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Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick for intel chief, faces questions on Capitol Hill amid Syria falloutEarth just experienced its second-warmest November on record — second only to 2023 — making it all but certain that 2024 will end as the hottest year ever measured, according to a report Monday by European climate service Copernicus. Last year was the hottest on record due to human-caused climate change coupled with the effects of an El Nino. But after this summer registered as the hottest on record — Phoenix sweltered through 113 consecutive days with a high temperature of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit — scientists anticipated 2024 would set a new annual record as well. In November, global temperatures averaged 14.10C (57.38F). Last year's global average temperature was 14.98C (59F). FILE - People are silhouetted against the sky at sunset Nov. 12 as they run in a park in Shawnee, Kan. Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Cape Cod, who wasn't involved in the report, said the big story about November is that "like 2023, it beat out previous Novembers by a large margin." This also likely will be the first calendar year in which the average temperature was more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times, the report said. The 2015 Paris Agreement said human-caused warming should be limited to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and ideally below 1.5. In the following years, the world's top scientist said limiting to 1.5 was crucial to stave off the worst impacts of climate change, such as increasing destructive and frequent extreme weather events. Scientists say the main cause of climate change is the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. That "does not mean that the Paris Agreement has been breached, but it does mean ambitious climate action is more urgent than ever," said Copernicus Deputy Director Samantha Burgess. A young family visiting Washington cools off from the warm weather in a fountain Nov. 6 at the base of the Washington Monument. Francis said the new records are "terrible news for people and ecosystems." "The pace of warming is so fast that plants and animals cannot adapt as they always have during previous changes in the Earth's climate. More species will go extinct, which disrupts natural food webs they're a part of. Agriculture will suffer as pollinators decline and pests flourish," she said, also warning that coastal communities will be vulnerable to sea-level rise. Heat waves over the oceans and a loss of reflective sea ice and snow cover probably contributed to the temperature increase this year, experts said. Copernicus said the extent of Antarctic sea ice in November was 10% below average, a record. Oceans absorb about 90% of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases, later releasing heat and water vapor back into the atmosphere. Last year's record heat was caused partly by an El Nino — a temporary natural warming of parts of the central Pacific that alters weather worldwide. People walk Nov. 27 on an autumn-colored ginkgo tree-lined avenue in Tokyo. But that ended this year and a cooling effect that often follows, called La Nina, failed to materialize, leaving the scientific community "a little perplexed by what's going on here ... why temperatures are staying high," said Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist at the University of Michigan. One explanation is that an El Nino releases more heat to the atmosphere because of warmer ocean waters, then "we're not getting the cooling effect that often in decades gone by helps bring the temperature back down," Overpeck said. "So it does look like this could be contributing to the acceleration of global warming. But this year, he said, "is such a big jump following yet another jump, and that's a scary thing." It's no secret that a warming world will drive food prices higher, a phenomenon increasingly known as " heatflation ." What's less known, but a growing area of interest among economists and scientists alike, is the role individual extreme weather events — blistering temperatures in Texas , a destructive tornado in Iowa — may have on what U.S. consumers pay at the supermarket. At first glance, the answer might seem logical: A drought or flood that impacts agricultural production will, eventually, drive up prices. But it's not that simple, because what consumers pay for groceries isn't only reflective of crop yields or herd sizes, but the whole supply chain. As Grist reports, that's where it gets interesting: Economists are beginning to see a growing trend that suggests weather forecasts play a part in sticker shock. Sometimes the mere prediction of an extreme event — like the record-breaking temperatures, hurricanes, and wildfires forecasters are bracing for this summer — can prompt a spike in prices. It isn't the forecast itself to blame, but concerns about what the weather to come might mean for the entire supply chain, as food manufacturers manage their risks and the expected future value of their goods, said Seungki Lee, an agricultural economist at Ohio State University. "When it comes to the climate risk on food prices, people typically look at the production side. But over the last two years, we learned that extreme weather can raise food prices, [cause] transportation disruptions, as well as production disruptions," said Lee. How much we pay for the food we buy is determined by retailers, who consider the producer's price, labor costs, and other factors. Any increases in what producers charge is typically passed on to consumers because grocery stores operate on thin profit margins. And if manufacturers expect to pay more for commodities like beef or specialty crops like avocados in the future, they may boost prices now to cover those anticipated increases. "The whole discussion about the climate risks on the food supply chain is based on probabilities," Lee said. "It is possible that we do not see extreme temperatures this summer, or even later this year. We may realize there was no significant weather shock hitting the supply chain, but unfortunately that will not be the end of the story." Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages are among the reasons food prices have climbed 25 percent since 2020 . Climate change may be contributing as well. A study published earlier this year found " heatflation " could push them up by as much as 3 percentage points per year worldwide in just over a decade and by about 2 percentage points in North America. Simultaneous disasters in major crop and cattle producing regions around the world — known as multi-breadbasket failure — are among the primary forces driving these costs. Crop shortages in these regions may also squeeze prices, which can create volatility in the global market and bump up consumer costs. Historically, a single, localized heat wave or storm typically wouldn't disrupt the supply chain enough to prompt price hikes. But a warming world might be changing that dynamic as extreme weather events intensify and simultaneous occurrences of them become the norm. How much this adds to consumers' grocery bills will vary, and depends upon whether these climate-fueled disasters hit what Lee calls "supply chain chokepoints" like vital shipping channels during harvest seasons. "As the weather is getting more and more volatile because of climate change, we are seeing this issue more frequently," he said. "So what that means is the supply chain is getting more likely to be jeopardized by these types of risks that we have never seen before." An ongoing drought that plagued the Mississippi River system from the fall of 2022 until February provides an excellent example of this. The Mississippi River basin, which covers 31 states, is a linchpin of America's agricultural supply chain. It produces 92 percent of the nation's agricultural exports, 78 percent of the world's feed grains and soybeans , and most of the country's livestock. Vessels navigating its roughly 2,350 miles of channels carry 589 million tons of cargo annually . Transportation barriers created by low water, seen above, hampered the ability of crop-producing states in the Corn Belt to send commodities like corn and soybeans, primarily used for cattle feed, to livestock producers in the South. Thus emerged a high demand, low supply situation as shipping and commodity prices shot up , with economists expecting consumers to absorb those costs . Past research showing that retail prices increase alongside commodity prices suggests that the drought probably contributed to higher overall food costs last year — and because droughts have a lingering impact on production even after they end, it may be fueling stubbornly high grocery prices today. But although it seems clear that the drought contributed to higher prices, particularly for meat and dairy products, just how much remains to be gauged. One reason for that is a lack of research analyzing the relationship between this particular weather event and the consumer market. Another is it's often difficult to tease out which of several possible factors, including global trade, war, and export bans , influence specific examples of sticker shock. While droughts definitely prompt decreases in agricultural production, Metin Çakır, an economist at the University of Minnesota, says whether that is felt by consumers depends on myriad factors. "This would mean higher raw ingredient costs for foods sold in groceries, and part of those higher costs will be passed onto consumers via higher prices. However, will consumer prices actually increase? The answer depends on many other supply and demand factors that might be happening at the same time as the impact of the drought," said Çakır. In a forthcoming analysis previewed by Grist, Çakır examined the relationship between an enduring drought in California, which produces a third of the nation's vegetables and nearly two-thirds of its fruits and nuts , and costs of produce purchased at large grocery retailers nationwide. While the event raised consumer vegetable prices to a statistically significant degree, they didn't increase as much as Çakır expected. This capricious consumer cost effect is due largely to the resiliency of America's food system . Public safety nets like crop insurance and other federal programs have played a large part in mitigating the impacts of adverse weather and bolstering the food supply chain against climate change and other shocks. By ensuring farmers and producers don't bear the brunt of those losses, these programs reduce the costs passed on to consumers. Advanced agricultural technology, modern infrastructure, substantial storage, and efficient transport links also help ensure retail price stability. A 2024 study of the role climate change played on the U.S. wheat market from 1950 to 2018 found that although the impact of weather shocks on price variability has increased with the frequency of extreme weather, adaptive mechanisms, like a well-developed production and distribution infrastructure with sufficient storage capacity, have minimized the impact on consumers. Still, the paper warns that such systems may collapse when faced with "unprecedented levels of weather variability." Last year was the world's warmest on record , creating an onslaught of challenges for crop and livestock producers nationwide. And this year is primed to be even more brutal , with the transition from El Niño — an atmospheric phenomenon that