The judge said: “I don’t think it is safe to release him under any conditions at the moment.”

A man charged with the manslaughter of children’s nurse Karen Cummings in December 2024 was today denied compassionate bail to attend a specialist for ongoing back problems.

Kevin McGuigan, 44, whose address was given as c/o Maghaberry Prison, is currently awaiting trial in December this year for the gross negligence killing of the mother-of-two.

The 40-year-old was found unconscious with a serious head injury in a house at Laurel Heights, Banbridge, Co Down, on December 14, 2024.

Emergency services attended the scene and Ms Cummings, who worked at Newry’s Daisy Hill Hospital, was pronounced dead a short time later.

Last month, McGuigan was arraigned at Belfast Crown Court and formally pleaded not guilty to her manslaughter and also denied three firearm offences.

In addition, he pleaded not guilty to handling stolen goods, namely a double-barrelled shotgun on December 14, 2024.

Co-accused Glenn Robert King, 44, c/o Magilligan Prison, is also charged with manslaughter and possessing a firearm in suspicious circumstances.

He was not arraigned with McGuigan and a legal application on his behalf is due to be heard next month.

During a contested compassionate bail application on Thursday, prosecution barrister James Johnston said police objected to McGuigan being released from custody.

“Police say that this does not qualify as a compassionate bail application as the defendant wishes for private medical treatment rather than use the prison health facilities,” said Mr Johnston.

“Police have looked into this gentleman who advertises himself online as a mind and body wellbeing specialist and also advertises himself as willing to go and see patients.

“The other objections are the risk of interference with witnesses, most notably a risk of further offending and there is a concern that he will not abide by bail conditions and may abscond.”

Mr Johnston said McGuigan is facing separate charges on a second bill of indictment of common assault, burglary of the Ramada Hotel in Belfast, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possessing three kitchen knives in a public place.

The prosecutor told Judge Richard Greene KC: “On November 24, 2024, the defendant was in a nightclub and was captured on CCTV assaulting someone on the dance floor.

“He is later captured on video entering the Ramada Hotel and going into the kitchen and was seen on camera putting three knives into his pockets.

“He goes out of the hotel and punches a man and then slashes him with one of the knives. He was detained by police and the three knives were recovered. He was put on bail for that offence.

“Then two weeks later a more serious offence occurs whereby very tragically a nurse and a mother lost her life when the defendant and his co-accused who were in her home as guests and had with them a sawn-off shotgun.

“The two of them were struggling with the loaded firearm when it went off which tragically killed this woman with a fatal head shot wound.”

The court heard painter and decorator McGuigan left the scene and gave no assistance to Ms Cummings. Following his arrest, he told police that he took the firearm to her house.

“He frankly told police: ‘I am under threat and l am in fear. I take this firearm with me everywhere I go’. He was on bail and was walking around with a loaded firearm which led to very tragic circumstances.”

The court was told McGuigan had relevant convictions on his criminal record. In 2020, he was jailed for 18 months for having a loaded gun and ammunition in the Chimney Corner Hotel in Co Antrim the previous year.

“Police say there is a history of this man being involved in very serious offences, such as pointing a gun at people in a hotel and attacking a man on the street with a knife,” said Mr Johnston.

Defence barrister Caitriona Keenan said McGuigan had been in custody since his arrest two weeks after the killing of Ms Cummings.

“This is his first application for bail and he has been entirely compliant and cooperative (in prison),” said Ms Keenan.

“Mr McGuigan has been experiencing severe back pain since December 2025. His mother and sister are in court with a cash surety and they will pick him up from the prison, see the specialist and take him back to the prison.

“This specialist deals in spinal manipulation and osteo therapies so it will be physical, hands-on treatment. This is a man who has been struggling with back pain for the past seven months.”

Judge Greene said he was not satisfied that it was a proper compassionate bail application and refused it.

“It is not a case that I think it is appropriate for bail given the seriousness of the offences for which he is in custody for,” outlined Judge Greene

“His behaviour while on bail for the Section 18 (wounding) offence which was an egregious event where he armed himself with three kitchen knives and attacked a member of the public who sustained hand injuries.

“Two weeks later he became involved in an incident whereby a lady lost her life when a firearm was discharged and he was charged with gross negligence manslaughter.

