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Border Checks as Qld Prepares to Reopen

Canada Restricts Dealings With Hong Kong Over New Security Law

OTTAWA—Foreign Affairs Minister Francois−Philippe Champagne says Canada is suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong as part of a package of responses to the new security law China has imposed on the territory. In a statement, Champagne says Canada will also treat sensitive goods being exported to Hong Kong as if they were being sent to mainland China. That means outright banning some military−related goods from being traded there. China imposed strict new controls on Hong Kong this week, in what Champagne calls a violation of the “one country, two systems” philosophy that was supposed to last 50 years after Britain returned Hong Kong to China in 1997. Champagne’s statement says Hong Kong’s place in the global economy was based on that promise and needs to be reassessed. Canada’s moves…

Border Checks as Qld Prepares to Reopen

Vehicles crossing into Queensland will be searched for Victorians or anyone else travelling from the southern state who might be hiding inside.

Police will make the random checks as the Sunshine State prepares to open its doors to all states and territories except coronavirus-impacted Victoria from July 10.

Passes that were used to cross the border in recent months are now invalid and must be replaced by one of three new border declarations.

Anyone entering Queensland must now also state if they have travelled to Victoria in the previous 14 days.

Those who have will be forced to quarantine at their own expense or turnaround.

Penalties will also apply for anyone caught smuggling people over the border and there is a $4000 fine for flouting the restrictions.

The checks come as Queenslanders get set to enjoy a weekend of further relaxed COVID-19 health restrictions.

More fans can watch professional sporting events, with up to 25,000 spectators or 50 percent of a venue’s capacity permitted.

Commercial events of up to 500 people can go ahead without permission from the authorities, as long as they abide by the coronavirus social distancing rules.

Private gatherings of up to 100 people are now also allowed in homes. Weddings and funerals can host up to 100, and contact sport is also back. Casinos and food courts will also reopen.

Meanwhile, checkpoints to communities across Cape York Peninsula are now gone except at Kowanyama, Wujal Wujal, the Northern Peninsula Area and the Torres Strait, which open on July 10.

Aaron Bunch in Brisbane

Focus News: Border Checks as Qld Prepares to Reopen

Nasdaq-Listed Chinese Company Cheated Creditors by Using Fake Gold as Loan Collateral

Nasdaq-listed Chinese jeweler Kingold Jewelry Inc. (KGJI) has received 20 billion yuan ($2.8 billion) loans by claiming to use tons of gold as collateral in the past five years. However, the creditors discovered that some of the gold bars are gilded copper alloy. The loans were protected by insurance issued by Chinese state-run PICC Property and Casualty Company (PICC) and some smaller insurers. But the insurers refuse to pay for the loss of Kingold’s creditors by claiming that the insurance contracts defined that they won’t take care of the loss that was created by the policyholder. However, the creditors emphasized that the insurance agreement ruled that insurers will take responsibility if the gold that is supplied by the policyholder doesn’t meet the standard. Kingold designs and manufactures jewelry. It was…