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This message comes from Bayer. Science is about asking questions, testing, trying again. It's not easy, but it's relentless. It evolves, and that's why science delivers. Learn more@sciencedelivers.com
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the president made a primetime speech. Officials linked an outbreak to shredded lettuce, and a happiness expert shared the secrets to a meaningful life. That's some of what we'll get to on the Seven from the Washington Post, I'm Hannah Jewell. It's Friday, July 17th. Let's get you caught up with today's seven stories. One. President Donald Trump's primetime address claimed that the nation has election vulnerabilities. The White House and its allies billed Trump's speech yesterday as Must Watch tv. They signaled that the president would reveal new evidence of fraud and interference in the 2020 election, something he has claimed without evidence for years. Instead, he largely just repeated known and debunked claims for 26 minutes. He alleged vulnerabilities in the nation's election infrastructure, but didn't go so far as to say they were actually exploited in 2020. Several outlets, including ABC and NBC, declined to interrupt regular programming to carry Trump's address live. In response, Trump said they should lose their government issued broadcast licenses. Trump also used the address to promote the Save America act that would require Americans to prove their citizenship when registering to vote and to show photo ID when voting. Congress must pass the Save America Act. How easy is that to do? Unless you want to cheat. The bill passed the House in February, but Senate Republicans have said repeatedly that the bill does not have enough support in that chamber to pass. Trump's speech alarmed Democrats. They worried about the possible impact of his efforts to sow doubt on election integrity just a few months before midterms that will decide control of Congress. Number two is a Post exclusive. A supplier of lettuce to Taco Bell was linked to the cyclospirasis outbreak. I probably don't need to tell you by now, but the US Is in the midst of an outbreak of a parasite that can cause weeks of diarrhea. Thousands of people have been sickened, but authorities have struggled to pinpoint the source of the trouble. Yesterday, though, the CDC and FDA said investigators had identified a single supplier of iceberg lettuce from Mexico, which is used at Taco Bell restaurants in five states that confirmed findings first reported by the Post. The agencies did not name the supplier, but people familiar with the inquiry said investigators have identified Taylor Farms. Taco Bell said it would voluntarily be removing the affected ingredient from its restaurants in select states and officials are still working to determine if the contaminated lettuce also went to other places. Number three is another Post exclusive. Experts say the reflecting pool's peeling lining was probably caused by application flaws. Just two weeks after a $14 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was completed in early June, damage to its lining began to appear. President Trump has blamed vandals for that damage. He claimed that thugs had slashed the floor of the pool and pulled it upwards. But according to a Post analysis and interviews with experts, thugs faults in the installation of the lining are probably to blame. Our reporters identified at least seven damaged places along the lining seams that were created when the material was applied in large rectangular sections. Spokespeople for the White House and Interior Department disputed the Post's findings and again blamed the actions of what they called deranged individuals. The Navy defense ended a startlingly low flyover by the Blue Angels. That's our fourth story. On Wednesday morning, a Blue Angels fighter jet buzzed a beach in Pensacola, Florida during a practice run. The flyover sent shrieks through a crowd of onlookers and it sent umbrellas flying into the air. Typically, pilots are required to fly 500ft above people on the ground, according to a retired colonel. One beachgoer estimated that Wednesday's flyover was about 90ft above his head. The incident prompted a review from the Blue Angels and encouragement from top Trump administration officials. Yesterday, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said the flight debrief was complete. He posted on X. No reprimands, no firings, no problem. That's the sound of freedom. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has halted investigations into other aviation incidents, also posted on X. He said the flyovers will continue until morale improves. Number five Two people died and hundreds have been rescued in Texas flooding Yesterday, relentless rains hit Texas Hill Country. Flash flood emergencies have been reported across the region. One of those who died was a 74 year old man in Uvalde. The other was a man aged around 65 in Centerpoint. More than 200 people have been rescued, according to Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Speaking last night, Abbott issued this warning to Texas drivers for the next 24 hours or so, everybody in Texas can save their own life by refraining from driving into high waters. This tragedy comes just one year after floods in Texas killed at least 137 people. The expected rainfall from this storm is 30 inches, exceeding the total during last year's floods by more than 10 inches. Today, there is a high risk of flash flooding and excessive rainfall for the region west of San Antonio. The Weather Prediction center issued a rare 4 out of 4 risk level number 6 a happiness expert shared four ways he uses life's challenges to find deeper meaning Arthur Brooks is a writer and professor who studies happiness. He argues that in trying to avoid discomfort, we have accidentally eliminated some of life's meaning. Our smartphones, for example, mean that we are rarely, if ever, bored. As a result, we have less time for our minds to wander, solve problems, explore creativity and most importantly, find meaning. Brooks thinks that struggle can make us happier if we learn from it. So he shared some advice. One thing we can do is help others. You can find purpose in making a difference for someone with the same problem as you. And some studies suggest that helping other people makes us feel better. So does being vulnerable and seeking connection to others. Another thing he recommends is not trying to eliminate or ignore pain. Brooks has chronic back pain. Trying to eliminate it fully could lead to opioid addiction. So he just takes ibuprofen or acetaminophen now and then. And he likes to use his back pain as a reminder to do the strength training and stretching that makes him feel better. For more tips from Brooks, find the article in Today's Seven newsletter. There's a link to that in our show Notes and at number seven Soccer fans are delighted by a strange, full, sweet circle moment. In 2007, Spain's star player Lamine Yamal was just a little baby. His family won a UNICEF raffle to have a photo shoot with Argentina's soccer star Lionel Messi, who was 20. The shoot produced some adorable photos of baby Yamal in a bath, with Messi smiling beside him. Nineteen years later, the two men will face off in a World cup final. One fan joked on social media that Messi had baptized Yamal as the next king of soccer. This weekend we'll find out if that's true. The World cup final is on Sunday in New Jersey. Messi, now 39, is one of the oldest players in the tournament, and at 19, Yamal is one of the youngest. Make sure you check out our newsletter today to see the cute but also kind of strange photo shoot. That's the show for this week. The staff writers of the Seven are Jamie Ross Izanakabau and me. Rennie Svernofsky is our producer. Special thanks to Laura Gutierrez. John Taylor is our editor. Copy editing by Rebecca Branford, Kendra Nichols and Brian Malasics. Mixing and sound design is by Jim Briggs and Justin Garish. Our theme music is by Edith Mudge. I'm Hannah Jewell. Thanks for listening and Have a great weekend. I'll meet you back here on Monday.
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This podcast is supported by Bayer. Science is a rigorous process that requires questions, testing, transparency, and results that can be proven again and again. It's the approach that mapped the human genome, advancing therapies for chronic diseases. It transformed farming to help feed billions of people. It produces countless innovations that improve lives worldwide. This approach is integral to every breakthrough. Bayer brings forward, innovations that save lives and feed the world because the future depends on it. Learn more@sciencedelivers.com.