Estonia, Latvia left China-led forum and '17+1' group now reduced to '14+1'. Estonia did not attend any meeting since February 2021.

Estonia, Latvia leave China-led forum; major diplomatic blow to Beijing

As China increases military pressure on Taiwan, an island it claims as its own territory, and deepens connections with Russia even as the invasion of Ukraine continue, Latvia and Estonia withdrew from a China cooperation group on Thursday.

The two countries followed in the footsteps of Baltic neighbour Lithuania which withdrew last year.&nbsp;

Lithuania's ties with China had deteriorated after the former permitted Taiwan to establish a de facto embassy last&nbsp;year. The nation also endorsed US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. A move which China called "erroneous" accusing the Baltic NATO nation of violating the one-China principle.

Watch |&nbsp;Taiwan rejects China's 'one country, two systems' plan

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taiwan-rejects-chinas-one-country-two-systems-plan-505966/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Croatia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia are some of the nations that are still part of the cooperation arrangement.

Both Latvia and Estonia said in comments released on Thursday that they will keep pursuing "constructive and pragmatic relations with China" while upholding the rules-based global order and human rights.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/volodymyr-zelensky-tells-officials-if-you-want-victory-for-ukraine-stop-talking-to-press-506073" hreflang="en">Volodymyr Zelensky tells officials, 'if you want victory for Ukraine' stop talking to press</a>

In recent days, western criticism of China's escalating military pressure on democratically ruled Taiwan has risen.&nbsp;

Latvia's&nbsp;continued membership in the China group, according to the country's&nbsp;foreign ministry, is&nbsp;"no longer in line with our strategic objectives in the current international environment."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinpings-visit-to-saudi-arabia-chinese-foreign-ministry-says-no-information-to-offer-505993" hreflang="en">Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia: Chinese foreign ministry says no information to offer</a>

The country recently on Thursday adopted a vote recognising "Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism," while calling on other like-minded countries to express the same view.

Latvian MPs also declared that Russia's actions in Ukraine amount to "targeted genocide against the Ukrainian people".

(With inputs from agencies)

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As China increases military pressure on Taiwan, an island it claims as its own territory, and deepens connections with Russia even as the invasion of Ukraine continue, Latvia and Estonia withdrew from a China cooperation group on Thursday.

As China increases military pressure on Taiwan, an island it claims as its own territory, and deepens connections with Russia even as the invasion of Ukraine continue, Latvia and Estonia withdrew from a China cooperation group on Thursday. The two countries followed in the footsteps of Baltic neighbour Lithuania which withdrew last year. Lithuania's ties with China had deteriorated after the former permitted Taiwan to establish a de facto embassy last year. The nation also endorsed US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. A move which China called "erroneous" accusing the Baltic NATO nation of violating the one-China principle. Watch | Taiwan rejects China's 'one country, two systems' plan Croatia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia are some of the nations that are still part of the cooperation arrangement. Both Latvia and Estonia said in comments released on Thursday that they will keep pursuing "constructive and pragmatic relations with China" while upholding the rules-based global order and human rights. Also read | Volodymyr Zelensky tells officials, 'if you want victory for Ukraine' stop talking to press In recent days, western criticism of China's escalating military pressure on democratically ruled Taiwan has risen. Latvia's continued membership in the China group, according to the country's foreign ministry, is "no longer in line with our strategic objectives in the current international environment." Also read | Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia: Chinese foreign ministry says no information to offer The country recently on Thursday adopted a vote recognising "Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism," while calling on other like-minded countries to express the same view. Latvian MPs also declared that Russia's actions in Ukraine amount to "targeted genocide against the Ukrainian people". (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

After Lithuania, now Latvia and Estonia quit China cooperation group

Ever since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started last month, there have been concerns raised over whether the conflict could spill over the Ukrainian border.&nbsp;

Given the impact that the Ukraine invasion has had on the security environment in the region, Estonia —which shares a border with Russia —has called for NATO to build up a permanent force in the region that is capable of stopping the Russian offensive

In an exclusive conversation, when WION asked Eva-Maria Liimets, the Foreign Minister of Estonia, if she is worried that Vladimir Putin will not stop at Ukraine, the minister said, “We truly hope that this unprovoked and unjustified war started by Russia will end as soon as possible. So that we will not see any more civilian casualties and also that Ukraine could restore its territorial integrity. Here in Estonia, we don't see that there is a direct military threat to any of the NATO countries."

The minister added, "But as we have seen, Russia has a very aggressive approach towards its neighbours, towards democratic countries in the neighbourhood. We, of course, are a bit worried that we need to have a stronger defence posture so we don't give any reasoning for any miscalculations."

There are around 320,000 ethnic Russians in Estonia. When asked about the sentiment prevailing within that community over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Estonian foreign minister said, “This community is well integrated and of course, there are different views among these people. But the majority of them support Estonian views on this issue.”

Talking about China, the minister said it is "very important that China and other countries would really help us to end this war and also pressure Russia to end this war."

Western nations have warned that Russia could be preparing to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine. When asked about her views on this, Eva-Maria Liimets said, "It is really difficult to predict how this war in Ukraine continues. But I personally and truly hope that Russia stops the violation of international law, the UN Charter, and also other agreements related to peace and security. I truly hope that the international community comes together and helps to avoid another massacre where chemical weapons are used.”

The minister also sent out a solidarity message to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky through WION.

The minister said, “We continue to support your country politically, also towards your aspiration towards EU (membership). We continue to support your country economically. We continue to support your people. We truly hope the war ends, that your country can restore its territorial integrity within the internationally recognised borders."

"I would ask the Russian president to end this unjustified and unprovoked war,” she added.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;'China needs to put pressure on Russia to end war,' says Estonian foreign minister Eva-Maria Liimets

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Ever since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started last month, there have been concerns raised over whether the conflict could spill over the Ukrainian border. Given the impact that the Ukraine invasion has had on the security environment in the region, Estonia —which shares a border with Russia —has called for NATO to build up a permanent force in the region that is capable of stopping the Russian offensive In an exclusive conversation, when WION asked Eva-Maria Liimets, the Foreign Minister of Estonia, if she is worried that Vladimir Putin will not stop at Ukraine, the minister said, “We truly hope that this unprovoked and unjustified war started by Russia will end as soon as possible.

Ever since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started last month, there have been concerns raised over whether the conflict could spill over the Ukrainian border. Given the impact that the Ukraine invasion has had on the security environment in the region, Estonia —which shares a border with Russia —has called for NATO to build up a permanent force in the region that is capable of stopping the Russian offensive In an exclusive conversation, when WION asked Eva-Maria Liimets, the Foreign Minister of Estonia, if she is worried that Vladimir Putin will not stop at Ukraine, the minister said, “We truly hope that this unprovoked and unjustified war started by Russia will end as soon as possible. So that we will not see any more civilian casualties and also that Ukraine could restore its territorial integrity. Here in Estonia, we don't see that there is a direct military threat to any of the NATO countries." The minister added, "But as we have seen, Russia has a very aggressive approach towards its neighbours, towards democratic countries in the neighbourhood. We, of course, are a bit worried that we need to have a stronger defence posture so we don't give any reasoning for any miscalculations." There are around 320,000 ethnic Russians in Estonia. When asked about the sentiment prevailing within that community over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Estonian foreign minister said, “This community is well integrated and of course, there are different views among these people. But the majority of them support Estonian views on this issue.” Talking about China, the minister said it is "very important that China and other countries would really help us to end this war and also pressure Russia to end this war." Western nations have warned that Russia could be preparing to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine. When asked about her views on this, Eva-Maria Liimets said, "It is really difficult to predict how this war in Ukraine continues. But I personally and truly hope that Russia stops the violation of international law, the UN Charter, and also other agreements related to peace and security. I truly hope that the international community comes together and helps to avoid another massacre where chemical weapons are used.” The minister also sent out a solidarity message to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky through WION. The minister said, “We continue to support your country politically, also towards your aspiration towards EU (membership). We continue to support your country economically. We continue to support your people. We truly hope the war ends, that your country can restore its territorial integrity within the internationally recognised borders." "I would ask the Russian president to end this unjustified and unprovoked war,” she added. Watch | 'China needs to put pressure on Russia to end war,' says Estonian foreign minister Eva-Maria Liimets

Estonian foreign minister to WION: China, other countries must pressure Russia to end Ukraine war

In an exclusive conversation on the Ukraine war, WION in an exclusive conversation with Estonian foreign minister Eva-Maria Liimets who says that it is very important that China and other countries pressurize Russia to end the war.

'China needs to put pressure on Russia to end war,' says Estonian foreign minister Eva-Maria Liimets

French fighter jets and troops have joined NATO’s Baltic Air Policing in Estonia. Mirage 2000-5F jets will enhance air policing.

French fighter jets and troops bolster NATO air policing in Estonia

Estonia allocates over $1.4 million for Ukrainian refugees arriving from the war-torn country, amid the Estonian prime minister calling on NATO to bolster defences of the Baltic members.