warms ocean temperatures — to La Niña , its counterpart that cools them. This cyclical change in global weather patterns is another potential threat for crop yields and source of supply chain pressures that economists and scientists are keeping an eye on. They will be particularly focused on the Midwest and stretches of the Corn Belt, two regions prone to drought as an El Niño cycle gives way to a La Niña, according to Weston Anderson, an assistant research scientist at the University of Maryland and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Those growing regions for corn and soybeans are what he'll be watching closely as La Niña develops. It's something Jennifer Ifft, an agricultural economist at Kansas State University, is also thinking about. "If you have a very severe drought in the Corn Belt ... that's going to be the biggest deal, because that's gonna raise the cost of production for cattle, hogs, poultry," said Ifft. "So that would probably have the largest inflationary impacts." As of January , U.S. beef herd inventory was at its lowest in 73 years, which multiple reports noted is due to the persisting drought that began in 2020 . Americans, the majority of whom are already spending more on groceries than last year, are poised to soon see "record" beef prices at the supermarket. Food prices are also expected to rise another 2.2 percent in 2024 , according to the USDA's Economic Research Service. In a world enmeshed in extremes, our already-fragile food supply chain could be the next system teetering on the edge of collapse because of human-caused climate change. And costlier groceries linked to impending risk is the first of many warning signs that it is already splintering. This story was produced by Grist and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox!
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‘Failure is not an option’: Fire-torn Jasper entering new year with hope, anxietyWestern states assail Russia's Lavrov over Ukraine at OSCE meetingSPOKANE VALLEY, Wash., Dec. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Key Tronic Corporation (Nasdaq: KTCC), a provider of electronic manufacturing services (EMS), today announced that it entered into a new financing arrangement with the Bank of Montreal and Callodine Commercial Finance which extends and increases its access to working capital through December 2029. The combined financing agreement provides up to $143 million in availability, subject to the Company’s borrowing base and other limitations. The new credit agreements replace Key Tronic’s asset-based line of credit with Bank of America, which was set to expire in December 2025. In connection with these agreements, the Company expects to write off approximately $0.9 million in unamortized capitalized loan fees. “We are excited to update our financing arrangements as we prepare for growth in coming years,” said Tony Voorhees, Chief Financial Officer. “We believe the new financing significantly enhances our access to working capital over the next five years and address liquidity to support our long-term growth plans. Additionally, we anticipate these new facilities will lower our interest expense and provide greater financial flexibility moving forward.” About Key Tronic Key Tronic is a leading contract manufacturer offering value-added design and manufacturing services from its facilities in the United States, Mexico, China and Vietnam. The Company provides its customers with full engineering services, materials management, worldwide manufacturing facilities, assembly services, in-house testing, and worldwide distribution. Its customers include some of the world’s leading original equipment manufacturers. For more information about Key Tronic visit: www.keytronic.com. Forward-Looking Statements Some of the statements in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to those including such words as anticipates, believes, expects, will, and similar verbs, or nouns corresponding to such verbs, which may be forward looking. Forward-looking statements also include other passages that are relevant to expected future events, performances, and actions or that can only be fully evaluated by events that will occur in the future. Forward-looking statements in this release include, without limitation, the Company’s statements regarding its expectations with respect to anticipated growth and the availability of financing, reduced interest expense, and financial flexibility under the new financing arrangements. There are many factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted or projected in forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the future of the global economic environment and its impact on our customers and suppliers; the availability of components from the supply chain; the availability of a healthy workforce; the accuracy of suppliers’ and customers’ forecasts; development and success of customers’ programs and products; timing and effectiveness of ramping of new programs; success of new-product introductions; the risk of legal proceedings or governmental investigations relating to the previously reported financial statement restatements and related material weaknesses, the May 2024 cybersecurity incident, and the subject of the internal investigation by the Company’s Audit Committee and related or other unrelated matters; acquisitions or divestitures of operations or facilities; technology advances; changes in pricing policies by the Company, its competitors, customers or suppliers; impact of new governmental legislation and regulation, including tax reform, tariffs and related activities, such trade negotiations and other risks; and other factors, risks, and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company’s SEC filings.
