Good morning from the Financial Times. Today is Monday August 17th and this is your

FT news briefing. Democrats have serious questions for the US Postmaster

General. A vaccine maker argues for what it

calls an ethical margin. And only months after it was Europe's COVID-19 epicenter,

Italy's economy shows signs of life. Plus with most fun

cancelled you'd think chocolate makers would be doing great. What's gone wrong? I'm

Dan Bob Coff in for Mark Filipino and here's the news you need to start your day.

The United States Postal Service issued a dire warning last week, saying that mail-in ballots might not arrive in time to be counted on election day.

That has senior Democrats saying changes at the post office are jeopardizing the November 3rd elections.

Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, and Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader,

won Postmaster General Lewis De Joy to testify before Congress, calling him, quote,

an accomplice in the President's campaign to cheat in the election.

Lawmakers claim changes at the post office are slowing down the mail.

Since Mr. Dejoy assumed the post in June, he has been criticized for dismantling mail sorting

machines, cutting overtime, and removing postboxes.

Some Democrats have called for his resignation.

Ms Pelosi plans to call the House back early from its August recess for hearings on the

post office issues.

Meanwhile, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows accused Democrats of trying to quote,

stoke fear.

But President Donald Trump, down in the latest polls,

has been aggressively trying to so doubt about

...