UNVERIFIED REPORT OF IRAN THREATENING CLOSURE OF BAB AL‑MANDEB; ANOTHER STRATEGIC CHOKEPOINT
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EXCLUSIVE | THE WAR ROOM IN TEHRAN HAS DECIDED THAT IF THE ENEMY SEEKS TO ESCALATE TENSIONS, THE CLOSURE OF ANOTHER STRATEGIC CHOKEPOINT—BAB AL‑MANDEB—WILL BE ADDED TO THE CLOSURE OF THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. - IRAN MILITARY MONITOR ☫ ...
America’s bees and beekeepers are losing a valuable ally just when they need its help most.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to soon close the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, a 6,500-acre agricultural research station in Maryland that is home to the nation’s premier bee research and disease diagnosis hub, the Beltsville Bee Research Lab.
The closure comes at a critical moment for bees. In winter 2025, many beekeepers lost over half their operations as pesticide-resistant varroa mites spread, bringing deadly viruses. The losses have led to low honey production, and soaring fuel costs have made shipping bees cross-country for agricultural pollination increasingly expensive, further stressing the industry.