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FROM brand-new swimming pools to restaurants, bars and adventure activities – some holiday parks are undergoing major upgrades.

What’s even better is that they’re still as cheap as ever to book with some costing as little as £7pppn.

Unity Holidays Skirlington Coast, Yorkshire

Back in July, Unity Holidays‘ Skirlington Coast in Yorkshire was given the green light for a major £20million glow up.

There will be upgraded dining spots and leisure facilities, as well as a new entertainment zone and outdoor pool surrounded by sunloungers.

Kids aren’t left out either, with a new splash pad including a children’s pool.

Other additions will be new pavilion home to restaurants, along with fairground attractions and cabanas.

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Accommodation at the park will be expanded as well, with 92 new caravans planned for the site – currently it has 680 caravans and 400 pitches for tents.

A spokesman for Unity Holidays said: “We thank the council’s planning committee for approving our application to redevelop the land on our park currently occupied by Skirlington Market, as well as the buildings on that land used by the market.

“We look forward to commencing work on that project as soon as possible, which will see us add indoor and outdoor sport and leisure facilities as well as re-landscaping the entire area.”

There’s plenty open already at Skirlington Coast holiday park if you fancy booking a break sooner rather than later.

A family of four can book a four-night stay the holiday park from £119 in a Bronze 2 Bed Caravan this October.

If you want to wait it out, the price is the same for a stay in May 2027.

Parkdean Resorts, UK

If you’re looking for a holiday park break next year, then two Parkdean Resorts are getting major makeovers for spring 2027.

It’s part of a £10million upgrade across multiple sites – those which have already undergone transformations include Highfield Grange Holiday Park in Essex and Vauxhall Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth.

Next on the list is Thorness Bay on the north-west coast of the Isle of Wight.

One of its new additions will be the Hat-Tricks Sports Bar which is a family-friendly spot which will have pool and darts.

Joe’s American Grill is its new dining spot and there will be Minigolf & Adventure Activities which include high ropes, low ropes and climbing wall.

The second resort undergoing an upgrade is Skipsea Sands in East Riding of Yorkshire.

On its Facebook account, Skipsea Sands Holiday Park revealed: “Skipsea Sands Holiday Park is getting a multi-million pound makeover, bringing even more to see, do, eat and enjoy from Spring 2027!

“Here’s a little taste of what’s coming… Exciting new activities and adventures, More ways to splash, play and have fun, New and improved family experiences, Even more indoor and outdoor fun, whatever the weather.”

It will be getting a Clip & Climb wall, Bear Grylls Escape Rooms and Fairground Golf.

You can book for 2027 already if you want to get ahead of the game.

A family of four can book to stay in a Bronze 2 Bedroom Caravan at Skipsea Sands (which sleeps up to six) from £128 in May 2027.

Lyons Robin Hood, Wales

Lyons has announced new planned investment at one of its biggest sites which is Lyons Robin Hood in Rhyl.

The firm has invested more than £1million at its Rhyl site this year and opened a brand-new Altitude Adventure Hub in May.

New activities included Altitude Aerial Adventure, Nitro Go Kart Track, Mini Aerial Adventure, a climbing wall, bungee trampolines and bouncy pillows.

A new adventure-playground also opened earlier this year too – and there are still more upgrades to come.

A spokesperson said: “We’re excited to announce further investment coming to Lyons Robin Hood for the 2027 season.

“As part of our continued commitment to investing in the park and enhancing the experience for our owners and their families, we’re investing in our gym facilities for 2027.

“It’s another exciting addition to a growing list of investments designed to make your time at Lyons Robin Hood even better.”

For more on new openings, here are all the destinations set to be big in 2027 with the opening of new theme park lands and luxe holiday parks.

A family of four can getaway this October across four-nights in a Silver 3 Bedroom Caravan from £123.

Or book a getaway for April next year from £99 in a Bronze 3 Bedroom Caravan – which works out as £6.19pppn.

UCLA head coach Bob Chesney, offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy and starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava were all in alignment after UCLA’s Week 2 win over San Diego State.

The Bruins’ offense had to get better.

UCLA wasted no time following through on their promises, scoring 21 first-quarter points against Purdue — the most UCLA has scored in the inaugural quarter against a conference opponent since 2016 against Oregon State.

While the Bruins’ offense exploded, their defense imploded, giving up 38 points and 488 yards to the Boilermakers.

But in a homage to “Pac-12 After Dark,” it was only natural that UCLA outpaced Purdue, rumbling to a 52-38 win over the Boilermakers on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl in the Bruins Big Ten opener.

Here are three key takeaways from UCLA’s third win of the season, matching its victory total from last season in just three games.

Running backs are elite

UCLA running back Anthony Woods is hoisted up by offensive lineman Julian Armella after scoring against Purdue at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

UCLA has returned to its roots.

With a rich history of churning out premier tailbacks, including Maurice Jones-Drew, DeShaun Foster and Zach Charbonnet, the Bruin offense has lacked a formidable rushing attack the last few years and finished as the nation’s third-worst ground unit in 2024.

But the Bruins may have struck gold in 2026.

UCLA ranks third in the country in rushing yards, first in rushing scores and fourth in yards per carry. Leading the charge is fifth-year tailback Wayne Knight who has 345 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in just three games — matching the Bruins’ total rushing touchdown mark from last season. Knight finished with his third multi-touchdown game of the season against Purdue, reaching the end zone twice to go alongside 200 all-purpose yards.

Through three games, Knight is exceeding the yardage and touchdown output from Reggie Bush’s 2005 season and Mark Ingram’s 2009 campaign — both of which featured Heisman Trophy wins.

But what makes UCLA’s ground attack so special is that it is a four-headed monster. And the Bruins proved it for the third straight week against the Boilermakers.

All three starting running backs — Knight, fifth-year Anthony Woods and senior Jaivian Thomas — reached the end zone and averaged more than six yards per carry in at least nine rush attempts. And Iamaleava added 55 rushing yards of his own to the 369 total the offense tallied.

After three games of consistent rushing dominance, it is becoming less of a coincidence and more of a pattern — UCLA may have one of the most potent rushing attacks in the country.

And one of its most valuable assets is the ground game’s ability to open up the passing offense.

Iamaleava answers the call

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava hurdles over Purdue defensive back Hudauri Hines during the fourth quarter at the Rose Bowl Saturday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

Iamaleava challenged himself to play better after a shaky start to the 2026 season.

After failing to complete a touchdown pass while throwing two red zone interceptions during the first two games, Iamaleava and Chesney knew that the signal caller left plays on the table.

“It’s not his best game, he knows it’s not his best game,” Chesney said after beating San Diego State. “I just think that the grit and the toughness that he played with though when he needed to get a couple first downs that really, really mattered to keep drives alive and put his body on the line and you know peeled himself off that ground and just kept fighting for his teammates, that’s special. But there’s a whole lot we got to do there.”

Iamaleava responded Saturday night, going 19-for-31 through the air for 276 yards and three touchdowns.

Not only did Iamaleava light up the stat sheet, but more important, he also passed the eye test. After looking impatient against San Diego State, consistently leaving the pocket early and failing to let plays develop downfield, he looked like a totally different player Saturday night.

Iamaleava looked poised in the pocket, going through multiple reads and hitting pass catchers across the field in an array of spots and formations. He also protected the ball against a solid Purdue defense.

But what was most impressive from the Bruin signal caller was his resilience and toughness on the field. After taking some bruising hits during the Bruins’ first two games, Iamaleava was fearless on scrambles and designed quarterback runs against Purdue, taking big hits downfield to gain extra yards. He also looked willing to take hits in the pocket to make deep or layered throws.

Although some of the hits led to time off the field — he cut a finger on his throwing hand and later took a crushing hit to his throwing shoulder that left him lying on the turf for some time — he always returned to the game. Chesney said he repeatedly asked Iamaleava whether he was sure he could continue playing and the senior kept insisting on returning to the game once he was cleared by the UCLA medical staff.

“He’s just a straight dog, there really isn’t much to say about that,” Knight said. “He’s battling. He gets hurt and he gets back up. He plays the next play. He’s doing this for his brothers.”

Same defense, different opponent

Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne scrambles out of the pocket while being chased by UCLA players Saturday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

Purdue’s offense revealed glaring holes the San Diego State offense could not expose.

Aztec quarterback Jayden Denegal only threw for 45 passing yards against UCLA, consistently missing open receivers downfield that had gained considerable separation on the Bruins’ cornerbacks. And even when he did find them, the receivers were not able to haul in catches.