Estonia allocates over $1.4 million for Ukrainian refugees

Toomas Hendrik Ilves, former Estonian president, believes that the current round of economic sanctions announced by the Biden administration will have little to no impact on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Speaking exclusively to WION on Wednesday, Ilves said, "The ones (sanctions) announced now are pointless since they are directed towards the common people of DNR (Donetsk) and LNR (Lugansk). The real sanctions that bite would affect the oligarchs and the people in power. "

"The entire Russian leadership has massive amounts of money stored in the West. And why is there money stored there? Because they don’t even trust their country’s rule of law, "he added.

He said that sanctions would have an effect only if they were directed towards the elite responsible for the current situation.

"All of their holdings in the West should be frozen as of this moment," he added.

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced new economic sanctions in response to Putin's recognising two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine—Donetsk and Lugansk—as "independent".

He signed an executive order to "prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by US persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine," an abbreviated reference to Donetsk and Lugansk.

Even though the US and a handful of countries in Europe warned of more sanctions in the event of Ukraine's invasion, many countries in the region have kept mum.

So far, Italy and Germany have not indicated what kind of action they would take in the event of such a possibility.

Even though Germany froze a new gas pipeline that it shares with Russia, Ilves asserts that Berlin has not taken any effective action that could harm the elites in Russia.

"So far, Italy and Germany have said no sanctions on energy or on cutting off SWIFT (a messaging network used by banks and other&nbsp;financial institutions&nbsp;to quickly, accurately, and securely send and receive information, such as money transfer instructions). The&nbsp;issue here is whether Italy and Germany have the courage to issue sanctions on the oligarchs and the leadership that have property in their territory. I suspect that within the EU, there will be quite a bit of a debate over these issues in the next few days, "he said.

When he was asked whether the aim to expand&nbsp;NATO by allowing Ukraine to join the alliance led to the current escalation, the former president said, "This is a complete canard."

"NATO has no desire to expand itself. The question is whether it is open to accepting countries or not, and why do these countries want to join NATO? NATO has no urge to expand; it will expand when countries fulfil its requirements. For example, holding free elections and upholding democratic principles, "he said.

In his recent speech, Russia's Putin emphasised reviving the law of "Soviet glory." When he was asked whether Estonia would consider joining the Soviet Union, he said, "It would be if we were in the position of Ukraine, which is outside the EU and NATO."

The difference is that in the 1990s, we undertook difficult, and often painful, reforms that allowed us to join the EU and NATO. So, we do feel threatened, but once you are in NATO, you feel much more secure. "

Watch |&nbsp;Estonia's Ex-President speaks to WION: How will Putin's moves in Ukraine affect European security?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/estonias-ex-president-speaks-to-wion-how-will-putins-moves-in-ukraine-affect-european-security-455648/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Toomas Hendrik Ilves, former Estonian president, believes that the current round of economic sanctions announced by the Biden administration will have little to no impact on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Toomas Hendrik Ilves, former Estonian president, believes that the current round of economic sanctions announced by the Biden administration will have little to no impact on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking exclusively to WION on Wednesday, Ilves said, "The ones (sanctions) announced now are pointless since they are directed towards the common people of DNR (Donetsk) and LNR (Lugansk). The real sanctions that bite would affect the oligarchs and the people in power. " "The entire Russian leadership has massive amounts of money stored in the West. And why is there money stored there? Because they don’t even trust their country’s rule of law, "he added. He said that sanctions would have an effect only if they were directed towards the elite responsible for the current situation. "All of their holdings in the West should be frozen as of this moment," he added. US President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced new economic sanctions in response to Putin's recognising two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine—Donetsk and Lugansk—as "independent". He signed an executive order to "prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by US persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine," an abbreviated reference to Donetsk and Lugansk. Even though the US and a handful of countries in Europe warned of more sanctions in the event of Ukraine's invasion, many countries in the region have kept mum. So far, Italy and Germany have not indicated what kind of action they would take in the event of such a possibility. Even though Germany froze a new gas pipeline that it shares with Russia, Ilves asserts that Berlin has not taken any effective action that could harm the elites in Russia. "So far, Italy and Germany have said no sanctions on energy or on cutting off SWIFT (a messaging network used by banks and other financial institutions to quickly, accurately, and securely send and receive information, such as money transfer instructions). The issue here is whether Italy and Germany have the courage to issue sanctions on the oligarchs and the leadership that have property in their territory. I suspect that within the EU, there will be quite a bit of a debate over these issues in the next few days, "he said. When he was asked whether the aim to expand NATO by allowing Ukraine to join the alliance led to the current escalation, the former president said, "This is a complete canard." "NATO has no desire to expand itself. The question is whether it is open to accepting countries or not, and why do these countries want to join NATO? NATO has no urge to expand; it will expand when countries fulfil its requirements. For example, holding free elections and upholding democratic principles, "he said. In his recent speech, Russia's Putin emphasised reviving the law of "Soviet glory." When he was asked whether Estonia would consider joining the Soviet Union, he said, "It would be if we were in the position of Ukraine, which is outside the EU and NATO." The difference is that in the 1990s, we undertook difficult, and often painful, reforms that allowed us to join the EU and NATO. So, we do feel threatened, but once you are in NATO, you feel much more secure. " Watch | Estonia's Ex-President speaks to WION: How will Putin's moves in Ukraine affect European security?

Current sanctions announced by US won’t affect Putin at all: Estonia's former prez

Germany, a key partner in the NATO alliance has reportedly blocked Estonia from sending military hardware into Ukraine, and it has done this by refusing to issue permits for the export of German-made weapons.

Germany blocks Estonia from sending military hardware into Ukraine amid tensions with Russia

A group of 136 countries on Friday set a minimum global tax rate of 15 per cent for big companies and sought to make it harder for them to avoid taxation in a landmark deal that US President Joe Biden said levelled the playing field. 
The deal aims to end a four-decade-long "race to the bottom" by setting a floor for countries that have sought to attract investment and jobs by taxing multinational companies lightly, effectively allowing them to shop around for low tax rates.

Negotiations have been going on for four years and while the costs of the coronavirus pandemic gave them additional impetus in recent months, a deal was only agreed when Ireland, Estonia and Hungary dropped their opposition and signed up.

Moreover the 15 per cent floor agreed is well below a corporate tax rate which averages around 23.5 per cent in industrialised countries.

"Establishing, for the first time in history, a strong global minimum tax will finally even the playing field for American workers and taxpayers, along with the rest of the world," Joe Biden said in a statement.

The deal aims to stop large firms booking profits in low-tax countries such as Ireland regardless of where their clients are, an issue that has become ever more pressing with the growth of "Big Tech" giants that can easily do business across borders.

Out of the 140 countries involved, 136 supported the deal, with Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan and Sri Lanka abstaining for now. The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which has been leading the talks, said that the deal would cover 90 per cent of the global economy.

"We have taken another important step towards more tax justice," German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said in a statement emailed to Reuters. "We now have a clear path to a fairer tax system, where large global players pay their fair share wherever they do business," his British counterpart Rishi Sunak said. But with the ink barely dry, some countries were already raising concerns about implementing the deal.

The Swiss finance ministry demanded in a statement that the interests of small economies be taken into account and said that the 2023 implementation date was impossible, while Poland, which has concerns over the impact on foreign investors, said it would keep working on the deal.

'Increased prosperity'

Central to the agreement is a minimum corporate tax rate of 15% and allowing governments to tax a greater share of foreign multinationals' profits.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen hailed it as a victory for American families as well as international business. "We've turned tireless negotiations into decades of increased prosperity - for both America and the world. Today's agreement represents a once-in-a-generation accomplishment for economic diplomacy," Yellen said in a statement.

The OECD said that the minimum rate would see countries collect around $150 billion in new revenues annually while taxing rights on more than $125 billion of profit would be shifted to countries where big multinationals earn their income.

Ireland, Estonia and Hungary, all low tax countries, dropped their objections this week as a compromise emerged on a deduction from the minimum rate for multinationals with real physical business activities abroad.

'No teeth'

But some developing countries seeking a higher minimum tax rate say their interests have been sidelined to accommodate the interests of richer countries like Ireland, which had refused to sign a deal with a minimum tax rate higher than 15 per cent.

Argentine Economy Minister Martin Guzman said on Thursday that the proposals forced developing countries to choose between "something bad and something worse".

While Kenya, Nigeria and Sri Lanka did not back a previous version of the deal, Pakistan's abstention came as a surprise, one official briefed on the talks said.

India also had qualms up to the last minute, but ultimately backed the deal, they added. There was also dissatisfaction among some campaign groups such as Oxfam which said that the deal would not end tax havens.

"The tax devil is in the details, including a complex web of exemptions," Oxfam tax policy lead Susana Ruiz said. "At the last minute a colossal 10-year grace period was slapped onto the global corporate tax of 15 percent, and additional loopholes leave it with practically no teeth," Ruiz added in a statement.

Companies with real assets and payrolls in a country can ensure some of their income avoids the new minimum tax rate.

The level of the exemption tapers over a 10-year period. The OECD said that the deal would next go to the Group of 20 economic powers to formally endorse at a finance ministers' meeting in Washington on October 13 and then on to a G20 leaders summit at the end of the month in Rome for final approval. There remains some question about the US position, which depends in part on domestic tax reform negotiations in Congress.

Countries that back the deal are supposed to bring it onto their law books next year so that it can take effect from 2023, which many officials have said is extremely tight. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Paris would use its European Union presidency during the first half of 2022 to translate the agreement into law across the 27-nation bloc.

