27 August 2021
First lady Jill Biden released her first statement on the U.S. withdrawing from Afghanistan and Thursday's attack in Kabul Friday afternoon.
Why it matters: In her role as first lady, Biden has prioritized military-focused initiatives. She said the attack in Kabul, which killed at least 13 U.S. troops, "left us with the stinging reality of the ultimate sacrifice you are willing to make."
- "Afghanistan has been woven through your life ... You watched loved ones board a plane to Kabul or Kandahar, and wondered if you’d ever see them again. Too many of you lost a piece of your heart forever there. This mission is personal to you, and you have shouldered its enormous weight," she said.
- "We’ve seen service members sharing water and food with Afghan children waiting at the Kabul airport. We’ve seen military families welcoming Afghan refugees home to the United States with donations and friendship."
"As our mission in Afghanistan comes to an end, you may be experiencing many emotions. Know that my heart is with you as you navigate what comes next for your family, your community, and our nation. You are not alone."
The big picture: Biden, whose stepsons served in the U.S. military, has long supported military initiatives, dating back to her days as second lady.
- She announced the next chapter of the Joining Forces initiative, which supports U.S. military families, in April.
- The relaunch of the program focuses on military family employment and entrepreneurship and intends to provide child care for families in need.
- Biden and former-first lady Michelle Obama led the Joining Forces initiative during the Obama administration.
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.