Boilermakers quarterback Ryan Browne, on the other hand, had no problem picking apart the UCLA secondary. Browne went 19-for-30 for 378 yards and three scores, and while he did throw an interception to cornerback Rodrick Pleasant, it came with less than six minutes remaining when the Bruins were already up two scores.

Purdue’s slot receivers tore through the UCLA secondary, running through multiple layers of coverage. Receivers Asaad Waseem and Xavier Townsend combined for 14 receptions, 311 yards and two touchdowns.

Not only did the Purdue offense score five touchdowns, but the pace at which the team scored illustrated the lack of resistance the Bruins’ secondary gave the Boilermakers. Three of the five touchdown drives took less than two and a half minutes, with the first touchdown coming on one play — courtesy of completely broken coverage.

When asked about the impact of Purdue’s receivers Wednesday, defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler said he would have to wait for the game to answer certain questions.

“When you have 10 personnel and that many receivers that can catch the ball, it can create mismatches, and we play a lot of man, so who’s going to fold first?” Hitschler said. “Are we going to be able to man them up or are we having to play more zone? Those are questions that will play out as the game dictates by who’s winning the one-on-one matchups. It’s the chess match that always happens in any game.”

It was obvious who won the chess match.

Two forced fumbles from linebacker Sammy Omosigho and a formidable run defense that held tailback Fame Ijeboi to 2.8 yards per carry helped mitigate the defense’s problems.

How many games UCLA can win the rest of Big Ten play may rest on the defense’s ability to rebound from a brutal win over Purdue the way the Bruins’ offense did after an ugly win over San Diego State.

What a difference a year makes

Last year, coach Deshaun Foster was fired after UCLA got off to an 0-3 start.

This year, Chesney is pushing to improve on a 3-0 start.

Few have felt the transformation quite as deeply as Iamaleava, who was the face of both teams.

“Shoot, it means everything,” Iamaleava said of the team’s 3-0 start. “I think that just speaks to the growth of the team and speaks to Coach Ches, of how he got us to buy into this process and his winning, his winning ways. It feels good to be 3-0, and we’ve got to keep going.”

Women’s soccer scores signature win

The UCLA women’s soccer team has take on grueling schedule, facing off with four teams ranked in the top 25 so far this season.

The No. 21 Bruins (5-3-1, 2-1-0 Big Ten) made the most of their fourth opportunity for a signature win, earning a 1-0 win at No. 5 Ohio State (6-1-1, 2-1-0) on Thursday night. It was the Buckeyes’ first loss this season.

Kara Croone set up Leena Powell for the game winner fired from just outside the box in the 25th minute. UCLA goalkeeper Daphne Nakfoor recorded five saves to maintain the shutout victory.

“Amazing performance for the girls,” UCLA women’s soccer coach Gof Boyoko said. “We needed a solid performance, and they did it. We scored a good goal, we didn’t concede, and we were strong defensively.”

UCLA alums help lead WNBA teams

Two Bruins were at their best when the Atlanta Dream earned a 106-81 win over the Chicago Sky on Saturday.

UCLA alum Jordin Canada, who has dealt the ball with expert precision this season, had 11 points and 10 assists for the WNBA-playoff bound Dream.

UCLA alum Gabriela Jaquez, who has enjoyed a strong rookie season with a rebuilding Sky team, finished with 14 points, three rebounds, two steals and one assist. Chicago was eliminated from playoff contention, but Jaquez has been a bright spot for the team all season.

Bruins on deck

Here are all UCLA games scheduled to be played this week across all sports, with all times Pacific:

Monday, Sept. 21

Women’s golf at Canadian Collegiate Invitational, All day

Tuesday, Sept. 22

Women’s golf at Canadian Collegiate Invitational, All day

Thursday, Sept. 24

USTA SoCal Intercollegiate Championship, All day

Women’s volleyball at Indiana, 4 p.m.

Women’s soccer at Rutgers, 5 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 25

USTA SoCal Intercollegiate Championship, All day

Men’s tennis at Sherwood Collegiate Cup, All day

Men’s soccer at Maryland, 4 p.m.

Men’s water polo vs. Fordham, 5 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 26

USTA SoCal Intercollegiate Championship, All day

Football at Maryland, 10:30 a.m.

Men’s water polo at Pepperdine, 1 p.m.

Women’s volleyball at Northwestern, 5 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 27

USTA SoCal Intercollegiate Championship, All day

Women’s soccer at Maryland, 9 a.m.

In case you missed it

Wayne Knight and UCLA bulldoze Purdue in Big Ten opener

UCLA braces for first Big Ten test of coach Bob Chesney’s tenure

UCLA to give all students free tickets to home football, basketball games

Have something Bruin?

Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Sports editor Iliana Limón Romero contributed to this report.

UCLA offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy stressed that his offense needed to come out swinging Saturday against Purdue after going scoreless in the first half against San Diego State last week.

And the Bruins heeded the advice, scoring 21 first-quarter points before pulling away in the second half to take a 52-38 win in their Big Ten opener Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.

UCLA improved to 3-0 and matched its 2025 win total with its first 50-point game against a Power Four program since November 2022. Bob Chesney joined Terry Donahue and Jim Mora as the only coaches to start their UCLA tenures 3-0.

Fifth-year tailback Wayne Knight spearheaded the offensive outburst, rushing for 177 yards and two touchdowns for a Bruins team that had 369 yards and four touchdowns on the ground via an average of 7.7 yards per carry. Knight has eight touchdowns in three games, matching the Bruins’ total output for rushing touchdowns last season.

“The biggest thing for us was to just put it all together. And I think that we stepped up to that challenge — what we did on the ground, in the air,” Knight said. “But the guys up front, no matter who is in there as guys are rotating all the time, whoever is in there is going to put up front. They are working as a team.”

While Chesney made sure to acknowledge his running backs — with all three starters reaching the end zone — he made a point to recognize the man under center, highlighting senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s resiliency.

After posting two interceptions to zero passing touchdowns through the first two weeks of the season, Iamaleava completed 19 of 31 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 55 more. Iamaleava looked much more comfortable and confident in the pocket, despite playing through multiple injuries.

UCLA defensive players celebrate after defensive lineman Sahir West (15) recovers a fumble against Purdue Saturday at the Rose Bowl.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

“Last week, I told you it wasn’t his greatest game. We watched him go out here today, and I think he was near perfect for a stretch in the beginning of that game, finding all kinds of different receivers and being able to carry the ball himself a little bit,” Chesney said. “And just what a warrior, because he was pretty nicked up out there in moments, and he just wanted to keep fighting.”

Iamaleava found security in senior wideout Semaj Morgan, who hauled in four passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns. In three years at Michigan, Morgan had just four receiving touchdowns. Outside of Morgan, fifth-year wide receiver Leland Smith caught three passes for 59 yards despite playing just one snap across the previous two weeks, potentially giving Iamaleava and Kennedy a big target to look to going forward.

James Madison transfer Landon Ellis, who returned to the field for the first time since going down with a head injury in the beginning of the second half against California, scored his first touchdown as a Bruin. And South Carolina transfer Brian Rowe Jr. caught two passes for 65 yards despite getting targeted eight times, including a deep shot from Iamaleava in the end zone that bounced off his chest.

Although UCLA’s offense turned in 645 yards of total offense, its defense struggled to hold back a Purdue team that lost its 19th consecutive conference game.

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava passes during the first quarter Saturday against Purdue.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

While the Bruins held Aztec signal caller Jayden Denegal to just 45 passing yards, the secondary found itself facing a different beast in Boilermaker quarterback Ryan Browne, who completed 19 of 30 passes for 378 of Purdue’s 488 total yards, with a touchdown and an interception. Xavier Townsend had 162 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

“I felt like the pressure mounted a little bit and we were not as clean in our technique as we needed to be,” Chesney said. “We can’t put ourselves in panic mode, which might have hit us a little bit throughout today. But when we needed it the most, we were able to get a stop.”

Chesney said the UCLA defense has the personnel and ability to compete with anyone, but penalties and a fake punt that resulted in a first down allowed the Boilermakers to get within one score and added unnecessary pressure.

Fortunately for the UCLA secondary, linebacker Sammy Omosigho put the defense on his back.

Omosigho led the team in tackles with 12, but more important, he had two sacks and two forced fumbles. He has four forced fumbles in three games.

“That’s his third game in a row forcing a fumble. There’s other things he’s going to want to clean up in there too and other schematic things that he can do better,” Chesney said of Omosigho. “But at the same point in time, the one play that stuck out to me was a running back, and it looked like he was going to go and get the edge, and Sam just put out one arm and just crumbled this kid with one arm. The strength he has, the poise he plays with, the toughness he plays with and the strength to be able to execute and finish on those tackles, are things that are pretty impressive.”