A founding member of the and long-time critic of Donald Trump’s use of the group’s song is performing the 70s anthem at the president-elect’s upcoming inauguration. also allow the president-elect to continue using the song at events. continued use of because he seems to genuinely, genuinely like the song, and so many other artists were stopping him from using their music,” Willis told Fox Thursday. Willis had for years demanded that Trump stop using the song, which is often performed by the , an odd choice for a man opposed to the LGBTQ community. Willis added: “I decided to contact BMI [Broadcast Music, Inc.] and told them not to terminate his political use license because he seemed to be bringing so much joy to the American people with his use of .” Trump’s wooden dance moves to the song have gone viral across social media and even prompted responses in the world of sports. Willis sang and co-wrote the tune, and now says Trump’s use of it has contributed to it hitting the sales charts again 46 years after its initial release. The founding member of the Village People previously condemned Trump’s use of the song as well as He earlier said that the group would prefer the song be “kept out of politics.” But comeback has led some to speculate that the band may perform at Trump’s inauguration in January. “If you were to ask me today if the Village People would perform at the inauguration, I would probably say not because we’d be concerned about endorsement” of Trump, Willis told Fox. “However, because the president-elect has done so much for and brought so much joy to so many people, the song has actually gone back to number one [in sales], and it’s still number one today, so if he were to ask the Village People to perform the song live for him, we’d have to seriously consider it,” he added. He noted: “The financial benefits have been great ... is estimated to have grossed several million dollars since the President Elect’s continued use of the song. Therefore, I’m glad I allowed the President Elect’s continued use of ., And I thank him for choosing to use my song.” Willis has rejected the notion that the song is a gay anthem. He urged those thinking the song isn’t intended as straight to “get their minds out of the gutter.” “Come January 2025, my wife will start suing each and every news organization that falsely refers to , either in their headlines or alluded to in the base of the story, that is somehow a gay anthem because such notion is based solely on the song’s lyrics alluding to elicit [sic] activity for which it does not,” he declared on Facebook. The song’s lyrics refer to young men new in a city heading to the YMCA gym and rooming to “hang out with all the boys” and “do whatever you feel.” But Willis argued on Facebook that the line “you can hang out with all the boys” is “simply 1970s Black slang for Black guys hanging out together for sports, gambling or whatever. There’s nothing gay about that,” he insisted. But, he added: “I don’t mind that gays think of YMCA as their anthem.”
Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick for intel chief, faces questions on Capitol Hill amid Syria fallout( MENAFN - IANS) Washington, Dec 28 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar has concluded a two-day conference of the team at the Indian Embassy in the US and Consuls General and "expressed confidence in the deliberations and noted that they would plummet the India-US partnership". EAM Jaishankar wrote on Friday on X, "Concluded a very useful two-day conference of team @IndianEmbassyUS and our Consuls General in Washington DC today. Confident from the deliberations that the continuous growth of the India-US partnership will be accelerated." As per a press statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar is visiting the US from December 24 to 29. On Thursday, EAM Jaishankar met with the US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, in Washington, DC. He said that the two leaders held wide-ranging discussions on the progress of the India-US strategic partnership and exchanged views on current regional and global developments. Jaishankar also held a meeting with his US counterpart Antony Blinken in Washington, DC on Thursday. The two leaders reviewed the advancement of the India-US partnership over the past four years and agreed that cooperation has strengthened in many sectors. EAM Jaishankar expressed confidence that ties between India and the US will serve mutual interests and global good. EAM Jaishankar, during his visit, met India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Kwatra and Consul Generals based in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Houston and Atlanta. The officials discussed opportunities for deepening India-US partnership, focusing on technology, trade and investments. The visit by the EAM comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the US earlier in September and participated in the fourth Quad Leaders' Summit in Wilmington, Delaware. The US and India have seen frequent high-level interactions. Earlier on Tuesday, senior diplomats from India and the US, including Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma, highlighted the strengthening of bilateral ties between the two countries. India-US bilateral relations have developed into a "global strategic partnership," based on shared democratic values and increasing convergence of interests on bilateral, regional and global issues. Regular exchange of high-level political visits has provided sustained momentum to bilateral cooperation, while the wide-ranging