BRICS: A Look at Collaboration, Expansion, and Global Influence

Kaia Jordan Gerber was born on September 3, 2001, in Los Angeles, California. In 2018, she graced the covers of Vogue Paris (twice) and Vogue Italia. That same year, she collaborated with Karl Lagerfeld to create the KarlxKaia collection, her debut fashion line. Gerber's prominence grew in 2019 with starring roles in campaigns for Jimmy Choo, Stella McCartney, and Fendi. She also made a cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live in April 2024 during the "Pilates" sketch.

Denise Richards is an actress known for reality series such as "Denise Richards: It's Complicated," "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," and the upcoming "Denise Richards & Her Wild Things." Born in Illinois, she has a background in acting, reality television, and philanthropy. She actively participates in charitable endeavors.

Tariffs are often used to protect specific industries but can have unintended consequences. They can raise input costs and lead to retaliatory tariffs, ultimately harming the protected industries. While free trade is generally more efficient, tariffs can sometimes be a second-best option. A key impact of tariffs is on domestic output, productivity, and welfare. Traders may try to evade duties by misrepresenting goods or categorizing them incorrectly. Many countries allow travelers to bring in certain goods duty-free. President Trump recently imposed 25% tariffs on imports from South Korea and Japan, threatening to raise these levels if retaliatory tariffs are implemented. He has also announced tariffs on other countries, including South Africa and Malaysia, ranging from 25% to 40%. Despite the tensions, talks with South Korea continued.

English actor Nicholas Hoult (born 1989) is known for his roles in films like "X-Men: First Class" and "Mad Max: Fury Road." He has a diverse filmography spanning genres from superhero action to historical dramas. Hoult dedicated himself to portraying the character of Hank McCoy/Beast in the X-Men franchise, even returning for subsequent installments after initial uncertainties about his involvement. For his role as J.D. Salinger in "Rebel in the Rye," Hoult immersed himself in Salinger's work, reading "The Catcher in the Rye" and biographies about the author. He is currently set to play Lex Luthor in upcoming films.

Mosie Burks, born in 1933, grew up on a migrant farm before moving to Jackson, Mississippi. She worked as a house cleaner to afford tuition at Jackson State University. Despite Frank Williams' attempts to recruit her, she initially declined to join the Mississippi Mass Choir. At age 72, Burks released her first solo album, "Mama Burks," featuring collaborations with the Mississippi Mass Choir and Dorothy Norwood.

Jimmy Webb wrote and composed "MacArthur Park" in 1967 as a part of a larger cantata. He drew inspiration from his love affair with a woman who he met for lunch at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, where they shared their happiest moments. The song is described as a musical collage capturing the essence of this relationship. Webb's final song played for her was "MacArthur Park". Summer recorded an eight-minute and forty-second version of "MacArthur Park" for her album "Live and More."

Whitney Purvis believes her ex, Weston Gosa, prevented their late son Weston Gosa Jr.'s death by not providing him with medical insurance. Purvis stated that Weston had diabetes, Addison's disease, and alpha one anti-trypsin deficiency and lacked coverage despite having a life insurance policy. She criticizes Gosa for prioritizing purchases over her son's health, highlighting his recent car acquisitions and a GoFundMe campaign initiated to cover burial expenses. Purvis emphasizes that the custody agreement mandated Gosa provide medical coverage for their son.

A physician formerly employed by Blue Fish Pediatrics made social media comments that the organization strongly condemns. The comments do not reflect the values of Blue Fish Pediatrics and the individual is no longer employed there.

Heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Chantal caused flooding and water rescues in Chapel Hill and across North Carolina. Over 23,000 customers lost power on Monday morning. Flood warnings and advisories remained in effect in central North Carolina. Chantal made landfall as a tropical storm in South Carolina before bringing significant rainfall to central North Carolina.

Matt Cameron is a drummer known for his work with Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Before joining Soundgarden in 2010, he played in Seattle bands Bam Bam and Skin Yard. Cameron was born in San Diego and even had a brief stint as a singer under the name "Foo Cameron" in the movie Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. While in Soundgarden, Cameron often determined the time signatures for their songs.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama is expanding to serve more families. The addition will include 33 new guest suites, a volunteer kitchen, and a family center. This expansion will allow them to house 73 families each night. They have already raised $6,025,000 towards their goal.

Kevin Wesley Love is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The son of former NBA player Stan Love, he was a top-ranked prospect out of Lake Oswego High School in Oregon. He was named the Gatorade National Male Athlete of the Year at the end of his high school career. Love was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies with the 5th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

Grigor Dimitrov is a Bulgarian professional tennis player born in 1991. He had success at the Stockholm Open, defeating Ryan Sweeting and Juan Ignacio Chela before losing to Milos Raonic. At the French Open, Dimitrov was leading Richard Gasquet but lost momentum after a long rally that left both players struggling. He defeated Denis Istomin in the first round but lost to Julien Benneteau in the second.

The BRICS organization consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. They officially joined in September 2010 and have held summits since 2011. In August 2019, the BRICS countries agreed to collaborate in Information and Communication Technology. The group established a $50 billion fund initially contributed by each member country. Brazil blocked Venezuela's application to join BRICS in 2024 due to political concerns surrounding Venezuelan elections. Besides members, BRICS includes "partners" and uses the "BRICS Outreach" and "BRICS Plus" initiatives for broader engagement with other nations.

"Wilbur's home in Charlotte's Web" is a STY. This clue appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword puzzle on July 7th.

Tesla is offering Model S and Model X vehicles from inventory for 2025 models. A Model X All-Wheel Drive starts at $91,630, including Destination and Order Fees but excluding taxes and other fees. The company designs, develops, manufactures, leases, and sells electric vehicles and energy generation and storage systems. Tesla operates in two segments: Automotive and Energy Generation and Storage. Tesla launched autonomous trips in Austin for a limited number of invited riders on Sunday. The federal safety regulator doesn't pre-approve new technologies but will investigate incidents involving potential safety defects.

De Minaur faced early exits in June at the Nottingham and Ilkley Challengers and Wimbledon qualifying. In December 2017, he won the Australian Open Playoff for a main draw wildcard. He reached the final at an unspecified tournament but lost in three sets after winning the first. Following the Australian Open, a groin injury sidelined him for two months. At Wimbledon, he won his opening round before losing to Steve Johnson in five sets in the second round.

Israeli navy ships targeted the Red Sea ports of Hudaydah, Ras Issa and al-Salif, a nearby power station, and the cargo ship Galaxy Leader. The military stated the targets were used for Houthi military operations and that the hijacked Galaxy Leader was being used to monitor international shipping. The Houthis claimed their air defenses "successfully" confronted the Israeli attack. Following the strikes, two missiles were launched from Yemen towards Israel according to the Israeli military. The Ras Kanatib power plant, which supplies electricity to Ibb and Taizz cities, was targeted by Israel as it was used to power Houthi military operations. Israel claims the strikes were a response to Houthi missiles targeting Israel and aimed at stopping the use of the port for "military purposes." Hudaydah port, the main entry point for food and humanitarian aid for millions of Yemenis, has been targeted by several Israeli strikes in the past year.