The new research and development centre will be located at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus

Pharmaceutical company GSK will shut its main research and development hub in Stevenage and open a new flagship site in Cambridge amid aims to slash costs by £1.9 billion to fund investment plans. GSK has said the new 300,000sq ft centre in Cambridge will house more than 1,000 scientists, with a phased move for staff by 2029.

The group said some staff currently based at Stevenage, where around 1,800 people work currently, will also move to its nearby Ware site, which is set to be upgraded.

GSK is hoping all Stevenage workers will relocate to either Cambridge or Ware. The group is spending £400 million over the next three years on the changes.

It revealed in half-year results that annual costs are set to be cut by £1.9 billion over the next three years to fund the investment, ramp up R&D, and help offset the hit when one of its key HIV treatments – dolutegravir – comes off its patent. It is understood there will be some roles affected, such as in support services, but GSK did not confirm numbers.

Luke Miels, chief executive at GSK, said: “To fund investment in the late-stage portfolio and R&D, we are starting a three-year cost savings programme to simplify the organisation and to reallocate capital and resources. Savings will primarily be reinvested, with some used to improve margins and profitability in the dolutegravir patent expiry period.”

The new R&D centre is being developed by Prologis and is within the wider Cambridge Biomedical Campus – one of the largest of its kind in Europe. The move will place GSK close to AstraZeneca’s major R&D site at the campus.

The new centre will be located at Discovery Drive on the biomedical campus. It is planned across three interconnected buildings. Work has begun on the first of these, a second has full planning permission, and a third recently received planning committee approval, subject to formal planning permission.

Andrew Blevins, SVP, Life Sciences, Prologis, said: “GSK’s decision is a powerful endorsement of Cambridge Biomedical Campus and the unique ecosystem that has been created here. Prologis invested ahead of demand at Discovery Drive because we believed global life-sciences organisations would continue to choose Cambridge.

“Having the right specialist infrastructure available allows companies to establish world-class facilities more quickly and strengthens the UK’s ability to compete for internationally significant life-sciences investment.”

Prologis said it is working in partnership with Cambridgeshire County Council to deliver the third and fourth phases of the project, with potential to create a further 2.4 million sq ft of life-sciences space. This represents an additional investment ambition of $4 billion (£3 billion) over the next two decades.

Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: “Cambridge Biomedical Campus has become one of Europe’s leading centres for life sciences because it brings together pioneering research, outstanding healthcare and ambitious businesses in one place. GSK’s expanded presence is another vote of confidence in our region and demonstrates the continued appeal of Cambridgeshire as a place where global organisations choose to innovate and grow.”

For some families, rising childcare costs mean leaving an older child at home for a few hours may seem like the only practical option.

Others may wonder whether a teenager can safely look after younger brothers or sisters while they’re at work.

But where does the law stand?

According to the NSPCC, concerns about children being left home alone rise sharply during the summer holidays. More than 1,200 adults contacted the charity about children being left unsupervised during last year’s July and August break, prompting fresh reminders for parents to think carefully before making childcare decisions.

Family law specialist Anna-Laura Lock, Partner at Rayden Solicitors, says there is no simple legal age at which children can be left alone.

Is there a legal age to leave a child home alone?

Many parents assume the law sets a minimum age, but it’s more complicated than that.

“There is no legal time limit or minimum age in England and Wales for leaving a child home alone,” says Anna-Laura.

“Instead, the law focuses on whether a child is left in circumstances that place them at risk of harm.

“That said, parents should proceed with caution. There is a clear difference between being left alone during the day or in the evening – with a parent due to return to the family home the same day – and being left without an adult overnight and for longer periods.”

She says parents should consider factors such as their child’s age, maturity, confidence, ability to deal with emergencies and, most importantly, whether they feel comfortable being left alone.

“While NSPCC guidance suggests children under 12 are rarely mature enough to be left alone for long periods, and babies and young children should never be left alone, this is guidance rather than legal rules,” she adds.

“The law deliberately leaves room for parental judgment, but that also means parents carry the responsibility if that judgment is found to have put their child at risk.

“In reality, the consequences of that judgment call being wrong can be serious. Instead of basing their decision on the child reaching a certain age, parents should focus on whether it is safe and appropriate for that particular child. The key takeaway is that it not a decision that should be taken lightly and without significant planning and preparation to ensure that the child in question is not exposed to ‘unnecessary suffering or injury to health’.”

