China passes Hong Kong "patriot" election law that removes opposition
30 March 2021
China's government on Tuesday passed a new law overhauling Hong Kong's electoral system, which is designed to ensure only "patriotic" figures can run for positions of power.
Why it matters: Critics argue the law effectively marks the end of democracy in the Asian financial hub as it gives the ruling Chinese Communist Party control of elections, with all opposition removed from the legislature, per the BBC.
Details: "In the new make-up, the legislature will be expanded to 90 seats, and only 20 will be elected by the public," AP reports.
- Before the law was enacted, 35 lawmakers of of the 70-seat legislature were directly elected.
What to watch: Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed after the changes were proposed earlier this month to "follow through on sanctions" against "those responsible for committing repressive acts" in the former British colony, which previously enjoyed a high degree of autonomy.
Editor's note: This a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times
Section2Newly released transcripts of bodycam footage from the Minneapolis Police Department show that George Floyd told officers he could not breathe more than 20 times in the moments leading up to his death.
Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.
The state of play: The transcripts were released as former officer Thomas Lane seeks to have the charges that he aided in Floyd's death thrown out in court, per the Times. He is one of four officers who have been charged.
- The filings also include a 60-page transcript of an interview with Lane. He said he "felt maybe that something was going on" when asked if he believed that Floyd was having a medical emergency at the time.
What the transcripts say:
- Floyd told the officers he was claustrophobic as they tried to get him into the squad car.
- The transcripts also show Floyd saying, "Momma, I love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead."
- Former officer Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, told Floyd, "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."
Read the transcripts via DocumentCloud.