An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: Taylor Swift’s 2 a.m. surprise; a tumultuous day in Trump’s trial; Israel’s strike inside Iran; and more

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Good morning. It's Friday, April 19, and if you'd like to get your news in short and snappy videos, check out the Washington Post Universe on YouTube. Now let's get to the news.

Israel carried out an airstrike in Iran this morning.

What to know: An apparently limited strike took place in central Iran, Israeli officials said. Iran said there was no significant damage. Follow live updates here.
Why? In retaliation for an Iranian attack against Israel last week. President Biden had urged Israel to not strike back, fearing it could further destabilize the Middle East.
In the U.S.: More than 100 people were arrested yesterday at a Columbia University protest against Israel's war in Gaza.

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A 12-member jury was picked for Donald Trump's hush money trial in New York.

The former president is accused of falsifying business records before the 2016 election to help cover up an alleged affair. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

It was chaotic: Two jurors were removed yesterday, with one saying she was worried her identity would be revealed. But the session ended with seven men and five women selected.
What now? Jury selection resumes today, with five more alternates needed. If all goes to plan, opening statements in the increasingly charged criminal trial will begin Monday.

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Biden set new rules to protect transgender students and abuse survivors.

What they do: Bar schools from discriminating against trans students and order changes to how colleges deal with claims of sexual harassment and assault on campus.
The bigger picture: The Title IX rules, finalized today, set up an election year clash with conservative states and school boards that limit transgender rights.

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The U.S. just changed how it manages a tenth of its land.

What's new? A rule, released yesterday, will allow 245 million acres of public property to be leased for conservation in the same way that oil companies lease land for drilling.
Why it matters: This rule — alongside new limits to oil drilling across 13 million acres of Alaska — will help to protect public lands from climate change and development.

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The planet is experiencing a sudden and extraordinary temperature surge.

What we know: Each of the past 10 months has been the hottest of its kind. The trend has been driven by decades of uncontrolled fossil fuel burning and an El Niño climate pattern.
What's unclear: Whether our climate has undergone a fundamental shift, or if the end of El Niño will bring cooler temperatures. The next few months could provide the answer.

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Sleep problems differ between women and men.

How? Women are more likely to suffer from insomnia and say they have lower sleep quality, a new review of ongoing research shows. Men are more likely to have sleep apnea.
Why it matters: Bad sleep is linked to health issues — but historically, medical research on sleep didn't include women. These studies help correct that.

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Taylor Swift released a surprise double album early this morning.

What to know: Swift dropped "The Tortured Poets Department" at midnight, then shocked fans two hours later with 15 extra songs. Although she had given us some clues.
What's it like? It's a deeply personal album about heartbreak, with "So Long, London" as the all-important fifth track. "Fortnight" — featuring Post Malone — is the first single.

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Before you go … in theaters this weekend: "Sasquatch Sunset," an absurd bigfoot movie that impressed our critic.

And finally … end your week by playing On the Record, The Post's quotable quiz. The weekend version is 10 questions, and you can risk all your points on a final bonus question. Ready to play? Click here. Or try our word game, Keyword.

You're all caught up. See you Monday.