Bruce Willis' first shot for 'Die Hard' required him to jump from a ledge onto an airbag

Millions of Chinese students sit for notoriously tough college entrance exams on Wednesday, the first since the country lifted zero-Covid rules that forced classes...

Police in the Netherlands arrested over 3,000 climate activists this week during ongoing protests against government subsidies given to planet-heating fossil fuels. The protests continued on the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday with hundreds of people blocking a major highway which connects to The Hague, the seat of the Dutch government. Local police said activists marched onto the A12 highway and blocked all incoming traffic to the city, the news agency ANP reported. Authorities warned protesters to stay off the road and police detained over 3,000 people who ignored orders to leave. All the detained protesters have been released after being removed from the scene. On Monday, the police deployed water cannons to disperse the crowd, with photos and videos showing activists drenched in water and some being taken off the scene. No injuries have been reported, authorities said. “25,000 People Block Amsterdam A12 Motorway,” said Just Stop Oil on Monday, another group of climate activists, sharing a video of protestors holding banners as police fired water cannons. In one video, activists could be heard chanting: “What do we want? Climate justice!” On Saturday an estimated 10,000 activists joined the protest, while on Sunday several hundreds blocked the road, Reuters news agency reported. The protests, one of the latest in recent days, were organised by climate protestors from Extinction Rebellion, a global environmental movement. The group said it would continue till the Dutch government stopped using public funds to subsidise the oil and gas industry, as they have done in recent months. According to a report published last week by the Center for Research on Multinational Corporations, these subsidies total around €37.5bn (£32.23bn) each year. Burning fossil fuels – such as coal, oil and gas – is responsible for the majority of carbon pollution that is heating the world and fuelling more extreme weather and disasters. Scientific assessments have found that the global average temperature has already risen by about 1.2 degrees Celsius and it is set to rise more, triggering worse extreme heatwaves, droughts, hurricanes and wildfires. The year 2023 has seen the hottest summer on record, the United Nations confirmed this month with temperatures between June to August standing at 1.5C higher than normal. Read More Just Stop Oil: Are the climate group’s demonstrations at sporting events against the law? Sadiq Khan says Just Stop Oil ‘really important’ amid Pride parade sponsors row UK police have new expanded powers to crack down on protests Climate activists attack Walmart heiress’ $300m yacht – again What we know about 2023 Burning Man’s flooding chaos Hurricane Lee tracker: Alerts issued across coastal New England as storm pivots north

Virginia Stone screamed Simon Cowell's name to impress him during the audition but ended up getting a negative response from all four judges

Germany has failed to reach the knockout stage for the first time at the Women’s World Cup after being held to a 1-1 draw against South Korea

It was a moment the diplomatic world was watching for — but didn’t get

The Texas Rangers swept the Orioles in the ALDS in a dominant performance. But who will they play next for the American League pennant?

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BEIJING Property investment in China fell 8.5% in the first seven months from the same period a year

If ever there was a night to try things, it was this, and so it was for Trent Alexander-Arnold. Playing in a role that was more quarterback than that associated with the No 10 on his shirt, the Liverpool star decorated an otherwise drab 4-0 win over Malta with a series of sublime balls. One of those was a brilliant strike to make it 2-0, as Alexander-Arnold at least gave Gareth Southgate something to think about from a game almost everyone else will instantly forget. There is of course a danger in reading too much into a game as utterly routine as this, but you might say it’s a start. That’s actually been rare enough with Alexander-Arnold for England, since this was remarkably only his 19th appearance. If these sort of matches have always provoked debate about whether they should even be taking place, such is the extent of the mismatch, the one element of tension is how long it will take the superior side to score. Southgate had direct knowledge of that given it was his last match in this stadium that was one of his most dismal nights with England. A goalless first half led to away fans booing and cries that the team were “sh*t”. “We’re not,” Southgate chuckled on the eve of the game here, and his players went out and proved that within eight minutes. The irony was the scoreline was exactly the same as that more miserable experience, even though England are a completely different team. The ability to use Alexander-Arnold like this showed that. He played one of many divine balls, Bukayo Saka hit it across goal and Ferdinando Apap just about denied Kane. The problem was that he denied the striker by putting it into his own goal. That was that, the game then effectively a training session, if maybe not quite as intense as the ones the players had this week. It was one of those where everyone could try things, as the circumstances led to some experimentation. James Maddison displayed real innovation with some of his touches, and it was one superb turn that set up England’s second. While the Leicester playmaker completely opened up the space around Malta’s box, he was then blocked down only for the ball to fall to Alexander-Arnold. The Liverpool star showed another from his array of deliveries by driving a superb long-range strike over the stranded Henry Bonello. The goalkeeper was at the edge of his six-yard box, but it was still sublime for Alexander-Arnold to put it where he did. There’s almost an elite golfer’s quality to him, a player who can barely be called a defender at this point. Alexander-Arnold has every single shot in his bag. He went on to emphasise that with the next goal, again supplying the pass, only for Kane to this time be felled by Matthew Gullaumier. Kane of course supplied the finish for the penalty. That made it 56 international goals in 83 games, only adding to that all-time record. This game wasn’t going down in history, though. It had barely anything of note other than Alexander-Arnold’s deployment and a few interesting appearances, as well as Ebe Eze’s debut. The England fans evidently felt the same. By about midway through the second half, the away end had significantly thinned, with the majority of the fans headed out for the local nightspots of St Julian’s. You could probably add your own line about celebrations given how much Gareth Southgate was pressed on Manchester City’s festivities before the game. He did introduce Phil Foden in the second half, amid a raft of substitutes that included Eze. One of them, Callum Wilson, also ensured the trip was worth it. The Newcastle United striker hit his second goal for England, benefiting from a penalty after the ball had somewhat unluckily hit Steve Borg’s arm. It only displayed how misguided the current rules on that are. The idea of Alexander-Arnold as a playmaker or quarterback, though, now has that bit more logic to it. The case is growing, even if it will require a few more exacting tests. Read More Gareth Southgate urges players not to cross the line with celebrations England’s future is about to be defined – and it’s out of Gareth Southgate’s control Marcus Rashford reveals pain that is ‘relighting the flame’ inside him England fans soak up the Malta sun and discuss tactics ahead of Euro 2024 qualifier Marcus Rashford couldn’t stomach Man City celebrations but England remain united ‘Serial winners’ can help England finally celebrate silverware – Tyrone Mings

