REFORM UK CRISIS: Nigel Farage faced fresh scrutiny as Reform UK held its annual conference in Birmingham amid a controversy over alleged foreign funding.

The row follows an undercover investigation that reportedly captured two senior Reform UK officials discussing potential £500,000 foreign funding for the party. Reform UK said the officials had stepped down pending an internal investigation and denied breaking British law.

Farage insisted that Reform UK had accepted no illegal money and described the investigation as entrapment. The Electoral Commission is reviewing the claims and is in contact with police, adding to the pressure surrounding the party.

Despite the controversy, Reform UK supporters rallied behind Farage, while protesters interrupted his conference speech. Immigration remains central to the party's agenda, including its pledge to stop small boat crossings and remove illegal migrants.

Farage has also agreed an immigration pact with France's National Rally, with both parties pledging cooperation if they win power.

Watch the full report for the latest on Nigel Farage, Reform UK, the foreign funding controversy, the Electoral Commission review and the growing political pressure on the party.

REFORM UK CRISIS | Nigel Farage Faces Fresh Foreign Funding Controversy At Party Conference

Russia on Saturday (Dec 23) rejected an application by presidential hopeful Yekaterina Duntsova calling for peace. The Central Electoral Commission, citing mistakes in the documents submitted by Duntsova, cancelled the plea, reported Russian television.

The commission's chief, Ella Pamfilova, released a statement saying that the members rejected Duntsova's bid to stand in the elections to be held next year.

It further said Duntsova, who is a former journalist and city councillor campaigning "for peace and democratic processes", could not move on to the next stage of assembling thousands of supporters' signatures.

Pamfilova told her: "You are a young woman, you have everything ahead of you."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/drone-strike-hits-ship-off-indias-coast-says-report-672821">Missile strike hits merchant ship off India's coast; crew included 21 Indians</a>

She further said that at least 29 people had filed to run for the presidency in Russia.

The 40-year-old former journalist was asked to provide documents proving that a group of at least 500 people had held a meeting supporting her.

"A people's initiative is not needed, is not welcomed," Duntsova told journalists, saying she would not have time to file another application as an independent candidate.

She then took to her official social media account saying that she would file an appeal against the ruling with the Supreme Court.&nbsp;

<h2>Anti-war candidate</h2>

Duntsova submitted her application on Wednesday (Dec 20) to challenge incumbent President Vladimir Putin in the country’s upcoming elections in March 2024.&nbsp;

She had planned to run on a scaffold of ending the war in Ukraine and freeing political prisoners.

Duntsova, in an interview with Reuters last month, called for an end to the war and the release of political prisoners, including opposition leader Alexei Navalny.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/czech-president-attends-mass-for-victims-of-prague-attack-as-country-holds-national-mourning-672861">Prague shooting: Czech president attends mass for victims as nation mourns</a>

“I feel a sense of accomplishment: We’ve done everything that we needed to do. We’ve made this step, and I think it should inspire people who support us,” said Duntsova, speaking to journalists in Moscow on Wednesday.

In her interview with Reuters, Duntsova avoided using the word “war” to describe the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which Putin calls his “special military operation", but did acknowledge that she was afraid. “Any sane person taking this step would be afraid - but fear must not win.”&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia on Saturday (Dec 23) rejected an application by presidential hopeful Yekaterina Duntsova calling for peace. The Central Electoral Commission, citing mistakes in the documents submitted by Duntsova, cancelled the plea, reported Russian television.

Russia on Saturday (Dec 23) rejected an application by presidential hopeful Yekaterina Duntsova calling for peace. The Central Electoral Commission, citing mistakes in the documents submitted by Duntsova, cancelled the plea, reported Russian television. The commission's chief, Ella Pamfilova, released a statement saying that the members rejected Duntsova's bid to stand in the elections to be held next year. It further said Duntsova, who is a former journalist and city councillor campaigning "for peace and democratic processes", could not move on to the next stage of assembling thousands of supporters' signatures. Pamfilova told her: "You are a young woman, you have everything ahead of you." Also read: Missile strike hits merchant ship off India's coast; crew included 21 Indians She further said that at least 29 people had filed to run for the presidency in Russia. The 40-year-old former journalist was asked to provide documents proving that a group of at least 500 people had held a meeting supporting her. "A people's initiative is not needed, is not welcomed," Duntsova told journalists, saying she would not have time to file another application as an independent candidate. She then took to her official social media account saying that she would file an appeal against the ruling with the Supreme Court. Anti-war candidate Duntsova submitted her application on Wednesday (Dec 20) to challenge incumbent President Vladimir Putin in the country’s upcoming elections in March 2024. She had planned to run on a scaffold of ending the war in Ukraine and freeing political prisoners. Duntsova, in an interview with Reuters last month, called for an end to the war and the release of political prisoners, including opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Also read: Prague shooting: Czech president attends mass for victims as nation mourns “I feel a sense of accomplishment: We’ve done everything that we needed to do. We’ve made this step, and I think it should inspire people who support us,” said Duntsova, speaking to journalists in Moscow on Wednesday. In her interview with Reuters, Duntsova avoided using the word “war” to describe the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which Putin calls his “special military operation", but did acknowledge that she was afraid. “Any sane person taking this step would be afraid - but fear must not win.” (With inputs from agencies)

