FBI Issues Election Interference Warning; Obama Takes On Trump; Pope Francis Says Yes To Same-Sex Unions

Where is the threat of militia activity around the election highest? by Korva Coleman and Jill Hudson First Up Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP Here's what we're following today. Tonight is the last debate between President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. [There are loads of questions]( ahead of the event, including whether Trump will actually come to debate Biden or veer off into interruptions and criticisms. Top national security officials announced Wednesday that Iran and Russia have obtained voter registration data and are trying to influence the U.S. presidential election. Senders of the email pretended to be [members of the Proud Boys white supremacist group,]( warning them they’d better vote for President Trump — “or else.” A Senate panel will vote Thursday on Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination. [Democrats plan to boycott]( the meeting and not participate in the vote to send her nomination to the full Senate. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Epsilon rapidly gained major hurricane strength on Wednesday afternoon and is expected to skirt east of Bermuda on Thursday. ([The Associated Press]( The Justice Department announced an $8 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma over the drugmaker’s aggressive marketing of opioid medications, including OxyContin. Purdue and its owners, the Sackler family, have faced hundreds of lawsuits over the company's alleged role in the opioid epidemic that has [killed more than 200,000 Americans](. For weeks, young Nigerians have been protesting police violence and lack of economic opportunity. On Tuesday night in Lagos, [the military shot at them and killed 12 people](. The attack on protesters was also condemned by human rights groups and the spokesman for the United Nations secretary-general, who called for an "end to reported police brutality and abuses." Every day NPR reporters bring you the news you need to make informed decisions. This election season, support the critical journalism on which you and millions of others rely with a donation to your local NPR station today. [Donate now]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Elections 2020 [Former President Barack Obama addresses Joe Biden-Kamala Harris supporters during a drive-in rally Wednesday in Philadelphia.]( Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images Former President Barack Obama stumped for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in Philadelphia on Wednesday, [urging Americans to show up at the polls](. Obama also delivered blistering criticism of his successor, slamming President Trump's response to the pandemic and noting the rising number of cases in the U.S. Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Oregon have the highest risk of seeing increased militia activity around the elections, [according to a new report]( obtained exclusively by NPR. Latinos are the second-largest group of eligible voters by race or ethnicity in the United States, but they continue to be misunderstood and underappreciated by political campaigns of all parties. NPR’s Sam Sanders talks to scholar Lisa García Bedolla about what effective — and respectful — outreach to Latino voters would look like. [Click here to listen](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listen [Lil Baby performs a livestreamed concert on Sept. 2, 2020, as part of the Red Rocks Unpaused festival in Colorado.]( Rich Fury/Getty Images for Visible One of the most popular hip-hop stars alive is 25-year-old Lil Baby. But only four years ago, the rapper — born Dominique Jones — was in prison, had no professional music experience and had no idea that in a few years he’d be famous. [Click here to listen]( or [read the story](. The diabolical ironclad beetle can withstand being run over by a car. Now scientists have figured out what makes its exoskeleton so tough — and that insight could help people build tougher aircraft. [Listen here](. [Pope Francis attends a interreligious ceremony for peace Tuesday in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli in Rome.]( Gregorio Borgia/AP In a departure from his predecessors, Pope Francis has endorsed same-sex civil unions. In a documentary, the Roman Catholic pontiff says “homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family.” [Click here to listen]( or [read the story](. The Vikings were the first Europeans to arrive in North America. They began trading with an Indigenous group — closing the global loop with other trading networks established around the year 1000. [Click here to listen](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [Quibi, which debuted April 6, "was founded to create the next generation of storytelling," founder and board Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg said in the announcement.]( Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images - Mobile-first streaming service Quibi is shutting down [after six months]( of operations. - A Jacob Lawrence painting that’s been missing for decades was last seen in 1960. One woman had a hunch that it had been hanging in her neighbors’ Upper West Side apartment for decades. She was right! The painting will go on public view Thursday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. ([The New York Times]( - Comedian and author Ali Wong shares a list of her top 5 Tiny Desk concerts. Turns out she’s very into [slow jams](. - Dozens of artifacts in Berlin museums have been vandalized. Police don’t know the motive, but German media speculate that [conspiracy theorists who claim the pandemic is a hoax]( may be behind it. --------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]