US News Roundup: U.S. coronavirus cases now over 2 million; One of four Minneapolis police charged and more

Protests 'to change the whole wide world' following Floyd's funeralProtesters will take to the streets across the United States again on Wednesday one day after the funeral of George Floyd, whose death in police custody has ignited the biggest surge of anti-racism activism since the civil rights era of the 1960s.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

One of four Minneapolis police charged over Floyd's death freed on bail

One of the four former Minneapolis police officers who were charged over the death of George Floyd, a black man whose death in custody set off protests for police reform and racial justice, was released on bail on Wednesday. Protests flared for a 17th day early on Thursday with crowds in Portland, Oregon, flooding city-center streets with some activists throwing bottles at police and removing temporary security fencing and using it to block traffic.

U.S. coronavirus cases now over 2 million: Reuters tally

Total U.S. coronavirus cases surpassed 2 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as health officials urge anyone who took part in massive protests for racial justice to get tested. Nationally, new infections are rising slightly after five weeks of declines, according to a Reuters analysis. Part of the increase is due to more testing, which hit a record high on June 5 of 545,690 tests in a single day but has since fallen, according to the COVID-Tracking Project https://covidtracking.com.

Coronavirus spreads among fruit and vegetable packers, worrying U.S. officials

From apple packing houses in Washington state to farmworkers in Florida and a California county known as "the world's salad bowl," outbreaks of the novel coronavirus are emerging at U.S. fruit and vegetable farms and packing plants. A rising number of sick farm and packing house workers comes after thousands of meat plant employees contracted the virus and could lead to more labor shortages and a fresh wave of disruption to U.S. food production.

Protests 'to change the whole wide world' following Floyd's funeral

Protesters will take to the streets across the United States again on Wednesday one day after the funeral of George Floyd, whose death in police custody has ignited the biggest surge of anti-racist activism since the civil rights era of the 1960s. Hundreds of protesters in the west coast city of Seattle filled City Hall into early Wednesday calling for the mayor to resign and for police reforms.

Protesters tear down Christopher Columbus statue in Saint Paul, Minnesota

A group of protesters pulled down a statue of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday, the latest U.S. monument to be torn down amid nationwide demonstrations against police brutality and racial inequalities. The 10-foot bronze statue was pulled from its granite base by several dozen people led by a Minnesota-based Native American activist outside the state Capitol, documented by news photographers and television camera operators.

The U.S. could reach 200,000 coronavirus deaths in September, expert says

The United States may see 200,000 deaths because of the coronavirus at some point in September, a leading expert said, while total U.S. coronavirus cases surpassed 2 million on Wednesday as governments relax restrictions. Ashish Jha, the head of Harvard's Global Health Institute, told CNN in an interview on Wednesday that without drastic action, the number of U.S. deaths would march on.

Democrats challenge the rule that could toss 'thousands' of Arizona votes

Democrats on Wednesday challenged an Arizona rule that they said could result in "thousands" of mail-in ballots not being counted in what could be a critical U.S. election battleground state. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and two allied groups sued the Arizona Secretary of State to allow voters five business days after federal elections to correct ballots that may otherwise have been rejected for not having a signature. Currently, such ballots are not counted.

Gay Pride embraces its roots by teaming up with U.S. black activists

Floats, all-night parties, and parades may be out, but the LGBTQ community is returning to its roots by teaming up with black activists for Pride month celebrations in the United States. While the coronavirus epidemic has forced the cancellation of traditional Pride events in June, U.S. gay groups are using virtual gatherings to amplify the voices of people of color, whose demands for social justice are taking the nation by storm.

LeBron James backs effort to prevent U.S. black vote suppression

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is starting a group with other black celebrities to work to prevent the suppression of the African-American vote, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. James' group, More Than a Vote, will be focused on educating and protecting black voters as well as energizing more to show up at the polls for the Nov. 3 U.S. elections, according to the person who declined to speak publicly about the campaign.

Georgia's election mess offers a stark warning for November

Georgia's tumultuous primary elections on Tuesday offer a grim preview of what could happen in November if states move to vote by mail and polling places is sharply reduced due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. A huge increase in absentee ballots overwhelmed officials and many voters did not receive requested ballots. That forced some to crowd into consolidated polling places on election day, exacerbating the hours-long waits for those voting in person.