In other words, the decision should be based on the individual child rather than their age alone, taking into account factors such as maturity, confidence, how long they will be left and whether they could cope in an emergency.

Can older children babysit younger brothers or sisters?

Another common question during the school holidays is whether an older child can supervise younger siblings.

There is no separate legal minimum age for babysitting in England and Wales. Instead, the same legal principles apply as when deciding whether to leave a child home alone.

Parents remain responsible for ensuring any childcare arrangements are safe. They should consider the ages and needs of all the children involved, whether the older child is mature enough to cope with the responsibility, how long they will be left and whether they could deal with an emergency.

If those arrangements place children at risk of harm, parents could still face safeguarding action or, in the most serious cases, criminal prosecution.

When could social services become involved?

Safeguarding concerns can be raised by neighbours, relatives, teachers, healthcare professionals or anyone else who believes a child has been left in unsafe circumstances.

Anna-Laura says: “Social services are most likely to become involved when a safeguarding concern is raised by someone who is worried about a child’s welfare. This could be a neighbour, relative, teacher, healthcare professional or another person who believes a child has been left alone in circumstances that place them at risk.

“Each case is assessed on its individual facts. Local authorities will consider factors including the child’s age and level of maturity, how long they were left unsupervised, and whether they had access to food, a phone and trusted adults. They will also consider whether this was an isolated incident or part of a wider pattern of neglect.

“Where professionals conclude that a child has been exposed to a significant risk of harm or that their basic needs are not being met, social services may carry out further safeguarding enquiries and may ultimately make interventions to protect the welfare of a child.

“In the most serious cases, parents could also face criminal prosecution.”

What if you’re separated from your child’s other parent?

The issue can become particularly sensitive for separated families if one parent disagrees with the other’s childcare arrangements.

Where both parents have parental responsibility, decisions about a child’s welfare should be made in the child’s best interests. If one parent believes the other is regularly leaving a child unsupervised in unsafe circumstances, the issue could become part of wider discussions about child arrangements and, in some cases, family court proceedings.

“Leaving children home alone can become a significant source of disagreement between separated parents, particularly where communication is already strained,” says Anna-Laura.

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“It is not uncommon for one parent to object to the other leaving a child home alone, especially if they believe they could have cared for the child instead.

“Where parents share parental responsibility, decisions affecting a child’s welfare should always be made with the child’s best interests at the forefront.

“If one parent regularly leaves a child unsupervised and the other believes this places them at risk, it may become an issue in wider discussions about child arrangements and, in some cases, could result in family court proceedings.

“Rather than viewing the issue through the lens of convenience, separated parents should work together wherever possible to place their child at the forefront of their decision making and ensure suitable childcare arrangements are in place.

“Doing so not only reduces the risk of legal consequences but, more importantly, provides children with the supervision, support and reassurance they need during the school holidays.”

With many families trying to balance work and childcare over the summer break, experts say parents should avoid relying on age alone when deciding whether a child is ready to stay at home.

Every child develops differently, and ultimately parents remain legally responsible for ensuring they are safe.

Video captured by a bystander shows the moment 16-year-old rookie lifeguard Ryder Williams rescued a 10-year-old boy from the ocean at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz, California.

The child had been swept about 15 yards offshore when Williams reached him, with several beachgoers also joining the rescue. The operation lasted just over two minutes.

President Donald Trump has since invited Williams to the White House to receive a high civilian honour.

President Donald Trump has held separate meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which the White House described as “positive and productive”.

The two leaders were in Washington to attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of Israel and advocate for US aid to Ukraine, who died earlier this month.

Zelensky and Trump discussed Kyiv’s hope that the US would help bolster its air defences, although no formal commitment has so far been announced.

Netanyahu, for his part, arrived at a time when the US-Israel ties have been frayed by diverging views on Iran.

Ahead of the visit, Zelensky was expected to press Trump to follow through on a promise he made at this month’s Nato summit to grant Ukraine a licence to produce Patriot interceptor missiles.

Ukraine has long sought American Patriot missiles, which Kyiv says could be used to defend Ukrainian cities from escalating Russian drone and ballistic missile attacks across the country.

But the closed-door meeting ended without any firm announcement over US military assistance to Ukraine.

In a post on X, Zelensky thanked Trump for “everything we do together to protect the lives of Ukrainians”.

Zelensky added that the two discussed the Patriot licences and “several ideas that could help”.

“We also spoke about diplomacy,” he wrote. “It’s important that the diplomatic process be reinvigorated.”

In a separate post, Zelensky said he also met representatives of US defence manufacturer Lockheed Martin to discuss “further development of our cooperation”.

“Ukraine has a lot to share with those who help us protect lives,” he added. “We spoke about our joint capabilities related to Patriots and other systems. Our teams are already working on specific solutions to move to co-production as quickly as possible and increase our capabilities to protect lives.”

Zelensky was also planning to meet a bipartisan group of Senators who are moving forward with legislation to sanction buyers of Russian oil and gas to punish Moscow for the war in Ukraine.

The bodies of a woman and a man were found in the Corsliehill Road area of Houston, Renfrewshire.

The death of woman found dead alongside her husband at a remote cottage in Renfrewshire was murder, say cops.

They confirmed this evening that the death of 35-year-old Stacy Mair is being treated as murder, following a post-mortem.

The death of her husband, Jim Mair, 43, is still being treated as unexplained. Police say there is nothing to suggest anyone else was involved.

Around 7.50am on Monday, 27 July, 2026, police received a report of concern for a person in the Corsliehill Road area of Houston

.

Emergency services attended, and the bodies of a woman and a man were found nearby.

A post-mortem examination on Jim, will take place in due course.

Detectives from Police Scotland’s Major Investigation Team, as well as officers from the local policing division, continue to carry out extensive enquiries to establish the full circumstances.

At this time, there is nothing to suggest any risk to the public.

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Detective Chief Inspector Laura Young, of the Major Investigation Team, said: “Our thoughts remain with the families of those affected by this incident.

“They are understandably devastated, and we are providing them with support through specialist officers at this incredibly difficult time.

Chief Inspector Iain Farmer said: “This is a deeply upsetting incident for the families involved, and the impact is felt right across the local community.

“I am grateful for the support we have received as we complete our essential enquires to ensure the families and local residents get the answers they need.”

Anyone with concerns or information can contact Police Scotland via 101.

Thomas Littles suffered face and shoulder injuries after allegedly being attacked with a knife during an altercation in North Belfast in March

A man who suffered multiple injuries after he was allegedly attacked with a knife during an altercation in North Belfast has raised concerns as nobody is yet to be charged following the incident.

Thomas Littles suffered injuries to his face and shoulder after he was attacked with a knife during an altercation in the early hours of Saturday, March 21, in the Cambrai Street area of the city. He and another man were arrested following the incident and bailed, but he says nothing further seems to have happened with the investigation.

Speaking to Belfast Live, Thomas said that he was attacked by a man who came to his home and during the altercation he defended himself with a baseball bat. However, he says suffered stab wounds to his shoulder and was sliced across his face with a knife.

He said: “I would just like to know what is going on with this case. I was attacked by someone who came to my home and ended up getting stabbed while I was trying to defend myself.

“Both of us were arrested after it all but I have heard nothing more about it. I just don’t want to see this person get away without any charges after what they did to me, which seems to be the case months after the attack.”

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Two men, aged in their 20s and 30s, arrested by police in relation to a report of an altercation in the Cambrai Street area of north Belfast in the early hours of Saturday 21st March, have been released and a report will be submitted to the Public Prosecution Service in due course.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

A quarter of a century ago, Steven Spielberg released one of the most unusual films of his career: A.I. Artificial Intelligence, a futuristic fairytale about a robot boy programmed to love.

Yet the movie’s origins lay not with Spielberg but another giant of cinema. For more than two decades, Stanley Kubrick had wrestled with the project, convinced it contained questions about technology, humanity and what it means to be loved. He never managed to bring it to the screen, though.

Released in 2001, A.I. arrived years before smartphones, social media and the boom in artificial intelligence. Yet today, as AI systems become woven into everyday life, the film feels newly relevant – not because it accurately predicted ChatGPT or generative AI, but because it explored the emotional and ethical questions that emerge when people form relationships with machines.

The story began with a 2,000-word short story, Supertoys Last All Summer Long, written by British author Brian Aldiss in 1969 for a special issue of Harper’s Bazaar.