UCLA running back Anthony Woods is hoisted up by offensive lineman Julian Armella after scoring a touchdown against Purdue at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

James Madison transfer Sahir West recovered both of Omosigho’s takeaways — the Boilermakers’ first two giveaways this season — and they set up UCLA touchdowns.

While Purdue (1-2) kept up with UCLA for most of the game, its hopes of a comeback ended when senior defensive back Rodrick Pleasant picked off Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne with less than six minutes left.

Despite the Bruins’ difficulty thriving on both sides of the ball during the same game, Chesney said he is confident in his team’s ability to compete going forward.

“We heard the guys on defense saying thanks for getting our back,” Chesney said. “The offense struggled last week, we’re going to need them at some point. The defense is going to need that at some point, and then we’re all going to need the special teams at some point. We haven’t played the perfect complementary game yet, but there’s one in there and I’m looking forward to seeing that day because it exists. There’s fibers in here of a really high level football team.”

PM Anthony Albanese asks Apple CEO Tim Cook to back Canberra’s online safety laws to ‘keep Australians safe’.

The Australian government is seeking support from global tech giants as it works to strengthen the country’s online safety laws and artificial intelligence (AI) regulations.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who met Apple CEO Tim Cook at the tech company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, on Saturday, said that “Australia can’t do it alone” when it came to protecting children from the dangers of the internet.

“We spoke about what we’re doing to protect children from online harm and the work ahead,” Albanese wrote on social media.

“We’re putting stronger rules in place to keep Australians safe online,” he said. “And now, big tech companies like Apple are stepping up too.”

Albanese, who is also in the United States for the United Nations General Assembly, used his trip to call for stronger AI regulation after dire safety warnings from industry leaders.

Australia will introduce new standards for AI by the end of the year, he said.

In a video posted to his X account, Albanese said his Labor government is “making sure technology works for Australians”, and not the other way around.

In a post on X, Cook also said he shared with Albanese new “strong and intuitive controls to help keep kids safe online”.

New Australian legislation unveiled this month would place a “duty of care” requirement on the firms behind popular platforms, such as Facebook, TikTok and Instagram, and allow users to turn off their algorithms.

The draft laws will be introduced to parliament later this year after consultation with social media companies, industry bodies and civil society groups.

The opposition Liberal-National Coalition opposes the bill “in its current form”, according to a statement published on September 10, saying that it “contains inadequate safeguards for free speech and journalism, and leaves too much power in the hands of the Communications Minister”.

Australia implemented legislation barring children under 16 from social media platforms last year as part of a world-first crackdown designed to protect children from online bullying and “predatory algorithms”.

However, data last month found that Australians under 16 continued using social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok despite the ban.

Sir Tom Jones proved he’s “still got it” on The Voice UK tonight with an impromptu rendition of It’s Not Unusual.

The Voice UK fans slam ITV’s “huge mistake” in getting rid of Sir Tom Jones as he shares heartwarming story about his career.

ITV’s hit singing contest The Voice UK returned tonight, Saturday, September 19, as the judges continued to blindly listen to singers hoping one of stars would give them a chance.

As always was veteran The Voice UK icon Sir Tom Jones who recalled when he first realised the moment he “made it” in his music career, after he was asked by Will.i.am.

“It’s Not Unusual I did in 1964 so that was 61 years ago”, Tom said.

“My band and myself were driving back to London and It’s Not Unusual came out on the Friday but I didn’t know until I picked up the Sunday paper in a transport cafe, and there it was, It’s Not Unusual, number 10.

“There were truck drivers there right and I was like ‘You see this!’ And they were like ‘yeah, yeah, yeah yeah!’

“And just seeing my name at number 10 I thought ‘This is it. It was a tremendous feeling.’

This story then prompted the audience to ask for him to sing It’s Not Unusual which Sir Tom happily obliged with many fans impressed by his performance.

However, it also angered viewers as they were reminded that the 86-year-old will not be returning for The Voice UK next year as he will be replaced by former Girls Aloud star Cheryl.

“To the powers that be at The Voice UK this is the legend you dropped!”, someone angrily wrote.

A second agreed: “ITV making a very big mistake getting rid of Sir Tom Jones, idiots.”

Another agreed: “It was such a huge mistake axing Tom Jones”, with another writing: “Still can’t believe they fired THE Tom Jones. He’s amazing.”

While a fellow viewer added: “Don’t care what anyone says Sir Tom Jones has still got it!” Silliest move to let this frigging legend go..shame on you producers who make stupid decisions on The Voice UK.”

Sir Tom has also shared that it wasn’t his decision to go, explaining on social media: “The reason given is because of a financial difficulty with insurance.

They now say in the press they wanted to ‘refresh’ the show, and with a new coaching line-up there wouldn’t be a chair for me.”

He has instead been offered a reduced role in the series, something that Sir Tom isn’t “thrilled” about.

The Voice UK continues every Saturday on ITV and ITVX

COMSTOCK, Texas — The Trump administration has started building a border wall through a west Texas section of the Big Bend region, marking the first major construction in an area of the U.S.-Mexico border where the administration’s plans have met heavy, bipartisan opposition.

The start of construction marks a milestone in the administration’s $46-billion efforts to line the border with walls, barriers, roads and technology as it seeks to make good on a campaign promise by President Trump to finish the wall. And it comes as Customs and Border Protection says it has doubled the pace at which it is building the wall across the border.

Customs and Border Protection said in a statement to the Associated Press that “border wall panel installation is underway” in a 47-mile stretch of Hudspeth County in west Texas known as Big Bend 1. There are five project areas that make up the roughly 500-mile Big Bend region stretching from an area of Hudspeth County south of El Paso to Lake Amistad.

CBP said the first panels were erected Wednesday. On a map on the agency’s website where it posts updates of wall construction along the southern border, a photo showed a crane lifting one of the 30-foot-tall steel wall panels into place as construction workers looked on.

The new activity was separate from a border infrastructure project in the nearby Big Bend National Park, where the administration has suspended construction in an attempt to reach out to opponents.

In the broader Big Bend region of Texas, CBP has run up against concerted opposition from landowners, environmental groups, business owners and ranchers who say the remote region isn’t a high-traffic area for illegal immigration. Political leaders from both parties, including U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), have joined the opposition.

Activists said Friday they would continue opposing the border infrastructure projects in the rest of the Big Bend region, even as the panels were being installed.

Clara Benson, one of the founders of the No Big Bend Wall Coalition, which has been fighting against CBP’s plans, said in an interview Friday that the organization had been receiving reports of trucks moving supplies into the remote area along the Rio Grande and that contractors had been clearing yards to stage supplies.

Speaking from Washington, D.C., where she and others in the coalition were meeting with lawmakers, she said that the organization and others would continue to fight the wall-building plans across the region.

“We will continue to fight for this land no matter what the outcome is. We will continue fighting to the end,” said Benson. “You talk to people in west Texas and they say even if they put it up, we’ll fight for them to take it down. So this fight is not over.”

The news comes as the administration is speeding forward with a plan to line the entire border with a combination of 30-foot-tall steel bollard walls, barriers designed to stop vehicles from crossing the border, new patrol roads, and various technologies to deter and detect migrants or smugglers from crossing the border.

Customs and Border Protection said it is building an average of 12 miles of barriers per week along the 2,000-mile border with Mexico and recently reached a milestone of 200 miles of new barriers built since the second Trump administration took office. The 12-miles-a-week average is double the pace that the agency’s head, Rodney Scott, cited earlier this year.

The agency has faced opposition from environmental groups, a small town that worries the wall will cause flooding in its area, Native Americans who say the construction is disturbing sacred sites and landowners who say the construction will infringe on their land.

In Texas, much of the opposition has centered on the agency’s plans for Big Bend National Park, in the state’s southwest on the Rio Grande that is a draw for tourists from around the world. But up- and downriver outside the park, much of the land is owned by private landowners, many of whom have organized against the government’s efforts.

Earlier this week, landowners, ranchers and business owners in the Big Bend region along with a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the region’s landscape and heritage sued to stop the administration’s plans.

Activists and landowners have also shown up at county meetings to push their elected officials not to cooperate with contractors hired by CBP to build the wall, and many landowners have refused to allow government officials or contractors onto their land to survey it.

Santana writes for the Associated Press.