and ever-expanding dialogue architecture has established a long-term framework for India-US engagement. MENAFN27122024000231011071ID1109036109 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Trudeau, Carney push back over Trump’s ongoing 51st state commentsA founding member of the and long-time critic of Donald Trump’s use of the group’s song is performing the 70s anthem at the president-elect’s upcoming inauguration. also allow the president-elect to continue using the song at events. continued use of because he seems to genuinely, genuinely like the song, and so many other artists were stopping him from using their music,” Willis told Fox Thursday. Willis had for years demanded that Trump stop using the song, which is often performed by the , an odd choice for a man opposed to the LGBTQ community. Willis added: “I decided to contact BMI [Broadcast Music, Inc.] and told them not to terminate his political use license because he seemed to be bringing so much joy to the American people with his use of .” Trump’s wooden dance moves to the song have gone viral across social media and even prompted responses in the world of sports. Willis sang and co-wrote the tune, and now says Trump’s use of it has contributed to it hitting the sales charts again 46 years after its initial release. The founding member of the Village People previously condemned Trump’s use of the song as well as He earlier said that the group would prefer the song be “kept out of politics.” But comeback has led some to speculate that the band may perform at Trump’s inauguration in January. “If you were to ask me today if the Village People would perform at the inauguration, I would probably say not because we’d be concerned about endorsement” of Trump, Willis told Fox. “However, because the president-elect has done so much for and brought so much joy to so many people, the song has actually gone back to number one [in sales], and it’s still number one today, so if he were to ask the Village People to perform the song live for him, we’d have to seriously consider it,” he added. He noted: “The financial benefits have been great ... is estimated to have grossed several million dollars since the President Elect’s continued use of the song. Therefore, I’m glad I allowed the President Elect’s continued use of ., And I thank him for choosing to use my song.” Willis has rejected the notion that the song is a gay anthem. He urged those thinking the song isn’t intended as straight to “get their minds out of the gutter.” “Come January 2025, my wife will start suing each and every news organization that falsely refers to , either in their headlines or alluded to in the base of the story, that is somehow a gay anthem because such notion is based solely on the song’s lyrics alluding to elicit [sic] activity for which it does not,” he declared on Facebook. The song’s lyrics refer to young men new in a city heading to the YMCA gym and rooming to “hang out with all the boys” and “do whatever you feel.” But Willis argued on Facebook that the line “you can hang out with all the boys” is “simply 1970s Black slang for Black guys hanging out together for sports, gambling or whatever. There’s nothing gay about that,” he insisted. But, he added: “I don’t mind that gays think of YMCA as their anthem.”
Georgetown is set to play its first road game of the season while West Virginia attempts to build off its successful 2-1 trip to the Bahamas when the former conference rivals meet on Friday in Morgantown, W. Va., as part of the Big 12-Big East Battle. Picked 13th out of 16 in the Big 12 preseason coaches' poll, West Virginia (5-2) has been riding the hot shooting of Javon Small and Tucker DeVries. Small averages a team-high 19 points and shoots 41.3 percent on 3-pointers while DeVries adds 14.9 points per game and hits on 46.9 percent of his threes. Every basket was needed last week as the Mountaineers upset then-No. 3 Gonzaga and then-No. 24 Arizona with a loss to Louisville sandwiched in between. All three contests went into overtime, believed to be a first in program history. First-year coach Darian DeVries, who led Drake to three NCAA Tournaments in the last four seasons, had never seen anything like it. "I've never been a part of three games like that, especially with the quality of opponents that we went up these last three days," he said after the Arizona win. "Just incredible resolve and grit and toughness from our group all three nights." Georgetown has started 7-1 for the first time since the 2018-19 season and has done so with a completely revamped roster that includes 14 freshmen or sophomores. As a result of an inexperienced squad, coach Ed Cooley specifically delayed the Hoyas' first trip out of the nation's capital. "Obviously, the competition is going to change," Cooley said after the Hoyas defeated UMBC 86-62 on Monday. "We systematically scheduled this way to build confidence, continuity and chemistry and let our players feel what it is to win, and that's something hopefully that will have some carryover as we now get ready to head out on the road for the first time." Since losing to Notre Dame on Nov. 16, Georgetown has won five straight games by an average of 25.2 points. Thomas Sorber leads the Hoyas in scoring at 15.8 points per game and leads the conference in rebounding at 8.9 per game. Sorber was named as the Big East Freshman of the Week for the third time in four weeks. Georgetown holds the narrowest of leads in the all-time series at 27-26. The two schools met 27 times between 1995 and 2012 as league foes. The Mountaineers captured their lone