It was set in a dystopian future where, because of overpopulation, reproduction was strictly controlled by the government and childbirth was granted through a lottery scheme. As they wait for their number to come up, Henry Swinton brings home a synthetic robotic child called David and a robotic teddy bear to keep his wife, Monica, company.

Although David is supposed to behave like a real child, there is a failure in communication between the robots and the couple. “Nobody knows what ‘real’ really means,” the teddy tells David. Despite the bear’s coaching, David is unable to please the childless couple.

Kubrick was attracted to the lyrical fairytale, mythic and cosmic qualities of Supertoys. He saw in it a modern version of Pinocchio, the story of a child who longs to become real.

The director began working on it in 1976 and, over the next two decades, kept returning to the story, engaging many writers to adapt it into a workable film. But rarely were they able to supply the necessary fuel to feed his imagination.

Technology presented another obstacle. Kubrick imagined David as an artificial child who would be indistinguishable from a real boy. But visual effects in the 1980s and early ’90s were not advanced enough to create such a character convincingly.

Using a child actor posed a different problem: Kubrick’s famously lengthy productions meant David might visibly age during filming. “The way we worked, the boy would be a teenager,” Kubrick’s brother-in-law, Jan Harlan, quipped.

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Faced with an impasse, Kubrick approached his friend Spielberg with an unexpected suggestion: perhaps he should direct the film instead. Spielberg initially resisted – but Kubrick continued to champion the idea, believing Spielberg’s emotional sensibility was better suited to the material.

By then, the project had been renamed A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Kubrick intended it to follow his film Eyes Wide Shut, but he died in 1999 before that film’s release. Only afterwards did his family and longtime collaborators ask Spielberg to take the project forward.

The finished film was a fascinating mix of Kubrickian irony and Spielbergian sentimentality. The odyssey of a robot boy who longs for the love of his human mother across aeons of time ends in a symphony of yearning and sadness. Robots of the future bring the boy’s mother back to life for a brief time, which no other Kubrick film had attempted. Spielberg insists he was faithful to Kubrick’s intent.

What was A.I. really about?

Don’t be fooled by the title. The film isn’t exactly a prediction of the rise of generative and agentic AI (for that, you should watch Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey).

In fact, today’s AI systems are very different from David. ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini can generate convincing text and images, but they don’t experience loneliness, desire or love. David, by contrast, is imagined as a conscious being capable of suffering.

But this is precisely why the film feels so contemporary. As people increasingly interact with AI assistants, companion chatbots and emotionally responsive technology, questions once confined to science fiction are becoming part of everyday life. How easily do we form attachments to machines? What responsibilities do creators have towards intelligent technology? And what happens when a machine appears to need us as much as we need it?

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The film also reflects on the disastrous effects of man-made climate change, responding to the rapidly intensifying public debate about global warming in the late 1980s and early ’90s.

The most unsettling part of the film is the role of sex robots designed to pleasure lonely adults. Kubrick’s vision of the future blended suggestive pornographic imagery with technology. It was a futuristic Sodom and Gomorrah too hardcore for a family movie, even if Spielberg softened this when the film became his.

Rather than predicting the types of technology we use today, A.I. anticipated something more fundamental: the human desire to find companionship, meaning and connection through machines.

Twenty-five years after its release, the film remains unsettling not because its future arrived exactly as Kubrick and Spielberg imagined, but because many of its deepest questions remain unanswered.

Laura Hughes first discovered weightlifting while training at her local Crossfit gym, making the transition from amateur gym-goer to competitive lifting.

Now a member of the Welsh national weightlifting squad, the 33-year-old holds the Welsh record for both the snatch and the clean and jerk (the two official competitive lifts in weightlifting) and is currently third overall in the women’s Welsh rankings. Hughes won bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia and was selected again for this summer’s Games in Glasgow.

We caught up with her for our Readers Ask series, where industry specialists answer questions from our Telegraph Recommended Reader Panel.

Who inspired you to get into weightlifting?

Olamilekan, South East

Originally, it was lots of different people, particularly general gym goers who were doing weightlifting at my gym. As I’ve grown as an athlete and become more competitive, I’ve had other inspirations.

Most notably, coming into [the Commonwealth Games], it has to be Gareth [Evans], our coach. Looking back at his performance in 2018 when he won his gold medal is so inspiring. [English lifter] Emily Godley was another competitor in 2018. She won the gold medal in my category and I just remember thinking that she was on fire that day.