Russia bars anti-war candidate Yekaterina Duntsova from presidential ballot

South Africans go to the polls on Wednesday for the country's sixth democratic general election since the end of apartheid in 1994.&nbsp;

Some key facts about the election:

- Voters will cast ballots for national legislators and leaders of the country's nine provinces. Voters do not directly elect individual candidates. They vote for a political party.

- Using a proportional representation system, the number of votes cast for each party will determine the number of seats it gets in parliament. Each party will then distribute the seats to a list of pre-selected members.&nbsp;

- The lawmakers will then elect the country's president from the party which receives the majority of votes. The first sitting of the new parliament is provisionally scheduled for May 22.

- There are 26.7 million South Africans, almost half of the population, registered to vote.&nbsp;

- Voters will cast ballots at 22,925 polling stations that will open for 14 hours starting at 0500 GMT.

- As many as 29,000 South African expatriates cast their ballots at various foreign diplomatic missions a week ago.

- There are 48 political parties contesting the national elections.

- Provincial assemblies comprise of between 30 and 80 members, from where four members are picked to serve in the upper house of the National Assembly, the National Council of Provinces.&nbsp;

- Final results from the elections must be released within seven days. The Independent Electoral Commission has in past elections managed to release results within three days of the vote.

South Africans go to the polls on Wednesday for the country's sixth democratic general election since the end of apartheid in 1994. Some key facts about the election: - Voters will cast ballots for national legislators and leaders of the country's nine provinces.

South Africans go to the polls on Wednesday for the country's sixth democratic general election since the end of apartheid in 1994. Some key facts about the election: - Voters will cast ballots for national legislators and leaders of the country's nine provinces. Voters do not directly elect individual candidates. They vote for a political party. - Using a proportional representation system, the number of votes cast for each party will determine the number of seats it gets in parliament. Each party will then distribute the seats to a list of pre-selected members. - The lawmakers will then elect the country's president from the party which receives the majority of votes. The first sitting of the new parliament is provisionally scheduled for May 22. - There are 26.7 million South Africans, almost half of the population, registered to vote. - Voters will cast ballots at 22,925 polling stations that will open for 14 hours starting at 0500 GMT. - As many as 29,000 South African expatriates cast their ballots at various foreign diplomatic missions a week ago. - There are 48 political parties contesting the national elections. - Provincial assemblies comprise of between 30 and 80 members, from where four members are picked to serve in the upper house of the National Assembly, the National Council of Provinces. - Final results from the elections must be released within seven days. The Independent Electoral Commission has in past elections managed to release results within three days of the vote.

South Africa election facts and voting procedures

Britain's Electoral Commission has fined Leave.EU, one of the main campaign groups for Brexit in the 2016 referendum, for breaking spending rules.

Leave.EU was fined 70,000 pounds ($95,000) for multiple breaches of electoral law, but the voting regulator said it had found no evidence that Leave.EU received donations or paid-for services from Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy at the centre of a storm over how Facebook data was used in political campaigns.

Leave.EU and Cambridge Analytica had previously denied working together on the Brexit campaign. Leave.EU was not the officially designated "leave" campaign group during the referendum.

Voting regulator, however, said it had found no evidence that Leave.EU received donations or paid-for services from Cambridge Analytica.

Britain's Electoral Commission has fined Leave.EU, one of the main campaign groups for Brexit in the 2016 referendum, for breaking spending rules. Leave.EU was fined 70,000 pounds ($95,000) for multiple breaches of electoral law, but the voting regulator said it had found no evidence that Leave.EU received donations or paid-for services from Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy at the centre of a storm over how Facebook data was used in political campaigns. Leave.EU and Cambridge Analytica had previously denied working together on the Brexit campaign. Leave.EU was not the officially designated "leave" campaign group during the referendum.

Britain's Electoral Commission fines Leave.EU over Brexit vote spending