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Two Americans have been killed while fighting in Ukraine, the US State Department has confirmed.The department didn’t reveal the identities of the US citizens fighting Russian forces but told The Daily Beast that they are in contact with their families.No additional details on the deceased Americans were available as of Wednesday afternoon.Military bloggers supporting Russia claimed on Wednesday in mocking tones that a US “mercenary” had recently been killed in the battle for the city of Bakhmut.“We can confirm the death of a US citizen in Ukraine. We are in touch with the family and providing all possible consular assistance,”...

I caught some of President Biden's Memorial Day Speech on Newsmax earlier today. Like some commentators, I noticed that Mr. Biden seemed a bit angry in at least one part. But I also noticed something strange. As his speech was apparently winding into its last few minutes, and he was discussing things such as the "right to vote" and other points, he said something that seemed oddly placed: "Parenthetically, goodbye taps." I can only surmise that near the end of the teleprompter spool, that had been inserted to remind Biden of what came after he finished, and he said it...

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz has been tapped as a “special guest” at the upcoming Women for America First summit in Miami — as he battles accusations that he paid for sex with women, including an underage girl. The embattled Republican congressman was announced as a headline speaker at the pro-Trump group’s four-day “Save America Summit” beginning Thursday. “Rep Matt Gaetz has been a fearless leader in DC. Few members of Congress have been more willing than Matt to stand up & fight on behalf of President Trump & his America First Agenda,” Women for America First tweeted Tuesday. “We are...

Mike Pence announced on Wednesday that he is launching a new political advocacy group The group says it seeks to advance Trump-era policies and oppose the Biden administration's agenda

When Biden initially announced her appointment, he said she would be in charge of working to return migrants to their home countries. "So this new surge we're dealing with now started with the last administration, but it's our responsibility to deal with it humanely and to – and to stop what's happening," Biden said month. "And so, this increase has been consequential, but the vice president has agreed – among the multiple other things that I have her leading – and I appreciate it – agreed to lead our diplomatic effort and work with those nations to accept re- –...

President Biden has tapped Vice President Kamala Harris

“Thousands of trumpet and bugle players, and other musicians across the nation, are invited to play “Taps” at 3:00 p.m. from wherever they are on Memorial Day to honor America’s fallen heroes. CBS News’s Steve Hartman and retired Air Force bugler Jari Villanueva are joining forces to call upon American musicians to participate in “Taps Across America” as a way to keep the spirit of Memorial Day alive, even as traditional parades and other holiday events are cancelled due to the crisis caused by the Chinese coronavirus. Hartman and Villanueva invite musicians from every corner of America, including music teachers...

After the El Paso and Dayton shootings, Crenshaw expressed his horror at these atrocities. But he took it a step further. In a tweet he stated that “The solutions aren’t obvious, even if we pretend they are. But we must try. Let’s start with the TAPS Act. Maybe also implement state “red flag” laws, or gun violence restraining orders. Stop them before they can hurt someone. https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/838/text” The solutions aren’t obvious, even if we pretend they are. But we must try. Let’s start with the TAPS Act. Maybe also implement state “red flag” laws, or gun violence restraining orders. Stop...

The story and origin of the bugle call known as "Taps" can be found in many versions, including the legend of a son fighting on the opposing side of the Civil War from his father. This legend depicts a Northern boy who was killed fighting for the Confederates. His father, Robert Ellicombe, a captain in the Union Army, came upon his son’s body and found the notes to “Taps” in the pocket of the dead boy’s uniform. When Union General Daniel Sickles heard the story, he had the notes played at the boy’s funeral. While this very short version of...

History Channel Origin of Taps includes the history of Taps and a look at the Broken Note at John F Kennedy's funeral in 1963

A photo that has gone viral while circulating among the online military community shows a man at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, kneeling down on one knee reportedly during the playing of taps, and is sweeping across America, outraging thousands. “Taps” is a bugle call played at dusk, during flag ceremonies, and at military funerals by the United States armed forces and is regularly played at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.Not standing for Taps is incredibly disrespectful.The picture is sparking intense outrage on social media. It is unclear exactly why the man seen in the photo is kneeling...

GLEN ROCK, YORK COUNTY - The naval officer at the center of a debate that has has splintered this quiet town on Wednesday night walked into a packed house and a standing ovation - and a compromise proposal aimed at allowing him to continue to broadcast Taps nightly over a public address system. About 100 Glen Rock residents packed into the borough's ambulance building to lend support to U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Joshua Corney, whose nightly broadcast of the military bugle call over an amplification system has pitted residents of this town against those who want the borough to allow...

More than 1,200 bikers are expected to ride into the Glen Rock area on Wednesday to support a local resident’s daily playing of “Taps.” Riders, who hail from Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, plan to arrive at Freedom Armory in Springfield Township near Glen Rock around 7 p.m., just as July’s Glen Rock Borough Council meeting is getting started, organizer Ryan Walton said. “Taps” will once again be a topic of discussion at the meeting as the council considers the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania’s request to lift the borough’s restriction of the song. The ACLU threatened a federal...

Mel Carter performs the best vocal version of “Taps” that you’ll ever hear.

Republican presidential contender Ted Cruz has tapped former technology executive Carly Fiorina as his running mate in the race for the White House. The Texas senator plans to formally unveil his pick for vice president Wednesday afternoon in Indianapolis. That's according to a Republican with direct knowledge of the plan, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized speak before the official announcement. Cruz is trying to generate momentum for his struggling campaign. GOP front-runner Donald Trump swept primaries in five Northeastern states on Tuesday. Cruz has been mathematically eliminated from winning enough delegates to clinch the Republican...

SIERRA VISTA — The afternoon was bright and a slight wind made it feel like a usual autumn day. The flags of the five services — Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard — fluttered, their services insignias backlighted by the sun. On a table containers were placed holding the cremains of 21 soldiers, a Marine, two sailors, four airmen, a “Coastie” and the spouse of one the soldiers and five American flags, one for each branch of America’s armed forces, which would be symbolically be unfolded and then folded again during the hour-long service.

On June 13 the US Navy will christen a combat ship after gun control proponent and former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. The ship will be called the USS Gabrielle Giffords and will be christened at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, where “Vice President Biden’s wife, Jill, the ship’s sponsor, will break a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow.”

FORT HUACHUCA — Memorial Day is the time to remember those who gave all — their lives — in defending the freedom Americans believe in, Maj. Gen. Robert Ashley told more than 800 gathered at the post cemetery Monday morning. A bright sun created shadows on the ground, as one bird constantly chirped throughout the ceremony, as a slight breeze rustled leaves in the trees

Quite a bit, we learn ...

The proposed 1,200-mile Keystone XL pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta, Canada to Steele City, Nebraska may be the second most famous crude oil pipeline in American history after the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline. One has yet to be built while the other has been operating since 1977, but the two pipelines share a common history marked by environmental controversy in its approval process. The TAPS line, as the Trans-Alaska Pipeline became known as, was proposed in 1969 to move the recently discovered Alaskan North Slope oil to the Lower 48 market via tanker from the Port of Valdez. The Prudhoe Bay oil...