court's decisions this term affect the presidential election, federal enforcement of environmental rules, gun control and more.
USA TODAY
Tim Scott nice-guy image raises doubts he could be Donald Trump's pick as a bulldog VP
Tim Scott's MAGA transformation has those who know him back home wondering if Trump wants a cheerleader or a hitman for his vice president.
USA TODAY
'Brides are back': What bridal shop spending says about the economy, politics
A school teacher and a restaurant server plan a wedding in a weird economy and fraught election year.
CNN
As a young hitchhiker, he survived a ride with a serial killer. Now he’s telling his story
Steve Fishman was hitchhiking in Connecticut in 1975 when he accepted a ride from a chatty lone man in a Buick. Fishman was stunned a few months later to see the man’s face in news reports saying he’d confessed to a series of rapes and murders.
CNN
French voters head to polls for crucial second round of snap parliamentary election
Voters are heading to the polls across France to vote in the second round of a snap election called by President Emmanuel Macron, who risks losing swaths of his centrist allies in parliament and being forced to see out the remaining three years of his presidential term in an awkward partnership with the far-right.
TODAY
Everything to know about Shark Week 2024 — including how to watch
Here's what to know about Shark Week 2024, including where to watch, the full schedule and details about host John Cena.

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