Hey there! It’s Thursday, and I’ve watched so many suspenseful movies during this pandemic that I think I could be a life coach. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. FBI director says Biden is the target of Russian disinformation

FBI Director Christopher Wray told federal lawmakers today that Joe Biden is the primary target of a “very active” Russian disinformation campaign because he is seen as antagonistic to Moscow’s interests.

Wray said the disinformation campaign uses social media as well as “proxies, state media, online journals” and other resources to raise skepticism about the Democratic candidate. Wray said the FBI recently warned Facebook about fake accounts linked to Russia, and the social media company removed them.

Wray also said U.S. intelligence agencies have so far not seen evidence that Russia is targeting election systems like in 2016. [NPR]

Meanwhile, Dan Coats, who formerly served as President Donald Trump’s national intelligence director, urged Congress in an op-ed to create a bipartisan panel to reassure voters about the integrity of the election.

After The New York Times published Coats’ op-ed, Trump again tried casting doubt on the integrity of the upcoming election, falsely saying delays in election results would be caused by “unsolicited ballots.”

Election experts say results will likely be delayed because of an expected surge in mail-in ballots that will take time to count, not because of “unsolicited ballots.” [New York Times]

2. Drugmaker shares plans for determining safety and effectiveness of coronavirus vaccine

As questions mount over whether election politics have infiltrated the search for a vaccine, biotech company Moderna today released information about how it is conducting late-stage trials, which help determine how well a vaccine works.

Moderna indicated it may take until March or May for the company to gather enough information from the trials to determine the safety and effectiveness of its potential vaccine. [New York Times]

Several potential vaccines are currently being tested. The New York Times has this informative vaccine tracker that shows the status of all vaccines that have reached trials in humans. [NYT]

Meanwhile in Illinois, coronavirus cases appear to be decreasing. State officials today reported 2,056 new coronavirus cases and 25 additional deaths. You can find more information about the state’s numbers here. [WBEZ]

3. Firefighters make progress against West Coast wildfires

Authorities in California and Oregon delivered good news that efforts to contain or diminish wildfires are making some progress.

In California, more than 17,000 firefighters have helped beat back blazes or put them out, said a spokesman for the state’s fire agency. The August Complex, one of the worst wildfires, was 30% contained. And for the first time in weeks, a record-long air quality warning was lifted in the Bay Area.

But meteorologists warn dry weather conditions could cause fires to spread. [New York Times]

Meanwhile, Hurricane Sally has weakened to a tropical depression, but it still threatens to bring flooding to Georgia and South Carolina. [NPR]

Here’s a guide on how you can help people affected by the two disasters hitting opposite ends of the country. [New York Times]

4. New jobless claims fell, but unemployment remains historically high

Another 860,000 unemployment claims were filed last week, according to figures released today by the Labor Department. That’s down from the previous week’s 884,000 claims.

But the numbers signal the economic recovery remains fragile and is still at risk for a double-dip recession, especially if Congress and the White House can’t reach an agreement over more federal relief, some economists say.

“Failure on the part of policymakers to enact another fiscal relief package poses significant downside risks to the economy and labor market as the recovery appears to be losing momentum,” wrote Nancy Vanden Houten, a senior economist at Oxford Economics. [AP]

Meanwhile, a new study found more Americans are shifting to freelance work in order to survive. [NPR]

5. Federal officials considered using a “heat ray” on protesters near the White House, whistleblower says

Before federal police officers forcibly removed protesters from Lafayette Square in early June, federal officials sought a so-called heat ray to use on demonstrators, according to an Army National Guard major who was on the scene.

Major Adam DeMarco of the D.C. National Guard told federal lawmakers that officials with the Department of Defense asked for a long range acoustic device, which is a type of sound cannon, and an Active Denial System, a device designed by the military to make people feel like their skin is burning.

DeMarco’s comments come amid a congressional investigation into tactics used to clear Lafayette Square on June 1 before President Trump walked through the empty park to St. John’s Episcopal Church, where he gave remarks and held up a Bible. [NPR]

Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney General William Barr recently urged federal prosecutors to charge violent protesters with sedition, a highly unusual charge that’s brought against people who conspire to overthrow the government.

Barr also asked prosecutors to consider whether to charge Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan for allowing residents to claim a police-free protest zone. [New York Times]

Here’s what else is happening

• A day after the Big Ten announced plans to go ahead with this season, 42 players and staff members with the Wisconsin Badgers football team tested positive for COVID-19. [Chicago Sun-Times]
• Illinois gamblers threw down nearly $62 million in sports bets since sports wagers began in March. [Chicago Sun-Times]
• Lincoln Park Zoo’s annual ZooLights festival is still happening, but you’ll have to pay $5. [Chicago Tribune]
• The first volume of former President Barack Obama’s memoir, A Promised Land, comes out Nov. 17. [AP]

Oh, and one more thing …

Do you have a lot of dollar bills and a burning desire for a T. rex skeleton? Christie’s will auction off a giant skeleton, nicknamed Stan, on Oct. 6 — and it’s estimated to fetch up to $8 million.

Stan the T. rex is 37-feet long and “one of the fiercest killing machines that has ever roamed the earth,” James Hyslop, who heads Christie’s science and natural history department, told the AP. Stan’s remains were discovered in 1987 in the Cretaceous Badlands, which spans Wyoming, Montana, and North and South Dakota.

Stan is one of the most intact T. rex skeletons, though the Field Museum’s Sue is considered to be the most complete. (Chicago! Chicago!) [AP]

If you don’t have $8 million for your own T. rex, you can rent a skull from the Field Museum. Just bring a truck and $200. [WBEZ]

Tell me something good …

It feels more and more like fall with each day. So I’d like to know: What are you most looking forward to about autumn?

Mia writes:

“What I’m looking forward to most about fall is Halloween. While I’m sure they won’t have trick-or-treating, my almost 4-year-old is super excited to make the outside of our house as scary as possible. (Last year we actually frightened some would-be trick-or-treaters away.) I just love putting the spider webbing up, hanging the bats, etc., and imagining that All Hallow’s Eve really does open the door between ordinary life and the supernatural.”

Erin Doyle writes:

“My favorite part of autumn is revisiting this Onion masterpiece!”

And Kathleen Lawlor writes:

“I’m looking forward to fall’s bluer blues and warmer hues over our beautiful city’s landscapes and lake.”

What are you looking forward to this fall? Feel free to email at therundown@wbez.org or tweet to @whuntah.

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