Big Brother star Millie has addressed her time in the ITV show after becoming the first evicted housemate of the 2026 series

Axed Big Brother star Millie has shared her true feelings about one housemate after being voted out of the ITV show.

This series got off to a dramatic start earlier this week as Big Brother planted a fake housemate, Tays, amongst the cast. His mission was to cause mayhem in the house throughout the week, aided by his hand-picked deputy Philip. The pair were also handed the power to put three housemates up for the first eviction.

They selected bartender Millie, carer Pauline and housewife Rochelle for nomination, leaving the public to decide who would be shown the door. After the votes were counted, Millie was axed and ordered to leave the Big Brother house immediately.

Speaking to hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best upon her exit, Millie confessed that she was “shocked” because she heard fans cheering for her outside the house.

The 19-year-old also addressed her run-in with fellow housemate Rochelle earlier this week, during which Millie shared her plans to undergo weight loss surgery. Rochelle chimed in, saying: “You can’t just have it and think ‘Oh, I’m going to carry on eating s***’ because it doesn’t work like that.”

She went on to advise Millie to try other methods but Millie insisted she has already tried other weight loss strategies. To which Rochelle replied: “You’re saying you have but I see what you eat.”

Bartender Millie was left upset by the interaction and later vented her feelings to Big Brother. Now, she has spoken about the situation revealing that she doesn’t think Rochelle fully grasps that she hurt her feelings, reports OK!.

“I think she just thinks I was being too sensitive, to be honest. Like, she’s from a different time and I think she didn’t even realise she was upsetting me. I think she’s just stuck in her ways, to be honest with you,” Millie said during the live eviction.

She went on to admit that there were times they “got along,” before adding: “But I just think after that my respect was on the floor for her because I didn’t appreciate it at all.”

Despite the spat, the axed housemate reflects on her time on the show fondly. “I had the best time and I love absolutely everyone in there. So do you know what? A win is a win! A win is a win! It broke my heart seeing them [housemates] all start crying that actually broke my heart,” she said.

Before Millie was evicted, content creator Tays was finally unmasked as the original mole, before being instructed to leave the house straight away. The remaining housemates had actually sussed out that Tays was the secret spy just hours before the eviction, after noticing he only had a handful of outfits in his wardrobe.

Following his departure, the fake contestant admitted: “That was stressful”. He also disclosed that Lynx immediately recognised him from his social media content on the opening night, which could have easily blown his mission to remain undetected. But he managed to fly under the radar for some time.

The 23-year-old further confessed he wasn’t convinced by his nominations. “I wouldn’t have picked any of them. At the start I didn’t know them,” he said, before admitting they were “clutching at straws” when selecting the three nominees.

Big Brother is available to stream on ITVX

While Purdue is not projected to be a Big Ten juggernaut this season, UCLA coach Bob Chesney and his team expect to be challenged during their first game against Big Ten competition on Saturday at the Rose Bowl.

The Boilermakers’ defensive line features five high-impact players that are at least 6-foot-3, and a nose tackle who weighs in at 301 pounds and anchors a defensive front that ranks second in the Big Ten with 17 tackles for loss.

“They’re talented in who they’re as individual players, there are some game-wreckers in there,” Chesney said. “They are as vertical as can be, they jump out of their stances, they’re jumping snap counts and they’re violent. They pose a giant problem, and we are not going to be able to push them around, and we are not going to be able to find ourselves in a spot where they tire. This is going to be a battle on the inside throughout the entire course of that game.”

While UCLA’s ground attack has dominated through the first two games of the season — rushing for 277 yards and six touchdowns against California and 214 yards and four scores against San Diego State — it might be harder for the Bruins’ running backs to have their way against the Purdue defense.

Purdue held both Indiana State‘s and Wake Forest’s starting running backs to less than four yards per carry, and has conceded just two rushing touchdowns to those starters this season.

“There’s some things that I think Purdue does a really good job defensively, in terms of getting off the ball,” said UCLA offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy. “They have got a lot of length. They’re a very, very big team, it will probably be one of the biggest teams we will face, so we have to be prepared for that.”

However, the Boilermakers have struggled to stop quarterbacks on the run — allowing Indiana State’s Elijah Owens and Wake Forest‘s Gio Lopez to combine for 118 rushing yards and two touchdowns — giving Bruins senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava the opportunity to rely on his legs.

While Iamaleava should have wide receivers Landon Ellis and Brian Rowe Jr. back to full strength, fortifying the aerial attack, the signal-caller will be without Mikey Matthews, after the slot receiver went down with a lower-body injury against San Diego State.

“There’s a fine line. Understanding what the coverage is doing, when is it time to take off and go,” Kennedy said. “If you are going through your read, from a clock standpoint, and it’s not there, it’s a great time to take off and go. It’s our job as an offense to create explosives, whether it’s him taking off or it’s him creating a scramble drill. We look at scramble drills, that we have to create explosives, and that’s something we have to do a better job of.”

Defensively, the “Bruin Bullies” will be tasked with stopping running back Fame Ijeboi, who has run for 201 yards and four touchdowns on 5.3 yards per carry this season. Chesney said that Ijeboi has a “Wayne Knight” feeling to him, where he plays low to the ground, displays proficient body balance and leg drive, allowing him to be influential in the passing game and break tackles.

While UCLA has already faced formidable rushers in Cal’s Adam Mohammed and San Diego State’s Lucky Sutton, Ijeboi could be the most impactful yet. And no one knows that more than Bruin defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler, who went to the same high school as the Boilermaker running back.

“It’s been fun to watch his growth, following him through high school, and watching him earn those scholarships and opportunities,” Hitschler said. “Those first two games, he jumped off the tape. He’s got great potential and he’s going to go a long way. We have to do a good job putting a physical shoulder on him and knocking him down because he’ll run through contact and does a great job of finding the edges.”

If Ijeboi is unable to get it going, it will have to be up to Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne to generate offense.

While the signal-caller struggled last season — throwing nine touchdowns with 10 interceptions — Browne has looked like a new player in 2026, passing for 646 yards and four touchdowns.

Browne has benefited from the addition of two premier slot receivers in Florida Atlantic transfer Asaad Waseem and Iowa State transfer Xavier Townsend. They have combined for 25 receptions, 277 yards and one score.

“What makes them unique is there are a lot of them,” Hitschler said. “When you have 10 personnel and that many receivers that can catch the ball, it can create mismatches, and we play a lot of man, so who’s going to fold first?” Hitschler said. “Are we going to be able to man them up or are we having to play more zone? Those are questions that will play out as the game dictates by who’s winning the one-on-one matchups. It’s the chess match that always happens in any game.”

The Bruins’ defense will look to force turnovers,
but that is no easy feat as the Boilermakers have yet to turn the ball over this season.

THE SUMMER holidays are in the rearview mirror now, so it’s likely you’re already daydreaming about next year’s getaway.

As for where to book, these spots have been revealed as the trending destinations for 2027 including one place in Europe with tropical-looking beaches, and another country with highs of 30C even in winter.

Advantage Travel Partnership, a UK-based consortium of independent travel businesses has said Albania as the destination to watch for 2027.

The country is much lesser-visited by Brits than the likes of France, Spain and Greece – but it has so much to offer, including beautiful beaches and hot summers.

One spot along the Albanian Riviera called Ksamil is regularly labelled the ‘Maldives of Europe,’ for its stunning coastline.

The village is in the south of Albania very close to Corfu – in fact on a clear day you can see across to the island.

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Ksamil has white-sand beaches, turquoise waters, and offshore islands that you can swim to from the mainland, giving it similar attributes to the Maldives.

The easiest way to get to Ksamil is actually to fly into Corfu Airport and take a quick ferry crossing across.

Another spot in Albania that is loved by singer Dua Lipa is the seaside village, Dhermi, which in the summertime is called a ‘bustling seaside paradise’.

It has pebbled beaches, beach clubs, a historic old town, and one of the biggest attractions is Pirates’ Cave.

Albania during the spring sits around the mid-20s, and during summertime can be over 30C.

There are direct flights from London Heathrow, Stansted and Luton to the country’s capital, Tirana, which start from £30.

Visitors to Albania have been steadily rising, previous statistics reveal that tourists visiting Albania nearly doubled from 6.4million in 2019 to 11.7million in 2024.

Other places that the data revealed are on the up next year include Egypt, an affordable winter sun hotspot.

The country and particularly Red Sea resorts attract Brits in the later part of the year thanks to its high temperatures.

In October, Egypt can still bask on the beach in 30C heat – meanwhile the UK’s average is around 10C.

