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8. April 2017, 21:58

US envoy summoned over Merkel phone row

The American ambassador to Germany has been summoned by the foreign ministry in Berlin, following allegations that US intelligence may have monitored Chancellor Angela Merkel´s mobile telephone. Merkel's government says she complained to President Barack Obama in a phone call Wednesday. The White House said it isn't monitoring and won't monitor Merkel's communications, but it did not say that they were never monitored. Earlier this week, France demanded explanations of a report that the US had intercepted millions of French phone records. Bruce Schneyer is an American security technology expert: "It used to be that the NSA could spy on Germany, on France, with impunity. It would be secret. But if they have to assume their operations will be exposed, they might make different choices. So I think that´s going to be a change because of the information age and it´s going to be interesting to watch."

Spy claims overshadow EU summit

The allegations are set to overshadow a summit of European Union leaders in Brussels later today. They´ll be discussing how to foster the fragile economic recovery and encourage more solid growth.

The US and Russia divided over Syria

Late night talks at the end of the G20 summit in the Russian city of St Petersburg have again exposed bitter divisions over possible military action in Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin restated his opposition to any strike, saying it would destabilise the region, while the US President Barack Obama said action was necessary in reaction to the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

Activists charged with hooliganism by Russia

The Russian Investigative Committee has announced that it has dropped piracy charges against 28 Greenpeace activists and two journalists. They´ve been charged instead with hooliganism, which means they could still spend up to 7 years in prison. They have been held in jail since their ship, the "Arctic Sunrise," was seized by the Russian coast guard after protesting outside an oil rig operated by the state-owned energy company Gazprom last month. Greenpeace Russia says they should be freed immediately.

Pilot dies battling Australian bushfires

In Australia, a plane fighting bushfires in New South Wales has crashed, killing its pilot. Meanwhile the military says it´s co-operating with a fire services investigation that found an exercise using live ordnance started one of the fires.

The 51st Viennale gets underway

The 51st Viennale film festival gets underway in Vienna later today. Austria's most important international film event will be showcasing around 300 new films from around the globe. This year's guest list includes the American comedian Will Ferrell and the former racing driver Jackie Stewart.

The weather

Increasingly sunny in the west, some sunshine in the east. Overcast in the south, but the rain there should ease. Top temperatures from 13 to 21, warmest in the west.

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