A group of 136 countries on Friday set a minimum global tax rate of 15 per cent for big companies and sought to make it harder for them to avoid taxation in a landmark deal that US President Joe Biden said levelled the playing field.

A group of 136 countries on Friday set a minimum global tax rate of 15 per cent for big companies and sought to make it harder for them to avoid taxation in a landmark deal that US President Joe Biden said levelled the playing field. The deal aims to end a four-decade-long "race to the bottom" by setting a floor for countries that have sought to attract investment and jobs by taxing multinational companies lightly, effectively allowing them to shop around for low tax rates. Negotiations have been going on for four years and while the costs of the coronavirus pandemic gave them additional impetus in recent months, a deal was only agreed when Ireland, Estonia and Hungary dropped their opposition and signed up. Moreover the 15 per cent floor agreed is well below a corporate tax rate which averages around 23.5 per cent in industrialised countries. "Establishing, for the first time in history, a strong global minimum tax will finally even the playing field for American workers and taxpayers, along with the rest of the world," Joe Biden said in a statement. The deal aims to stop large firms booking profits in low-tax countries such as Ireland regardless of where their clients are, an issue that has become ever more pressing with the growth of "Big Tech" giants that can easily do business across borders. Out of the 140 countries involved, 136 supported the deal, with Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan and Sri Lanka abstaining for now. The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which has been leading the talks, said that the deal would cover 90 per cent of the global economy. "We have taken another important step towards more tax justice," German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said in a statement emailed to Reuters. "We now have a clear path to a fairer tax system, where large global players pay their fair share wherever they do business," his British counterpart Rishi Sunak said. But with the ink barely dry, some countries were already raising concerns about implementing the deal. The Swiss finance ministry demanded in a statement that the interests of small economies be taken into account and said that the 2023 implementation date was impossible, while Poland, which has concerns over the impact on foreign investors, said it would keep working on the deal. 'Increased prosperity' Central to the agreement is a minimum corporate tax rate of 15% and allowing governments to tax a greater share of foreign multinationals' profits. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen hailed it as a victory for American families as well as international business. "We've turned tireless negotiations into decades of increased prosperity - for both America and the world. Today's agreement represents a once-in-a-generation accomplishment for economic diplomacy," Yellen said in a statement. The OECD said that the minimum rate would see countries collect around $150 billion in new revenues annually while taxing rights on more than $125 billion of profit would be shifted to countries where big multinationals earn their income. Ireland, Estonia and Hungary, all low tax countries, dropped their objections this week as a compromise emerged on a deduction from the minimum rate for multinationals with real physical business activities abroad. 'No teeth' But some developing countries seeking a higher minimum tax rate say their interests have been sidelined to accommodate the interests of richer countries like Ireland, which had refused to sign a deal with a minimum tax rate higher than 15 per cent. Argentine Economy Minister Martin Guzman said on Thursday that the proposals forced developing countries to choose between "something bad and something worse". While Kenya, Nigeria and Sri Lanka did not back a previous version of the deal, Pakistan's abstention came as a surprise, one official briefed on the talks said. India also had qualms up to the last minute, but ultimately backed the deal, they added. There was also dissatisfaction among some campaign groups such as Oxfam which said that the deal would not end tax havens. "The tax devil is in the details, including a complex web of exemptions," Oxfam tax policy lead Susana Ruiz said. "At the last minute a colossal 10-year grace period was slapped onto the global corporate tax of 15 percent, and additional loopholes leave it with practically no teeth," Ruiz added in a statement. Companies with real assets and payrolls in a country can ensure some of their income avoids the new minimum tax rate. The level of the exemption tapers over a 10-year period. The OECD said that the deal would next go to the Group of 20 economic powers to formally endorse at a finance ministers' meeting in Washington on October 13 and then on to a G20 leaders summit at the end of the month in Rome for final approval. There remains some question about the US position, which depends in part on domestic tax reform negotiations in Congress. Countries that back the deal are supposed to bring it onto their law books next year so that it can take effect from 2023, which many officials have said is extremely tight. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Paris would use its European Union presidency during the first half of 2022 to translate the agreement into law across the 27-nation bloc.

India, 135 Other Nations Agree On Landmark Global Corporate Tax Deal

Estonia has become the first European Union country to recognise both the COVID-19 vaccines authorised by India-Covisheild and Covaxin. Seven other EU nations have also given nod to Covishield.

Estonia becomes first EU nation to approve both Indian vaccines

Estonia's envoy Katrin Kivi has said, "any vaccine is better than no vaccine" even as the European Union has come with new certificates for travel inside the block. While the block uses the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) list that has 4 vaccines listed, each member country is free to put any vaccine on the national list.

Any vaccine is better than no vaccine, says Estonia Envoy Katrin Kivi

Russia on Wednesday ordered the expulsion of seven diplomats from Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, in retaliation for the expulsion of Russian envoys in the wake of Czech accusations that Russian intelligence was behind a deadly 2014 blast. &nbsp;

Moscow and Prague are locked in their biggest row since the end of the Communist era in 1989, which has spiralled into a series of diplomatic disputes with other European Union and NATO countries as Russia's ties with the West linger at post-Cold War lows.&nbsp;

Russia's foreign ministry gave the three Slovak and two Lithuanian diplomats, as well as an envoy from Latvia and another from Estonia, one week to leave Russia.&nbsp;

Russia accused the four countries of showing 'pseudo-solidarity' with the Czech Republic, which ordered most Russian diplomatic staff in Prague to leave last week after accusing Russian spies of being behind the blast at an ammunition depot. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, Bulgaria said on Wednesday prosecutors were collecting evidence on the possible involvement of six Russians in four explosions between 2011 and 2020 at Bulgarian arms depots that were storing munitions destined for export to Ukraine and Georgia.&nbsp;

Russia has branded the Czech accusations absurd and dismissed the Bulgarian probe.&nbsp;

Moscow's latest diplomatic expulsions come days after President Vladimir Putin ordered the government to draw up a list of 'unfriendly' states that will be subject to restrictions.&nbsp;

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday the list would soon be published. The ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, has already confirmed the United States would be on it. &nbsp;

Izvestia newspaper reported on Tuesday that the list could also include Poland, the Czech Republic and the three Baltic states. &nbsp;

The two suspects named by Czech authorities in the 2014 ammunition depot explosion, known under the aliases Ruslan Boshirov and Alexander Petrov, were reported by the New York Times in 2019 to be part of the elite Unit 29155 in Russia's GRU military intelligence service. &nbsp;

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said after its publication that the article amounted to 'pulp fiction'.&nbsp;

Britain charged the pair in absentia with attempted murder after the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter with the nerve agent Novichok in the English city of Salisbury in 2018. Russia denied involvement in that incident.&nbsp;

Russia on Wednesday ordered the expulsion of seven diplomats from Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, in retaliation for the expulsion of Russian envoys in the wake of Czech accusations that Russian intelligence was behind a deadly 2014 blast.

Russia on Wednesday ordered the expulsion of seven diplomats from Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, in retaliation for the expulsion of Russian envoys in the wake of Czech accusations that Russian intelligence was behind a deadly 2014 blast. Moscow and Prague are locked in their biggest row since the end of the Communist era in 1989, which has spiralled into a series of diplomatic disputes with other European Union and NATO countries as Russia's ties with the West linger at post-Cold War lows. Russia's foreign ministry gave the three Slovak and two Lithuanian diplomats, as well as an envoy from Latvia and another from Estonia, one week to leave Russia. Russia accused the four countries of showing 'pseudo-solidarity' with the Czech Republic, which ordered most Russian diplomatic staff in Prague to leave last week after accusing Russian spies of being behind the blast at an ammunition depot. Meanwhile, Bulgaria said on Wednesday prosecutors were collecting evidence on the possible involvement of six Russians in four explosions between 2011 and 2020 at Bulgarian arms depots that were storing munitions destined for export to Ukraine and Georgia. Russia has branded the Czech accusations absurd and dismissed the Bulgarian probe. Moscow's latest diplomatic expulsions come days after President Vladimir Putin ordered the government to draw up a list of 'unfriendly' states that will be subject to restrictions. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday the list would soon be published. The ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, has already confirmed the United States would be on it. Izvestia newspaper reported on Tuesday that the list could also include Poland, the Czech Republic and the three Baltic states. The two suspects named by Czech authorities in the 2014 ammunition depot explosion, known under the aliases Ruslan Boshirov and Alexander Petrov, were reported by the New York Times in 2019 to be part of the elite Unit 29155 in Russia's GRU military intelligence service. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said after its publication that the article amounted to 'pulp fiction'. Britain charged the pair in absentia with attempted murder after the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter with the nerve agent Novichok in the English city of Salisbury in 2018. Russia denied involvement in that incident.

Russia expels diplomats from Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia 

Ecuador's interior minister Patricio Pazmino said on Saturday that the country's police had seized 1.3 tonnes of cocaine. The drug was kept in containers that was to go to Estonia. The cocaine was found in Guayaquil port. Sniffer dogs found the drugs.

"With the support of the anti-narcotics canine, Garo, the drugs were detected in a container that was to be transported to Estonia, in Europe," said Pazmino

Ecuadorean police seized a record 120 tonnes of drugs on 2020. This drug bust broke the previous record of 110 tonnes in 2016.

