China&nbsp;said&nbsp;on Monday that India&#39;s inclusion in the&nbsp;NSG was not&nbsp;even on the agenda of the group&#39;s meeting in Seoul this week and there were differences among the existing members over the inclusion of new countries.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
This statement comes just a day after&nbsp;India&#39;s external&nbsp;affairs&nbsp;minister&nbsp;Sushma&nbsp;Swaraj asserted that Beijing was not opposing India&#39;s entry&nbsp;to the Nuclear&nbsp;Suppliers&#39; Group&nbsp;(NSG).&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We have stressed that the&nbsp;NSG&nbsp;is still divided about non-NPT countries&#39; entry into the NSG,&nbsp;and under the current circumstances we hope that NSG will make thorough discussions to make a decision based on consultation,&quot; Chinese&nbsp;foreign&nbsp;ministry spokesperson Hua&nbsp;Chunying&nbsp;told a media briefing.&nbsp; 
 
Answering questions about&nbsp;foreign&nbsp;secretary S&nbsp;Jaishankar&#39;s&nbsp;visit here on June 16-17 and Swaraj&#39;s remarks, Hua said India&#39;s admission into NSG is not on the agenda of the Seoul meeting of the 48-member elite club to be held on June 24.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;As we understand&nbsp;the annual conference in Seoul this year also has no such topic. We understand that non-NPT countries are concerned about their entry into the NSG. But since NSG is still divided about the issue, so it is still not mature to talk about the entry issue in the annual conference in Seoul,&quot; she said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I want point out that the NSG agenda has never covered any issue concerning the non-NPT countries joining the NSG,&quot; Hua asserted.&nbsp; 
 
China,&nbsp;along with some other nations,&nbsp;has effectively blocked India&#39;s entry to NSG that trades in advanced nuclear material and technology.&nbsp; 
 
Swaraj&nbsp;had&nbsp;made the comments on China at a news conference held to highlight her government&#39;s achievement in their two-years of rule&nbsp;on Sunday.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;As far as China is concerned, they are not opposed to India&#39;s membership into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) but is talking about criteria procedure,&quot; she said.&nbsp; 
 
India had spoken to 23 nations on India&#39;s membership to NSG, out of which 21 had extended support while the remaining had raised questions.&nbsp; 
 
India already enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules granted to support its nuclear cooperation deal with Washington, even though India has developed atomic weapons and never signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the main global arms control pact.&nbsp; 
 
Swaraj was optimistic that China would agree on India&#39;s entry into NSG.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&quot;When foreign secretary went to China, he said during the talks that India&#39;s credentials should be discussed instead of criteria. I believe that there is still time and we are hopeful that we will be able to convince China as well,&quot; Swaraj said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Opponents argue that granting India membership would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation. It would also infuriate India&#39;s rival Pakistan, an ally of China, which has responded to India&#39;s membership bid with one of its own.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Swaraj also took questions on Pakistan&#39;s bid to join the NSG and said that India was not against the entry of any country into the non-proliferation body.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&quot;As far as Pakistan&#39;s entry is concerned, we are not yet members of the NSG, so we cannot be a part in the decision-making process regarding their membership. We are not opposed to the entry of any nation into the NSG. We would want any application to be considered on its own merits,&quot; she concluded.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Membership of the 48-nation club would bring India into the nuclear fold 41 years after it tested its first nuclear bomb, and give the nation of 1.25 billion a vested interest in curbing the world&#39;s most dangerous regional arms race.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
A seat at the NSG would strengthen India&#39;s geopolitical clout and help it&nbsp;capitalise&nbsp;on nuclear trade and technology transfer opportunities.&nbsp; 
 
(Agencies)&nbsp;

The statement comes after Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj's comment that China was not blocking India's entry into NSG

