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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Fri Oct 6 2023

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

A voice for Iranian women

A handout photo provided by the Narges Mohammadi Foundation on Oct. 2, 2023 shows an undated, unlocated photo of Iranian rights campaigner Narges Mohammadi.

The 2023 Nobel Peace Prize is announced.

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to imprisoned activist Narges Mohammadi for fighting the oppression of women in Iran. Also in the news: Deeply-fractured House Republicans need to wrangle 218 votes to select a new speaker. We have a recap of the Chicago Bears' long-awaited victory against the Washington Commanders.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Don't miss the ''ring of fire'' this month.

Here are the stories to know this Friday.

Iran human rights activist Narges Mohammadi wins Nobel Peace Prize

Imprisoned Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian awarding committee announced Friday. The committee said Mohammadi won for "her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all." Mohammadi's designation for the honor comes just over a year after the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman killed in the custody of Iran's morality police. And the fight for gender equality in Iran continues: A 16-year-old girl is currently in a coma after she was not wearing a headscarf while boarding a Metro train in Iran's capital. Activists abroad have alleged Armita Geravand may have been attacked by authorities for not wearing the hijab. Read more

In this image from surveillance video aired by Iranian state television, women pull 16-year-old Armita Geravand from a train car on the Tehran Metro in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023.

Who will Republicans pick as their next speaker?

Kevin McCarthy's removal from the House speakership has scrambled the internal ranks of the House GOP conference as lawmakers mull over who should succeed the California Republican to lead the lower chamber.

House Republicans are slated to hold a candidate forum Tuesday to determine who to support as the next speaker. For now, most lawmakers are staying cautious.

•	Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La, the second-ranking House Republican, is a frontrunner as GOP members weigh their pick. Either way, a leadership change would rearrange the chain of command in the House GOP conference.
•	Trump initially offered his own name for the seat on a short-term basis but has just endorsed longtime supporter Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, for the post.
•	If Congress fails to fund the government by a November deadline, some GOP lawmakers are already laying the blame at the eight members who voted to oust McCarthy.

Keep reading: Here's the who's who of the Republican roster for the speaker seat.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, left, and Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., in Washington, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. The two GOP leaders have emerged as contenders to replace former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

J. Scott Applewhite, AP

More news to know now

•	Fifty-one civilians were killed in a missile strike at a Ukrainian café.
•	New York City subway shooter Frank James was sentenced to life in prison.
•	Mourners gave Dianne Feinstein a fond farewell in San Francisco.
•	Worried about bedbugs?
•	For subscribers: Abortion bans leave doctors uncertain about care - even in emergencies.
•	On today's 5 Things podcast, Missouri asks the Supreme Court to revive a controversial gun law. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Biden administration to extend border wall touted by Donald Trump

The Biden administration is building a new barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border despite President Joe Biden's promise as a candidate not to add to a controversial border wall that's long been a signature of his predecessor Donald Trump. Citing "high illegal entry" into the U.S., Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas defended expediting the wall's construction by using his authority to bypass 26 federal laws, including environmental restrictions, to build a new section. Read more

•	Commander, the Bidens' 2-year-old German shepherd, has been removed from the White House.

'Thursday Night Football' recap: Bears snap 14-game losing streak

At last, the Chicago Bears have won a game. DJ Moore and the Bears upended the Washington Commanders, 40-20, on Thursday night. The victory was Bears' first win since Oct. 24, 2022, ending a 14-game losing streak. Moore was without question the star of the night. The Bears wide receiver had eight catches for a career-high 230 yards and three touchdowns. Looking ahead to this weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs (3-1) will head north on Sunday in hopes of coming away with a victory from the upset minded Minnesota Vikings (1-3). Read more

•	Dick Butkus, Chicago Bears legend and iconic NFL linebacker, has died at 80.
•	Mel Tucker skipped his sex harassment hearing and alleged new ''evidence'' proves his innocence.
•	The power rankings roller coaster brings enticing matchups to NFL's Week 5 schedule.
•	These 22 college football teams are still unbeaten.

Nfl Chicago Bears At Washington Commanders

Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore (2) celebrates with teammate Darnell Mooney (11) after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Commanders.

Brad Mills, USA TODAY Sports

Quick hits

•	Why are millions of people watching dolls play online?
•	Apple is urging everyone to update their devices (again).
•	Can I get a COVID booster and flu shot at the same time?
•	This is how we control a Type 2 diabetes crisis.
•	Pamela Anderson and the bold no-makeup look.
•	Is ''Croctober'' keep or cringe?
•	A $1 million competition awards recording extraterrestrial activity on a Ring device.

The low-tech website behind a national surge in book bans

Challenges to books appear to begin locally, with no obvious connections. But a USA TODAY investigation showed these "book ban" requests often share a common thread: The book review material submitted by local parents was not written by those parents. Instead, it was taken word for word from a website called BookLooks.org. In less than two years, BookLooks has become the go-to resource for anyone seeking to ban books – especially books about gay people or sexuality. Across at least a dozen states, USA TODAY found attempts to remove hundreds of book titles that directly cited BookLooks reviews. Read more

•	It's Banned Books Week: Here's a visual dive into an alarming increase in attempts to restrict books.
•	Norwegian author Jon Fosse won the Nobel Prize in Literature for his ''innovative plays and prose.''

Photo of the day: Billboard Latin Music Awards 2023

Peso Pluma, regional Mexican star, swept the Billboard Latin Music Awards, held at the Watsco Center in Miami, on Thursday night. The "Ella Baila Sola" singer took home a total of eight awards, becoming the top-awarded artist of the ceremony. Read more

Peso Pluma speaks onstage.

Jason Koerner, Getty Images

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.