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 | |  | | By Hannah Jewell and Izin Akhabau | 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) |  |  | 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. -
Meanwhile, at the White House: A teleprompter operator was placed on leave after betting on Trump speeches.  | 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. -
In other news: Truth Social will sell investors faster access to Trump’s market-moving posts.  | 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. Before you go... “The Odyssey” is out today: This is the version our era deserves, our columnist writes. Plus: We ranked every Christopher Nolan movie. One more good read: Seven things a morning headache can reveal about your health.  | News quiz: Test your knowledge in today’s On the Record. |  | Word game: One word to spell ’em all! Can you solve today’s Keyword in 6 guesses? |  | Wridges: Speed and spell your way up to a high score in our newest game. | You’re all caught up. See you on Monday. |  | | ((Illustration by Katty Huertas/The Washington Post)) | |
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