Latest news with #Ellis'
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Banyana or Nigeria? Who will win the battle of the best?
The top two sides in Africa go head-to-head in the WAFCON semifinals. Desiree Ellis is looking to win a second WAFCON in a row with Banyana Banyana. Picture: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix Banyana Banyana and Nigeria – the top two sides on the continent – will meet on Tuesday in the semifinals of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in what promises to be a titanic battle. Desiree Ellis' Banyana are the reigning African champions, and determined to defend a title they won for the first time three years ago. Nigeria have worn the WAFCON crown a record nine times, and the Super Falcons gave a sign of their intent to get it back from Banyana in the quarterfinals, hammering Zambia 5-0. Banyana will hope they do not have too many tired legs at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca on Tuesday, after a quarterfinal that went all the way to penalties against Senegal. It is Ellis' side, however, who may hold a psychological edge, having beaten Nigeria in 2022, in the group stages of the WAFCON en route to winning the title. Banyana also beat Nigeria in the group stages at the previous WAFCON in 2018, though it was the Super Falcons who turned the tables on Ellis' side in the final, winning on penalties to capture that ninth crown. It is also Nigeria who are ranked higher on the continent than Banyana, and Randy Waldrum's side are favourites to win on Tuesday, priced by Betway at 1.75. Banyana are surely worth an outside bet at 4.40, however, with the draw at 3.30. Also on Tuesday, Ghana will play host Morocco in the other WAFCON semifinal at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat. Morocco are heavy favourites to reach at second successive final, priced at 1.54 to Ghana's 5.60 with a draw at 3.65. Morocco forward Ghizlane Chebbak is one to look out for – she bagged four goals in the group stages including a hat trick against DR Congo. Please note that the Betway odds are correct at the time of writing and subject to change.
Eyewitness News
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Eyewitness News
Desiree Ellis names the team for the Botswana and Zambia friendlies
JOHANNESBURG - Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has announced the squad that will face Zambia and Botswana in international friendlies to be played this month. 'We are the highest-ranked team in the COSAFA region, but I don't think that means anything. I think being the WAFCON defending champions as well, I think that carries a bit of weight on your back with everybody wanting to play you and wanting to beat you and come up and put up the best performance,' said Desiree Ellis. The South African senior women's national team will play against Botswana on Wednesday, 28 May 2025, and then Botswana and Zambia will face off against each other on Saturday, 31 May 2025. Then, Dr Ellis' charges will wrap up the Three-Nations series against Zambia on Tuesday, 3 June 2025. 'But we also know that it's a test not just for us but for them. We're all going to the WAFCON. Botswana got to the quarterfinals, and Zambia got to the semi-finals the last time. So the test is for us, but just so much as it is for them, and I think the physicality that both of them are going to bring is something we sometimes struggle with.' The matches are part of the senior women's national team's preparations for the defence of their Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title as the countdown continues to the continental tournament to be hosted in Morocco from 5-26 July 2025. 'I think we've got to have more control, and this will help us to see where we are with that. Defensively, we've got to be sound and obviously at set-pieces we're going to be challenged with the area that they have. The speed of both teams' attack that they have, we've got to be able to then organise our defensive shape better because that is what's going to happen at WAFCON.' Thembi Kgatlana has not been selected to this camp as she has club commitments that would have made it difficult for her to travel from North America and still be fresh enough for the two friendlies. All three matches will be played at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, and kick-off is at 15h00 for all of them.
NZ Herald
12-05-2025
- NZ Herald
Former NZ Idol judge Paul Ellis living in his car, guilty of drink driving at almost 7 times the limit
According to a summary of facts, police tracked Ellis down on the morning of February 21 after investigating a report that someone had collided with a parked vehicle in the Nelson suburb of Tāhunanui. Police followed a clear trail of vehicle fluid from the crash-damaged vehicle that led directly to the front passenger wheel of Ellis' vehicle, which was parked on a nearby street. Ellis, exhibiting signs that he had been drinking, admitted he was a disqualified driver. An evidential breath test followed and showed a reading which was 6.7 times the limit. Ellis told the police that he had been living in his car at Nelson's Isel Park. He had been drinking wine but the crash was an 'oversight' he had not been aware of. It is not the 62-year-old's first time before the courts. In November 2023 he was convicted in the Blenheim District Court for driving while disqualified, fined $400 and given a six-month disqualification. He was also granted leave to apply for an alcohol interlock licence at the time. But, police said he failed to do this, which meant that when he was caught in February this year, he was still driving as a disqualified driver. Ellis was also convicted in the same court in June 2018 on two separate charges, 10 days apart of driving with excess blood alcohol. He was convicted again in May 2022 on a charge of driving with excess breath alcohol for a third or subsequent time. Ellis was born in Timaru but grew up in Picton, and moved back to the region in 2020 when he helped organise the Linkwater Summer Sounds Music Festivals. He had a successful career in the music industry as a producer and manager and had worked with international music stars, including several from New Zealand. Ellis was a Sony Music executive living in New York at the time of 9/11 and was a judge on the first two NZ Idol seasons, before appearing as a judge on New Zealand's Got Talent in 2008. Ellis was remanded on bail for sentencing in August. His earlier request for name suppression lapsed today.