Ecuador borders Colombia and Peru, which are the world's two largest producers of cocaine, according to the United Nations.

Ecuador's interior minister Patricio Pazmino said on Saturday that the country's police had seized 1.3 tonnes of cocaine. The drug was kept in containers that was to go to Estonia.

Ecuador's interior minister Patricio Pazmino said on Saturday that the country's police had seized 1.3 tonnes of cocaine. The drug was kept in containers that was to go to Estonia. The cocaine was found in Guayaquil port. Sniffer dogs found the drugs. "With the support of the anti-narcotics canine, Garo, the drugs were detected in a container that was to be transported to Estonia, in Europe," said Pazmino Ecuadorean police seized a record 120 tonnes of drugs on 2020. This drug bust broke the previous record of 110 tonnes in 2016. Ecuador borders Colombia and Peru, which are the world's two largest producers of cocaine, according to the United Nations.

Ecuador seizes 1.3 tonnes cocaine headed for Estonia

Estonia has developed the first-ever digital immunity passport that could be the key to reopening the country and resuming international travel. Watch report.

Estonia: App to certify whether people are immune | COVID-19 Pandemic

Despite losing work amid a nationwide lockdown, Estonian slacklining athlete Jan Roose is using the chance to leap forward in his career.

Estonian slackliner uses lockdown to jump ahead in his career

Estonia, the country which will chair the United Nations Security Council&nbsp;(UNSC) for the month of May, has termed the body's inability to come out with COVID-19 resolution as a "shame."

At the virtual press conference by Permanent Representative of Estonia to the United Nations Ambassador Sven Jürgenson said, "it is really a shame we have not been able to fulfill&nbsp;our responsibility. There are stumbling blocks, the situation is blocked at the moment, but the talks are continuing, continuing at a high level. And I hope we come out of the gridlock."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/exclusive-lockdown-extension-will-lead-to-a-faster-recovery-says-top-economist-arvind-panagariya-296260">EXCLUSIVE: Lockdown extension will lead to a faster recovery, says top economist Arvind Panagariya</a>

Estonia has been pushing for COVID-19 meeting and a press statement since March but could not get support because few permanent members of UNSC, notably China had some issues regarding it. The matter finally came up on April 9 under the presidency of the Dominican Republic and now a Franco-Tunisian draft resolution is being discussed.

"It is shame that we have not able to take leadership. There are certain reasons, Estonia has been one of the most active in pushing, pushing very very strongly for more than a month to be there and for the security council to stand were it should stand", the envoy said.

Highlighting the difference, Sven Jürgenson said, "There is no political agreement especially among 2 members of the council and we are expecting to see development and everyone wants council to move forward".

The China-US tiff continues to block the move at UNSC and with Washington and Bejing publicly involved in a war of words, no one knows, when any consensus emerges.&nbsp;

Jürgenson explained, "Still no consensus...(due to) some security council member state...work continues and hope differences will be solved. I do feel as a member of the council UNSC should be active on the matter"

Asked about another initiative on COVID-19, he said, "it would be stuck exactly with the same problem"

United Nations, especially the core body--United Nations Security Council is found missing during the COVID-19 crisis. It was G20 that took the responsibility for a global strategy to deal with the crisis and leaders of the group&nbsp;in March did a video conference to chalk out an action plan to deal with the challenge.&nbsp;

The idea of the meet was discussed by Indian PM Narendra Modi with his G20 counterparts including the chair of G20 Saudi Arabia. PM Modi had in the month of March taken the global lead in the call for a video conference of SAARC countries for a common approach to deal with the crisis.

Estonia, the country which will chair the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the month of May, has termed the body's inability to come out with COVID-19 resolution as a "shame.

Estonia, the country which will chair the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the month of May, has termed the body's inability to come out with COVID-19 resolution as a "shame." At the virtual press conference by Permanent Representative of Estonia to the United Nations Ambassador Sven Jürgenson said, "it is really a shame we have not been able to fulfill our responsibility. There are stumbling blocks, the situation is blocked at the moment, but the talks are continuing, continuing at a high level. And I hope we come out of the gridlock." Also read | EXCLUSIVE: Lockdown extension will lead to a faster recovery, says top economist Arvind Panagariya Estonia has been pushing for COVID-19 meeting and a press statement since March but could not get support because few permanent members of UNSC, notably China had some issues regarding it. The matter finally came up on April 9 under the presidency of the Dominican Republic and now a Franco-Tunisian draft resolution is being discussed. "It is shame that we have not able to take leadership. There are certain reasons, Estonia has been one of the most active in pushing, pushing very very strongly for more than a month to be there and for the security council to stand were it should stand", the envoy said. Highlighting the difference, Sven Jürgenson said, "There is no political agreement especially among 2 members of the council and we are expecting to see development and everyone wants council to move forward". The China-US tiff continues to block the move at UNSC and with Washington and Bejing publicly involved in a war of words, no one knows, when any consensus emerges. Jürgenson explained, "Still no consensus...(due to) some security council member state...work continues and hope differences will be solved. I do feel as a member of the council UNSC should be active on the matter" Asked about another initiative on COVID-19, he said, "it would be stuck exactly with the same problem" United Nations, especially the core body--United Nations Security Council is found missing during the COVID-19 crisis. It was G20 that took the responsibility for a global strategy to deal with the crisis and leaders of the group in March did a video conference to chalk out an action plan to deal with the challenge. The idea of the meet was discussed by Indian PM Narendra Modi with his G20 counterparts including the chair of G20 Saudi Arabia. PM Modi had in the month of March taken the global lead in the call for a video conference of SAARC countries for a common approach to deal with the crisis.

New UNSC Prez says council's inability to come out with coronavirus resolution a 'shame'

Speaking exclusively to WION the new president of the United Nations Security Council Estonia has called for more transparency and information on COVID crisis even as the country has sought cooperation among members of the core UN body.

WION Exclusive: New UNSC president calls for transparency and information on Covid

The new president of the United Nations Security Council Estonia has called for more transparency and information on COVID crisis even as the country has sought cooperation among members of the core UN body. Speaking exclusively to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal Estonia's envoy to India Katrin Kivi this kind of threats can't stop on the state border. Estonia had presented COVID draft in March but due to lack of consensus among permanent UNSC members, it was not adopted. In another major development, the country has invited India to be part of some UNSC meets for the month of May. On Kashmir, she said, UNSC should be seized of other mater and no one should bring the bilateral issue on the table of the body.

WION Exclusive: Estonian envoy to India speaks with WION

Estonia has decided to close schools and ban public gatherings until May 1 to limit the spread of the coronavirus, the government said in a statement late Thursday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-markets-plunge-deepens-as-coronavirus-panic-worsens-286011">World markets plunge deepens as coronavirus panic worsens</a>

In a statement, the government also said travellers from countries including Italy, China, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and parts of France, German and Spain would be subject to a two-week isolation.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-can-live-in-infected-people-for-weeks-longer-than-first-thought-286046">Coronavirus can live in infected people for weeks longer than first thought</a>

Estonia has 27 cases of coronavirus so far, one of over 115 countries with infections as the pathogen has spread rapidly around the world over recent weeks.

Estonia has decided to close schools and ban public gatherings until May 1 to limit the spread of the coronavirus, the government said in a statement late Thursday.

Estonia has decided to close schools and ban public gatherings until May 1 to limit the spread of the coronavirus, the government said in a statement late Thursday. Also read: World markets plunge deepens as coronavirus panic worsens In a statement, the government also said travellers from countries including Italy, China, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and parts of France, German and Spain would be subject to a two-week isolation. Also see: Coronavirus can live in infected people for weeks longer than first thought Estonia has 27 cases of coronavirus so far, one of over 115 countries with infections as the pathogen has spread rapidly around the world over recent weeks.

Estonia closes schools, events until May 1

WION Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Siddhant Sibbal exclusively speaks to Estonia's Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu. He shared his views over West-Asia's rising tensions.

Estonia's Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu exclusively speaks to WION

WION exclusively spoke with Estonia Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu on his meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on 15 January in New Delhi. Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu discussed Estonia’s principles for its membership in the UN Security Council in 2021 and 2022, India’s campaign for elected membership, and opportunities for even closer bilateral relations. The ministers also discussed reforming the UN, how to enhance economic cooperation and digital and cyber issues.

WION Exclusive conversation with Estonia Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu

New year resolutions for India: A peek into Estonia, world's first digital government. #Gravitas #NewYear #DigitalEconomy

Gravitas: Digital economy: What India can learn from Estonia

Estonia&nbsp;apologised to Finland on Monday&nbsp;after&nbsp;Estonia's interior&nbsp;minister&nbsp;mocked Finland's new prime&nbsp;minister&nbsp;-- the world's youngest-serving government leader -- as "a sales girl" and questioned her ability to run the Nordic country.

Mart Helme, 70,&nbsp;Estonian interior&nbsp;minister&nbsp;and leader of the populist far-right party Ekre, on Sunday ridiculed&nbsp;Finnish&nbsp;Prime&nbsp;Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/finland-sanna-marin-34-becomes-worlds-youngest-serving-prime-minister-267052">Sanna Marin</a>, 34, and her government, in which four out of five coalition leaders are women under 35.