“I don’t think it is safe to release him under any conditions at the moment,” added Judge Greene.

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

Headteacher Paddy Russell praised the achievements of the Class of 2026 and said every key measure had improved on previous years.

Mr Russell said: “Our 2026 leavers should be very proud of their achievements.

(Image: Ladybridge High School)

“The year group have worked so hard and really deserves the recognition they receive today for their efforts.

“They leave us with the grades to open doors and the skills and qualities to do well once they reach their next destination.

“We wish them all the very best with the challenges ahead.”

(Image: Ladybridge High School)

Although there are no official national progress figures this year due to the cohort missing primary school SATs during the pandemic, alternative assessments point to exceptional academic progress.

Mr Russell said that the group had made the highest progress ever recorded at Ladybridge High School.

The severity of the ban facing Nick Kyrgios for testing positive for cocaine depends on whether he can prove he took the drug out of competition.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine at June’s grass court event in Mallorca, and is currently serving a mandatory provisional suspension.

The ban could theoretically stretch to four years, but it will be a maximum of three months if the Australian can satisfy investigators he took the drug out of competition.

Sources have told BBC Sport this is likely to be the option which Kyrgios will choose to pursue.

A player is deemed to be ‘in competition’ from the day the draws they are competing in begin until they leave the tournament after their final match.

Before the grass court season, former world number 13 Kyrgios had not played since January’s Australian Open and so has recently spent very few days on site.

He is considered to have been ‘in competition’ in Stuttgart between 8-12 June, and again in Mallorca on 21 and 22 June.

It was on the 22 June – when he exited the tournament in the first round – that Kyrgios submitted the sample that was later found to contain benzoylecgonine.

If the 31-year-old can convince the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) he ingested the drug before he was ‘in competition’, there would be no need for an independent tribunal to be formed.

This would make the process far quicker, and if Kyrgios subsequently agreed to enter a treatment programme, the ban could be as short as one month.

His provisional suspension began on 4 August, meaning he could even be eligible to compete again from 4 September.

You might be forgiven for glancing at this year’s GCSE results and thinking not much has changed.

And sure, if you’re just looking at the pass rate across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, that would be more or less correct.

But, when you dig into the detail, you find a more complicated picture, where some existing issues have become even more stark.

You’ll see the grades of students resitting their English and maths GCSEs in England are dragging down the overall results in those subjects – all part of a system the government itself says is “demoralising” and needs fixing.

You’ll see that boys’ and girls’ grades are looking more similar – though that’s more to do with girls slipping than boys improving.

And you’ll see that, despite the government’s pledges to “tackle entrenched inequality”, the regional divide in England has actually grown, and remains stubbornly higher than it was before Covid.

Here are five key things you need to know.

Nike has closed over a dozen of its small, neighborhood-focused stores across the country.

The athletic giant initially launched Nike Live, its concept of a neighborhood store, in Los Angeles in 2018. The original store in Melrose used digital data from customers who live in the area to stock products based on what neighborhood shoppers wanted.

The stores also worked with Nike’s app and membership program to let customers reserve products to try in-store and pick-up purchases.

The LA location and at least 14 others have since permanently closed including in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina and Texas, Retail Dive reported Wednesday.

“Like all retailers, we regularly evaluate our fleet and make adjustments across our marketplace to better align to our strategy for growth, including elevating stores and streamlining our physical retail footprint,” a Nike spokesperson told Retail Dive in a statement. “This is part of our work to create Nike’s future marketplace.”

The Independent has contacted Nike for comment.

Nike once had big plans for the stores. In 2020, after testing the Nike Live concept, the company said it could open as many as 200 locations across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The Live locations were rebranded as Nike Well Collective stores in 2023, expanding the concept to include wellness and fitness.

Nike did not say whether it plans to continue the neighborhood-store concept or if the reported closures represent the full extent of the shutdowns, Retail Dive reported

On a summer earnings call, Nike CEO Elliott Hill said the company is making changes to its Nike Direct business, including improving the in-store experience and relying less on online discounts.

“We’ve elevated more than 150 stores with sport-led experiences,” Hill said, according to Retail Dive. “Over time, we will continue to rezone and elevate our fleet and close the doors that are no longer aligned to our strategy.”

