Apr 11, 2019

Australia's election: 5-week sprint for the top job

Blue skies ahead? Opposition leader Bill Shorten addresses the media from a backyard in Melbourne. Photo: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, of the conservative Liberal Party, has called a general election for May 18. He'll face off against Bill Shorten of the opposition Labor Party.

Where things stand: Morrison starts a few points back in the polls. His pitch to voters is that Labor would endanger strong economic growth. Whoever wins might not last long. Australia has had a revolving door of prime ministers in recent years — Morrison is the 5th since 2013.

Climate change is expected to play a role after a year of extreme weather events.

Health care, education and jobs are also on voters' minds. And immigration is also a factor. Morrison, a former immigration minister, is associated with a crackdown on asylum seekers.

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Axios

Updated 34 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 9 a.m. ET: 5,840,369 — Total deaths: 361,066 — Total recoveries — 2,439,310 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 9 a.m. ET: 1,721,926 — Total deaths: 101,621 — Total recoveries: 399,991 — Total tested: 15,646,041 — Map.
Public health: Hydroxychloroquine prescription fills exploded in March.
Business: Many poor and minority families can't afford food or rent.
2020: Trump courts Asian American vote amid coronavirus — The RNC issued proposed safety guidelines for its planned convention in Charlotte.
Vaccine: How the U.S. might distribute a coronavirus vaccine once we have one.
What should I do? When you can be around others after contracting the coronavirus — Traveling, asthma, dishes, disinfectants and being contagious — Masks, lending books and self-isolating — Exercise, laundry, what counts as soap — Pets, moving and personal health — Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — How to minimize your risk.
Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it, the right mask to wear.

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Mike Allen, Ursula Perano

Updated 58 mins ago - Politics & Policy

In photos: Protests over George Floyd's death grip Minneapolis

The Third Police Precinct burns in Minneapolis on Thursday night. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Demonstrators demanding justice burned a Minneapolis police station and took control of the streets around it last night, heaving wood onto the flames, kicking down poles with surveillance cameras and torching surrounding stores.

What's happening: The crowd was protesting the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man whose life was snuffed out Tuesday by a white Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on his neck for about eight minutes.

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Kendall Baker

2 hours ago - Sports

European soccer's push to return

A Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munchen in an empty stadium. Photo: Alexandre Simoes/Borussia Dortmund via Getty Images

European soccer made a splash Thursday, with two of its biggest leagues announcing official return-to-play dates in June.

Why it matters: Soccer is the world's most popular sport, so watching its return through the lens of various leagues, countries and cultures — all of which have been uniquely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic — is illuminating.

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