Dangerous LiaisonsThe True Proximity of Germany’s AfD To Neo-Nazis

By Maik Baumgärtner und Ann-Katrin Müller

The organizers long kept the meeting’s location secret – the invitation vaguely stated only the region: “The Nienburg (Weser) area” in the state of Lower-Saxony, located between Hannover and Bremen. The guests arrived inconspicuously. Just over 50 people gathered at the Hof Frien, a farm with a restaurant and event center, in nearby Uchte, Lower Saxony, at the end of February to talk about “The Wild 20s.”

The invitation to the secretive “strategy meeting” had been issued by the youth wing of the extreme right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) from Lower Saxony. Other members of the youth wing of the party, the Young Alternative (JA) traveled from other states including Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Hesse to the event.

ECOWAS gives Niger junta one week to cede power, threatens use of force

West African leaders on Sunday gave the military junta in Niger one week to cede power, warning they did not rule out the “use of force”, and imposed immediate financial sanctions.

The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) demanded the “immediate release and reinstatement” of elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held by the military since Wednesday.

“In the event the authorities’ demands are not met within one week (ECOWAS will) take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force. For this effect, the chiefs of defence staff of ECOWAS are to meet immediately,” the bloc said in a statement after its summit in Abuja, Nigeria, on Sunday.

ECOWAS announced the “suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger”, which is part of the bloc, as well as halting energy transactions.

Why is the Bangladeshi opposition protesting against Sheikh Hasina’s gov’t?

The prime minister is facing a political crisis as tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to demand free and fair elections.

Police in Bangladesh have been clashing with supporters of the opposition, firing tear gas and rubber bullets as supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) blocked major roads in the capital Dhaka to demand Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.

According to the BNP, dozens of its supporters were injured and more than 120 members arrested.

As the economic crisis in the country worsens amid rising inflation and a cost of living crisis, the BNP has held huge protest rallies in recent months with tens of thousands of party supporters taking to the streets.

Antarctica is missing an Argentina-sized amount of sea ice – and scientists are scrambling to figure out why

As the Northern Hemisphere swelters under a record-breaking summer heat wave, much further south, in the depths of winter, another terrifying climate record is being broken. Antarctic sea ice has fallen to unprecedented lows for this time of year.

Every year, Antarctic sea ice shrinks to its lowest levels towards the end of February, during the continent’s summer. The sea ice then builds back up over the winter.

But this year scientists have observed something different.

The sea ice has not returned to anywhere near expected levels. In fact it is at the lowest levels for this time of year since records began 45 years ago. The ice is around 1.6 million square kilometers (0.6 million square miles) below the previous winter record low set in 2022, according to data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).

Ukraine war: Putin says Russia does not reject peace talks