A convention of a far-right party is being met by protests in Germany as it and other major parties launch their campaigns for the country’s election next month.

A key congress of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was delayed Saturday as thousands shouting "No to Nazis" protested outside the venue in the eastern town of Riesa.

Protests organized on Saturday by an alliance of activists against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) have delayed the start of the party's conference in the eastern German state of Saxony. The protests come as three of Germany's major political parties are holding gatherings on the same day to finalize their election platforms and candidate nominations ahead of the national elections on February 23.

Germany is working to secure a drifting Russian oil tanker, believed to be part of Moscow’s “shadow fleet” used to fund its war in Ukraine, after it lost control in the Baltic Sea.

Germany has recovered a heavily laden tanker stranded off its northern coast, by towing the stricken vessel. According to the German authorities, the vessel was part of the Russian “phantom fleet”. The 274-meter-long Eventin was sailing between Russia and Egypt with almost 100,

German authorities have said an oil tanker stuck in German waters belongs to Russia's "shadow fleet", which Berlin says is used to avoid sanctions. Germany's maritime authorities (CCME) said on Friday that the Panamanian-flagged ship, known as Eventin, had lost power and steering, meaning tugboats were deployed to secure the vessel.