An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: Trump’s new ballroom designs; Kid Rock fly-by; tiny changes to lengthen your life; and more

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By Hannah Jewell and Jamie Ross

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Good morning. It's Tuesday, March 31, and our columnist broke up with his Kindle for an e-reader that treats him better — here's why. Now let's get to the news.

The U.S. and Iran are giving very different accounts about war negotiations.

The latest: President Donald Trump said yesterday that the U.S. is talking directly with Iranian leaders about how to end the war. They're making "great progress," he added.
What Iranian officials say: They have denied virtually all of Trump's assertions, saying there are no direct talks. Meanwhile, both sides are targeting critical energy facilities.
This morning: Gas prices at U.S. pumps spiked above $4 a gallon.

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Trump showed off new designs for his White House ballroom.

The new renderings showed that stairs on the south side of the ballroom have been removed. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

Aboard Air Force One: Trump held up renderings that revealed changes to the plans following a New York Times article about the design that appeared to irk Trump.
Another project: Trump also shared a first look at his planned presidential library in Miami. The images showed a skyscraper with at least two gold statues of Trump.
Seat of power: A golden toilet statue mocking Trump appeared in D.C. — take a look.

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The Army is reviewing why attack helicopters flew near Kid Rock's home.

An Apache helicopter's path around Nashville on March 28. Source: ADS-B Exchange. (Andrew Tran/The Washington Post)

On Saturday: The musician posted videos showing himself saluting as an Apache helicopter hovered off the pool area of his Tennessee mansion. Watch the footage here.
Why did that happen? The Army is looking into it, saying action will be taken if regulations were broken. It is also probing why helicopters flew near No Kings protests.

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The Trump administration is suing over a women's networking event.

In 2024: About 250 female employees of a Coca-Cola distributor gathered for a day of speakers and team-building exercises. In a new lawsuit, officials argue it was illegal.
Why? The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleges that the event unlawfully discriminated against male employees. Many more such cases could be imminent.

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A new report revealed which advanced degrees yield the best returns.

Coming out on top: Graduate degrees in medicine, law and pharmacy generally have the highest return on investment. Researchers tried to calculate potential lifetime earnings.
On the other hand: Degrees in fields such as social work, psychology, and curriculum and instruction may have a negative financial return after factoring in their full cost.

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Tiny changes to your daily habits might lengthen your life.

In a study involving tens of thousands of people: Scientists found these three small tweaks to behavior could have an outsize influence on how long and well we live.
What are they? Adding five minutes of sleep, two minutes of exercise and half a serving of vegetables a day. The changes could add a year or more to lifespans, the study found.

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Celine Dion announced a set of comeback shows.

The Eiffel Tower lit up to mark the announcement of Celine Dion's concert dates. (Benoit Tessier/Reuters)

In 2022: Dion shared that she had been diagnosed with a rare and incurable condition known as stiff-person syndrome. She hasn't performed a full concert in six years.
But that's about to change: Dion will perform 10 concerts in Paris this fall, she said yesterday. In a video, she thanked fans for their support and updated them on her health.

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Before you go … Passover starts tomorrow: These nine recipes go beyond the seder staples. To celebrate Easter: Here are 15 recipes for a delicious brunch or dinner.

One more interesting read: This 5-month-old was born on U.S. soil. She may never be a citizen.

We want to hear from you: Do you have questions about stories you've seen in The 7? Send them here. We'll find the right person to answer them and share responses in our weekend edition.

And finally … take a game break: