German Newspaper: Obama Knew of Merkel Spying, Didn't Stop It

White House denies

Trying to contain a spying-on-friends scandal, Washington has denied reports in the German media that President Barack Obama knew about surveillance of Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone and did not stop it.

The rift between the two allies threatened to worsen as German publications said the surveillance of Ms Merkel had been going on for a decade and that Mr Obama has known since 2010.  Anger over the affair has prompted demands from leading German politicians that Berlin should abandon negotiations over a EU-US free trade agreement until it is resolved.