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Who will have the 2025 song of the summer? We offer some predictions

What makes a great song of the summer? Is it an up-tempo pop banger? Something with an earworm chorus? Does it need to feature the words "summer," "sunshine," or another synonym — "California" — in the title? How could anyone attempt a song of the summer after the late, great Beach Boy Brian Wilson composed them so expertly, anyway?

It very well may be subject to the eye (well, ear) of the beholder, but The Associated Press views the song of the summer as the one that takes over those warm months between June and August, the kind that blasts out of car speakers and at beach barbecues in equal measure. And that means many different things for many kinds of listeners.

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South Korea's last circus, Dongchoon, holds up as it marks centennial

No more elephant and monkey acts. No more death-defying motorbike stunts. No more singing or acting on stage.

Several hundred spectators still clapped constantly when acrobats with Dongchoon Circus Troupe, South Korea's last and 100-year-old circus, twirled on a long suspended fabric, juggled clubs on a large, rotating wheel and rode a unicycle on a tightrope under the big top.

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Health officials issue warnings as UK bakes in first heat wave of 2025

British health officials are warning people across the country to take precautions when out in the sun as the U.K. bakes under its first heat wave of the year.

Temperatures are expected to peak at 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit) in some parts of eastern England on Saturday following a week of unusually warm weather, according to the national weather agency the Met Office. That's about 12 C (22 F) higher than normal for this time of year.

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How billionaire Mark Walter made his fortune

The billionaire slated to take over the controlling interest in the Los Angeles Lakers has built a career leading businesses investing in everything from sports franchises to artificial intelligence.

Mark Walter is CEO of the global investment and advisory company Guggenheim Partners, which is estimated to have more than $325 billion in assets. He's also co-founder and CEO of holding company TWG Global.

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Shares and oil prices gain as world waits to see if US will join Iran war

World shares are mostly higher and crude oil prices have rebounded as investors wait to see if the U.S. will join Israel's war against Iran.

Britain's FTSE 100 was 0.4% higher at 8,829.82 and the CAC-40 in Paris gained 0.6% to 7,595.06. Germany's DAX rose 0.9% at 23,256.98.

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Canadian tariffs on US steel and aluminum could rise, Carney says

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday he will impose new tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminum imports on July 21 depending the progress of trade talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.

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New Zealand Prime Minister Luxon talks trade in meeting with China's Xi

The prime minister of New Zealand stressed the mutual benefits of trade with China in a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Friday, while acknowledging their disagreements on geopolitical issues.

Christopher Luxon, on his first visit to China since becoming prime minister in late 2023, flew to Beijing after two days of meetings with officials and business leaders in Shanghai, China's commercial center.

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NATO summit success in doubt after Spain rejects big hike in defense spending

The success of a key NATO summit hung in the balance on Friday, after Spain announced that it cannot raise the billions of dollars needed to meet a new defense investment pledge demanded by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump and his NATO counterparts are meeting for two days in the Netherlands from next Tuesday. He insists that U.S. allies should commit to spending at least 5% of gross domestic product, but that requires investment at an unprecedented scale.

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All 7 BTS members are now done with mandatory service

Suga, a rapper and songwriter in the global K-pop sensation BTS, has been discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service, marking the official return of all seven members from their enlistment duties.

The label confirmed that Suga completed his alternative service duties on Wednesday after using up his remaining leave. His official discharge date is Saturday.

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Carlos Cuesta, 29, becomes youngest Serie A coach in nearly a century

Carlos Cuesta has become the youngest coach in Serie A in nearly a century after being hired by Parma on Thursday.

It is the 29-year-old Cuesta's first role as a head coach after spending the past five years as an assistant at English Premier League club Arsenal.

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