China said on Monday that India's inclusion in the NSG was not even on the agenda of the group's meeting in Seoul this week and there were differences among the existing members over the inclusion of new countries. This statement comes just a day after India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj asserted that Beijing was not opposing India's entry to the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG). "We have stressed that the NSG is still divided about non-NPT countries' entry into the NSG, and under the current circumstances we hope that NSG will make thorough discussions to make a decision based on consultation," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing. Answering questions about foreign secretary S Jaishankar's visit here on June 16-17 and Swaraj's remarks, Hua said India's admission into NSG is not on the agenda of the Seoul meeting of the 48-member elite club to be held on June 24. "As we understand the annual conference in Seoul this year also has no such topic. We understand that non-NPT countries are concerned about their entry into the NSG. But since NSG is still divided about the issue, so it is still not mature to talk about the entry issue in the annual conference in Seoul," she said. "I want point out that the NSG agenda has never covered any issue concerning the non-NPT countries joining the NSG," Hua asserted. China, along with some other nations, has effectively blocked India's entry to NSG that trades in advanced nuclear material and technology. Swaraj had made the comments on China at a news conference held to highlight her government's achievement in their two-years of rule on Sunday. "As far as China is concerned, they are not opposed to India's membership into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) but is talking about criteria procedure," she said. India had spoken to 23 nations on India's membership to NSG, out of which 21 had extended support while the remaining had raised questions. India already enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules granted to support its nuclear cooperation deal with Washington, even though India has developed atomic weapons and never signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the main global arms control pact. Swaraj was optimistic that China would agree on India's entry into NSG. "When foreign secretary went to China, he said during the talks that India's credentials should be discussed instead of criteria. I believe that there is still time and we are hopeful that we will be able to convince China as well," Swaraj said. Opponents argue that granting India membership would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation. It would also infuriate India's rival Pakistan, an ally of China, which has responded to India's membership bid with one of its own. Swaraj also took questions on Pakistan's bid to join the NSG and said that India was not against the entry of any country into the non-proliferation body. "As far as Pakistan's entry is concerned, we are not yet members of the NSG, so we cannot be a part in the decision-making process regarding their membership. We are not opposed to the entry of any nation into the NSG. We would want any application to be considered on its own merits," she concluded. Membership of the 48-nation club would bring India into the nuclear fold 41 years after it tested its first nuclear bomb, and give the nation of 1.25 billion a vested interest in curbing the world's most dangerous regional arms race. A seat at the NSG would strengthen India's geopolitical clout and help it capitalise on nuclear trade and technology transfer opportunities. (Agencies)

India?s entry into Nuclear Suppliers' Group not on Seoul meet agenda: China

CHANGE PICTURE! IF THIS STORY IS VERIFIED, GET APPROPRIATE PIC,&nbsp;THEN PUBLISH 
 
According to reports in the Sri Lankan press, the&nbsp;Sri Lankan government has received the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to enter into a treaty with Ukraine to extradite criminals hiding in the Eastern European country.

President Maithripala Sirisena in his capacity as the Minister of Defense has presented the proposal to the cabinet for approval.

The ColomboPage News Desk reports that&nbsp;the Sri Lankan Co-Cabinet spokesman, Minister Gayantha Karunathilake, said the agreement &quot;will provide the opportunity to request the authorities in Ukraine to receive criminals who have engaged in illegal activities in this country and sought protection in Ukraine&quot;.

The treaty comes as&nbsp;the Sri Lankan government is attempting to arrest a fugitive envoy currently believed to be in Ukraine.

The government has sought arrest and deportation of Sri Lanka&#39;s former Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga, who is a nephew of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, over several allegations including that the envoy supplied weapons to a terrorist group in Ukraine and is connected to the death of an embassy employee.

Comes as South Asian country's former Russian ambassador is wanted for abetting a Ukrainian terror group

CHANGE PICTURE! IF THIS STORY IS VERIFIED, GET APPROPRIATE PIC, THEN PUBLISH According to reports in the Sri Lankan press, the Sri Lankan government has received the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to enter into a treaty with Ukraine to extradite criminals hiding in the Eastern European country. President Maithripala Sirisena in his capacity as the Minister of Defense has presented the proposal to the cabinet for approval. The ColomboPage News Desk reports that the Sri Lankan Co-Cabinet spokesman, Minister Gayantha Karunathilake, said the agreement "will provide the opportunity to request the authorities in Ukraine to receive criminals who have engaged in illegal activities in this country and sought protection in Ukraine". The treaty comes as the Sri Lankan government is attempting to arrest a fugitive envoy currently believed to be in Ukraine. The government has sought arrest and deportation of Sri Lanka's former Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga, who is a nephew of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, over several allegations including that the envoy supplied weapons to a terrorist group in Ukraine and is connected to the death of an embassy employee.

Sri Lanka enters treaty with Ukraine to extradite criminals hiding in the Eastern European country

China&#39;s Wanda Group said it didn&#39;t violate the copyrights of Disney&#39;s cartoon images in its newly-inaugurated theme park, according to a statement released Tuesday.

Wanda&#39;s subsidiary Nanchang Wanda City Cultural and Tourism Management Ltd., the operator of the company&#39;s&nbsp;entertainment&nbsp;complex &quot;Wanda City&quot; in east China&#39;s Nanchang, said on its official Weibo account that a recent report by Bloomberg mistook a commercial area inside the complex as part of its newly-opened theme park. The &quot;Nanchang Wanda Park&quot; has never used any Disney images in its display, promotion and other business activities. Those shops that sell Disney souvenirs in the commercial area &quot;Wanda Mall&quot; are all authorized dealers and subject to no copyright infringement activities, the statement said.

