Midwest Floods, Adidas Plagiarism, & Biking Elves

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Adam Rogers
August 11, 2025

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Around 14 million people from Kansas to Wisconsin are under flood alerts due to severe storms. Up to 11 inches of rain fell in 24 hours in Milwaukee and surrounding areas, forcing the Wisconsin State Fair to close on Saturday after floodwaters inundated the grounds, while the USA Triathlon cancelled its national championships due to dangerous conditions.
Milwaukee fire departments conducted 65 water rescues in just 11 hours Saturday night into Sunday morning, many involving people trapped in cars. The Milwaukee River reached major flood stage, and officials declared a county emergency as hundreds of abandoned vehicles now block intersections throughout the city.
The threat isn't over - more thunderstorms are expected through Monday in areas already saturated. The National Weather Service warned it will take 'little rain to get more flash flooding' in the Milwaukee area. Over 31,000 people remain without power, and officials are preparing for potential federal disaster assistance.

A Georgia man who blamed COVID-19 vaccines for his mental health problems specifically targeted the CDC headquarters Friday, killing a police officer. Patrick Joseph White, 30, was stopped by guards from entering the federal health agency before opening fire from across the street, striking at least four buildings. White died at the scene.
White's father told police his son had become fixated on COVID vaccines, with a neighbor saying he 'very deeply believed that vaccines hurt him and were hurting other people.' The attack on the nation's top disease control agency locked down thousands of workers and over 90 children for hours.
The CDC union called the attack 'not random' and demanded federal officials condemn vaccine misinformation that puts health scientists at risk. The union noted growing threats against public health workers since the pandemic and called for enhanced security at federal health facilities. It also said the staff shouldn't return to work until the bullet damage is repaired.

Mexican authorities accused Adidas of plagiarizing traditional Indigenous footwear, alleging the company's new "Oaxaca Slip-On" sandal copies the braided leather design of huaraches worn by Zapotec communities. Oaxaca officials demanded the shoe be withdrawn and called for a public apology. President Sheinbaum said Adidas was already in talks to "compensate the people who were plagiarized" as her government prepares legal reforms to protect Mexican handicrafts.
Handicrafts provide jobs for around half a million people in Mexico and account for 10% of GDP in states like Oaxaca, making traditional designs crucial economic lifelines for Indigenous communities. Local artisan Viridiana Jarquín García called the Adidas shoes a “cheap copy,” saying “the artistry is being lost. We're losing our tradition.”
Adidas responded Friday, saying it "deeply values the cultural wealth of Mexico's Indigenous people" and requested meetings to discuss how to "repair the damage." The controversy follows years of Mexico calling out global brands like Zara and Anthropologie for copying Indigenous designs.

President Trump told homeless people to leave Washington, DC, "immediately" and deployed 450 federal agents to fight crime, despite the mayor saying crime hit 30-year lows. (More)

Cities including Dallas, New York, and Chicago have dropped college requirements for police recruits to combat officer shortages, though research shows educated officers use less force and get fewer complaints. (More)

A Hawaii judge halted commercial fishing in a vast Pacific marine monument after environmentalists challenged Trump's rollback of ocean protections for the protected area. (More)

Zelensky rejected Trump's land swap proposal with Russia, saying Ukraine won't "gift" territory to occupiers as the presidents prepare to meet Friday in Alaska. (More)

Thousands protested across Israel against Netanyahu's plan to expand military operations in Gaza. Over 100,000 demonstrators in Tel Aviv demanded hostage releases and an immediate end to the campaign. (More)

South Korea's military shrank 20% in six years due to the world's lowest birthrate, leaving forces 50,000 troops short of adequate defense readiness. (More)

US stock markets closed higher on Friday (S&P +0.78%, Nasdaq +0.98%, Dow +0.47%). All three major averages ended the week with solid gains. (More)

President Trump wants to combine mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into one company trading as "MAGA," potentially generating tens of billions in government revenue. (More)

Nvidia and AMD agreed to give the US government 15% of revenues from certain China chip sales in exchange for export licenses to sell there. (More)

Justin Rose rallied from three shots down with late birdies and then beat J.J. Spaun in a playoff to win the FedEx St. Jude Championship. (More)

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hit his 40th home run Saturday, becoming the first player since 2018 to reach 40 homers three straight seasons. (More)

Rising NASCAR star Connor Zilisch, 19, broke his collarbone after falling headfirst from his car while celebrating his Xfinity Series victory at Watkins Glen. (More)

Both weight training and cardio workouts created cancer-fighting proteins in breast cancer survivors that reduced tumor growth by 30% in lab tests. (More)

NASA and Google built an AI medical assistant for astronauts on long missions to Mars and the moon, achieving up to 88% diagnostic accuracy in early tests. (More)

A meteorite that exploded over Georgia in broad daylight and crashed through a home is 4.56 billion years old, predating Earth by 20 million years. (More)

Watch: Inside an LA greenhouse filled with the world’s rarest plants.

Elves are biking from Germany to Santa’s village in Finland.

Forest bathing can help reduce stress.

Tokyo tops the list of world’s best cities for a “workation.”

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