US Domestic News Roundup: Caravan of Georgia activists to hold rally for slain black jogger; CDC reports 1,412,121 coronavirus cases, 85,990 deaths and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

CDC reports 1,412,121 coronavirus cases, 85,990 deaths

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday reported 1,412,121 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 27,191 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 2,043 to 85,990. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4 pm ET on May 14, compared with its count a day earlier.

In patchwork restart, parts of New York and other U.S. states reopen

Less populated areas of New York, Virginia and Maryland took their first steps towards lifting lockdowns on Friday, part of a patchwork approach to the coronavirus pandemic that has been shaped by political divisions across the United States. Construction and manufacturing facilities in five out of 10 New York state regions were given the green light to restart operations, although New York City, the country's most populous metropolis, remained under strict limits.

House passes $3 trillion coronavirus aid bill opposed by Trump

The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday narrowly approved a $3 trillion bill crafted by Democrats to provide more aid for battling the coronavirus and stimulating a faltering economy rocked by the pandemic. By a vote of 208-199 Democrats won passage of a bill that Republican leaders, who control the Senate, have vowed to block despite some Republican support for provisions aimed at helping state and local governments.

Fearing COVID-19, biggest U.S. university system makes fall term virtual

As uncertainty about the spread of COVID-19 continues, the biggest university system in the United States decided this week to make fall term classes virtual, one of the first to do so, amid fears of a second wave of infections in the month ahead. California State University said almost all classes across its 23 university campuses would be online at least until the end of the fall term. Programs such as the maritime academy, which holds classes aboard a training ship, may be among a handful of exceptions. The Cal State university system serves 482,000 students.

Trump fires State Department inspector general in latest broadside against watchdogs

U.S. President Donald Trump fired State Department Inspector General Steve Linick late on Friday, with the ousting leading to heavy criticism from senior Democratic lawmakers, including House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Trump said in a letter to Pelosi that he no longer had confidence in the inspector general's ability to serve, though he did not give the reason for his loss of confidence.

New York to join neighbor states in opening beaches for Memorial Day: governor

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Friday the state would join New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware in reopening beaches for the Memorial Day weekend, aiming to prevent people from crossing state borders for a respite from the coronavirus lockdown. The move is part of a broader loosening of restrictions in New York, which gave the green light on Friday to five of 10 regions outside urban areas to start reopening their economies, starting with construction and manufacturing work.

Caravan of Georgia activists to hold rally for slain black jogger

A caravan of cars packed with protesters will trek from Atlanta to the small coastal community of Brunswick on Saturday to rally for a young black jogger killed by two white men who chased him down and shot him because they thought he was a burglar. Video of the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, 25, ignited outrage among activists who saw his death as the latest U.S. case of white perpetrators killing a black man and going unpunished. The father-and-son suspects were not arrested until weeks after the shooting, and just days after the video surfaced online.

Across U.S., students in lockdown celebrate graduations virtually with celebrity guests

Graduation ceremonies are a rite of passage in the United States, a chance to don a scholarly cap and gown and celebrate with friends and family another stage of school completed. But the graduates of 2020 are having to seek other ways to mark this milestone, with the majority of the population still under coronavirus-related lockdowns and school and college campuses closed.

U.S. employers wary of coronavirus 'immunity' tests as they move to reopen

U.S. employers have cooled to the idea of testing workers for possible immunity to the coronavirus as they prepare to reopen factories and other workplaces. Blood tests that check for antibodies to the new coronavirus have been touted by governments and some disease experts as a way to identify people who are less likely to fall ill or infect others. Italian automaker Ferrari NV has made antibody testing central to its "Back on Track" project to restarting factories.

Georgia woman arrested over U.S. Medicare fraud on coronavirus testing

A Georgia woman was arrested on Friday for allegedly bilking Medicare - the U.S. health insurance program for Americans over age 65 and the disabled - by submitting fraudulent claims related to coronavirus testing and genetic cancer tests, the U.S. Justice Department said. The case against Ashley Hoobler Parris, 32, of Lawrencevile, Georgia, marks one of the first Medicare fraud cases in connection with billings for COVID-19, the sometimes deadly illness caused by the novel coronavirus.