News

Beloved shoe shop closes after 100 years of operation

McKillens footwear is set to cease operations on Wednesday, marking the end of a century-long presence in the industry, having been in business for 100 years.

A shoe shop in Ballymena has decided to cease operations after a century in business, marking the end of an era for the local community.

Anne and Jo standing in the high street. Anne is wearing a hooded grey coat, has short brown hair and is wearing glasses. Jo is wearing a purple coat with white, yellow and red polka dots, she has short white hair and is wearing glasses. — Anne and Jo travelled to Ballymena for wedding guest shoes but McKillen's was closed ahead of their final sale

However, this development has caused inconvenience for two shoppers who were on a mission to find the perfect wedding shoes.

Jo Montgomery and Anne Allen had planned to visit the shop to purchase shoes for their upcoming family wedding, but they were met with closed shutters.

Anne, the mother of the groom, expressed her surprise and disappointment, stating, "We had intended to visit McKillens to find shoes for the wedding, but unfortunately, it's closed."

She further described the situation as "very disappointing" and "sad to see."

McKillens has been a staple in Ballymena since its establishment in 1926, serving the community for nearly a century.

The store was closed on Tuesday in preparation for a final clearance sale scheduled for the following day.

Jo, a resident of Ballyclare, recalled regularly visiting Ballymena's high street, which she believed "always had what you needed."

As a mother of the bride, Jo emphasized the importance of finding the perfect dress for the wedding, stating, "It's been a challenge searching for a dress, and it's crucial to try it on and ensure it's the right fit."

Jo highlighted the significance of being able to try on dresses before making a purchase.

The closure of McKillens follows the shutdown of another family-run business, Wyse Byse, which had been operating in the town center since 1972 and closed its doors earlier this month.

McKillen's store front with CLOSING DOWN SALE on all the windows in yellow and red. The shop front is grey with a brown/red sign and in gold writing McKillens of Ballymena. — McKillen's has been in Ballymena for 100 years

Long-time Ballymena residents Peter Kincaid and Anne Speers have witnessed the town's decline over the years.

Peter described the current state of the town as "dying," with shops closing down frequently.

Anne explained that the closure of shops is a result of families retiring and the lack of viable businesses to take their place, leading to a decline in foot traffic.

The pair expressed their fondness for visiting the town to get out, but noted that there are limited activities to engage in.

Anne and Peter on the high street. Anne holds an umbrella and is wearing a brown coat, a brown hat and has short blonde hair. Peter is wearing a blue jacket and is wearing glasses, he has short dark hair with grey strands. — Anne and Peter live in Ballymena and say the town is "dying"

Peter, a former construction worker, reminisced about repairing the roof of McKillens many years ago, recalling the town's bustling atmosphere.

He described the current state of the town as "a shame," with significantly fewer people and activities.

Pamela Jackson and her daughter Emily traveled from Portadown to Ballymena to take advantage of the clearance sale.

Pamela and Emily on the High Street, Pamela is wearing a purple coat, she has long brown hair. Emily is wearing a pink zip-up jumper and has tied up brown hair, she also has braces. — Pamela and Emily would come to Ballymena frequently because it's "affordable"

Pamela expressed her disappointment at seeing once-thriving businesses shut down.

She observed that many high streets now have limited shops, with charity stores and cafes being the primary occupants, and noted that people are opting to shop at larger centers or online.

Pamela revealed that she often visited Ballymena specifically to shop at Wyse Byse.

She praised the affordability and welcoming nature of these local businesses, emphasizing the importance of supporting them, but lamented their decline.

Tom Wiggens, the chief executive of Ballymena Chamber of Commerce, expressed his regret over the closure of McKillens.

Wyse Byse store front with blue shutters down. The sign WYSE BYSE is in white and the shops mascot is an Owl painted beside it. The white owl wears a black graduation cap and holds a blue book. — Wyse Byse also closed down after being on the high street since 1972

Wiggens maintained that the Ballymena area remains vibrant, with a thriving town center that continues to attract new businesses.