Bloomberg reported Monday that Disney will take actions to defend its intellectual property in response to the news agency&#39;s questions on Wanda&#39;s alleged infringement.

Wanda Group called the accusation groundless, saying it felt deeply regretful and reserves the right to take legal actions, according to its statement.

Disney&#39;s accusation came after Wanda opened on Saturday a 40-billion-yuan (6.1 billion U.S. dollar) theme park in Nanchang, capital city of eastern Jiangxi Province. It is seen as the latest rival to the Shanghai Disneyland that is scheduled to open in mid-June.

China's Wanda Group said it didn't violate the copyrights of Disney's cartoon images in its newly-inaugurated theme park, according to a statement released Tuesday.

China's Wanda Group said it didn't violate the copyrights of Disney's cartoon images in its newly-inaugurated theme park, according to a statement released Tuesday. Wanda's subsidiary Nanchang Wanda City Cultural and Tourism Management Ltd., the operator of the company's entertainment complex "Wanda City" in east China's Nanchang, said on its official Weibo account that a recent report by Bloomberg mistook a commercial area inside the complex as part of its newly-opened theme park. The "Nanchang Wanda Park" has never used any Disney images in its display, promotion and other business activities. Those shops that sell Disney souvenirs in the commercial area "Wanda Mall" are all authorized dealers and subject to no copyright infringement activities, the statement said. Bloomberg reported Monday that Disney will take actions to defend its intellectual property in response to the news agency's questions on Wanda's alleged infringement. Wanda Group called the accusation groundless, saying it felt deeply regretful and reserves the right to take legal actions, according to its statement. Disney's accusation came after Wanda opened on Saturday a 40-billion-yuan (6.1 billion U.S. dollar) theme park in Nanchang, capital city of eastern Jiangxi Province. It is seen as the latest rival to the Shanghai Disneyland that is scheduled to open in mid-June.

China?s Wanda denies Disney copyright infringement accusation

Heavy fighting between the Islamic State group and rebels gripped a town in northeastern Syria Saturday, a monitor and an activist said, after a lightning assault by the jihadists cut a main supply route. 
&quot;Heavy clashes took place overnight between IS fighters and rebels inside the walls of Marea town,&quot; the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. 
IS swept through rebel-held territory early Friday in a shock offensive in Aleppo province, cutting off the main road between Marea and Azaz, 20 kilometres (12 miles) to the northeast near the Turkish border.&nbsp; 
The surprise advance came as the jihadist group faced an offensive by a US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance in its own heartland of Raqa province further east. 
Maamoun Khateeb, a journalist and activist from Azaz, told AFP that IS attacked Marea early Saturday mainly from the east and north using tanks and two car bombs. 
The advance has besieged around 15,000 residents remaining inside Marea, he said.&nbsp; 
Human rights groups have warned that the IS advance in Aleppo has left tens of thousands of displaced Syrians trapped along the closed Turkish border. 
To the east in Raqa province, warplanes from the US-led coalition conducted air strikes on IS positions north of Raqa city, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. 
But the Kurdish-Arab alliance fighting the jihadist group north of its de facto Syrian capital had made no strategic progress on the ground, he said. 
Syria`s war has killed more than 280,000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

Heavy fighting between the Islamic State group and rebels gripped a town in northeastern Syria Saturday, a monitor and an activist said, after a lightning assault by the jihadists cut a main supply route.

Heavy fighting between the Islamic State group and rebels gripped a town in northeastern Syria Saturday, a monitor and an activist said, after a lightning assault by the jihadists cut a main supply route. "Heavy clashes took place overnight between IS fighters and rebels inside the walls of Marea town," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. IS swept through rebel-held territory early Friday in a shock offensive in Aleppo province, cutting off the main road between Marea and Azaz, 20 kilometres (12 miles) to the northeast near the Turkish border. The surprise advance came as the jihadist group faced an offensive by a US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance in its own heartland of Raqa province further east. Maamoun Khateeb, a journalist and activist from Azaz, told AFP that IS attacked Marea early Saturday mainly from the east and north using tanks and two car bombs. The advance has besieged around 15,000 residents remaining inside Marea, he said. Human rights groups have warned that the IS advance in Aleppo has left tens of thousands of displaced Syrians trapped along the closed Turkish border. To the east in Raqa province, warplanes from the US-led coalition conducted air strikes on IS positions north of Raqa city, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. But the Kurdish-Arab alliance fighting the jihadist group north of its de facto Syrian capital had made no strategic progress on the ground, he said. Syria`s war has killed more than 280,000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

IS-rebel clashes rock northeast Syria town

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