On February 13th in Political History
Part VIII
Part VIII
On February 13th in 2009 - US envoy Richard Holbrooke held key talks in Afghanistan aimed at stepping up the fight against a Taliban-led insurgency that the top US intelligence chief warned was escalating.
On February 13th in 2012 - President Barack Obama sent Congress a new budget that seeks to achieve $4 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade through cuts in government spending and higher taxes on the wealthy. At the same time, he wants to boost spending in key areas such as transportation and education.
On February 13th in 2012 - Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law a measure that makes his state the seventh to legalize same-sex marriage, effective June 7. Opponents almost immediately filed a referendum to challenge the new law, meaning voters likely will have the final say.
On February 13th in 2012 - General Electric Co. said it plans to hire 5,000 US military veterans over the next five years and to invest $580 million to expand its aviation footprint in the US this year.
On February 13th in 2013 - Britain’s Foreign Office has summoned the North Korean ambassador over Pyongyang's nuclear tests. Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire warned ambassador Hyon Hak Bong that North Korea faces "increasing isolation and further action" unless it engages with the international community. "I call on the North Korean regime to act in the best interests of its people and to choose the path they really want,” Swire said after the meeting, adding that amid reports of “widespread hardship and human rights abuses, the priority must be the health and welfare of North Korean people.”
On February 13th in 2013 - Iran started installing a new generation of uranium enrichment machines at its Natanz nuclear site last month, the Iranian atomic energy organization chief said. “From last month the installation of the new generation of these machines started in the Shahid Ahmadi Roshan complex (Natanz),” Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani was quoted as saying by ISNA news agency. The UN nuclear watchdog said that Iran had announced plans to install and operate advanced uranium enrichment machines in what would be a technological leap.
On February 13th in 2013 - The Afghan Defense Ministry has welcomed US President Barack Obama's decision to bring home half of the 66,000 American troops in Afghanistan over the next 12 months. Afghan troops will fill the "vacuum" caused by the withdrawal of 34,000 US troops, Defense Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Zahir Azimi said on Wednesday. Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s office earlier said he and Obama had discussed strengthening and equipping the Afghan forces. A pending security agreement will determine whether the US soldiers will remain after most foreign troops leave at the end of 2014.
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