He acknowledged that businesses are facing increasing pressures, which contributed to McKillens' decision to close.

Wiggens stated that the chamber will continue to advocate for additional support for local businesses.

He emphasized the importance of this support, particularly during the upcoming period when councils and the executive will be setting business and domestic rates.

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News

NBA Imposes Fine on Utah Jazz for Violating League Integrity

The National Basketball Association has imposed a fine of $500,000, equivalent to £367,000, on the Utah Jazz for resting healthy players, a move deemed to have undermined the league’s integrity.

The Utah Jazz have secured 18 victories out of 56 games played so far this season.

The NBA has imposed a fine of $500,000 (£367,000) on the Utah Jazz for their decision to bench healthy players, which the league believes has compromised the integrity of the competition.

In recent games against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy made the decision to remove key players Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr from the lineup before the fourth quarter.

This strategy, commonly referred to as "tanking," involves coaches deliberately fielding a weaker team to improve their chances of securing a higher draft pick.

The NBA's draft system is designed to give teams with the worst records the best opportunity to select top prospects.

The Indiana Pacers have also been fined $100,000 (£73,000) for violating the league's player participation policy during their loss to the Jazz on February 4.

According to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, "behaviour that prioritises draft position over winning undermines the competitive foundation of the NBA, and we will take appropriate action in response to any further incidents that compromise the integrity of our games."

The NBA is currently working with its competition committee and board of governors to develop additional measures aimed at preventing this type of behaviour.

With the Jazz ranked 13th in the Western Conference and the Pacers 14th in the Eastern Conference, a playoff push seems unlikely for both teams, and attention is already turning to next season's roster construction.

In their recent games, the Jazz held a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter against Orlando on February 8 but ultimately lost 120-117, while they managed to defeat Miami 115-111 two days later.

Utah owner Ryan Smith expressed his disagreement with the fine on social media, stating "Agree to disagree. We won the game in Miami and still got fined, which doesn't make sense."

Head coach Will Hardy has defended his decision to bench Markkanen, citing a minutes restriction, and the team has also announced that Jackson Jr will undergo season-ending knee surgery after the All-Star games.

Hardy explained his decision, saying "I benched Lauri because he was under a minutes restriction, and I'm trying to keep him healthy, as per our medical team's instructions."

This is not the first time the Jazz have been fined for resting players; they were also fined $100,000 (£73,000) last season for resting Markkanen in multiple games.

The Pacers' fine was issued after a league investigation found that Pascal Siakam and two other players who did not participate in the game could have played, even if it was with limited minutes.

The player participation policy was introduced by the NBA in 2023 as a measure to discourage teams from deliberately losing games to improve their draft lottery chances.

Business

Artist Alleges AirAsia Used His Work Without Permission

A street artist from Penang has reported that one of his artworks has been replicated and featured on the design of an airplane.

A lawsuit has been filed by a Malaysian-based artist against AirAsia and its parent company, Capital A Berhad, alleging unauthorized use of the artist's designs on one of the airline's planes.

A low-resolution image of an AirAsia aircraft with artwork children cycling printed on its side. The passenger plane is pictured parked in an airport — Artist Ernest Zacharevic is sueing AirAsia over the use of a livery on one of its jets in 2024

According to the lawsuit, Ernest Zacharevic, a Lithuanian-born artist residing in Penang, claims that his 2012 street mural, Kids on Bicycle, was reproduced and displayed on an AirAsia aircraft in late 2024 without his permission.

Zacharevic states that the use of his design was unauthorized, and no licensing agreement or consent was obtained, adding that the livery was removed after he publicly expressed concerns about the matter.

The BBC has reached out to AirAsia for a statement regarding the allegations.

In an interview with the BBC on Thursday, Zacharevic recalled that he first became aware of the alleged copyright infringement in October 2024, when he discovered that an AirAsia plane was featuring a livery resembling his artwork.

With over a decade of experience in Malaysia, Zacharevic is known for his roadside murals in Penang, which have become a staple of the local art scene.