In recent years, Egypt has been named the ‘best value for money’ destination, according to the Post Office Travel Money.

According to Wise, a beer in Egypt can be as little as 50EG which is 77p.

Coffee can be as little as 54p and a meal at an inexpensive restaurant costs an average of £2.75.

Earlier this year, Chris Logan, Commercial Director at TUI UK&I named Egypt as one of their “most in demand destinations.”

He named Sharm El Sheikh as a popular spot for couples with its blend of relaxation, vibrant nightlife, and world‑class reefs.

Hurghada is a spot that’s “especially popular with families thanks to its impressive all‑inclusive offering, shallow beaches, and brilliant snorkelling”.

Nearby Marsa Alam is also gaining in popularity thanks to its “pristine beaches, exceptional diving, and a more laid‑back atmosphere”.

There are plenty of direct flights to Egypt from the UK, particularly in the winter months, with an average flight time of just over five hours.

Two other on-the-rise destinations for 2027 include Hong Kong and Vietnam.

The Sun’s Business Affairs Editor James Flanders visited Vietnam last year where he was delighted to find beers for £1.

James said: “From the moment I touched down in Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, I knew my trip would be unforgettable.

“The city doesn’t just welcome you — it wraps you in its embrace with the hum of motorbikes, the aroma of street food, and a culture so vibrant you can’t help but fall in love. 

“My favourite memories of Hanoi, however, were on Train Street. This narrow alley is famed for its railway, which runs straight through the centre, so close to the tiny cafés flanking the street that you can feel the rush of air when the carriages whoosh past.”

Outside of the capital, one popular activity is kayaking along Ha Long Bay which has emerald waters and is surrounded by towering limestone cliffs.

No one will be disappointed by the food and drink scene in Vietnam, James enjoyed Huda beer, crispy fried spring rolls, and a stir-fried rice noodle dish for less than £8. 

Report says ‘reasonable grounds’ US was behind the deadly strike against a school in Minab in February.

A Big Brother duo have sparked romance speculation just days into the new ITV series

Two Big Brother housemates have seemingly ‘confirmed’ their romance after just four days in the famous house.

The duo entered the experiment on Sunday (September 13), alongside 14 other contestants. But they have now been spotted laying together in bed and holding hands, prompting fans to suggest that they have already ‘hard launched’ their connection.

The moment came during Thursday (September 17) night’s episode, when the house was transformed into a ‘dreamland’. While nominated housemates Millie, Pauline and Rochelle stayed in the main house, the remaining contestants were sent to a much smaller ‘nightmare room’.

As they were settling into the their new living space, Chelsey and Lynx were seen holding hands while chatting with their co-stars. And the duo didn’t appear to be hiding their intimate body language from the rest of the house.

This has sparked conversation on X, formerly Twitter, where one viewer wrote: “Finger interlocking holding hands in front of basically everyone, oh they really hard launching this romance thing init #bbuk.”

Many fans have complained about the pair’s alleged “showmance,” arguing that they are treating the social experiment like a dating show. “Chelsey & Lynx need to realise this is not Love Island #BBUK,” said one.

Another frustrated viewer posted: “Stop trying to make a chelsey and lynx showmance happen! it’s not going to happen! #bbuk,” while a third added: “they’re holding hands now? #bbuk.”

Someone else chimed in with: “Do they know its not love island ffs stop holding hands #bbuk,” with a final viewer putting forward: “We’ll have to get one of Lynx or Chelsey out soon if they continue, they think they’re on Love Island. #bbuk,” reports OK!.

Although their romance has come under fire, Chelsey and Lynx have separately attracted some support since joining the show. Manchester-based Chelsey has been described as “a sweetheart”, with one fan writing: “I really like Chelsey so far, she’s got a great bubbly personality. #BBUK.”

Lynx has his admirers, too. “I like lynx #BBUK,” one supporter posted, while another declared: “Lynx might be the coolest name i’ve ever heard #bbuk.” Chelsey and Lynx aren’t the first pair to find a connection on the series. 2025 contestants Marcus and Elsa, who met on the show, recently announced their engagement and first pregnancy together.

Away from the romances, the house is preparing for an eviction. Big Brother’s undercover moles, Tays and Philip, nominated Millie, Pauline and Rochelle, leaving the public to decide who goes.

The result will be revealed during Friday’s live broadcast, with AJ Odudu and Will Best on hand to interview the departing housemate.

Big Brother continues on ITV2 and ITVX tomorrow night at 9pm

Sami Mokbel: Rio Ngumoha and Lewis Hall are among the players to have been named in England manager Thomas Tuchel’s provisional squad for the forthcoming Nations League internationals, though it remains to be seen whether they make the final cut.

Liverpool winger Ngumoha was part of a contingent of young players that flew with the England senior squad for their pre-World Cup training camp in Palm Beach.

He was unexpectedly handed his debut in the warm-up game against New Zealand, impressing in a second-half cameo.

But the 18-year-old is yet to be picked in a full senior England squad – although he is in with a chance of being selected by Tuchel for the forthcoming games against Spain, the Czech Republic and Croatia.

Hall’s World Cup omission raised eyebrows given England entered the tournament without a natural left-back.

Before naming his full squad on Friday, Tuchel is required to submit a preliminary squad of players from which he will name his final party.

It is understood Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly and Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are also among the names selected in Tuchel’s extended list.

Attacking duo Cole Palmer and Phil Foden are on there too, after being two of the biggest omissions from Tuchel’s squad for the World Cup.

That decision was deemed a mistake from certain circles, given they are two of English football’s most creative players.

Meanwhile, Tuchel is expected to omit Jordan Henderson, Dean Henderson and John Stones because of injury.

Below-par showings were forgiven last season as Celtic simply just had to get by to stay in touch at the top before eventually leapfrogging Heart of Midlothian on the final day with a seventh successive league victory.

That Premiership-winning streak has been extended to 13 games following six straight victories to start the campaign, but concerns about performance level remain. Four of those six wins have been by a one-goal margin.

Twelve goals over three wins at Kilmarnock, Dundee United and in the first leg of the Champions League play-off against LASK sent an ominous warning to Celtic’s domestic rivals amid a period of high spending, particularly in forward areas.

Camilo Duran has been the standout summer recruit so far with six goals and three assists in 10 appearances, while record signing Kasper Hogh and fellow big-money arrival Haissem Hassan are yet to fully settle.

Sutton said his old club have been “flat-track bullies” by “beating the teams you expect them to beat”, but the collapse in Austria, plus Sunday’s bruising loss, has highlighted glaring deficiencies.

Even captain Callum McGregor lamented Celtic’s “team of individuals” after the weekend defeat at Ibrox.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club, former striker Sutton also expressed his “great concerns” for O’Neill’s men and said they have “big issues” after a “lightweight” midfield was “run all over” by Rangers.

Celtic have struggled to build up play against coherent pressing teams, which results in opposition sides being offered too much encouragement when the ball turns over.

They faced a whopping 60 shots across both legs with LASK. Forty of them came in a mess of a second leg. In the Premiership alone this season, they have faced 64 attempts, the same number as Hearts and six more than Rangers.

Over just six games, that tally already makes up almost a quarter of the total they faced in the entirety of the 2024-25 league-winning campaign under Brendan Rodgers.

That said, in comparison to last term, which was overseen by Rodgers, Nancy and O’Neill, Celtic’s Premiership numbers show they are currently averaging a far better goal concession rate while scoring and shooting more.

Come Sunday, though, the most crucial statistic could be in the points column.

With a rapid rematch against Rangers offering the chance to move eight points clear of their city rivals after a test against European-level opposition, the next four days will at least be mood-shifting.

Whether that is to O’Neill’s benefit remains unclear.

Big Brother viewers have rallied behind the reality star after she was labelled ‘disrespectful’

Big Brother fans have rushed to defend a controversial contestant amid online backlash.

American housemate Johanne, 44, was labelled ‘disrespectful’ after she walked into the storage room while Omar was praying towards the end of Wednesday night’s episode of the ITV series. She began searching for a drink, apparently unaware of what he was doing.

Once Johanne realised, she apologised and left the room. She later apologised to Omar again, explaining that she had no idea he was praying. While some viewers criticised the interruption, others argued it was a genuine mistake and questioned whether Omar had been given enough privacy in the shared house.

“Omar should have let them know he was going in to pray you could tell she genuinely didn’t know #bbuk,” one viewer wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Another suggested: “I do think Omar should probably have a more private place to pray though how are all housemates going to know #bbuk.”

