Latest news with #USCapitol
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Time of India
Memorial Day 2025: Is it a holiday in the US? What's open and what's closed?
Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, falls on the last Monday of May. It's a day to honor those who have died serving in the military. It began in the aftermath of the Civil War when people decorated the graves of fallen Union soldiers with flowers. Over time, it expanded to commemorate all those who died in service to the nation. This year, Memorial Day is set to be observed on Monday, May 26. What is Memorial Day? Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate Union soldiers who died during the Civil War. Over time, the observance expanded to honor all U.S. military personnel who have died in service. The day is marked by various ceremonies, including the National Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 p.m. local time, when Americans are encouraged to pause for one minute to honor the fallen. American flags are flown at half-staff until noon to show respect. Communities across the nation host parades, memorial services, and other events to honor fallen service members. Notable events include the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C., and the Memorial Day concert at the US Capitol. These gatherings provide an opportunity for reflection and collective remembrance. Is Memorial Day a holiday in the US? Memorial Day 2025 is a federal holiday in the United States. Established as a federal holiday in 1971, Memorial Day serves as both a solemn day of remembrance and the unofficial start of the summer season. What's open and what's closed on Memorial Day 2025? What's open? Retail stores: Most major retailers, including Walmart, Target, and Kmart, will be open. However, Costco will be closed on Memorial Day. Restaurants and bars: Many will operate with regular or holiday hours, though it's advisable to check with local establishments for specific timings. Gas stations: Generally open, but some may have reduced hours. Public transportation: Service availability varies by city. In major metropolitan areas, transit systems may run on a holiday or weekend schedule. Airports: Open, but expect increased travel volume. It's recommended to arrive early for flights due to potential congestion. What's closed? Federal government offices: All non-essential federal offices, including the U.S. Postal Service, will be closed. Banks: Major banks such as Bank of America, Citibank, Wells Fargo, and Chase will close their branches. Online and mobile banking services remain accessible. Stock markets: The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will be closed. Trading resumes on Tuesday, May 27. FedEx and UPS: Most services are suspended. FedEx Custom Critical and UPS Express Critical services remain operational. Schools and libraries: Closed across the country. 'Do Whatever You Want': Iran Roars At Trump; Won't Surrender Nuclear Program | Watch
NDTV
12-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Video: US Politician Shows Secret Passageway Under Lincoln Room In Capitol
North Carolina Representative Tim Moore has posted a video showing a secret tunnel underneath the US Capitol. The tunnel has its entrance from the Lincoln room, which used to be the House's post office during former president Abraham Lincoln's time in office, according to a report in The New York Post. Sharing the video on the social media platform X, the Republican leader wrote, "Come with me to see one of the hidden secrets of the Capitol!" He added, "The Lincoln Room is one of my favourite spots to bring visitors - when President Lincoln was serving in the House, he sat by the fireplace in this room to read his letters, but the most interesting part of the room is underneath the floorboards." Come with me to see one of the hidden secrets of the Capitol! The Lincoln Room is one of my favorite spots to bring visitors — when President Lincoln was serving in the House, he sat by the fireplace in this room to read his letters, but the most interesting part of the room is… — Congressman Tim Moore (@RepTimMooreNC) May 9, 2025 He said, "You can see there's a passageway. These were old stairs that used to be here but were closed off. Believe it or not, my big self [has] actually gotten down and more importantly, out of this hole," he added. Mr Moore said the secret room's construction started in the 1700s, adding the Capitol still had all sorts of little hidden passageways. Talking about the tunnel, he said, "I'm told, and I can't verify this ... it's one of the staircases British soldiers used when they breached the Capitol during ... 1814 when they actually attacked Washington." Footage of the Lincoln Room's secret staircase showed signatures, most likely from legislators and other people who wished to add their names to the historic passage. Mr Moore said the secret tunnel takes you out of the US Capitol. When the Capitol building was first constructed, the House of Representatives met in Statuary Hall, which is now a gallery featuring statues of famous Americans and is adjacent to the Lincoln Room. President George Washington placed the foundation stone for the Capitol Building in 1793. However, it got completed only in 1826 because it was set on fire in 1814 by the British soldiers during the War of 1812.