Women’s football could be a billion-pound industry within 10 years if it gets the right investment now, according to the chair of a new independent review. Former England international Karen Carney’s review panel has called for wide-ranging reform at the elite and grassroots level of domestic football to fully capitalise on the Lionesses’ Euros success last summer. Among the key calls in the review to grow the women’s game published a week before the start of the Women’s World Cup are: :: The creation of a fully professional environment in the top two tiers, with a minimum ‘salary floor’ in the Women’s Super League from 2025-26, gold standard physical and mental healthcare provision, a world-leading parental leave package and full union representation. :: A redirecting of some funding from the men’s FA Cup prize pot to support the women’s game. :: Identification of a new strategic partner to invest in improving the talent pathway and academy structure. :: A dedicated broadcast slot – possibly Saturday 3pm, if women’s football can be exempted from the blackout period with the support of the football authorities. Carney recognises many of the measures outlined in the review will require significant investment but said: “Women’s football is a start-up business. “If you’re starting something you have to have an influx of money. In 10 years’ time I really do believe this sport could be a billion-pound industry. “But these standards and these requirements for investment are the foundation that will lead us to that point. “I really do think we can make that (investment) back.” This (review) should never, ever sit on the shelf, it’s got to stand for something Karen Carney Carney said the review’s aim was to introduce minimum standards across all areas of the game, and insisted that even though there were significant cost implications for clubs and the FA in particular, this was not something anyone in the game could afford to ignore. “I have to have every confidence that these recommendations will be implemented and with urgency,” she said. “This should never, ever sit on the shelf, it’s got to stand for something. “Do I want players going on the NHS (to get treatment for injuries)? No. Do I want players to be using bin bags for curtains? No I don’t. “I understand there is going to be a lot of pushback, people saying that it’s a big investment piece, but that’s what is needed now. “In 2011 when the WSL was launched, I bet the same conversations happened then (with people saying) ‘it’s a lot of money we’ve got to find’. “Even I thought that at the time. But that has led us to this point, now we’re further along we need to get to the next point.” An independent women’s football review was recommended in the 2021 fan-led review of football governance, and was commissioned by the Government in September last year. In all the 128-page report, formally titled ‘Raising The Bar: Reframing the opportunity in women’s football’, has produced 10 recommendations, primarily focused on ensuring minimum standards are met on a range of areas. There are some interesting details within it. For example, it calls for a new unit, funded by the Football Association, to research issues affecting female footballers such as the greater prevalence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries among women compared to men. It calls for a fully professionalised environment in the top two tiers of the women’s game, including the introduction of a minimum salary in the Women’s Super League by 2025-26 and an increase in contact time between clubs and players in the Championship from eight hours a week to 20 by 2027-28. It also says there should be full union representation for all players in the top two divisions. However, it rejected the idea of a US-style closed format for the top two tiers, something it said was being considered by an FA working group handling the transition of the WSL and Championship to ownership by a new company. The review calls for a redirection of some of the men’s FA Cup prize pot of £20million as a solidarity contribution, in particular to help Women’s Championship clubs meet some of the minimum standards the review sets out. It highlights a lack of investment in the talent pathways, with Carney pointing out the need to “kickstart” progress with a strategic partner. Asked if that could include an organisation such as the Saudi Public Investment Fund, she said that would be a decision for the new company which takes over ownership of the WSL and the Championship from 2024-25. Carney accepted there were “pros and cons” of trying to seek an exemption for women’s football from the Saturday afternoon blackout period but added: “We need stakeholders to have an adult conversation and say ‘how can we help women’s football?’ “At the moment it’s really saturated, the time slots are not really working. I have to say the Premier League have been brilliant, and the EFL, everyone wants to help.” The review also called on the FA to address a lack of diversity in the game, first by auditing the existing workforce and then by creating a workforce strategy. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Joe Marler reveals ‘weird encounter’ with Steve Borthwick over England hopes Alice Capsey says England can play even better after levelling Ashes series Chris Eubanks confident he can hang with the best after memorable Wimbledon run

LJ Cryer scored 18 points and Jamal Shead had 16 as No. 6 Houston ran past Dayton 69-55 to win the Charleston Classic tournament title on Sunday night