The encounter nevertheless left some fans cringing. As OK! reports, one posted: “I’ve never gotten worse second hand embarrassment in my life #bbuk.” A second wrote: “Stop that was so awkward poor Omar #BBUK.”

Others took a harsher view of Johanne’s behaviour. One wrote: “Wow Joanne is so disrespectful my lord. #bbuk.” Another added: “Joanne interrupting Omar praying? ! Holy s*** that’s incredibly disrespectful #BBUK.”

The debate came just four days after the new contestants moved into the house, with tensions already emerging. Tonight’s episode also saw Charlotte, who is an amputee, and Rochelle at the centre of the drama after Rochelle revealed she had long had a phobia of people with limb differences.

Meanwhile, Millie, Pauline and Rochelle were confirmed as the housemates facing the series’ first eviction.

The trio had been offered a lifeline if they could identify Big Brother’s moles, Tays and Philip. All three failed to expose the undercover housemates, leaving them facing the public vote.

Voting is now open for Friday’s (September 18) eviction, with viewers asked to choose the housemate they want to leave.

The evicted contestant will then join presenters AJ Odudu and Will Best for a live interview.

Big Brother is available to stream on ITVX

Kids’ favourite TV character Bob the Builder – complete with a voice over by actor Neil Morrissey – has been hired to encourage more people to learn green energy skills

Much-loved cartoon character Bob the Builder is making a return in his original form after 15 years – to plug green energy.

The kids TV favourite, voiced by Men Behaving Badly actor Neil Morrissey, appears in a new advert from energy giant E.on.

And he also reveals what he has been doing since the original stop motion version of the show ended in 2011, including taking up yoga, bird watching and travelling to Australia.

It is Down Under, so the new story goes, that Britain’s best known tradesman twigs the importance of green energy, such as solar panels and home batteries. On returning home, he decides to learn the skills needed to fit the new kit, with the advert ending with his famous catchphrase: “Can we fix it? Yes we can.”

The 90 second piece, which will run across E.ON UK’s social media channels, is designed to encourage many more people to learn the same type of skills.

It comes as new research commissioned by the company found that around one third of professionals in the UK energy sector believe the workforce is not yet fully equipped to install the technologies needed for the transition to green energy.

At the same time, 89% agree that greater investment and closer collaboration between government and industry are needed. And the vast majority say that upskilling the existing workforce will be just as important as attracting new talent to meet future demand.

Helen Bradbury, chief people officer at E.ON UK, said: “Bob the Builder has always inspired people to solve problems and build things that matter. Today, those same qualities are needed to help deliver the UK’s transition to clean power.

“By embracing green skills and fronting this campaign, he’s a shining example of how we can make new energy work for everyone.

“If we invest in people’s homes, we can build a new energy system from the ground up. One that uses low-carbon, connected technologies like solar panels and batteries to put customers back in control of their energy use and lower their bills.”

ITV will air some dramatic scenes on Big Brother just a couple of days into the series

The emotions are already too much for some housemates.

One Big Brother star broke down in tears as they spoke about the real reason they have joined up for the ITV reality series. Chaos is also set to erupt in dramatic scenes airing tonight (September 15).

Fans have been teased about what to expect in the upcoming episode. It comes as more than a dozen new housemates moved into the famous residence to spend up to eight weeks as part of the unique social experiment.

However, despite being in there for less than 48 hours, it is clearly proving too much for some. The first morning in the house has already seen one star break down in tears.

Viewers tuning in will see Frankie, Johanne and Pauline are in the bathroom during a cryptic conversation. Frankie said: “I ain’t slept one bit. I feel like I went from a really big high to a really big low last night. Quick and all, the turnaround was weird. I went from high to straight low…”

Pauline asked: “But what caused that though?” Frankie hinted: “Oh, to be fair, like, I’ve come on here for various reasons. I know why, I need to get that sorted. Once that’s sorted…”

Johanne responded: “You’re so top secret with that. Everybody when you ask them like why did you come on it’s just like simple answer.”

Frankie explained: “Do you know what it is, I don’t want to… like I’ll be honest, I come on cause I was like… I don’t want to get upset though man.”

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Johanne said: “Your answer, it must be very complicated… You okay?” Frankie then struggled to hold back tears and puts his hand to his face, as he wiped his eyes.

Looking on, Pauline said: “Oh gosh.” They both asked if he is ok as Pauline reassuringly told him: “Frankie don’t. If you don’t want to disclose it, you don’t have to, you know.”

While Johanne offered: “Or if you need to disclose it and you need someone to talk to, you can.” It’s not yet known if Frankie does reveal the truth behind his motives but he confessed: “I knew it was gonna hit me but I didn’t think it’d hit me early. It’s hit me straight away…”

He also stated: “It has to be done, I have to face myself. I can’t run forever, do you know what I mean?” Meanwhile, later in the house there is a heated exchange between Johanne and Rochelle.

While some housemates attempted to play a game, it went too far. As part of it, Charlotte asked Johanne: “Who annoys you the most?”

Johanne replied: “Rochelle. It’s gonna be the same thing. She asked me who annoys me the most and I said Rochelle. I mean every answer, who do I like least, who annoys me the most. It’s gonna be her.”

Rochelle quipped: “Ditto… You’ve got a real f****** problem. You’ve only been here one day.” To which Johanne retorted and repeated the phrase: “You’re my f****** problem.” The argument continued and resulted in some of their fellow housemates stepping in to try and calm the situation.

Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and streaming on ITVX.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being treated not simply as a technology sector but as a strategic capability tied to economic power, national security and geopolitical competition. Recent warnings from leading AI researchers and executives that increasingly autonomous systems could pose extreme risks have intensified debate over whether development should be slowed.

Yet the same warnings could make a slowdown less likely. If advanced AI can provide major military, economic and technological advantages, governments may view continued development as a strategic necessity. The result could be a paradox in which growing concerns about the dangers of AI encourage countries to accelerate the race to control it.

The United States and China are at the center of this competition. Both governments have strong incentives to maintain their technological advantage, while companies are investing enormous sums in data centers, chips and computing infrastructure.

The scale of investment shows why reversing course would be difficult. Goldman Sachs estimates that cumulative global AI spending through the end of the decade could reach as much as 5% of global GDP. At the same time, financial markets are increasingly sensitive to whether the extraordinary investment in AI infrastructure will ultimately generate sufficient economic returns.

Why it matters

The central question is no longer simply whether AI development should be regulated. It is whether governments can realistically agree to meaningful limits while competing for technological dominance.

A country that slows development unilaterally risks allowing competitors to move ahead. That creates a classic security dilemma: measures intended to reduce risk can themselves create strategic vulnerability.

The problem is particularly significant because AI has applications far beyond commercial technology. Advanced systems could affect cybersecurity, intelligence, military planning, financial markets, biotechnology and critical infrastructure.

That makes AI different from many previous technology debates. Governments may be willing to regulate individual applications, but they are less likely to accept restrictions that could permanently reduce their strategic advantage.

The investment dilemma

The AI boom has already become deeply connected to wider economic growth.

Companies are spending heavily on computing capacity and data centers, while investors have placed enormous valuations on firms expected to benefit from AI adoption. A significant slowdown could therefore have consequences far beyond technology companies.

Morgan Stanley has estimated that almost $200 billion in U.S. data center projects were cancelled or delayed amid political resistance to new infrastructure. The bank has also argued that capital expenditure linked to AI could account for roughly one third of U.S. GDP growth over the current period.

This creates another obstacle to restraint. AI investment is no longer only a corporate decision. It has become connected to employment, infrastructure, financial markets and national economic growth.

The longer the investment cycle continues, the more difficult it becomes for governments and companies to voluntarily step away from it.

Washington and Beijing

The geopolitical dimension makes a coordinated slowdown even harder.

U.S. policymakers increasingly view technological leadership in AI as an element of national power. China, meanwhile, sees AI development as part of its broader effort to reduce dependence on Western technology and strengthen its own economic and strategic capabilities.

That means Washington and Beijing have incentives to monitor each other’s progress rather than simply establish limits.

The political rhetoric surrounding AI increasingly reflects this competition. Trump has portrayed opposition to AI infrastructure as benefiting China, while Chinese state media has described warnings about AI as part of a broader geopolitical strategy against Beijing.

The result is a familiar strategic dilemma: if either side believes the other may continue developing advanced AI, neither has much incentive to slow down first.

Can international rules work?

Meaningful AI restrictions would ultimately require international cooperation.

Individual countries can establish domestic safety standards, require companies to conduct risk assessments or impose restrictions on specific applications. But those measures cannot fully address the geopolitical problem if competitors outside those jurisdictions remain free to develop more powerful systems.