News.com.au
12-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Viral video shows secret passage under floorboards of US Capitol
Viral video just posted by a US rep shows a secret tunnel nestled under the floorboards of the US Capitol that, according to legend, was stormed by British soldiers in the War of 1812. Congressman Tim Moore (R-NC) showed off the tunnel's entrance in the Lincoln Room, which used to be the House's post office during the Civil War president's time in office, and explained that it is one of his favourite features to point out on tours, the New York Post reports. 'Construction started in the 1700s, and there are all sorts of little hidden passageways' in the Capitol, Moore explained in a video on his X account. 'As you saw, I just pulled this cover up, and you can see. 'You can see there's a passageway. These were old stairs that used to be here but were closed off,' he said. 'Believe it or not, my big self [has] actually gotten down and more importantly out of this hole.' The secret tunnel leads outside the US Capitol building. During the early days of the Capitol building, the House of Representatives convened in the space next to the Lincoln Room, Statuary Hall, which is now a gallery with statues of iconic Americans. 'I'm told, and I can't verify this … it's one of the staircases British soldiers used when they breached the Capitol during … 1814 when they actually attacked Washington,' he said of the tunnel. The Capitol Building was commissioned in 1793, and President George Washington laid down the cornerstone of the iconic building that year. British soldiers had set fire to the US Capitol and torched the White House during the 'Burning of Washington' in the War of 1812, which erupted over maritime rights and other disputes. The war ended in 1815. Construction of the Capitol was eventually concluded in 1826. Mr Moore noted that the Lincoln Room is one of his favourite places in the legislative complex to take tours through and emphasised its history, including the fact that Lincoln used to read letters by the fire there. Footage of the hidden staircase in the Lincoln Room revealed signatures, presumably from lawmakers and others who wanted to put their names on the historic passage.
Fox News
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Congressman reveals hidden secret passageway from America's founding under Capitol floorboards
Under the floorboards of the U.S. Capitol lie hidden staircases and passageways left over from the iconic building's original construction in the 18th century, a viral video posted by Republican North Carolina Rep. Tim Moore shows. "Construction started in the 1700s and there are all sorts of little hidden passageways. As you saw, I just pulled this cover up, and you can see," Moore said in a video posted to his official congressional X account on Friday, showing a secret door in the floor of the Capitol. The U.S. Capitol's construction was commissioned in 1793, with President George Washington laying the cornerstone that same year. The original building was completed in 1826, with various expansions made across the decades, such as a visitor center that opened in 2008. Moore took viewers inside the Capitol's Lincoln Room, which he said is one of his favorites to show visitors to Washington, D.C., noting it's where Abraham Lincoln would sit by a fire and read letters when he served as a congressman representing Illinois from 1847-1849. "But the most interesting part of the room is underneath the floorboards," Moore posted to X. The North Carolina Republican opened a hidden door on the floor, revealing a dusty and historic staircase leading to what appeared to be another room below. "We're just off of what's called Statuary Hall, which at one time was the actual House chamber.… But this is just an example of some of the little hidden secrets in the Capitol," Moore said. The lawmaker added that he heard through Capitol building lore that the staircase under the Lincoln Room was used by British soldiers in the War of 1812 to set fire to the historic building. Known as the "Burning of Washington," British soldiers in August 1814 set fire to the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Navy Yard and the White House – which was then known as the Presidential Mansion – before storms put out the fires and military personnel were called to D.C. to defend it from British forces. The War of 1812 ended in 1815. Moore's tour of the secret staircase comes as President Donald Trump prepares to kick off America's 250th anniversary of its founding on July 4, 2026. Trump signed an executive order just days after his inauguration this year detailing how his administration will prepare for the massive celebration, including launching a White House task force, building monuments celebrating the nation's founding and historical leaders, and protecting monuments from vandalism following such attacks during the riots and protests that swept the nation in 2020. The Army will hold a 250th anniversary of its founding next month with a planned parade that will stretch from Arlington, Virginia, to the National Mall.