One of Zacharevic's notable works is the 2012 street mural Kids on Bicycle, created for a local festival, which features two children on a bicycle integrated into the mural, located in George Town's heritage district.

The mural has become a popular tourist attraction, with many visitors taking photos in front of the iconic artwork.

Zacharevic alleges that his work was reproduced on an AirAsia plane without his knowledge or consent, and he personally witnessed the plane in operation at an airport.

Recalling the incident, Zacharevic expressed his discomfort with the situation, which occurred in 2024.

He took to social media to address the issue, posting a photo of the plane and tagging the airline, suggesting that they needed to discuss the use of his artwork.

A photograph of a wall mural, depicting two children in white tops. The images in painted to show the children seated on a real-life bicycle. — Zacharevic painted Kids on Bicycle, a famous wall mural in Penang, in 2012

Since then, Zacharevic has engaged in discussions with the company, but they have been unable to come to a mutually agreeable resolution.

This is not the first instance of Zacharevic's work being used in connection with AirAsia, as he claims the airline has also used his artwork on a delivery bag for its food services arm.

Court documents reveal that Zacharevic had previously discussed a potential collaboration with AirAsia in 2017, where he would create art for the airline's jets and a mural in one of their offices.

According to the documents, Zacharevic had informed the airline of his work and business rates during these discussions.

The lawsuit asserts that despite being aware of Zacharevic's work and rates, the airline proceeded to reproduce and publicly display one of his notable works, thereby infringing on his copyright and moral rights.

As the largest low-cost carrier in Asia, AirAsia operates over 200 jets to more than 100 destinations, and has recently announced plans to resume flights from Kuala Lumpur to London via Bahrain.

Zacharevic has stated that he will leave it to the court to determine any potential compensation he may be entitled to.

The artist emphasized that he does not consider the use of his artwork to be a mere reference to cultural or geographical associations, but rather a distinct artistic creation.

Zacharevic stressed that his artwork is the result of years of professional training, skill, and labor, and should be recognized as such.

News

Northern Ireland boss O’Neill poised for Blackburn Rovers move

Michael O’Neill, the manager of Northern Ireland, is poised to take on a position with Blackburn Rovers, a Championship club, in a dual capacity that will last until the end of the current season.

Michael O'Neill has begun his second stint as the manager of the Northern Ireland national team.

It has been announced that Northern Ireland's manager, Michael O'Neill, is expected to take on a dual role with Championship club Blackburn Rovers until the end of the season.

In March, Northern Ireland will face Italy in a World Cup play-off semi-final, followed by a potential match against either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina, depending on the outcome of the Italy game.

O'Neill will remain involved with the Northern Ireland team for these matches and the World Cup finals, if they qualify.

After the current season, O'Neill is expected to take on the manager's role at Blackburn Rovers on a full-time basis.

Damien Johnson, a former Northern Ireland midfielder, will assist O'Neill at Blackburn Rovers for the remainder of the season.

If an agreement with the Irish FA is reached promptly, O'Neill could be in charge of Blackburn Rovers for their upcoming Championship match against Queen's Park Rangers on Saturday.

Currently, Blackburn Rovers are ranked 22nd in the table, narrowly outside the safety zone due to their goal difference.

The team has been without a permanent manager since Valerien Ismael's departure on February 2, with Damien Johnson serving as interim manager.

In 2020, O'Neill had a similar arrangement with Stoke City, where he balanced his duties with both the club and the national team.

However, the Covid-19 pandemic led to a delay in the Euro 2020 play-offs, and O'Neill left his position before those matches took place.

O'Neill returned to manage the national team in 2022, signing a contract that will keep him in the role until after the Euro 2028 campaign.

Northern Ireland is aiming to qualify for its first World Cup in 40 years and its first major tournament since O'Neill led the team to the Euro 2016 finals during his initial tenure.

O'Neill attended the Nations League draw on Thursday, where Northern Ireland was paired with Hungary, Ukraine, and Georgia, but he did not interact with the media in Brussels.

England's Nations League draw has resulted in matches against Spain and Croatia.