Nike Live stores were originally part of the company’s direct-to-consumer strategy. The approach worked for a while, but its momentum faded under former CEO John Donahoe, according to Retail Dive.

Now, under Hill, Nike is changing course. The company is focusing more on wholesale partners and rebuilding relationships with retailers, even as it closes some of its smaller Nike Live locations, the outlet noted.

Still, Nike is not giving up on the idea of community-focused retail altogether. The company recently teamed up with Foot Locker to open Crenshaw Rec by Foot Locker in LA, a neighborhood store designed to feel more like a community recreation center. It features a local-focused product selection, gym, equipment room, creative workspaces and a resource center with community programming, Retail Dive reports.

The new Telegraph Fantasy Football season is finally here. The experts at Fantasy Football Hub will continue to bring you the very best in fantasy football knowledge, tips and tools to help you rise up the ranks and win your mini-leagues.

To join the Hub and get access to all their great resources and expert tips you can take advantage of its 50% pre-season discount here.

Telegraph Fantasy Football Tips: The Expert’s XI

The Telegraph Fantasy Football player list has been analysed ahead of GW1 and the season ahead and this is the best XI:

1. GK James Trafford (£3.0m)
   
   Highlighted in the Budget Gems picks, the new Elland Road shot stopper should provide excellent value between the sticks.
2. DEF Gabriel Magalhães (£4.9m)
   
   The safest route into the champions’ backline, the Brazilian should return defensive and attacking returns.
3. DEF Nico O’Reilly (£4.2m)
   
   The reclassification from midfielder to defender opens up more routes to points for the roaming left-back.
4. DEF Marco Palestra (£2.7m)
   
   As a standout from the new additions to the league article stated, the summer acquisition offers a budget route into the Chelsea defence.
5. MID Antoine Semenyo (£4.9m)
   
   At under £5m, last season’s second top scorer should be the first name in TFF managers’ XIs.
6. MID Bruno Fernandes (£6.5m)
   
   The Manchester United captain comes at a premium, but offers one of the most consistent streams of points in the game.
7. MID Enzo Le Fée (£3.3m
   
   A great double header to open the season, the Black Cats midfielder combines tackle bonus potential with good attacking numbers
8. MID Sangare (£3.1m)
   
   The Brentford midfielder is expected to rack up tackle bonuses this season.
9. FWD Haaland (£8.3)
   
   The biggest hitter of all, the Norwegian is worth the expensive price tag.
10. FWD Pedro (£5.1m)
    
    The 24-year-old had a decent summer break and looks rejuvenated in pre-season.
11. FWD Calvert-Lewin (£3.9m)
    
    The forward looks to be over his injury woes and offers a consistent threat in the opposition box.
    
     

Pick your team for the 2026/27 season >

You can follow the latest Telegraph Fantasy Football news and discussions throughout the year on Facebook, Twitter and Fantasy Football Content Hub.

Emergency services are currently in attendance.

Giant cable spools have been spilt across the road on the A77 after a horror crash involving a lorry. Emergency services are currently in attendance at the collision near Kilmarnock.

The road has been closed northbound at the Bellfield Interchange. Images taken from the scene show cars driving around the large metal cable spools that have rolled onto the busy road.

Glasgow Live reports parts of cable can be seen lying on the motorway surface, while another has become jammed on the central barrier. Anne White, who passed the scene, said: “I’ve never seen anything like this, so that’s why I took the pictures.

“These things were stationary when we got there but there was a bus, a car and a lorry all pulled off to the side of the road. And I can only imagine how terrifying it would be if they had been flying towards you.

“There was a big lorry with an entry trailer and lots of broken ties, so it looks like they’ve come from there. Drivers were just having to dodge through these things – we got through but nothing much bigger than a car will.”

Drivers have been warned to find an alternative route if possible and to expect delays. No injuries have been reported.

Traffic Scotland said: “The A77 Kilmarnock has been closed Northbound at Bellfield Interchange due to a road traffic collision. Emergency services are at the scene.

“Drivers should use an alternative route at this time and expect delay.”

CHICAGO (AP) — Meta insists it has a long history of protecting its youngest customers as it defends itself against a swath of lawsuits alleging its social media empire harms children.

In the latest such instance, the social media giant is fighting allegations in a California federal court that it contributes to the youth mental health crisis by deliberately and stealthily designing features to get children hooked on its platforms Instagram and Facebook. Four states are seeking billions of dollars in damages as well as fundamental changes to how Meta runs those apps.

