An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: What’s closed during the shutdown; abortion pill clash; our hot takes on Taylor Swift; and more

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By Izin Akhabau and Jamie Ross

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Good morning. It's Friday, Oct. 3, and we are sending our cheesiest congratulations to the first American to win "Best Cheesemonger in the World." Now let's get to the news.

Senators will try again today to end the federal government shutdown.

How? They're set to vote on funding bills, but there has been no breakthrough in negotiations. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is openly embracing Project 2025.
Potential impacts: The shutdown could conceal brewing economic problems. Trump says the shutdown will lead to mass firings, but officials have quietly advised otherwise.
What's closed during the shutdown? Find a running list for travelers here.

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The Trump administration's approval of an abortion pill has infuriated the right.

Why? Antiabortion leaders are angrily questioning the administration's commitment to their cause after the FDA this week approved a new generic version of mifepristone.
In other administration news: Four lawyers have been forced out at the U.S. attorney's office prosecuting former FBI director James Comey. Those left are feeling unnerved.
One more thing: A statue of Trump and Jeffrey Epstein is back on the National Mall after being removed — take a look.

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The U.S. used a transnational crime unit to secretly target campus protesters.

What to know: Videos of pro-Palestinian activists being arrested by masked federal agents went viral in recent months. A federal trial revealed the story behind the images.
In related news: Colleges are deciding whether to sign on to a new 10-page proposal from the Trump administration that could upend university life.

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Two people were killed in an attack at a synagogue in England.

Yesterday: A man rammed a car into people and stabbed others, wounding four, outside a Manchester synagogue. It was Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
What else to know: Officers fatally shot the attacker, identified as 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie.
In the U.S.: Houses of worship are tightening security in response to deadly attacks.

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A 23-year-old climbing star fell to his death from El Capitan in California.

El Capitan, a 3,000-foot vertical granite rock formation, is one of the most striking landmarks in Yosemite National Park. (Ben Margot/AP)

What happened? Balin Miller was close to the rock formation's peak when he got into trouble, a witness said. His climb was being live-streamed on TikTok.
Who was he? A promising alpinist whose climbs in Patagonia, the Canadian Rockies and Alaska gained him fame in the climbing world.

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AI is making it easier to design new, dangerous toxins without being detected.

In 2023: Scientists at Microsoft found gaping holes in a safety net intended to prevent bad actors from using AI to make hazardous proteins for terrorism or war, a new report said.
Why it matters: The scientists fixed this problem, but it could be a warning for the future.
A separate breach: Hackers stole data from British nursery schools — then apologized to parents.

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Taylor Swift dropped her 12th studio album, "Life of a Showgirl," overnight.

Taylor Swift fans at a listening event in Melbourne, Australia. (William West/AFP/Getty Images)

Our hot take: It's an ode to Swift's life on the Eras Tour and fiancé Travis Kelce. It has some eyebrow-raising lyrics — find a guide to the songs everyone will be talking about here.
What do Swifties think? Some fans say this album release feels different.
...Ready for it? Listen to "Life of a Showgirl" here.