"Now we see how one sales girl has become a prime&nbsp;minister&nbsp;and how some other street activists and non-educated people have also joined the cabinet," Helme said on his party's radio talk show.

His comments prompted the opposition to call for his resignation, while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-can-bring-countries-online-says-estonian-president-252363">Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid</a> asked <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/finns-worried-by-russia-hand-cautious-president-huge-election-win-31118">Finland's President Sauli Niinisto</a> to pass on her apologies to Marin and her government.

Social Democrat Marin, who has spoken about growing up in a disadvantaged family, worked as a cashier before studying at university and embarking on a political career.

"I'm extremely proud of Finland. Here a poor family's child can educate themselves and achieve their goals in life. A cashier can become even a prime&nbsp;minister," Marin wrote on Twitter.

Helme, a former&nbsp;Estonian ambassador to Russia, is known for outspoken statements that regularly embarrass Prime&nbsp;Minister&nbsp;Juri Ratas and his Centre Party, Ekre's coalition partner.

Ekre was accepted for the first time into a government coalition in April,&nbsp;after&nbsp;Ratas lost parliamentary elections but clinched a deal with Ekre to stay in power.

Estonian opposition leader Kaja Kallas said on Monday the opposition would organise a no-confidence vote in parliament if Helme does not resign&nbsp;after&nbsp;his comments about Finland's new leaders. Previous such attempts have failed.

"The interior&nbsp;minister&nbsp;has offended the&nbsp;Finnish&nbsp;government and personally attacked the newly-appointed&nbsp;Finnish&nbsp;prime&nbsp;minister," she said in a statement.

Estonia apologised to Finland on Monday after Estonia's interior minister mocked Finland's new prime minister -- the world's youngest-serving government leader -- as "a sales girl" and questioned her ability to run the Nordic country.

Estonia apologised to Finland on Monday after Estonia's interior minister mocked Finland's new prime minister -- the world's youngest-serving government leader -- as "a sales girl" and questioned her ability to run the Nordic country. Mart Helme, 70, Estonian interior minister and leader of the populist far-right party Ekre, on Sunday ridiculed Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, 34, and her government, in which four out of five coalition leaders are women under 35. "Now we see how one sales girl has become a prime minister and how some other street activists and non-educated people have also joined the cabinet," Helme said on his party's radio talk show. His comments prompted the opposition to call for his resignation, while Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid asked Finland's President Sauli Niinisto to pass on her apologies to Marin and her government. Social Democrat Marin, who has spoken about growing up in a disadvantaged family, worked as a cashier before studying at university and embarking on a political career. "I'm extremely proud of Finland. Here a poor family's child can educate themselves and achieve their goals in life. A cashier can become even a prime minister," Marin wrote on Twitter. Helme, a former Estonian ambassador to Russia, is known for outspoken statements that regularly embarrass Prime Minister Juri Ratas and his Centre Party, Ekre's coalition partner. Ekre was accepted for the first time into a government coalition in April, after Ratas lost parliamentary elections but clinched a deal with Ekre to stay in power. Estonian opposition leader Kaja Kallas said on Monday the opposition would organise a no-confidence vote in parliament if Helme does not resign after his comments about Finland's new leaders. Previous such attempts have failed. "The interior minister has offended the Finnish government and personally attacked the newly-appointed Finnish prime minister," she said in a statement.

Estonia apologises after minister taunts Finnish PM as 'sales girl'

Wales reached their second straight European Championship finals after a goal in each half by midfielder Aaron Ramsey gave them a 2-0 home win over Hungary in their decisive Group E qualifier on Tuesday.

The Welsh, who reached the Euro 2016 semi-finals, finished runners-up on 14 points from eight games, three behind Croatia who sealed their berth on Saturday with a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/croatia-thump-hungary-to-stay-on-course-slovakia-hold-wales-255125">3-1 win over Slovakia</a>.

Having previously gone 58 years without reaching a major tournament after the 1958 World Cup, there were joyous scenes at the Cardiff City Stadium as Wales produced a dominant display to wrap up qualification.

Both sides needed victory to progress and Wales drew first blood when Ramsey rose to head home from six metres in the 15th minute after a perfect Gareth Bale cross from the right.

With Hungary pressing for an equaliser, goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey made a crucial double save in the 34th minute when he parried a Dominik Szoboszlai shot from eight metres and then smothered Roland Sallai’s follow up.

Ramsey, who tore Hungary's midfield apart with crisp passing, struck again in the 47th with a close-range drive into the top corner after Kieffer Moore scrambled a Ben Davies free-kick into his path.

Hungary were fortunate not to concede more goals as Daniel James curled a shot from the edge of the penalty area inches wide before Hungary keeper Peter Gulacsi denied Ramsey a hat-trick with a reflex save.

The Hungarians will have another chance to reach next year's 24-nation tournament via the playoffs and so will Slovakia, who beat Azerbaijan 2-0 at home in the group's other fixture.

Belgium thrashes Cyprus&nbsp;

Christian Benteke and Kevin De Bruyne scored two goals each as Belgium thrashed Cyprus 6-1 in their Euro 2020 Group I qualifier at the King Baudouin Stadium on Tuesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/belgium-first-team-into-euro-2020-finals-after-9-0-win-255114">Belgium finish top of their pool</a> with a perfect 10 wins from 10 games, scoring 40 goals in the process, as Yannick Carrasco and an own goal from Kypros Christoforou completed the rout of Cyprus.

The visitors had silenced their hosts with an early strike as Nicholas Ioannou drilled the ball into the corner of the net, but the Belgium supporters were soon back on their feet after an exhibition from their side after that.

Carrasco’s excellent pass provided the opportunity for Benteke to level the score before Cyprus goalkeeper Michael Neofytos somehow allowed De Bruyne’s weak shot to squirm past him.

Carrasco was the provider again as he teed-up De Bruyne to complete a brace before the former grabbed the goal his performance deserved a minute before the break after burying his shot from Eden Hazard's pass.

There was little let-up in the second period as Belgium continued to dominate, with Christoforou putting the ball into his own net and Benteke adding the sixth.

Wijnaldum hat-trick drives the Netherlands to easy win over Estonia

Georginio Wijnaldum struck a hat-trick as the Netherlands, who had already <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/germany-netherlands-croatia-qualify-for-euro-2020-262653">booked a spot at Euro 2020</a>, eased to a 5-0 victory over Estonia in their final Group C qualifying clash at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Tuesday.

The home side were in complete control of the contest from early on, with defender Nathan Ake and 18-year-old debutant Myron Boadu also among the goals, as they finished second in the standings with 19 points from eight games, two behind group winners Germany.

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said before the game that he would experiment with team selection and stuck to his word, with livewire Quincy Promes converted to right-back, and AZ Alkmaar forward Calvin Stengs, 20, handed a debut from the start.

It took the home side just six minutes to hit the front, as Promes was afforded far too much space on the right and his delivery was headed back across goal and into the net by Wijnaldum, who netted eight times in his seven matches in the qualifiers.

Netherlands dominated possession and launched wave after wave of attacks. They were rewarded for their endeavour with a second goal as Ake headed in a cross from Memphis Depay.

There was little to enthuse over in the opening 20 minutes of the second period but the Netherlands got their third when Stengs robbed the ball off Estonia defender Karol Mets and set up Wijnaldum for his second.

Captain for the night, Wijnaldum then collected a pass from Stengs to complete his hat-trick, before AZ forward Boadu came off the bench to net the fifth.

Germany crush Northern Ireland with Gnabry treble to top group

Serge Gnabry scored a hat-trick as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ginter-the-inspiration-as-germany-clinch-euro-2020-spot-262834">already-qualified Germany</a> came from a goal down to crush Northern Ireland 6-1 in their final Euro 2020 qualifier to finish top of Group C on Tuesday.

It was a successful end to a difficult year for Germany, seeking to overhaul the team after last year's shock World Cup first-round exit and Nations League relegation.

They qualified, having won seven of their eight qualifiers and losing once to the Netherlands.

With qualification already sealed after Saturday's 4-0 victory over Belarus, Germany showed no nerves and quickly cancelled out Michael Smith's shock eighth-minute opener for the visitors with Gnabry's fine turn and shot in the 19th.

Leon Goretzka's 43rd-minute goal put Germany ahead before Gnabry then drilled in their third straight after the restart.

The 24-year-old winger completed his hat-trick on the hour to take his tally to 13 goals in 13 internationals. Goretzka then fired in from 20 metres to crown his own fine performance.

Julian Brandt completed the rout in stoppage time as the Germans finished on 21 points, two ahead of the second-placed Dutch, while Northern Ireland ended the qualifying campaign in third place on 13 points and will go into the playoffs. 
&nbsp;

Wales reached their second straight European Championship finals after a goal in each half by midfielder Aaron Ramsey gave them a 2-0 home win over Hungary in their decisive Group E qualifier on Tuesday.

