5 things to know for August 17: USPS, coronavirus, DNC, Russia investigation, Belarus

Uber and Lyft are threatening to shut down services in California this week, but with a drop in ridership from the pandemic, will it really even matter?

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day.

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1. Postal service

Democrats and several state leaders are pushing back on what they see as the Trump administration’s attempt to throttle the US Postal Service to influence the upcoming presidential election. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling on the House to return to Washington, likely next weekend, for an unheard of session during presidential convention season to address the concerns. Democrats also want the new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to testify and address charges that his controversial new policy changes are intended to deliberately slow mail-in voting. At least a half dozen states including Colorado, North Carolina and Virginia are also considering legal action against the Trump administration and the United States Postal Service to stop these changes from going into effect. At DeJoy’s behest, the USPS has slowed delivery, removed high-speed letter sorters and will no longer automatically give priority to mail-in ballots.

2. Coronavirus

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is delaying the country’s parliamentary election by four weeks after a resurgence of coronavirus in the country. Ardern said she made the decision “in the best interests of voters and our democracy,” and with assurance from the country’s Electoral Commission that the country could deliver a safe election on the new date, October 17. Meanwhile, in the US, the chief of staff and deputy chief of staff at the Centers for Disease Control have both voluntarily resigned. The CDC is also contending with President Trump’s unexpected announcement that the agency could deploy teams to assist schools with safely reopening in the fall. Clusters of the disease have already popped up on several college campuses, including the University of North Carolina. At the University of Oklahoma, nine football players have tested positive as the school moves forward with plans to play during the fall season.

3. Democratic National Convention

The Democratic National Convention kicks off today. The completely virtual event will play out among four stage setups in New York City, Los Angeles, Milwaukee and Wilmington, Delaware, and will culminate with the formal nomination of former Vice President Joe Biden and his newly minted vice-presidential running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris. Usually, these conventions are over-the-top affairs with hours of programming, but experts say this year’s scaled-down versions (the DNC will only air two hours of prime-time programming a day) could have a long-term impact on how conventions are held. This week’s convention comes as a new CNN poll reveals Biden’s lead over Trump tightening significantly over the last few months.

4. Russia investigation

We’re learning more about the aftermath of the wide-reaching Russia investigation that concluded last spring. According to the Washington Post, Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee told the Justice Department last July they believed several people close to President Donald Trump, including his son Donald Trump Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner and former adviser Steve Bannon, may have misled them during testimony in the investigation. It’s not clear whether their suspicions led to any further inquiries, or any ongoing investigations. This news comes after Senate Committee chairmen announced this month they had adopted a fifth and final report — yet to be released to the public — which they compiled on Russian interference in 2016.

5. Belarus

Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in the Belarusian capital of Minsk this weekend to demand a new presidential election. The country’s recent contest ended with longtime President Alexander Lukashenko claiming victory amid accusations that he had manipulated the election. His main opponent Svetlana Tikhanovskaya fled the country to Lithuania in the aftermath. What happens next in Belarus is of interest to both the US and Russia. The US would like to see Belarus come out from under the influence of Russia but, as things stand now, that will be difficult. Lukashenko had two calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, and the two leaders agreed to “regular contacts at various levels and the disposition to strengthen allied relations.”

BREAKFAST BROWSE

A man repeatedly punched a shark to save the woman it was attacking 

On a scale of 1 to “repeatedly punched a shark,” how brave are you feeling today?

‘Clueless’ is getting a reboot, with Dionne Davenport as the lead

This is going to be some Grade A nostalgia.

Syracuse University accidentally sends out dozens of acceptance letters 

This news made your Syracuse alumna newsletter writer nervous, and she graduated years ago.

Big food brands like Impossible and Shake Shack really want you to keep eating their stuff while you’re at home 

C’mon, if there was ever a time to flex your cooking skills, it’s now.

New Jersey counties are under quarantine for another reason: invasive bugs known as the spotted lanternflies

It has been (0) days since the last piece of terrifying insect news.

TODAY’S NUMBER

37%

That’s how much homicides in 20 major US cities increased from May to June 2020. The increase is part of a larger spike in violent crimes across the nation as the pandemic rages and pubic confidence in police sinks.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“This is going to be a knock-down, drag-out. And we’re ready.”

Kamala Harris, who also said the Trump campaign will “engage in lies” and “deception” during the presidential race. She made the comments in response to President Trump floating a new conspiracy theory last week about her eligibility to serve as vice president and president.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here >>>

AND FINALLY

2,000 marbles, one machine, plenty of music 

You’ve probably never seen an instrument like this before! (Click here to view)