Dec. 9 (UPI) -- A California highway was left in a sweet and sticky state after a truck fire caused the roadway to become covered in more than 30,000 pounds of melted chocolate.

Dec. 9 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania town's holiday parade was capped off by participants and spectators attempting a Guinness World Record for the largest "Macarena" dance.

Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Days after its claims were rejected by a U.S. federal appeals court, TikTok is asking for a pause on a new law set to take place next month that would ban the social media app unless sold by its parent company.

Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Adam Schiff will get a jump on his term as U.S. senator a few weeks with California Gov. Gavin Newsome appointing him to complete the term currently appointed Sen. Laphonza Butler on Sunday.

Dec. 9 (UPI) -- The world's oldest known wild bird has laid an egg at the estimated age of 74 on a North Pacific island, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.

Postelection analysis shows independent voters grew their share of the vote, split their votes between their choices for president and Senate candidates, and ended up expanding their overall influence in 2024.

Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of president-elect Donald Trump, announced on Sunday night she would step down from her position as co-chair of the Republican National Committee.

Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Merriam-Webster named "polarization" its 2024 Word of the Year on Monday, citing its prominence in describing the political landscape of the 2024 presidential election.

Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Rep. Andy Kim has been appointed to the U.S. Senate by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, following last week's resignation of interim Sen. George Helmy.

Dec. 9 (UPI) -- President Bashar al-Assad of Syria was ousted over the weekend by jihadist-led rebels and has fled to Russia, ending his family's five-decade rule of the Middle Eastern country.