"Flag man" delivers American flags to fallen soldier services

ESTHERVILLE, Iowa — One man is crossing state lines to pay tribute to fallen US soldiers.

Larry Eckhardt is called the "flag man" and collects American flags. He brings them to services for fallen soldiers.

It started seven years ago at a service where he was shocked by the limited number of flags flying.

"I just assumed there would be flags everyplace. Then, I got to thinking about it and realized there's no town out there that can afford to have enough flags," said Eckhardt. "This is just my way of saying thanks."

He and a team of volunteers help set up more than 2,000 flags at services across ten states.Expelled Russian diplomats have left the country’s embassy in London. It is part of sanctions imposed by UK PM Theresa May last week following claims of Moscow’s involvement in the poisoning of ex-double agent Sergei Skripal.

A video provided by the Ruptly news agency shows several vehicles leaving the territory of the diplomatic mission on Tuesday. Last week, London ordered 23 Russian diplomats to leave the UK by March 20. According to the country’s envoy, Alexander Yakovenko, the family members of the expelled staffers are also being forced to leave Britain.

A Russian Il-96 plane has been dispatched to the UK to pick up the expelled diplomatic staff. The flight took to the skies from London Stansted Airport at about 16:00 GMT, carrying the 23 diplomats and their families –