Axios
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Top SF official Kimberly Ellis ousted after misconduct probe
The embattled director of the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women has been removed from her position amid allegations by the city that she failed to disclose work for a political group and approved questionable expenditures. The big picture: Kimberly Ellis, once considered a power player in California Democratic politics, was appointed by former Mayor London Breed in 2020 to oversee the agency. The agency, tasked with advancing equity for women and girls, shifted under Ellis' tenure from focusing on gender-based violence to taking on a larger role bolstering women in politics. Driving the news: The Commission on the Status of Women, the department's oversight board, unanimously voted late Wednesday night to oust Ellis "for the benefit and the future success of the department," commission president Sophia Andary said. The seven-member panel, which chose not to disclose its discussions on her dismissal, announced the decision after two hours of deliberation. The dismissal is effective immediately and comes after Mayor Daniel Lurie, who does not have the authority to remove Ellis, asked the commission to do so. What they're saying:"I have the highest expectations for city employees, and the City Attorney's investigation found that Director Ellis committed a range of misconduct, unlawful activities, and mismanagement," Lurie said in a statement to Axios. Jen Kwart, spokesperson for the city attorney's office, declined to reveal details of the probe but said it concluded after "we had already gathered significant evidence of wrongdoing." The other side: Ronald Arena, Ellis' attorney, told Axios via email that Ellis was targeted "not because she did anything wrong, but because she refused to be complicit in wrongdoing." Arena's statement accuses the city of withholding key records, using her medical leave to rush termination, bypassing mandated ethics procedures and leaking details to the media to control the narrative. "The City's conduct represents a profound abuse of authority and a betrayal of its own stated values," Arena said. Catch up quick: Lurie suspended Ellis in March amid questions about her financial management and claims that she fostered a culture of fear. She has denied all allegations and maintains she did nothing wrong. In 2023, her department awarded an $85,000 contract for a behavioral coaching company to a longtime collaborator whom Ellis described on social media as a " dear friend." The department also spent over $600,000 on a one-day conference, including for food, lighting and a fashion show. (Andary received a $1,000 speaker's stipend, documents show.) She later overruled employee concerns to approve a $30,000 overpayment to the political nonprofit that put on the conference via a no-bid contract. Ellis has also faced scrutiny for failing to disclose nearly $20,000 in payments from the progressive Power PAC in 2023 through a personal consulting firm. Her department had granted the PAC's nonprofit affiliate $120,000 in contracts the year prior. What to watch: Ellis announced a lawsuit against the city earlier this month, accusing the city of bringing back "discredited ethics allegations" to force her out. "Director Ellis was not forced out for poor performance or ethical misconduct. She was forced out for telling the truth, for defending the vulnerable, and for refusing to quietly disappear," her lawsuit reads. She claims the campaign to oust her was retaliation against her for reporting "credible and deeply disturbing" sexual misconduct. The city attorney's office has not yet been served with Ellis' lawsuit, according to Kwart, who said her allegations were thoroughly investigated and deemed "baseless."
NZ Herald
24-04-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Halberg Games providing inspiration for Amy Ellis chasing Paralympic dreams
Ellis is a T13 athlete, specialising in 100m, 200m, and 400m racing, and is legally blind, having been born with three conditions. Nystagmus, a condition characterised by involuntary, rhythmic, and repetitive eye movements, coloboma, where part of the eye structure is missing, giving her larger pupils, and convergent squints, where one eye usually turns inward. Despite all this, the 18-year-old already holds multiple age-grade New Zealand records in all three disciplines, plus long jump for T13 Para women, and is targeting higher honours. 'My ultimate goal is to go to the 2028 Paralympics,' said Ellis. 'More short term, I would love to participate in the Ocean champs and possibly then the World Para Athletics Championships.' Recently, in her first competition in Australia, Ellis set a new personal best of 29.30s in the 200m. Like most kids, Ellis loves sport, and she initially played football for four years with able-bodied kids before it got too challenging. Even at high school, there were difficulties with getting picked last for certain things because of her disability, but Ellis says simple changes like using a neon-yellow coloured football can make the world of difference. But after being introduced to the Halberg Foundation, Ellis has seen the Games grow, and it has given her the chance to try new sports like crossfit, snag golf and swimming. 'They are so inclusive, and I feel like I can truly embrace my disability and be open to the struggles that I have and be happy to ask for help. 'The games means so much to me, and that I can just meet new people as well with the same visual impairments or things like that as well.' Running has always been in Ellis' blood. In her primary school years, she would always run around the streets of Taranaki and take part in cross country and athletics days and even went on to the regionals in those competitions. But since focusing on sprints last year, Ellis says there was some adjustment, but she loves taking part. 'When I started with my coach, it was about giving them the knowledge of what I can see, what I can't see, and it's just a little adaptive stuff like putting a cone every 30 metres so I would know where to go. 'I initially started in lane one, so I would be able to see the difference between the grass and the track because I find it quite hard to see the white lines.' Ellis is also part of the Halberg Youth Council, which enabled her to take part in February's Halberg Awards. She was on stage alongside rowing great Rob Waddell to present Olympic gold medalist Hamish Kerr with his Sportsman of the Year award. 'I couldn't see Hamish coming towards me, and Rob was always whispering in my ear to say how far away he is. 'It was such a spectacular moment to be able to be like a visually impaired person can do this, that it's possible. It was so awesome to be able to be on live TV, present this award, and just have that moment of it was awesome.'