The nuclear comparison illustrates the difficulty. The first nuclear weapon was developed in 1945, but the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty did not emerge until 1968. Even after the treaty, nuclear proliferation continued beyond the five states formally recognized as nuclear-weapon states.

AI could present an even more complicated challenge because it is not confined to a small number of military facilities. Its development involves thousands of companies, researchers, data centers and computing systems spread across multiple countries.

Economic security could become the new arms race

The most important shift may be that AI competition does not need to resemble a conventional military arms race to produce similar strategic pressures.

Advanced AI could generate advantages in productivity, financial markets, scientific research, cybersecurity and military technology. Falling behind could therefore be perceived as an economic and national security threat even without the development of an explicit weapon.

This could produce what might be described as mutually assured economic dependence. Countries may recognize the dangers of uncontrolled AI while simultaneously believing that abandoning the technology would be even more dangerous.

That dynamic makes voluntary restraint increasingly difficult.

Implications and analysis

The growing warnings about AI may therefore have an unintended geopolitical consequence: they could accelerate the race they are intended to constrain.

If governments become convinced that highly capable AI could fundamentally alter national power, they are unlikely to leave its development to private companies or accept restrictions that allow competitors to gain an advantage. Instead, the technology could become more closely integrated with national security policy.

That could eventually mean greater government involvement in AI companies, computing infrastructure, semiconductor supply chains and access to advanced models.

The biggest danger is therefore not simply that AI becomes too powerful to control technologically. It may become too strategically important for governments to willingly slow down.

For meaningful safeguards to emerge, major powers would need to treat AI safety as a shared security interest rather than another arena of geopolitical competition. Without that shift, every warning about the potential consequences of advanced AI could strengthen the argument for moving faster.

The paradox is clear: the more dangerous AI becomes, the more governments may feel they need to control it. And the more they compete to control it, the harder it becomes to slow the race.

With information from Reuters.

MARFA, Texas — Landowners, ranchers and business owners in the Big Bend region of Texas along with a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the region’s landscape and heritage are suing to stop the Trump administration’s plans to build a wall and other border infrastructure through the remote section of the state.

The lawsuit, filed by Conserve Big Bend and with the support of dozens of landowners, comes as the administration is ramping up a $46-billion effort to line the roughly 2,000-mile southern border with a collection of 30-foot steel bollard walls, vehicle barriers and technology intended to keep out smugglers and migrants.

In Texas, the effort has run up against numerous lawsuits and bipartisan opposition from sheriffs, elected officials, tour guides, environmental groups and landowners.

Officials backing the wall “were woefully unprepared for the hornet’s nest they stirred up because they had no idea how much we love this place,” said David Keller, an archaeologist and historian who specializes in the Big Bend and lives in the region.

“For us, the Big Bend is not an empty place on the map,” he said. “It is our home.”

As part of its wall-building efforts, the administration has waived numerous regulations and statutes designed to protect the environment, archaeology or wildlife, on the basis that there’s an urgent need to protect the border in what Homeland Security has called areas of “high illegal entry.”

But in the lawsuit announced Monday, the plaintiffs argue that when it comes to the Big Bend region, that’s not an accurate description. They’ve cited historical statistics issued by Customs and Border Protection showing how few people cross the border in Big Bend compared with other areas along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Big Bend has about 500 miles of border with Mexico — roughly one quarter of the length of the border from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. But the region only accounted for about 1% of arrests, according to the lawsuit’s stats.

The plaintiffs are arguing that the Department of Homeland Security is misusing powers from Congress that allow the secretary broad authority to waive regulations in order to build border walls or other infrastructure in areas where there are large numbers of people trying to cross into the country illegally.

“That determination is legally and factually unsound and unsupported,” the plaintiffs wrote.

The lawsuit filed Monday is the latest in efforts to slow or stop the administration’s plans in Texas and elsewhere.

The biggest outcry has come over Customs and Border Protection’s plans for the Big Bend National Park, which sits in a far southwestern corner of Texas where the Rio Grande separates the U.S. from Mexico.

The park’s remote and rugged location, its steep limestone canyon walls and crystal clear starry night views attract visitors from around the world. The government has said in court hearings that no final plans have been decided for what will be built in the park but plans made public so far have included building a new road, installing detection technology and barriers to stop vehicles from crossing the border.

When bulldozers were spotted clearing land in the park in August, people across the state were outraged. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott temporarily paused construction-related activity in the park but many activists and residents would like to see even more changes to the administration’s plans in the broader Big Bend region.

Native American groups have argued that the construction could inhibit their ability to practice their faith and is damaging important religious sites while environmentalists worry the wall will cause flooding or keep animals from migrating.

Landowners who’ve lived and worked along the Rio Grande for years have questioned how they’ll feed livestock or water their crops if they can’t access the river.

Santana writes for the Associated Press.

MEGAN Stalter has shocked the Emmys red carpet, transforming into a literal golden statue for the 78th awards ceremony.

The Hacks star turned heads in a gold bikini and matching body paint for the night’s boldest look.

In true eccentric style, Stalter covered herself head-to-toe in gold, complete with angel wings and a golden orb.

Stalter arrived with her Hacks co-star and bestie Paul W. Downs, who wore a sharp black tux.

The 35-year-old is up for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy for playing Kayla Schaefer in the fifth and final season of HBO Max’s Hacks.

It is her first Emmy nomination.

DRESS FOR DRAMA

Zendaya debuts dramatic pixie cut as Brooks Nader wows on Emmys red carpet

Kayla, the over privileged and clueless assistant on the HBO’s hit series, was her first acting job.

Stalter is no stranger to outlandish red carpet attires.

In January she attended the Critics Choice awards with her co-star, mimicking Kylie Jenner’s all-orange look which she had worn with boyfriend Timothy Chalamet to the Marty Supreme premiere.

At last year’s Emmys, the actress opted for a simple pair of jeans and a T-shirt – in a deliberate non-statement.

In 2025 at the Las Culturistas Culture Awards, she wore a corset-style top made from actual Diet Coke packaging.

In April, the actress told Marie Claire: “Every red carpet appearance or anything that I get to do in front of people, I want to have fun and make the most of it because it’s my dream.

“We worked really hard to get here, and now I want to enjoy it.”

Stalter is up against her castmate Hannah Einbinder, who won the category last year, plus Janelle James for Abbott Elementary, Michelle Pfeiffer for Margo’s Got Money Trouble and Jessica Williams for Shrinking.

One amused commenter reacted to her look and said: “If they don’t give her the statue, she IS the statue.”

Hacks recently wrapped its fifth and final season which is up for 24 Emmy nominations at this year’s ceremony.

It is the second most nominated show this year, just trailing one award behind The Pitt.

This years Primetime Emmy Awards are being held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

It will air on NBC and Peacock and is hosted by Mariska Hargitay.

It’s a day and night to celebrate women in sports.

MaxPreps is hosting an 18-team flag football tournament in San Diego. No. 1 JSerra is competing.

In the evening, Nike has flown in a custom-made outdoor volleyball court so Sherman Oaks Notre Dame can host Harvard-Westlake in a 7 p.m. girls’ volleyball match played on the Notre Dame baseball field. There will be food trucks, music and other surprises.

There’s also the Venice girls volleyball tournament taking place at Venice High and the Woodbridge Classic cross-country meet at the Great Park in Irvine.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Rams lose to 49ers

From Gary Klein: Maybe, if the Rams still reach their intended destination at season’s end, they’ll look back at their very long trip to Australia — and purposely short stay — and be grateful.

A humbling punch in the face. A wake-up call. A rallying point that spurs them to even greater heights.

Until then, there is only one way to look at it:

The Rams embarrassed themselves, for a new part of the NFL world to see, in a humiliating 27-7 defeat by the San Francisco 49ers.

The Rams arrived here as the star-studded favorite to win Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium. They left star-crossed, stunned and searching for answers on their long flight back to Los Angeles.

The Rams sleep-walked through nearly all of the opener before a sold-out crowd of 100,021 at Melbourne Cricket Ground, in the first NFL game in Australia.

Coach Sean McVay’s strategy of arriving the day before the game backfired and resulted in a dull performance by a team featuring some of the NFL’s biggest stars.

“I don’t believe that’s why we didn’t play well enough, I really don’t,” McVay said. “It’s easy in hindsight to be able to say that was a miss.”

Continue reading here

Rams summary

Rams poll

We asked, “Will the Rams win the Super Bowl and how many games will they win, counting the playoffs?”

