May 19, 2019

Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon Martin's mother, says she's running for office

Rebecca Falconer

Sybrina Fulton. Photo: Earl Gibson III/Getty Images

Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed black teenager fatally shot by then-neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, is running for office in Florida, the Miami Herald first reported Saturday.

Details: Fulton, who became an anti-gun violence activist after her 17-year-old son's death in 2012, said she would launch a bid for the Miami-Dade County Commission. 

Why it matters: Martin's death at the hand of Zimmerman, who was acquitted of all charges in Martin's shooting, became one of the most heated controversies in American society. It triggered a wave of protests and served as the launching pad for the Black Lives Matter movement.

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Sara Fischer

Older candidates take the lead on social media

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

Michael Bloomberg, Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden — all close to 80 — are pushing the boundaries on social media, while their younger Democratic presidential rivals are comparatively staying out of the fray.

The big picture: President Trump's unexpected rise to political power has shown Democrats and world leaders the power of harnessing popular internet culture to get elected.

Go deeperArrow10 mins ago - Politics & Policy
Axios

South Korea and Italy step up emergency measures as coronavirus cases jump

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins, the CDC, and China's Health Ministry. Note: China numbers are for the mainland only and U.S. numbers include repatriated citizens.

The novel coronavirus has spread to more nations as South Korea and Italy step up emergency measures in their countries amid rising case numbers on Sunday.

The big picture: COVID-19 has killed at least 2,462 people and infected almost 79,000 others, mostly in mainland China. South Korea increased the infectious disease alert to red, the highest possible, as its case numbers jumped to 602 and the death toll to five. Italy's government announced emergency measures, with several towns in the north effectively placed in lockdown, as it confirmed two deaths and infections rose to 79.

Go deeperArrowUpdated 4 hours ago - Health
Axios

Bernie Sanders wins Nevada caucus

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders waves to supporters at a campaign rally on Friday in Las Vegas. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Sen. Bernie Sanders is projected to handily win the Nevada Democratic primary caucus, becoming the clear frontrunner among 2020 Democratic presidential primary election candidates.

Why it matters: Nevada is the first state with a diverse population to hold a nominating contest, highlighting candidates' abilities to connect with voters of color — particularly Latino voters.

Go deeperArrowUpdated 4 hours ago - Politics & Policy