Wales reached their second straight European Championship finals after a goal in each half by midfielder Aaron Ramsey gave them a 2-0 home win over Hungary in their decisive Group E qualifier on Tuesday. The Welsh, who reached the Euro 2016 semi-finals, finished runners-up on 14 points from eight games, three behind Croatia who sealed their berth on Saturday with a 3-1 win over Slovakia. Having previously gone 58 years without reaching a major tournament after the 1958 World Cup, there were joyous scenes at the Cardiff City Stadium as Wales produced a dominant display to wrap up qualification. Both sides needed victory to progress and Wales drew first blood when Ramsey rose to head home from six metres in the 15th minute after a perfect Gareth Bale cross from the right. With Hungary pressing for an equaliser, goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey made a crucial double save in the 34th minute when he parried a Dominik Szoboszlai shot from eight metres and then smothered Roland Sallai’s follow up. Ramsey, who tore Hungary's midfield apart with crisp passing, struck again in the 47th with a close-range drive into the top corner after Kieffer Moore scrambled a Ben Davies free-kick into his path. Hungary were fortunate not to concede more goals as Daniel James curled a shot from the edge of the penalty area inches wide before Hungary keeper Peter Gulacsi denied Ramsey a hat-trick with a reflex save. The Hungarians will have another chance to reach next year's 24-nation tournament via the playoffs and so will Slovakia, who beat Azerbaijan 2-0 at home in the group's other fixture. Belgium thrashes Cyprus Christian Benteke and Kevin De Bruyne scored two goals each as Belgium thrashed Cyprus 6-1 in their Euro 2020 Group I qualifier at the King Baudouin Stadium on Tuesday. Belgium finish top of their pool with a perfect 10 wins from 10 games, scoring 40 goals in the process, as Yannick Carrasco and an own goal from Kypros Christoforou completed the rout of Cyprus. The visitors had silenced their hosts with an early strike as Nicholas Ioannou drilled the ball into the corner of the net, but the Belgium supporters were soon back on their feet after an exhibition from their side after that. Carrasco’s excellent pass provided the opportunity for Benteke to level the score before Cyprus goalkeeper Michael Neofytos somehow allowed De Bruyne’s weak shot to squirm past him. Carrasco was the provider again as he teed-up De Bruyne to complete a brace before the former grabbed the goal his performance deserved a minute before the break after burying his shot from Eden Hazard's pass. There was little let-up in the second period as Belgium continued to dominate, with Christoforou putting the ball into his own net and Benteke adding the sixth. Wijnaldum hat-trick drives the Netherlands to easy win over Estonia Georginio Wijnaldum struck a hat-trick as the Netherlands, who had already booked a spot at Euro 2020, eased to a 5-0 victory over Estonia in their final Group C qualifying clash at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Tuesday. The home side were in complete control of the contest from early on, with defender Nathan Ake and 18-year-old debutant Myron Boadu also among the goals, as they finished second in the standings with 19 points from eight games, two behind group winners Germany. Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said before the game that he would experiment with team selection and stuck to his word, with livewire Quincy Promes converted to right-back, and AZ Alkmaar forward Calvin Stengs, 20, handed a debut from the start. It took the home side just six minutes to hit the front, as Promes was afforded far too much space on the right and his delivery was headed back across goal and into the net by Wijnaldum, who netted eight times in his seven matches in the qualifiers. Netherlands dominated possession and launched wave after wave of attacks. They were rewarded for their endeavour with a second goal as Ake headed in a cross from Memphis Depay. There was little to enthuse over in the opening 20 minutes of the second period but the Netherlands got their third when Stengs robbed the ball off Estonia defender Karol Mets and set up Wijnaldum for his second. Captain for the night, Wijnaldum then collected a pass from Stengs to complete his hat-trick, before AZ forward Boadu came off the bench to net the fifth. Germany crush Northern Ireland with Gnabry treble to top group Serge Gnabry scored a hat-trick as already-qualified Germany came from a goal down to crush Northern Ireland 6-1 in their final Euro 2020 qualifier to finish top of Group C on Tuesday. It was a successful end to a difficult year for Germany, seeking to overhaul the team after last year's shock World Cup first-round exit and Nations League relegation. They qualified, having won seven of their eight qualifiers and losing once to the Netherlands. With qualification already sealed after Saturday's 4-0 victory over Belarus, Germany showed no nerves and quickly cancelled out Michael Smith's shock eighth-minute opener for the visitors with Gnabry's fine turn and shot in the 19th. Leon Goretzka's 43rd-minute goal put Germany ahead before Gnabry then drilled in their third straight after the restart. The 24-year-old winger completed his hat-trick on the hour to take his tally to 13 goals in 13 internationals. Goretzka then fired in from 20 metres to crown his own fine performance. Julian Brandt completed the rout in stoppage time as the Germans finished on 21 points, two ahead of the second-placed Dutch, while Northern Ireland ended the qualifying campaign in third place on 13 points and will go into the playoffs.

Wales qualifies for Euro 202; Belgium, Netherlands, Germany secure victories in final qualifying clash

Russian&nbsp;hackers&nbsp;piggy-backed on an&nbsp;Iranian&nbsp;cyber-espionage&nbsp;operation&nbsp;to attack government and industry organizations in dozens of countries while masquerading as attackers from the Islamic Republic, British and US&nbsp;officials&nbsp;said on Monday.

The&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;group, known as "Turla" and accused by Estonian and Czech authorities of operating on behalf of Russia's FSB security service, has used&nbsp;Iranian&nbsp;tools and computer infrastructure to successfully hack into organizations in at least 20 different countries over the last 18 months, British security&nbsp;officials&nbsp;said.

The&nbsp;hacking&nbsp;campaign, the extent of which has not been previously revealed, was most active in the Middle East but also targeted organizations in Britain, they said.

Paul Chichester, a senior official at Britain's GCHQ intelligence agency, said the&nbsp;operation&nbsp;shows state-backed&nbsp;hackers&nbsp;are working in a "very crowded space" and developing new attacks and methods to better cover their tracks.

In a statement accompanying a joint advisory with the US&nbsp;National Security Agency (NSA), GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre said it wanted to raise industry awareness about the activity and make attacks more difficult for its adversaries.

"We want to send a clear message that even when cyber actors seek to mask their identity, our capabilities will ultimately identify them," said Chichester, who serves as the NCSC's director of&nbsp;operations.

Officials&nbsp;in Russia and Iran did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent on Sunday. Moscow and Tehran have both repeatedly denied Western allegations over&nbsp;hacking.

Western&nbsp;officials&nbsp;rank Russia and Iran as two of the most dangerous threats in cyberspace, alongside China and North Korea, with both governments accused of conducting&nbsp;hacking&nbsp;operations against countries around the world.

Intelligence&nbsp;officials&nbsp;said there was no evidence of collusion between Turla and its&nbsp;Iranian&nbsp;victim, a&nbsp;hacking&nbsp;group&nbsp;known as "APT34" which cybersecurity researchers at firms including FireEye FEYE.O&nbsp;say&nbsp;works for the&nbsp;Iranian&nbsp;government.

Rather, the&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;hackers&nbsp;infiltrated the&nbsp;Iranian&nbsp;group's infrastructure in order to "masquerade as an adversary which victims would expect to target them," said GCHQ's Chichester.

Turla's actions show the dangers of wrongly attributing cyberattacks, British&nbsp;officials&nbsp;said but added that they were not aware of any public incidents that had been incorrectly blamed on Iran as a result of the&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;operation.

The United States and its Western allies have also used foreign cyberattacks to facilitate their own&nbsp;spying&nbsp;operations, a practice referred to as "fourth party collection," according to documents released by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden and reporting by German magazine Der Spiegel.

GCHQ declined to comment on Western&nbsp;operations.

By gaining access to the&nbsp;Iranian&nbsp;infrastructure, Turla was able to use APT34's "command and control" systems to deploy its own malicious code, GCHQ and the NSA said in a public advisory.

The&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;group&nbsp;was also able to access the networks of existing APT34 victims and even access the code needed to build its own "Iranian"&nbsp;hacking&nbsp;tools.

Russian hackers piggy-backed on an Iranian cyber-espionage operation to attack government and industry organizations in dozens of countries while masquerading as attackers from the Islamic Republic, British and US officials said on Monday.

Russian hackers piggy-backed on an Iranian cyber-espionage operation to attack government and industry organizations in dozens of countries while masquerading as attackers from the Islamic Republic, British and US officials said on Monday. The Russian group, known as "Turla" and accused by Estonian and Czech authorities of operating on behalf of Russia's FSB security service, has used Iranian tools and computer infrastructure to successfully hack into organizations in at least 20 different countries over the last 18 months, British security officials said. The hacking campaign, the extent of which has not been previously revealed, was most active in the Middle East but also targeted organizations in Britain, they said. Paul Chichester, a senior official at Britain's GCHQ intelligence agency, said the operation shows state-backed hackers are working in a "very crowded space" and developing new attacks and methods to better cover their tracks. In a statement accompanying a joint advisory with the US National Security Agency (NSA), GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre said it wanted to raise industry awareness about the activity and make attacks more difficult for its adversaries. "We want to send a clear message that even when cyber actors seek to mask their identity, our capabilities will ultimately identify them," said Chichester, who serves as the NCSC's director of operations. Officials in Russia and Iran did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent on Sunday. Moscow and Tehran have both repeatedly denied Western allegations over hacking. Western officials rank Russia and Iran as two of the most dangerous threats in cyberspace, alongside China and North Korea, with both governments accused of conducting hacking operations against countries around the world. Intelligence officials said there was no evidence of collusion between Turla and its Iranian victim, a hacking group known as "APT34" which cybersecurity researchers at firms including FireEye FEYE.O say works for the Iranian government. Rather, the Russian hackers infiltrated the Iranian group's infrastructure in order to "masquerade as an adversary which victims would expect to target them," said GCHQ's Chichester. Turla's actions show the dangers of wrongly attributing cyberattacks, British officials said but added that they were not aware of any public incidents that had been incorrectly blamed on Iran as a result of the Russian operation. The United States and its Western allies have also used foreign cyberattacks to facilitate their own spying operations, a practice referred to as "fourth party collection," according to documents released by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden and reporting by German magazine Der Spiegel. GCHQ declined to comment on Western operations. By gaining access to the Iranian infrastructure, Turla was able to use APT34's "command and control" systems to deploy its own malicious code, GCHQ and the NSA said in a public advisory. The Russian group was also able to access the networks of existing APT34 victims and even access the code needed to build its own "Iranian" hacking tools.

