(ANSA-AFP) - FRANKFURT AM MAIN, FEB 2 - The German broadcasting regulator said Wednesday it has banned the transmission of the German-language channel of Russian state broadcaster RT, amid rising tensions between Moscow and the West. The transmission of the channel "RT DE" was "prohibited because it does not have the necessary broadcasting licence", the regulator's authorisation and oversight commission said in a statement. The broadcaster was blocked from Europe's satellite network on December 22 at the request of German authorities, less than a week after going on air, but was still available over the internet and via a mobile app. In response to the earlier decision, RT DE said its suspension was "illegal" and the result of political pressure from Berlin, at a time of diplomatic tensions between Germany and Russia. (ANSA-AFP).