What are the best exercises for you to build muscle mass?

Norman, Wales

We spend a lot of time doing our main lifts, so snatches, clean and jerks, but we also do lots of pulls and squats. I spend a lot of time doing accessory work to make sure that my body stays healthy, especially being an older athlete. I’ve put on quite a lot of muscle in this last block just from going heavier and pushing my limits with my main lifts.

What advice would you give to people who want to improve their strength?

David, North West

The most important thing is consistency. As long as you’re doing something, do it regularly, even if it’s twice a week. Don’t be afraid of picking up some dumbbells. If you’ve got somebody that can teach you how to lift weights properly, that’s going to be the best option. Do it safely, do it consistently, and don’t be afraid to try new strength exercises.

The alert comes as Britain prepares for yet another bout of scorching weather during the fourth heatwave of the year

Fire chiefs have issued a stark warning that the threat posed by wildfires “remains elevated across the UK”, following more than 200 incidents in just the past fortnight.

The alert comes as Britain prepares for yet another bout of scorching weather during the fourth heatwave of the year, with temperatures forecast to reach as high as 35C across south-east England on Wednesday. A Met Office assessment has indicated that blazes could become exceptionally serious by Wednesday should they ignite across parts of London, the South East and eastern England, due to the hot, arid conditions.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber heat-health alert covering the East Midlands, the East, South East and London.

The alert runs from Tuesday to Thursday, with the agency warning that rising temperatures may present heightened health risks, especially for vulnerable groups.

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Fire and rescue services throughout England and Wales have responded to 706 wildfires so far in 2026, with 208 incidents occurring between July 16 and 28 alone, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC).

The NFCC added that the latest figures, which do not include wildfires elsewhere in the UK such as a major wildfire in the Cairngorms in Scotland, demonstrate “how quickly wildfire activity can increase during prolonged periods of hot and dry weather”. Fire chiefs have additionally warned that wildfire risk “remains elevated across the UK”, with the NFCC confirming there were “currently eight live wildfire incidents being monitored through national reporting systems”.

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that firefighters were continuing to “make progress at the major wildfire incident at Tintwistle Moor” following the deployment of 60 personnel on Tuesday.

While wildfire numbers in England and Wales remain below the 788 recorded at the same point last year, fire chiefs have warned that “continued dry conditions, combined with warmer temperatures and harvesting activity in many rural areas”, are creating conditions in which fires can ignite and spread with alarming speed.

Images have shown extensive brown grass across Blackheath in London, with parched, dried-out grass evident in many parks throughout the capital following the recent period of hot weather.

This development comes as Royal Parks staff have been instructed not to leave deckchairs beneath trees, due to concerns that branches could fall during the hot weather.

Large-scale wildfires sweeping across Europe, including areas of Spain, France and Greece, have prompted evacuations, caused substantial environmental damage and placed enormous strain on emergency services. The NFCC acknowledged that wildfires in the UK are generally smaller in scale and differ in character from those seen across southern Europe, but cautioned that the “long-term effects of climate change are increasing the likelihood of larger, more complex and more resource-intensive wildfire incidents occurring”.

Phil Garrigan, chairman of the NFCC, said: “More than 200 wildfires in just 12 days shows how quickly the risk can escalate when hot, dry conditions take hold.

“The scenes we’re seeing across parts of Europe are a stark reminder of what a changing climate means for fire and rescue services. We are not seeing fires of that scale in the UK today, but the science tells us we should expect larger, more frequent and more complex wildfires in the future.

“That’s why we need continued investment in specialist wildfire capabilities, including aerial firefighting support, so we’re prepared for the risks ahead.

“But prevention remains our strongest defence. Most wildfires are avoidable, and we’re asking everyone to take extra care during the hot weather to help keep their communities safe.”

Senior fire officers warned that a considerable proportion of wildfires are sparked by routine human activity, pointing out that “disposing of cigarettes safely, avoiding the use of disposable barbecues in open spaces and taking litter home can significantly reduce the risk of fires starting”. According to provisional Met Office figures, July has been 3C warmer than average across the UK, potentially ranking it among the hottest three or four July months on record.

Fire chiefs have urged members of the public to report any signs of fire without delay by dialling 999 and requesting the fire and rescue service.

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