Hacking the hackers: Russian group hijacked Iranian spying operation, officials say

Estonia, one of the world's most digitised countries, is keen to increase its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/when-life-gives-you-lemons-turn-it-into-lemonade-estonian-ambassador-to-wion-on-cyberattacks-197214">cyber profile</a> and to provide services globally in tandem with India. While speaking to our principal diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal in New York,&nbsp;Estonia's President Kersti Kaljulaid talked about a number of issues ranging from cyber concerns to climate change.

Read the full transcript below.

WION:&nbsp;How was your meeting with PM Modi?

Kersti Kaljulaid: We did a follow up to&nbsp;the visit of your Vice-President. We discussed how we can exchange business delegation and I invited PM Modi to Estonia. But a major part of discussion was on digital economy because&nbsp;Estonia&nbsp;has a digital governance system and&nbsp;99 per cent&nbsp;government services&nbsp;run&nbsp;digitally. Your Prime Minister was deeply interested in how we guard the system, how we manage it legally, and how we increase the security and trust of people. 
&nbsp;

WION:&nbsp;How can you help India with&nbsp;digital infrastructure?

Kersti Kaljulaid: We can demonstrate what works. For example, do not build your system like a train, like you enter the first wagon and to reach various services you have to work through all. Create it like the&nbsp;sun, at the centre&nbsp;there is a nucleus, and all the rays radiate so you&nbsp;can directly connect point to point. Do not create huge databases at&nbsp;one place, make sure that they are dispersed to&nbsp;protect&nbsp;them. Also create a&nbsp;legal space, so that civil servants cannot go into the system without serious penalties. In&nbsp;Estonia, it's a criminal offence to do so and [based on] these elements, in 20 years we have created the environment.

Watch: WION exclusively in conversation with Estonian President

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WION: What are the key things that you forward from India?

Kersti Kaljulaid:&nbsp;Estonia&nbsp;is a big exporter of digital government services in gulf countries, we have developed quite a big market, we are active in Africa, leveraging in the EU, and U.N. development money. We have experience in exporting how to get your country online. We can do both&nbsp;services globally. We are the fourth biggest exporter globally of wooden houses [which are] environmentally friendly,&nbsp;since we are celebrating the first Climate Summit of UN this week. CO2, gathered in the wood stays in the houses for centuries. They are climate positive elements to become climate neutral globally.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

 
WION: What is your view of India and its role in the world?

Kersti Kaljulaid: A country as big as India can have a huge role in the world, thinking about your software industry, you have built your globally economy on the export of services. I am sure, when the job market is getting geographically neutral, people can work everywhere without even leaving home. That can have a huge impact in the world.

 
WION:&nbsp;How do you see the issue of terror?

Kersti Kaljulaid:&nbsp;Estonia&nbsp;participates with its partner&nbsp;allies&nbsp;in many missions and&nbsp;also globally in Afghanistan and Iraq. In Mali, together with the French we are on a bilateral mission to make sure that terror is not spreading and is contained, and hopefully not happening anywhere. We are in collation with like-minded countries to fight terrorism.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION:&nbsp;One solution to climate change?

Kersti Kaljulaid: If you want one solution, all that you need to know is - find an empty space which is the size of Spain, and cover it with solar cells and connect it with the global grid, but in reality, I don't think this will happen. Our world is too fragmented for that. Instead, there will be development of big solar power producers and long transfer lines from south to north to make sure solar can reach big networks, then there will be the wind which will&nbsp;be used up north, then there will be big grids which will be well connected.

 
WION: How has&nbsp;your experience been as a female head of state?

Kersti Kaljulaid: Once in the room you feel welcomed. But quite often, me&nbsp;and my other colleagues are pushed&nbsp;aside by security and other people if they don't notice we are heads of states. Our security, people have to work harder for others to understand that these women can be heads of states, particularly if they come from smaller countries and if they are younger, we just don't fit in. We must change it.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

WION:&nbsp;India removed the special status for Jammu and Kashmir. Your reaction?

Kersti Kaljulaid: I cannot say that I am expert in this matter, all I can say is that Estonia&nbsp;always respects international law and positions itself on the decision taken here by the U.N.

Estonia, one of the world's most digitised countries, is keen to increase its cyber profile and to provide services globally in tandem with India. While speaking to our principal diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal in New York, Estonia's President Kersti Kaljulaid talked about a number of issues ranging from cyber concerns to climate change.

Estonia, one of the world's most digitised countries, is keen to increase its cyber profile and to provide services globally in tandem with India. While speaking to our principal diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal in New York, Estonia's President Kersti Kaljulaid talked about a number of issues ranging from cyber concerns to climate change. Read the full transcript below. WION: How was your meeting with PM Modi? Kersti Kaljulaid: We did a follow up to the visit of your Vice-President. We discussed how we can exchange business delegation and I invited PM Modi to Estonia. But a major part of discussion was on digital economy because Estonia has a digital governance system and 99 per cent government services run digitally. Your Prime Minister was deeply interested in how we guard the system, how we manage it legally, and how we increase the security and trust of people. WION: How can you help India with digital infrastructure? Kersti Kaljulaid: We can demonstrate what works. For example, do not build your system like a train, like you enter the first wagon and to reach various services you have to work through all. Create it like the sun, at the centre there is a nucleus, and all the rays radiate so you can directly connect point to point. Do not create huge databases at one place, make sure that they are dispersed to protect them. Also create a legal space, so that civil servants cannot go into the system without serious penalties. In Estonia, it's a criminal offence to do so and [based on] these elements, in 20 years we have created the environment. Watch: WION exclusively in conversation with Estonian President WION: What are the key things that you forward from India? Kersti Kaljulaid: Estonia is a big exporter of digital government services in gulf countries, we have developed quite a big market, we are active in Africa, leveraging in the EU, and U.N. development money. We have experience in exporting how to get your country online. We can do both services globally. We are the fourth biggest exporter globally of wooden houses [which are] environmentally friendly, since we are celebrating the first Climate Summit of UN this week. CO2, gathered in the wood stays in the houses for centuries. They are climate positive elements to become climate neutral globally. WION: What is your view of India and its role in the world? Kersti Kaljulaid: A country as big as India can have a huge role in the world, thinking about your software industry, you have built your globally economy on the export of services. I am sure, when the job market is getting geographically neutral, people can work everywhere without even leaving home. That can have a huge impact in the world. WION: How do you see the issue of terror? Kersti Kaljulaid: Estonia participates with its partner allies in many missions and also globally in Afghanistan and Iraq. In Mali, together with the French we are on a bilateral mission to make sure that terror is not spreading and is contained, and hopefully not happening anywhere. We are in collation with like-minded countries to fight terrorism. WION: One solution to climate change? Kersti Kaljulaid: If you want one solution, all that you need to know is - find an empty space which is the size of Spain, and cover it with solar cells and connect it with the global grid, but in reality, I don't think this will happen. Our world is too fragmented for that. Instead, there will be development of big solar power producers and long transfer lines from south to north to make sure solar can reach big networks, then there will be the wind which will be used up north, then there will be big grids which will be well connected. WION: How has your experience been as a female head of state? Kersti Kaljulaid: Once in the room you feel welcomed. But quite often, me and my other colleagues are pushed aside by security and other people if they don't notice we are heads of states. Our security, people have to work harder for others to understand that these women can be heads of states, particularly if they come from smaller countries and if they are younger, we just don't fit in. We must change it. WION: India removed the special status for Jammu and Kashmir. Your reaction? Kersti Kaljulaid: I cannot say that I am expert in this matter, all I can say is that Estonia always respects international law and positions itself on the decision taken here by the U.N.

We can bring countries online: Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid to WION

Ryan Babel scored twice as a rampant Netherlands claimed a comfortable 4-0 victory over Estonia in their Euro 2020 Group C qualifier on Monday.

Memphis Depay added an excellent third to mark his 50th cap and Georginio Wijnaldum netted the fourth late on as the Dutch recorded back-to-back wins under manager Ronald Koeman for the first time following Friday’s 4-2 victory in Germany.

The Netherlands remain three points behind the top two in the pool, Germany and Northern Ireland, who have 12 points each. The Dutch have a game in hand.

Estonia slipped to a fifth successive loss in the qualifiers.

The home side started brightly though and created a few half-chances before the visitors took the lead in the 17th minute.

