--:-- Korva Coleman: Support for this podcast and the following message come from the University at Buffalo, where researchers have developed an AI-powered handwriting analysis tool to screen for dyslexia and other learning disorders. More at buffalo.edu slash NPR.
--:-- Korva Coleman: Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman.
--:-- Korva Coleman: NPR has learned that President Trump has pardoned dozens of people who were involved in the effort to undermine the 2020 presidential election results.
--:-- Korva Coleman: Among the 77 pardons are former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
--:-- Korva Coleman: Joe Biden won the presidential election in 2020, but Trump has repeatedly, falsely claimed that he did.
--:-- Claudia Grisalos: The Senate has passed a stopgap spending plan after 41 days of a government shutdown.
--:-- Claudia Grisalos: The agreement seeks to reopen federal agencies.
--:-- Claudia Grisalos: The Senate returns today, and NPR's Claudia Grisalos reports several votes are lined up to move the package to the House.
--:-- Claudia Grisalos: A group of Senate Democrats broke ranks to join Republicans to overcome a key first procedural hurdle Sunday to take up the package.
--:-- Claudia Grisalos: New Hampshire Democrat Jean Shaheen, who led the group, argued the plan was the best deal on the table.
--:-- Claudia Grisalos: Waiting another week or another month wouldn't deliver a better outcome. It would only mean more harm for families in New Hampshire and all across the country.
--:-- Claudia Grisalos: The package funds the government through the end of January and includes full appropriations funding plans for some government agencies including Agriculture and Veterans Affairs.
--:-- Claudia Grisalos: It also pauses planned cuts to SNAP and reinstates federal workers laid off during the shutdown.
--:-- Claudia DeSales: In a ruling late last night, a federal appeals court has ordered President Trump to pay the full amount of benefits to people receiving federal food aid.
--:-- Claudia DeSales: These benefits have been interrupted by the federal government shutdown, and it's the latest federal court decision ordering that the benefits be paid.
--:-- Claudia DeSales: Julia LaFontaine runs a food pantry in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
--:-- Claudia DeSales: She says the status of the food benefit program is constantly changing.
--:-- Claudia DeSales: People are experiencing whiplash.
--:-- Claudia DeSales: It seems like the information about The SNAP benefits changes by the hour, by the minute.
--:-- Claudia DeSales: But last night's federal appeals court decision may not be the end of the matter.
--:-- Claudia DeSales: The Trump administration can appeal that decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.
--:-- Jane Araf: Syria's president is scheduled to meet President Trump at the White House later today.
--:-- Jane Araf: Jane Araf reports there are a lot of firsts in this visit.
--:-- Jane Araf: President Ahmad Ashara will be the first Syrian head of state at the White House in almost 80 years.
--:-- Jane Araf: But it's also a big deal because of Shara's own history.
--:-- Jane Araf: He was a former al in Iraq militant leader.
--:-- Jane Araf: A year ago, he had a million-dollar bounty on his head.
--:-- Jane Araf: His fighters toppled dictator Bashar al-Assad last December.
--:-- Jane Araf: And since then, Trump has decided that Shara is someone he wants to deal with.
--:-- Jane Araf: Most sanctions on Shara and Syria have been removed, but there are still some to be lifted.
--:-- Jane Araf: Trump is expected to invite Syria to join U.S.-led efforts fighting the militant group ISIS.
--:-- Korva Coleman: On Wall Street, in pre-market trading, stock futures are higher.
--:-- Korva Coleman: This is NPR.
--:-- Korva Coleman: Soft drink maker Coca-Cola is doubling down on AI-generated holiday ads, and the public does not appear to be accepting it.
--:-- Korva Coleman: Some viewers say the new commercial lacks the warmth of the classics and raises questions about creativity and authenticity.
--:-- Windsor Johnston: Coca-Cola's latest Holidays Are Coming commercial was created with the help of Generative AI, but viewers say the ad looks off, with stiff characters and eerie dreamlike scenes that lack the warmth of Coke ads in the past.
--:-- Windsor Johnston: The company is defending the campaign saying it combines technology with human creativity to celebrate behind givers and spread festive joy.
--:-- Windsor Johnston: Coca-Cola isn't the first brand to test AI in advertising.
--:-- Windsor Johnston: Toys R Us tried it last year and faced similar backlash for its awkward, lifeless look.
--:-- Windsor Johnston: According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, up to one-third of ads are currently generated by AI.
--:-- Korva Coleman: The Food and Drug Administration says parents should stop using some batches of one type of baby formula because of cases of botulism.
--:-- Korva Coleman: The formula is produced by the company By Heart Inc. and is called Whole Nutrition Infant Formula.
--:-- Korva Coleman: Health agencies have found an increase in the number of botulism infections in babies who drank it.
--:-- Korva Coleman: Officials at the company, by heart, say they have recalled two lots of the product, Whole Nutrition Infant Formula.
--:-- Korva Coleman: I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington.
