GSN: U.S. Freezes Iranian Central Bank Assets

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Daily News on Nuclear, Biological & Chemical Weapons, Terrorism and Related Issues Monday, February 6, 2012

TOP STORIES 2/6/2012 U.S. FREEZES IRANIAN CENTRAL BANK ASSETS President Obama on Monday ordered a freeze on any Iranian government and central bank holdings under U.S. jurisdiction in a step to implement punitive measures enacted against the Middle Eastern state late last year over its possible nuclear-weapon activities, the Associated Press reported. RUSSIA, U.S. EACH COMPLETE 18 NEW START AUDITS The United States and Russia have each conducted 18 audits of the other nation's nuclear sites under a bilateral strategic arms control treaty that took effect one year ago, the highest quantity the pact permits over a 12-month period, the U.S. State Department said on Friday. NATO UNDETERRED BY RUSSIAN CONCERNS ON EUROPEAN MISSILE SHIELD NATO officials at a weekend international security conference sought to minimize Russian worries over a planned European missile shield while emphasizing they would not be deterred in implementing their vision for a continent safe from ballistic missile attacks, the Associated Press reported. NUCLEAR WEAPONS 2/6/2012 RUSSIA MIGHT NEED TO INCREASE NUCLEAR ARSENAL, DEFENSE OFFICIAL SAYS Russia might someday need to increase the size of its arsenal of nuclear weapons to counter developing dangers, Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said on Monday. GERMANY, ISRAEL SIGN DEAL FOR NUKE-READY SUB Israel recently closed a deal to acquire a sixth nuclear-capable submarine from Germany, United Press International reported on Saturday. INDIAN CRISIS TEAMS TO RECEIVE WMD RESPONSE TRAINING Crisis management teams throughout India are to receive training in handling a disaster involving chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear materials, the Times of India reported on Monday. BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS 2/6/2012 PAKISTANI LAB COULD TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT ANTHRAX PACKAGE Pakistani authorities want another examination of a package mailed to the nation's prime minister that initial laboratory analysis said contained anthrax. That finding appears in doubt, the Islamabad Dateline newspaper reported on Friday. CHEMICAL 2/6/2012 LIBYAN ARMY IN \"FULL CONTROL\" OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS, COLONEL SAYS A Libyan Defense Ministry spokesman said last week the nation's new army is in "full control" of the former Qadhafi regime's chemical warfare materials, the Arabic language website al-Sharq al-Awsat reported. OTHER TOPICS 2/6/2012 U.N. RECEIVES INDONESIAN TEST BAN RATIFICATION The United Nations is scheduled on Monday to formally receive Indonesia's ratification document for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Stop blabbing, already." Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, calling on senior government officials to cease making public statements about the potential for the nation to attack Iran's nuclear facilities.

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