After 1,172 responses:

Will the Rams win the Super Bowl?

Yes, 62.8%
No, 37.2%

How many games will the Rams win this season, including the playoffs?

18, 25%
17, 22.2%
16, 14.2%
15, 11.9%
14, 7.4%
20, 5.1%
9, 4.9%
19, 4%
12, 2.8%
Fewer than 10, 1.2%
10, 0.7%
11, 0.6%

Ohtani on IL raises questions

From Maddie Lee: When it comes to Shohei Ohtani‘s injury management, it’s tempting to dwell on the what-ifs.

What if the Dodgers forced him to give up pitching in July, when he needed a lubricant injection to alleviate irritation in his left knee?

It was clear by then that Ohtani was playing through multiple injuries. A right biceps problem popped up for the second time on July 3 — the last time he pitched in a game. The Dodgers said his knee inflammation was only aggravated by pitching and the biceps tightness was tied to hitting. And yet, they were confident that the MLB All-Star break would give Ohtani enough time to bounce back.

If the Dodgers had been more proactive, instead of starting and stopping Ohtani’s throwing program until his injuries forced a shutdown, would he be in the lineup Friday against the Miami Marlins instead of on the 15-day injured list?

Maybe.

Or maybe the injuries were significant enough that they would have affected him down the stretch regardless. Maybe seeing if he could return to the mound was worth the risk.

Maybe not.

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Shaikin: Why it’s past time for MLB players, owners to get a 2028 Olympics deal done

UCLA confident a big Iamaleava game is coming

From Connor Dullinger: UCLA senior wide receiver Mikey Matthews expects the Bruins’ aerial attack to be as electrifying and dominant as their ground game was in a season-opening win over California.

The passing offense lived up to Matthews’ expectations against Cal — but only for a half.

After quarterback Nico Iamaleava completed 12 of 18 passes for 179 yards in the first half, he completed just two more passes for five yards — the Bruins’ only yardage in the third quarter.

The rushing attack carried the Bruins to victory, breaking open a tied game with three fourth-quarter touchdown runs.

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Family values are key to Trent Mosley’s USC success

From Ryan Kartje: Since he was a boy, Trent Mosley was taught to live by the Five Ps: Proper preparation prevents poor performance.

The Five Ps weren’t so much a lesson in the Mosley household as “a lifestyle,” father Emmett Mosley explains. He can’t recall when or from whom he first heard the phrase, but ever since, the Five Ps have stuck with him. To the point that he and his wife, Cindy, made it a core tenet of their family. All four Mosley kids — their daughter, Jalyn, and three boys, Emmett Jr., Trent and Grant — were brought up on the principle that preparation was paramount.

So then, no one in the Mosley family was surprised to see Trent sprinting wide open in the second quarter last Friday night at the Coliseum, well on his way to another impressive performance in his second college game. Just like no one at USC is batting an eye at the freshman’s staggering start, which has him leading the nation with three touchdown catches and the Big Ten with 222 receiving yards.

To those who know Trent best, it’s like this sudden ascent to stardom simply was … inevitable. That’s the Five Ps at work, his father explains.

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This day in sports history

1886 — The Mayflower defends the America’s Cup by beating Britain’s Galatea in two straight heats.

1937 — Don Budge beats Gottfried von Cramm in five sets to win his first U.S. Open men’s singles title. Budge wins 6-1, 7-9, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.

1964 — ABC television cancels Fight of the Week, ending 18 years of regularly scheduled prime-time boxing on U.S. broadcast network television.

1976 — In the third race at Latonia, jockey John Oldham and his wife, Suzanne Picou, become the first husband and wife riding team to compete in a parimutuel race. Oldham finishes second aboard Harvey’s Hope and Picou rides My Girl Carla to an 11th-place finish.

1977 — In the last U.S. Open match played at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York, Guillermo Vilas beats Jimmy Connors, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-0, for the men’s singles title

1982 — Chris Evert wins her sixth U.S. Open singles title, defeating Hana Mandlikova, 6-3, 6-1.

1982 — In a 23-16 loss to Illinois, Ralf Mojsiejunko of Michigan State kicks a 61-yard field goal in his first collegiate attempt.

1983 — Pittsburgh running back Franco Harris runs for 118 yards in Steelers 25-21 win at Green Bay to become only the third player in NFL history to rush for 11,000 yards.

1988 — Mats Wilander wins the longest men’s final in U.S. Open history, edging Ivan Lendl, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.

1994 — Andre Agassi wins the U.S. Open with a three-set victory over Michael Stich and becomes the first unseeded player to beat five seeded players in a Grand Slam and the first unseeded champion since Fred Stolle in 1966. Andre wins 6-1, 7-6, 7-5.

1999 — U.S. Open Women’s Tennis: Serena Williams wins her first Grand Slam title; beats world No. 1 Martina Hingis 6-3, 7-6.

2001 — Sports comes to a standstill after terrorism in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, with major league baseball postponing a full schedule of regular-season games for the first time since D-Day in 1944.

2010 — James Madison, a top team in the Football Championship Subdivision, beats No. 13 Virginia Tech 21-16. The last time Virginia Tech lost to a I-AA team was 1985, when Richmond beat the Hokies 24-14 at Lane Stadium.

2010 — The Penn State women’s volleyball team has its record winning streak ends at 109 matches with a 28-26, 25-12, 25-18 loss to Stanford in a tournament at Florida. Penn State’s streak is the second-longest in Division I team sports, behind the 137 straight wins by the Miami men’s tennis program from 1957-1964.

2011 — Carolina’s Cam Newton becomes the first rookie to throw for more than 400 yards in his NFL opener in a 28-21 loss to Arizona. Newton, the No. 1 draft pick playing on the same field where he led Auburn to the BCS championship in January, completes 24 of 37 passes for 422 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.

2015 — Roberta Vinci stuns Serena Williams to end her Grand Slam bid in one of the greatest upsets in tennis history. The 43rd-ranked Italian wins 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the U.S. Open semifinals.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1912 — Eddie Collins set a major league record with six stolen bases for the Philadelphia Athletics in a 9-7 win over the Detroit Tigers. Collins stole six more in a game on Sept. 22.

1918 — The Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 behind the three-hit pitching of Carl Mays to win the World Series in six games. This was Boston’s third championship in a four-year stretch — 1915, 1916 and this season.

1936 — Hod Lisenbee of the Philadelphia A’s tied a major league record for hits allowed, giving up 26 in a 17-2 rout by the Chicago White Sox.

1949 — The New York Yankees sent 18 men to the plate in the third inning of the first game of a doubleheader against Washington. In the 50-minute half-inning the Senators walked a major-league record 11 batters as the Yankees went on to a 20-5 win. New York won the second game 2-1 in one hour and 22 minutes.

1959 — The Dodgers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4, putting an end to reliever Roy Face’s 22-game winning streak. It was his only loss of the season as he finished with an 18-1 record.

1974 — It took the St. Louis Cardinals 25 innings — seven hours, four minutes — to beat the New York Mets. There were a record 202 plate appearances. Felix Millan and John Milner had 12 appearances apiece.

1985 — Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds became the all-time hit leader with his 4,192nd hit to break Ty Cobb’s record. Rose lined a 2-1 pitch off San Diego pitcher Eric Show to left-center field for a single in the first inning. It was the 57th anniversary of Ty Cobb’s last game in the majors.

1987 — New York Mets third baseman Howard Johnson, with 34 homers, became the first National League infielder to reach 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season. His 30th stolen base came in the fourth inning of a 6-4, 10-inning loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

1996 — San Diego’s Ken Caminiti broke his own major league record by homering from both sides of the plate in a game for the fourth time this season. In a 6-5 win over Pittsburgh, Caminiti homered left-handed in the fifth inning, hitting a two-run shot. Batting right-handed in the seventh, he hit a solo shot to break his record set last year.

2008 — Albert Pujols drove in his 100th run with a sixth-inning double in the Cardinals’ 3-2 loss to the Cubs, becoming only the third player in major league history to reach the milestone in his first eight seasons. Pujols also extended his major league-record streak of reaching 30 homers and 100 RBIs in his first eight seasons, two more than any player in history.

2014 — Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton sustained multiple facial fractures, dental damage and cuts that needed stitches after being hit in the face by a pitch. Stanton was hit under the left eye by a fastball from Milwaukee’s Mike Fiers in the fifth inning of a 4-2 loss.

2021 — Corbin Burnes and Josh Hader of the Milwaukee Brewers throw a combined no-hitter to beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0. It was the record ninth no-hitter of the season.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.