Bank regulators have striven to ensure that pillar 3 requirements for information disclosure don\'t conflict with accounting rules - with only partial success David Keefe reports

WASHINGTON - The US Securities and Exchange Commission\'s proposed new rule requiring hedge fund advisers to register with the Commission looks set to face fierce opposition from sections of the industry, politicians and even other regulators.

BASEL, Switzerland - How many countries plan to adopt Basel II? At least a hundred according to a survey being finalised by the Financial Stability Institute (FSI), the Basel-based body formed five years ago to help supervisors around the world to strengthen their financial systems.

TAIPEI - The Asian Shadow Financial Regulatory Committee (ASFRC), comprising professors of finance and other academics, has been formed to mirror the shadow financial regulatory committees set up in the US and other regions of the world.

WASHINGTON - A rule that opens the way for major US investment banks to come within the new risk-based Basel capital framework has now been formally adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

LONDON - Debt recovery experiences of European banks vary quite widely across countries, depending on factors such as the insolvency regime in which the default occurs, the quality of collateral involved and banking practices, according to a major study by Standard & Poor\'s Risk Solutions.

SYDNEY - Australia is committed to adopting the Basel II bank safety rules on a similar timetable to other major countries, the country\'s top financial services regulator said in early July.

HONG KONG - Banks should not think they can simply sub-contract the implementation of the Basel II rules for bank safety to third party service vendors, such as their external auditors, Hong Kong\'s top banking supervisor said in June.

WASHINGTON - The Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS), the federal agency that regulates the US savings and loans industry, urged Congress in June to back its bid for a seat on the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.

Basel Committee certain to approve accord text at key May meeting. Controversy continues over document\'s actual status By Melvyn Westlake