Polar (Vortex) Express in Illinois, Senate Mulls Unemployment Extension, Obama Wants End to Iraq Military Authorization: P.M. Links

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  Warner Brothers

  Hundreds of passengers were stranded overnight on three Amtrak trains in Illinois due to snow drifts. They were rescued today and sent to Chicago, which may well be just another form of frozen torture.

• The Senate advanced another extension of unemployment benefits, but even if it passes it has a much tougher challenge in the House, as Republicans want cuts elsewhere to offset the costs and other concessions.
• The Environmental Protection Agency wants to force wood stoves to reduce their emissions by 80 percent by 2019. The rules won't affect existing wood stoves.
• President Barack Obama endorses the repeal of the Authorization for Use of Military Force that permitted the war in Iraq, a White House official said today. After all, he clearly doesn't believe drones count anyway.
• The former NBA players who have joined Dennis Rodman in North Korea are now expressing a little doubt about their decisions, as Rodman's diplomatic skills with the media are a touch lacking.
• Iran has declined to participate in upcoming Syrian peace talks in Switzerland.

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