Good morning. It’s Friday, July 17, and this newsletter is 100% written by people who can drive a stick shift, despite the impending death of the manual car. Now let’s get to the news.
President Donald Trump’s prime-time speech claimed election vulnerabilities.
The address alarmed Democrats, who questioned the impact of Trump’s efforts to sow doubt on election integrity ahead of the midterms. (Saul Loeb/Reuters)
Last night: Trump stopped short of offering evidence of vote tampering in the 2020 election. Instead, he described weaknesses in voting infrastructure. Read our four takeaways.
A Taco Bell lettuce supplier was linked to the cyclosporiasis outbreak.
Yesterday: The CDC and FDA said investigators had identified a single supplier of contaminated iceberg lettuce from Mexico used at Taco Bell restaurants in five states.
Thousands have been sickened: Officials are investigating if the shredded lettuce went anywhere else. If you’re wary, try these eight safe recipes for cooked summer vegetables.
The Reflecting Pool’s peeling was probably caused by application flaws, experts say.
Trump has accused vandals of slashing the pool’s lining: But a Post analysis found that the peeling tracks closely with stages of the $14 million renovation process.
Reporters found seven coating failure locations: See them here.
The Navy defended a startlingly low flyover by the Blue Angels.
What happened? The jets sent umbrellas and chairs toppling and shrieks through a crowd of onlookers while buzzing a Florida beach Wednesday. Watch the flyover here.
After a review: The acting Navy secretary said there would be no firings, posting “That’s the sound of Freedom!” Pilots are usually meant to stay 500 feet above people on the ground.
Two people died and hundreds have been rescued in Texas flooding.
Flooding blocked off G Street along the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas yesterday. (Joel Angel Juarez/AP)
Yesterday: Rain lashed Texas Hill Country, with flash flood emergencies reported across the region, one year after floods there killed 137 people. See where rains are headed today.
This weekend: Wildfire smoke will linger and spread, especially in these cities. To protect your health, close windows and doors, stock up on essentials and follow these four other tips.
A happiness expert shared four ways he uses life’s challenges to find deeper meaning.
The rise of a “meaningless” crisis: Arthur Brooks, who studies happiness, argues that in trying to avoid discomfort, we have inadvertently eliminated some of the meaning in our lives.
How struggle can make us happier: Brooks says it’s possible to learn from our suffering and find meaning through it. He suggests helping others, keeping a failure journal and more.
Soccer fans are delighted by this full-circle moment.
In this photo from 2007, 20-year-old soccer star Lionel Messi helps to bathe six-month-old Lamine Yamal, with Yamal's mother Sheila Ebana. (Joan Monfort/AP)
Nineteen years ago: Spain’s star player Lamine Yamal was just a baby, and his family won a UNICEF raffle to have a photoshoot with standout Argentina player Lionel Messi.
On Sunday: The two men will face each other in the World Cup final. One fan joked that Messi had baptised Yamal “the next king of football” — see more photos here.
Listen to this briefing
