Academy Award-winning filmmaker Wes Anderson recently revealed that he unsuccessfully attempted to cast Hollywood star Jodie Foster in “so many” his films, but timing has never worked out in his favor.

The filmmaker did not disclose which movies or roles he wanted to cast for her.

“Over the years, I had so many movies that I tried to get Jodie Foster to be in. It used to be every movie, we went to Jodie Foster for a part. And I think I did it three movies in a row, maybe four. And I met her, and I liked her,” Anderson told Collider, reports deadline.com.

He added: “And I thought it was going to get her. And I think she’s just great, Jodie Foster. And I loved her.”

New Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti said that his plan for the national team will not be based solely on flair, but also on grit and defensive organisation as he prepares for his debut against Ecuador in World Cup qualifying.

Ancelotti, who led Real Madrid to multiple titles including two Champions League crowns with several Brazilians in his squad, said the five-time World Cup champions must play a "complete game" if they are to meet expectations.

"You can't just do one good thing," Ancelotti told reporters. "I believe we will be fine in attack because of the creativity we have. In defense, we need to have a united team that competes, fights and works together."

The 65-year-old Italian declined to reveal his starting lineup before Thursday's match at Estadio Monumental in Guayaquil.

The Adani Group's total contribution to the exchequer increased by 29 per cent to Rs 74,945 crore in fiscal year 2025, from Rs 58,104 crore in FY24, through its portfolio of listed entities, it announced on Thursday.

Of the total contribution of Rs 74,945 crore, direct contributions stood at Rs 28,720 crore, indirect contributions at Rs 45,407 crore, while other contributions at Rs 818 crore, the company said in a statement.

To put it in perspective, Rs 74,945 crore is roughly the cost of building the entire Mumbai Metro network - an infrastructure lifeline for millions of people. It's also nearly enough to host a modern-day Olympics.

Among its publicly listed entities, the leading contributors include Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), Adani Cement Limited (ACL), Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), and Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL).

The South Korean economy is showing increasing similarities to Japan's past stagnation, and bold structural reforms, along with innovation, are needed to prevent prolonged low growth, the central bank said on Thursday.

In its latest research report, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said South Korea "is following in Japan's footsteps in many areas," pointing to mounting private-sector debt as one of the major concerns.

In 2023, Korea's private-sector debt reached 207.4 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), nearing Japan's peak level of 214.2 percent during its asset bubble period in 1994, reports news agency.

After Japan's bubble burst, asset-linked debt destabilised the banking sector and led to distorted capital allocation, with funds flowing into such low-productivity sectors as real estate and "zombie" firms.

"Debt levels must be tightly controlled through precise macroprudential regulation, stronger coordination with monetary policy, sustained efforts to manage household debt and swift, decisive corporate restructuring," the report stated.

In a move aimed at curbing marine pollution and promoting sustainable fishing practices, the Tamil Nadu Environment Department is planning to establish 14 additional fishnet collection centres across all coastal districts of the state.

This initiative follows the remarkable success of a pilot fishnet collection centre launched at the Kasimedu Fishing Harbour in Chennai in August 2024.

According to officials, the pilot centre has, until May 2025, collected over 18.5 tonnes of marine litter and Abandoned, Lost or Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG).

As part of the incentive scheme, ₹7.21 lakh has been distributed to fishermen who participated in the recycling efforts.

“These materials would have otherwise remained in the ocean, causing significant harm to marine life and habitats,” an official from the Environment Department said and added, “The pilot project’s success has shown that community-led recycling can play a critical role in coastal conservation.”

Sixth-seeded Novak Djokovic topped No.3 seed Alexander Zverev, last year’s finalist, in four sets 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to reach his record 51st career Grand Slam semifinal at the French Open.

The Serb's 51 major semifinals are already a record for men and just one behind Chris Evert for the overall mark — and his 13th at Roland-Garros. He is the second-oldest man in the Open era to reach the Roland-Garros semifinals after Pancho Gonzales in 1968.

The last time Djokovic faced Zverev, he was walking off the court solemnly after injury put a premature end to their Australian Open semifinal in January. But on Wednesday night in Paris, after more than three hours of battle on court Philippe-Chatrier, the 24-time Grand Slam champion rallied from a set behind to keep his quest for a record-setting 25th Grand Slam title going into the semifinals.

The South Korean economy contracted 0.2 per cent in the first quarter of this year, unchanged from an earlier estimate, central bank data showed Thursday, due mainly to a domestic political crisis and uncertainties stemming from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration's aggressive tariff scheme.

The country's real gross domestic product (GDP) -- a key measure of economic growth -- contracted 0.2 percent in the January-March period from three months earlier, which marked the first negative growth in nine months, according to the preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).

The South Korean economy had expanded 1.3 percent in the first quarter of 2024 but slipped into contraction in the second quarter with a 0.2 percent decline before posting 0.1 percent growth in both the third and fourth quarters, reports news agency.

The domestic benchmark indices opened higher on Thursday amid mixed global cues, as buying was seen in the pharma, auto and IT sectors in the early trade.

At around 9.29 am, Sensex was trading 268.8 points or 0.33 per cent up at 81,267.09 while Nifty added 82.75 point or 0.34 per cent at 24,702.95.

Nifty Bank was down 29.70 points or 0.05 per cent at 55,647.15. The Nifty Midcap 100 index was trading at 58,188 after rising 263.35 points or 0.45 per cent. Nifty Smallcap 100 index was at 18,398.75 after climbing 141.65 points or 0.78 per cent.

According to analysts, the Nifty ended higher on Wednesday and the India VIX fell nearly 5 per cent, which bulls would have liked to see.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday termed the tragic stampede near Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium during RCB’s maiden IPL trophy victory celebrations which at least 11 people lost their lives as heartbreaking.

“My condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. Wishing a swift and full recovery to all those injured. In this hour of grief, I stand with the people of Bengaluru,” Rahul Gandhi wrote on X.

"The Karnataka government must provide all possible support and relief to the affected families. This tragedy is a painful reminder: no celebration is worth a human life. Every safety protocol for public events must be reviewed and strictly enforced - lives must always come first," Rahul Gandhi said.

The Indian men’s national football team lost 0-2 against a clinical Thailand side in a FIFA International Friendly at the Thammasat Stadium here on Wednesday. It is a huge blow to the side as they get set to face Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Qualifiers 2027 up next.

India showed flashes of grit, only to be undone by moments of precision from their opponents. Goals from Benjamin Davis (8’) in the first half and Poramet Arjvilai (59’) in the second were enough to seal the win for the War Elephants, while India were left ruing missed opportunities and costly defensive lapses.