Daley Blind’s low cross from the left was prodded home by Babel, who had ghosted in between the Estonia central defenders and was left with the relatively simple task of placing the ball past goalkeeper Sergei Lepmets.

Wijnaldum saw his shot from the edge of the box saved by Lepmets and the Dutch, for all their domination of possession, failed to add to their tally before halftime.

They scored a second three minutes after the break as Babel rose to head home a Depay’s cross from the right in what was another easy finish.

Netherlands skipper Virgil Van Dijk headed just wide from a free kick, but the visitors got their reward for some adventurous attacking play when Depay controlled the ball on the edge of the box and place a left-footed shot into the corner.

Wijnaldum’s fourth was a gift from Lepmets when his header went under the goalkeeper in what should have been a routine save.

Ryan Babel scored twice as a rampant Netherlands claimed a comfortable 4-0 victory over Estonia in their Euro 2020 Group C qualifier on Monday. Memphis Depay added an excellent third to mark his 50th cap and Georginio Wijnaldum netted the fourth late on as the Dutch recorded back-to-back wins under manager Ronald Koeman for the first time following Friday’s 4-2 victory in Germany.

Ryan Babel scored twice as a rampant Netherlands claimed a comfortable 4-0 victory over Estonia in their Euro 2020 Group C qualifier on Monday. Memphis Depay added an excellent third to mark his 50th cap and Georginio Wijnaldum netted the fourth late on as the Dutch recorded back-to-back wins under manager Ronald Koeman for the first time following Friday’s 4-2 victory in Germany. The Netherlands remain three points behind the top two in the pool, Germany and Northern Ireland, who have 12 points each. The Dutch have a game in hand. Estonia slipped to a fifth successive loss in the qualifiers. The home side started brightly though and created a few half-chances before the visitors took the lead in the 17th minute. Daley Blind’s low cross from the left was prodded home by Babel, who had ghosted in between the Estonia central defenders and was left with the relatively simple task of placing the ball past goalkeeper Sergei Lepmets. Wijnaldum saw his shot from the edge of the box saved by Lepmets and the Dutch, for all their domination of possession, failed to add to their tally before halftime. They scored a second three minutes after the break as Babel rose to head home a Depay’s cross from the right in what was another easy finish. Netherlands skipper Virgil Van Dijk headed just wide from a free kick, but the visitors got their reward for some adventurous attacking play when Depay controlled the ball on the edge of the box and place a left-footed shot into the corner. Wijnaldum’s fourth was a gift from Lepmets when his header went under the goalkeeper in what should have been a routine save.

Ryan Babel's brace spurs Netherlands to 4-0 win in Estonia

Estonia has reveled in the 150th anniversary staging of a choral music festival that has been recognised by the UN's cultural agency.

Thousands participate in mass folk singing to celebrate 150th anniversary of Estonian choral music festival

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-announces-250-million-in-military-aid-to-ukraine-228506">Ukraine</a> on Tuesday announced it is withdrawing its invitation to monitors from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to observe elections later this month, in protest against Russia's reinstatement in the body.

Russian delegates had been stripped of their voting rights in the pan-European rights body in 2014 after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine, but last week were allowed to return over strong objections from Kiev.

Ukrainian parliament speaker Andriy Parubiy on Tuesday said he signed a letter to PACE president Liliane Maury-Pasquier saying its monitors were no longer welcome at the parliamentary elections to be held on July 21.

"Representatives of an aggressor country, Russia, cannot be among international observers; they will be agents of a hybrid war rather than observers," Parubiy wrote on his Facebook page.

"Any influence by Russia on Ukrainian elections, by any means, is not acceptable."

Ukraine, together with Georgia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia had unsuccessfully tried to block Russia's return to PACE, but it was approved by a vote of 116 in favour to 62 against.

Russia's comeback is the first relaxation of the international sanctions that were imposed on Moscow for seizing Crimea.

Ukraine's snap parliamentary polls were called by the country's recently-elected <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraines-new-president-zelensky-says-ceasefire-first-priority-220138">President Volodymyr Zelensky</a> in a controversial move aimed at replacing lawmakers who he says no longer enjoy public support.

The legal status of Zelensky's move to dissolve parliament was initially disputed, but the Constitutional Court ruled that it is legitimate.

The Council of Europe on Tuesday confirmed to AFP that Russia paid its participant contribution of 33 million euros for the year 2019.

Ukraine on Tuesday announced it is withdrawing its invitation to monitors from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to observe elections later this month, in protest against Russia's reinstatement in the body.

Ukraine on Tuesday announced it is withdrawing its invitation to monitors from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to observe elections later this month, in protest against Russia's reinstatement in the body. Russian delegates had been stripped of their voting rights in the pan-European rights body in 2014 after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine, but last week were allowed to return over strong objections from Kiev. Ukrainian parliament speaker Andriy Parubiy on Tuesday said he signed a letter to PACE president Liliane Maury-Pasquier saying its monitors were no longer welcome at the parliamentary elections to be held on July 21. "Representatives of an aggressor country, Russia, cannot be among international observers; they will be agents of a hybrid war rather than observers," Parubiy wrote on his Facebook page. "Any influence by Russia on Ukrainian elections, by any means, is not acceptable." Ukraine, together with Georgia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia had unsuccessfully tried to block Russia's return to PACE, but it was approved by a vote of 116 in favour to 62 against. Russia's comeback is the first relaxation of the international sanctions that were imposed on Moscow for seizing Crimea. Ukraine's snap parliamentary polls were called by the country's recently-elected President Volodymyr Zelensky in a controversial move aimed at replacing lawmakers who he says no longer enjoy public support. The legal status of Zelensky's move to dissolve parliament was initially disputed, but the Constitutional Court ruled that it is legitimate. The Council of Europe on Tuesday confirmed to AFP that Russia paid its participant contribution of 33 million euros for the year 2019.

Ukraine says European observers not welcome at July polls

According to a Danish newspaper, a whistleblower had warned Denmark&#39;s biggest bank in 2013 against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia&#39;s spy agency using its Estonian bank branch for money laundering.

Denmark&#39;s Berlingske daily said today that the Danske Bank leadership knew &quot;of far more serious conditions than previously stated.&quot;

Danske Bank is reported to have shut down 20 Russian customer accounts in 2013. The move was followed by a whistleblower&#39;s report alleging its Estonian branch to possibly had been involved in illegal activities.

The clients&#39; identities were kept secret at the time. Danske Bank did not comment on the matter.&nbsp;

Denmark's Berlingske daily said today that the Danske Bank leadership knew 'of far more serious conditions than previously stated'

According to a Danish newspaper, a whistleblower had warned Denmark's biggest bank in 2013 against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia's spy agency using its Estonian bank branch for money laundering. Denmark's Berlingske daily said today that the Danske Bank leadership knew "of far more serious conditions than previously stated." Danske Bank is reported to have shut down 20 Russian customer accounts in 2013. The move was followed by a whistleblower's report alleging its Estonian branch to possibly had been involved in illegal activities. The clients' identities were kept secret at the time. Danske Bank did not comment on the matter.

Report alleges Putin's family using Estonian bank for money laundering

Germany today stressed its promise to protect its NATO allies after White House hopeful Donald Trump called the commitment into question. 
 
&quot;The German government is fundamentally committed to Article Five of the NATO treaty. That is the central promise of solidarity within the alliance,&quot; Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters when asked about Trump&#39;s remarks. 
 
&quot;Collective defence according to Article Five is and remains the main duty of NATO,&quot; Seibert added, noting that the pledge had once again been renewed at a NATO summit this month in Warsaw. 
 
Under Article Five of the NATO treaty, members agree to regard an attack on one member as an attack on all, and promise to mobilise together to defeat the threat. 
 
In an interview published on Thursday in the New York Times, Trump raised questions about this vow.&nbsp;He warned that if elected he would only come to the aid of the Baltic states in the event they were invaded by Russia if he judged they had &quot;fulfilled their obligations to us&quot;. 
 
This drew a furious response from Estonia and Latvia, and outrage from Trump&#39;s domestic political critics.&nbsp;US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday reaffirmed Washington&#39;s promise to protect its NATO allies following the uproar. 
 
(AFP)

Trump said if elected he would aid the Baltic states only if they had 'fulfilled their obligations', drawing outrage from two Baltic nations

Germany today stressed its promise to protect its NATO allies after White House hopeful Donald Trump called the commitment into question. "The German government is fundamentally committed to Article Five of the NATO treaty. That is the central promise of solidarity within the alliance," Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters when asked about Trump's remarks. "Collective defence according to Article Five is and remains the main duty of NATO," Seibert added, noting that the pledge had once again been renewed at a NATO summit this month in Warsaw. Under Article Five of the NATO treaty, members agree to regard an attack on one member as an attack on all, and promise to mobilise together to defeat the threat. In an interview published on Thursday in the New York Times, Trump raised questions about this vow. He warned that if elected he would only come to the aid of the Baltic states in the event they were invaded by Russia if he judged they had "fulfilled their obligations to us". This drew a furious response from Estonia and Latvia, and outrage from Trump's domestic political critics. US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday reaffirmed Washington's promise to protect its NATO allies following the uproar. (AFP)

Germany stresses NATO commitment to allies after Trump comments

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