Trump's War Powers Cut, ChatGPT Health, & Smartphone Usage

News without the noise

Adam Rogers
January 09, 2026

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The Senate voted 52-47 on Thursday to advance a bipartisan resolution blocking President Trump from using more military force in Venezuela without prior congressional approval. Five Republicans joined all 47 Democrats in response to Trump's military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro last week.
The procedural vote sets up a full Senate vote next week that is expected to pass. However, the resolution is unlikely to become law as it requires House approval and Trump's signature.
Senate GOP leaders opposed the measure, with Majority Whip John Barrasso calling the Maduro capture "a law enforcement operation" and arguing the resolution "makes America weaker." Republicans voting yes included Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Todd Young, Josh Hawley, and Rand Paul.

OpenAI announced ChatGPT Health on Thursday, a separate tab within ChatGPT designed for health-related questions with a dedicated chat history and memory. The company encourages users to upload medical records and connect wellness apps for personalized responses.
The product is not intended for diagnosis or treatment and is not HIPAA compliant, as it operates as a consumer product rather than a clinical service. OpenAI does not use end-to-end encryption, though conversations aren't used to train AI models by default.
ChatGPT has provided dangerous health advice in the past, including a case where a man was hospitalized after allegedly following advice to replace salt with sodium bromide. The service is currently on a waitlist.

US Education Secretary Linda McMahon granted Iowa a first-of-its-kind waiver, allowing the state to use more than $9 million in federal funds without usual restrictions and letting school districts waive federal rules without seeking approval each time.
McMahon said the change would reduce paperwork and allow the state to invest directly in priorities such as teacher development, closing achievement gaps, and expanding postsecondary pathways.
The move reinforces the Trump administration’s effort to limit the federal role in education, even as state and local agencies already provide about 90% of public school funding nationwide. The Education Department is reviewing similar waiver requests from roughly six other states.

President Trump ordered the US to withdraw from 66 international organizations on Wednesday, including U.N. climate and population agencies. (More)

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled free child care for the city's 2-year-olds on Thursday. The plan is expected to cover 2,000 children in its first year. (More)

Rep. Steny Hoyer, the former No. 2 House Democrat who served in Congress for decades, announced Thursday he will retire at the end of his current term. (More)

Cambodia arrested Chinese tycoon Chen Zhi, wanted by the US for running a multibillion-dollar cyberscam using trafficked workers in prison-like compounds, and extradited him to China. (More)

Iran shut down the internet in Tehran and other cities on Thursday as crowds answered an exiled prince's call for coordinated protests. (More)

French farmers drove tractors into central Paris on Thursday to pressure their government to block an EU trade deal with Brazil and four other South American countries. (More)

US stock markets closed mixed on Thursday (S&P +0.01%, Nasdaq -0.44%, Dow +0.55%). The Dow finished higher as investors rotated out of tech stocks. (More)

The US trade deficit dropped 39% in October to $29.4 billion, its lowest since 2009. (More)

The IRS announced Thursday that tax filing season begins January 26, when it starts accepting 2025 individual returns. (More)

Miami beat Ole Miss 31-27 on a final-minute touchdown by quarterback Carson Beck in the College Football Playoff semifinal. (More)

US snowboarder Chloe Kim dislocated her shoulder in a training fall in Switzerland, threatening her bid for a third straight gold medal at next month's Winter Olympics in Italy. (More)

Disney announced Australian actor Teagan Croft and "Zombies" star Milo Manheim will star in a live-action remake of "Tangled," the 2010 animated Rapunzel film. (More)

A Science study found that rare gifted dogs learn toy names by overhearing owners talk, matching their learning from direct teaching and mirroring how young children acquire words. (More)

United Health Foundation's annual rankings of all 50 states found New Hampshire is America's healthiest state, while Louisiana ranks last, based on 99 health and socioeconomic measures. (More)

Scientists found 10 minutes of intense cycling releases blood molecules that repair DNA and slow colon cancer genes in lab tests. (More)

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US students spend over an hour on smartphones during school.

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