Children’s mental health, and what they do and see on social media, are all issues “Meta takes seriously and tries to act on,” Paul Schmidt, a lawyer for the tech giant, said in opening statements this week.

Critics say the company’s safety record falls short and that many of its protections simply don’t work.

They include Marc Berkman, executive director at the Organization for Social Media Safety, who said Meta introduced safeguards promising to protect children in response to public pressure rather than out of concern.

There’s been a “lack of real institutional willingness to act here,” Berkman said.

Here’s a look at some of the changes Meta has introduced, along with the work advocates say could still be done.

Access to users and content-focused protections

Most of the changes Meta has introduced focus on addressing harassment and offensive content.

Instagram users have always been able to block others — and, along with Meta’s oldest crown jewel, Facebook — the app has gradually added features for reporting problematic accounts and inappropriate content.

In 2016, Instagram users were given the option to delete or filter comments they found offensive, and later added warnings that prompted users to reconsider posting potentially harmful content, as well as options to limit comments and tags on their posts.

Meta also says it prevents adults from starting private chats with teens if they are not already connected, and has increased checks to make sure users under 13 — the minimum age for holding a Facebook or Instagram account — aren’t online. Schmidt said in his opening remarks that Meta recognizes some users still sign up using incorrect birthdays but that the company takes enforcement of age limits seriously.

The company says it also posts warnings and resources at the top of Instagram search results related to suicide, self-harm and eating disorders, and touts its “Teen Accounts,” launched in 2024, as a safe space for teenagers online. It aligns photo and video restrictions for teen accounts with those for a PG-13 movie, unless there’s parental permission otherwise.

Critics complain these changes amount to little more than corporate posturing.

A September 2025 report from former employee and whistleblower Arturo Béjar and four online safety advocacy nonprofits accused Meta of not taking “real steps” to address youth safety, instead opting for “splashy headlines about new tools for parents and Instagram Teen Accounts for underage users.”

“We really found that overall what Meta was marketing under Teen Accounts was very lacking in actual protections,” said Haley Hinkle, policy counsel at Fairplay, which co-authored the report. They evaluated 47 of Meta’s 53 safety features for teens on Instagram and found 60% of them were either not available or didn’t work as advertised, Hinkle said.

Meta called the report’s findings “misleading” and “dangerously speculative.”

Scrolling and core design

Researchers say Meta’s efforts to reduce the risk of children becoming addicted to the scrolling features of social media platforms have been largely unsuccessful.

Ashley Shea, a Ph.D. candidate specializing in social media and online spaces at Cornell University, points to what academics call “attention-capture deceptive designs” that are not exclusive to Meta’s platforms. They include infinite scrolling, “casino style” pulls to refresh content, push notifications and algorithmic recommendations. Those features “prey on the cognitive vulnerabilities” of young people with developing brains, in particular the need to feel rewarded.

Meta has taken important steps to address problematic content, cyberbullies and sexual predators, Shea said, but she has not seen the same level of effort to offset the addictive impact of attention-capture deceptive designs.

Nudges and time management controls

“There’s no question that some teens struggle to manage their time with social media,” Schmidt said Tuesday, adding that Meta’s time management tools prove its evolution on the issue. Those tools include parental supervision controls and in-app “nudges” for teen users who repeatedly look at the same type of content or spend too long on Instagram or Facebook late at night.

Hinkle notes the “entirely voluntary” time management tools are not easy to set up, and amount to “far too little too late.”

Béjar, the former Meta employee and whistleblower, agrees. In testimony Wednesday, he said a tool called “Take a Break” is “designed to fail.” Users have to turn the feature on themselves and, he said, very few do.

Across the board, tech companies exist to maximize revenue, said Berkman, and for almost every social media platform today, that means “maximizing children using their features for as long as they can.”

Legal challenges focused on “the fact that these are defective products by design because of their features, not the content per se” is something new, Shea added. And beyond the courtroom, mounting pressure on lawmakers could bring more industrywide changes.

“The momentum only continues to grow,” she said. “Ultimately, these are for-profit companies that respond to economic pressures. And so I think that the more economic pressure they’re confronted with through these litigations, the quicker they will have to adapt.”