An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: Trump and Musk interview takeaways; A$AP Rocky verdict; your ‘favorite’ child; and more

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By Jamie Ross and Hannah Jewell

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Good morning. It's Wednesday, Feb. 19, and the Oscars race is getting more and more confusing. We tried to make sense of it all here. Now let's get to the news.

President Donald Trump and Elon Musk were interviewed on Fox News.

What to know: They showered each other with praise — find five takeaways here. Musk has been shaping the cost-cutting U.S. DOGE Service, but the White House says he isn't running it.
In other news: Defense Department firings are expected soon. The State Department is canceling some news subscriptions. And Republicans are begging Trump for funds.
One more thing: Trump recently quoted Napoleon Bonaparte — it was a remarkable choice.

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The Trump administration reversed plans to end the free covid test program.

Last night: A shutdown of the program's website was abandoned after The Post reported that officials were considering destroying 160 million tests. You can still order them here.
What else to know: The Agriculture Department is trying to reverse the firings of bird flu response workers. And staff cuts at FEMA could result in slower disaster recovery.

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Investigators are searching for clues about the Toronto plane crash.

A plane takes off at Toronto Pearson yesterday while the wreckage from Monday's crash remains on the ground. (Cole Burston/Reuters)

The latest: Multiple factors may have caused the Delta flight to flip over during landing, leaving passengers dangling in their chairs. All 80 people on board survived — here's how.
In related news: A family filed a legal claim against the government over last month's deadly D.C. crash. The Post spoke to first responders about their harrowing experience s.

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Brazil's former president was charged with plotting a military takeover.

The details: Jair Bolsonaro was accused of leading an extensive plot to assassinate rivals and overthrow the Brazilian government following his election defeat in 2022.
Digging deeper: Bolsonaro baselessly claimed electoral fraud, and his supporters attacked government buildings. He faces decades in prison if convicted on all charges.

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Hamas said it would release 10 hostages in the coming days.

Who are they? Six living captives on Saturday, and the bodies of four others — including members of the Bibas family — tomorrow. Four more bodies would be returned next week.
It's unexpected: Fewer hostages had been set to be freed from Gaza this week under a ceasefire deal. Meanwhile, Gazans fear evacuating in case they are barred from returning.

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A$AP Rocky was found not guilty of felony assault with a firearm.

The case: The rapper was accused of shooting at A$AP Relli, a childhood friend, twice during a fight outside a Hollywood hotel in 2021.
The latest: There were screams of celebration in the courtroom following yesterday's verdict. Rocky dived toward his family and friends, and hugged his partner, Rihanna.

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Parents probably have a "favorite" child — and a new study revealed why.

The details: The study examined differential treatment from parents and which kids are likely to receive it. Gender, birth order and a child's temperament all appear to have an impact.
Some patterns: Daughters tend to be favored, according to parents. There were also some benefits to being an older child. Find all the takeaways here.

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Before you go … meet the latest in luxury bathrooms: The "wet room." Plus: Why your home insurance policy may need an update.

One more good read: Ominous forces are converging in Africa. The reverberations could be felt well beyond its borders.

And finally … test your news knowledge with The Post's daily quiz, On the Record. Click here to play. Or try our word games, Keyword and the brand-new Wridges.

You're all caught up. See you tomorrow.