Big East Championship in 2010 by defeating the Hoyas 60-58 at Madison Square Garden. --Field Level MediaFORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Navy quarterback Blake Horvath read the play perfectly and turned it into the longest in school history, a 95-yard touchdown run in the Armed Forces Bowl. “By somebody that’s not really that fast,” Horvath said after the 21-20 win over Oklahoma on Friday. The Midshipmen (10-3) fell behind by two touchdowns less than 10 minutes into the game, but Horvath's record run late in the third quarter tied the game at 14-all. He put them ahead on a 6-yard TD with 4:34 left before Navy’s defense stopped an Oklahoma 2-point conversion with six seconds left in the game. “Probably over-pursued by them,” Horvath said of the 95-yarder. “Some tendencies they showed earlier, just thought I could get a pull.” After faking a handoff on the read-option play, Horvath ran straight up the middle into the open field. Brandon Chatman cut off a pursing defender around the Sooners 20. By time another defender, cornerback Woodi Washington, was able to catch up and started to bring him down, Horvath stretched the ball over the goal line — though he was initially ruled short before a replay review resulted in the touchdown. “Brandon Chatman actually busted his tail to get his butt down the field,” Horvath said. “I can see him out of the corner of my eye busting his butt. And honestly, it’s almost not even my touchdown without him and the offensive line blocking.” The previous longest play for the Midshipmen came during the Roger Staubach era, when Johnny Sai had a 93-yard run against Duke in 1963. Horvath also had a 90-yard TD run against Memphis, making him only the second Navy player with two 90-yard runs in the same season. The other was quarterback Malcolm Perry in 2017, when he had runs of 92 and 91 yards. “That’s a play we know can hit big and it did, and definitely exciting to see,” fullback Alex Tecza said. “I was getting tired just chasing him. ... It's great. He's being doing that all year.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballNigel Farage said he is weighing up what action to take if the Conservatives do not apologise for accusing Reform UK of “fakery” over its membership numbers. The Reform UK leader pushed back against reports suggesting that legal action would be the next step, saying he would make a decision in the next couple of days about his response if there is no apology for the “crazy conspiracy theory”. Mr Farage also said the party has “opened up our systems” to media outlets, including The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, in the interests of “full transparency to verify that our numbers are correct”. His remarks came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Farage of “fakery” in response to Reform claiming they had surpassed the Tories in signed-up members. Mrs Badenoch said Reform’s counter was “coded to tick up automatically”. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage, on whether he was threatening legal action or not, told the PA news agency: “I haven’t threatened anything. I’ve just said that unless I get an apology, I will take some action. “I haven’t said whether it’s legal or anything.” He added: “All I’ve said is I want an apology. If I don’t get an apology, I will take action. “I will decide in the next couple of days what that is. So I’ve not specified what it is.” Mr Farage, on the move to make membership data available to media organisations, said: “We feel our arguments are fully validated. “She (Mrs Badenoch) has put out this crazy conspiracy theory and she needs to apologise.” The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News & FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. I am now demanding @KemiBadenoch apologises. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) December 27, 2024 On why Mrs Badenoch had reacted as she did, Mr Farage said: “I would imagine she was at home without anybody advising her and was just angry.” Mr Farage, in a statement issued on social media site X, also said: “The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. “Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News and FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. “I am now demanding Kemi Badenoch apologises.” A Conservative Party source claimed Mr Farage was “rattled” that his Boxing Day “publicity stunt is facing serious questions”. They added: “Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.” Mrs Badenoch, in a series of messages posted on X on Thursday, said: “Farage doesn’t understand the digital age. This kind of fakery gets found out pretty quickly, although not before many are fooled.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. Mrs Badenoch claimed in her thread that “the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”. Elsewhere, Mr Farage described Elon Musk as a “bloody hero” and said he believes the US billionaire can help attract younger voters to Reform. Tech entrepreneur Mr Musk met Mr Farage earlier this month at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, amid rumours of a possible donation to either Mr Farage or Reform. Mr Farage told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on and, frankly, that’s only just starting. “Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course, you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything. “And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”
Navy QB Blake Horvath's 95-yard TD run in Armed Forces Bowl win is longest play in school history
