Opera icons or birds? Europeans invited to pick new euro banknotes

• On-location production in Los Angeles has decreased by 12%, according to a new study by FilmLA. • The decline is primarily attributed to a continued exodus of reality TV productions, although high-employment TV dramas have remained more stable.

• On-location filming in Los Angeles remains sluggish and continues to trend downward compared to last year's figures. • While the number of shoot days for incentivized productions is showing slow growth, it has not been enough to offset the broader decline.

• The Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock will host a Suffragist Tea Party at 2 p.m. this Saturday, July 25, 2026. • The event celebrates Arkansas’ ratification of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, and features a curated tea menu and gift giveaways.

• Malaysia has achieved a high global ranking in travel accessibility, surpassing advanced economies such as the United States, Iceland (joint 10th), and Hong Kong (14th). • Other Southeast Asian nations trailed behind, with Thailand ranking 63rd (77 destinations), Indonesia 68th (70 destinations), and the Philippines 72nd (65 destinations).

• The European Union has approved Paramount's $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., though the deal is subject to specific conditions. • The merger will consolidate major media assets, placing HBO Max, CNN, and the "Harry Potter" franchise under the same corporate roof as CBS, "Top Gun," and Paramount+.

• Deadline has released its annual comprehensive schedule of premiere dates for new and returning TV series across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms for 2026. • Key dates include May 10, featuring the BAFTA Television Awards on E! and Season 12 of 90 Day Fiancé on TLC, and May 11, with Netflix debuting Season 4 of Mark Rober's CrunchLabs.

• The European Union has officially approved Paramount's $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. • This regulatory greenlight removes a significant legal hurdle, allowing the two media giants to proceed with the massive merger.

• South Korean entities CJ ENM and KOCCA are shifting toward K-drama format licensing and localized remakes in Southeast Asia to reduce high production costs. • This strategic pivot coincides with Thailand's "Content Thailand" soft-power initiative, which focuses on expanding the nation's own trade infrastructure.

• A Taiwan-themed film festival in Bangkok, Thailand, has reportedly faced pressure from China, marking a recent escalation in diplomatic tension. • The event's organizer claims this incident follows a similar pattern of Chinese influence targeting Thai newsrooms and art galleries.

• CJ ENM announced on Wednesday that it has secured 12 nominations across seven different categories for the 2026 ContentAsia Awards. • Organized by the media platform ContentAsia, these awards are designed to recognize exceptional content and creative talent throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

• South Korea is launching its first dating reality series that explores whether humans can develop genuine romantic feelings for AI-generated partners. • The show serves as a social experiment to test the boundaries of human-AI relationships, drawing comparisons to the conceptual themes of the movie 'Her'.