The EU has submitted a proposal to member states to add Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to its sanctions list, EU foreign and security policy chief spokesperson Anita Hipper said at a Brussels press briefing on the 18th. Hipper said the EU would not comment on individual statements but reiterated calls for Israel to comply with international law, including international humanitarian law, and to ensure civilian protection. Foreign media reported Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-righ

Following earlier new-account rules requiring confirmation that funds originate from lawful offshore channels, some Hong Kong banks have begun seeking source-of-funds declarations from selected existing mainland China investment clients. HSBC Hong Kong has told affected clients to submit an Account Opening/Maintenance declaration via the HSBC Hong Kong app and update contact details by Sept 12. The declaration requires confirmation that investment funds come from lawful sources outside mainland China and notes the bank may disclose personal data to law enforcement or regulators. The notice warns that failure to submit by Aug 20 may result in suspension of investment services, and failure to submit by Sept 12 could lead to termination. An HSBC spokesperson on Aug 18 said the bank is following regulatory requirements and is asking affected mainland investors to self-declare and confirm their KYC and client due-diligence information is current; the requirement applies only to investment-service clients.

Alibaba-backed AI video platform Shengshu Technology is considering a Hong Kong IPO that could raise at least $500 mln, foreign media report.