Boston Globe
07-05-2025
- Boston Globe
Where to go when you need an escape
Send questions or suggestions to the Starting Point team at . If you'd like the newsletter sent to your inbox, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT I remember Jan. 6, 2021, quite vividly, but not because of the attack on the US Capitol. It sticks in my mind because I was staying in a treehouse in the wilds of New Hampshire. It was just as fantastic as it sounds. During the day I'd ski. The mountain had virtually no cell service. A few text messages managed to get through, but they made little sense. Later that night, as I shimmied out of my thermal underwear and warmed up with hot chocolate, I managed to connect to Wi-Fi and realized I had missed something historic, unprecedented, and tragic. The world had changed, and I had no idea what had occurred. Truth be told, I'm grateful I was able to sit that one out. Advertisement We spend days getting push notifications about trade wars and stock market plunges. If we aren't fretting about our 401(k) plans or the latest climate disaster, then we're reading about the death of our favorite television characters (no spoilers here!). Back in the 1980s, folks could escape their daily troubles by filling a bathtub with bubbles and pleading, 'Calgon, take me away.' Advertisement These days, we need something stronger than Calgon. Sometimes, a physical getaway that involves leaving a cellular coverage area helps, and I have ideas. Even if my suggestions don't get your travel bug chirping, think about the beauty of occasionally getting away, even if it's just for an afternoon. West Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Plainfield, Mass. Sometimes hiking trails sound like a good place to escape into nature, but then you find yourself backpack-to-backpack with others who had the same plan. An easy fix is to go west, as in Western Massachusetts, where the trails tend to be less cluttered. The West Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary in Plainfield is 1,800 acres of wilderness with an easy-to-navigate 2-mile trail. Eastern Townships, Quebec Westman Islands, Iceland If you're seeking solitude, there's plenty of places to find it in Iceland. Outside of Reykjavik and away from the tourist-laden Golden Circle, you can go hours, or longer, without encountering another soul. My preferred place to escape in Iceland is the AMC Maine Woods International Dark Sky Park Advertisement By definition, dark sky reserves are devoid of people, otherwise light pollution would get in the way of star gazing. The AMC Maine Woods International Dark Sky Park is the first and only in New England, and on a clear night it feels as if the galaxy is at your fingers. AMC has three lodges where you can stay to enjoy the more than 75,000 acres of largely uninhabited forest in central Maine. Just try getting a decent cell signal here. VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver The Vancouver skyline and mountains, as seen from Queen Elizabeth Park. Christopher Muther/Globe Staff You don't need to be a botanist to see why the 55-acre 5151 Oak St., 604-257-8463. Torres del Paine National Park, Chile A view of the mountains in Torres del Paine National Park in Magallanes, Chile, as seen from the Hotel Rio Serrano. One of the best decisions I've ever made while travelling was skipping a famous guided hike in Read more: If you're flying domestically and haven't yet gotten a REAL ID, you Today's REAL ID deadline 🧩 5 Down: | 🌦️ 70° POINTS OF INTEREST By Ian Prasad Philbrick Michael Misa could be Boston's top target in this year's NHL Draft. Kevin Sousa/Getty Boston and Massachusetts Karen Read trial: An investigator Steward Health Care: One year after the hospital system declared bankruptcy, the state's US senators called for the Justice Department Signal issue: The state Senate's budget would give the MBTA Luck of the draw: The Bruins will pick seventh in the NHL Draft next month. Here are Trump administration US-Canada tensions: At the White House, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada ' Truce: The US will stop bombing Yemen's Houthi rebels after they agreed to stop attacking American ships, Trump said. The Houthis suggested they would keep targeting Israel, which bombed Yemen's main airport yesterday. ( Targeting students: Appeals court judges The t-word: 93 percent of recent S&P 500 company earnings calls Politics of art: The National Endowment for the Arts began Trump vs. Harvard: Some major Harvard donors, including those who have buildings named after them, want the school to Legal challenge: Brown, MIT, and other universities Fox in the henhouse: Vinay Prasad fiercely criticized an FDA unit that regulates vaccines and gene therapies. Now he'll run it. ( The Nation and the World Flying circus: Delays continued at Newark airport after air traffic controllers briefly lost contact with planes last week. ( India vs. Pakistan: India launched missiles into Pakistani-controlled territory, retaliating after militants killed tourists in a part of the disputed Kashmir region. Pakistan fired shells back, calling India's strikes an act of war. ( The next pope: Cardinals in Vatican City are beginning the conclave, a closed-door gathering to select Pope Francis's successor. ( Germany's new leader: Friedrich Merz, who leads a center-right party, became chancellor. ( BESIDE THE POINT ❤️ Love letters: Their relationship is over, but she hasn't moved out. Is it okay Advertisement 📱 Brave old world: More people are ditching their smartphones to spend less time on their screens. ( 🏠 House of your heart: A waterfront estate in Hyannis that Taylor Swift once owned is on the market for $14.5 million. 🚀 Blast from the past: Cosmos 482, a 53 year-old Soviet spacecraft that failed to reach Venus, is set to crash back to Earth as soon as today. ( 😱 They're baaaack: After 17 years underground, Brood XIV cicadas 🏎️ Vroom: Lego built 10 life-sized, drivable Formula 1 cars — each made from about 4 million of its toy bricks. ( 🎤 Case dismissed: Listen to a bonus episode Thanks for reading Starting Point. This newsletter was edited by ❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at ✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can 📬 Delivered Monday through Friday. Christopher Muther can be reached at
