AT&T Faces Year-Long Scrutiny for ‘Unthinkable’ T-Mobile Bid [Bloomberg]
AT&T Inc. (T)’s $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile USA, the biggest acquisition worldwide in almost a year, may take a year to gain regulators’ approval even if the carrier pledges to sell assets and expand rural coverage. The acquisition would push AT&T past its largest rival, Verizon Wireless, to become the biggest U.S. mobile-phone carrier. AT&T and T-Mobile combined have 39 percent of the market, according to research firm EMarketer Inc.

Allies Press Libya Attacks [WSJ]
The U.S. and its allies intensified air attacks against forces loyal to Col. Moammar Gadhafi on Sunday, keeping anti-Gadhafi rebels from being immediately overrun and bringing a reprieve to the increasingly desperate pro-democracy uprising. Allied jets and missiles pounded Libyan military targets over the weekend, including one of Col. Gadhafi’s armored columns seen charred on the road to Benghazi, the rebels’ de facto capital. Rebels emboldened by the international support renewed fighting in Ajdabiya, a strategic city they had lost last week, witnesses said.

It Turns Out That Lower Taxes Could Kill You After All [JDA]
Some states (namely those with mottos like “Live Free or Die”) aren’t going to buckle to the pressure of tax lovers like the American Lung Association.

Is There Death in the Accounting Classroom? [The Summa]
Speaking of death.

Promise on Taxes Sparks GOP Rift [WSJ]
A few prominent GOP lawmakers believe they will have to raise some tax revenue if they are to bring Democrats along on a bipartisan compromise to address the U.S.’s long-term fiscal problems. Many Democrats want higher taxes to cover at least part of future budget gaps. That has led to clashes between Republican lawmakers and a Washington advocacy group, Americans for Tax Reform, the self-appointed keeper of the party’s anti-tax flame.

US banks face fresh scrutiny on lending [FT]
US banks could be forced to disclose when they give clients below-market rates on loans as a part of their efforts to secure further business, under rules being considered by accounting regulators. The proposed change could lay bare cases in which larger lenders use their balance sheet to secure lucrative investment banking business.

Companies: Gov. Rick Snyder’s business tax plan simple, appealing [DFP]
CPA turned Michigan Governor Rick Snyder wants to Michigan’s 6% corporate tax in a overhaul for the state.

Taxing Gestational Surrogacy [TaxProf Blog]
For those interested.

Libya Ceasefire Announced After U.N. Approves Intervention [Reuters]
Libya declared a ceasefire in the country to protect civilians and comply with a United Nations resolution passed overnight, Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa said on Friday. “We decided on an immediate ceasefire and on an immediate stop to all military operations,” he told reporters. “(Libya) takes great interest in protecting civilians,” he said, adding that the country would also protect all foreigners and foreign assets in Libya.

Frantic Repairs Go On at Plant as Japan Raises Severity of Crisis [NYT]
Japanese engineers battled on Friday to cool spent fuel rods and restore electric power to pumps at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station as new challenges seemed to accumulate by the hour, with steam billowing from one reactor and damage at another apparently making it difficult to lower temperatures.

H&R Block Chairman Breeden Stepping Down to Focus on Hedge Fund [Bloomberg]
H&R Block Inc. (HRB), the biggest U.S. tax preparer, said Richard C. Breeden will step down as chairman more than three years after the hedge-fund manager and former securities regulator seized control in a proxy fight. Breeden, 61, plans to leave at the end of the tax season on April 18, the Kansas City, Missouri-based company said yesterday in a statement. He intends to devote more time to his hedge fund, Breeden Capital Management, H&R Block said.

April 1 Deadline Fast Approaching for Illinois CPA Society Scholarships [PR Newswire]
IL accounting wannabes pursuing an accounting degree with plans to become a CPA can apply for four different scholarships funded by the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois.

Deloitte Fired For Kabul Bank But PwC Missed Fraud [Forbes]
Plenty of blame to go around!

Deloitte taps Miami native to head its Florida offices [SFBJ]
Peter T. Pruitt, Jr. is the new chief.

Tax-Writer Camp’s Push for Lower Rates Forces Deduction Choice [Bloomberg]
Representative Dave Camp’s call to lower U.S. corporate and individual tax rates to 25 percent would require Congress to make the type of difficult choices that have doomed tax overhaul plans for a quarter century. Camp, a Michigan Republican who heads the House Ways and Means Committee, this week said he wants to lower the top individual and corporate rates by 10 percentage points. His aim would be to collect revenue totaling 18 percent to 19 percent of gross domestic product, which is near the recent average.

Charlie Sheen’s Oprah Tax Problem [TaxProf Blog]
Of course it has to do with WINNING.

Texas Legislature Looks to Soda Tax to Fill Budget Gap [Tax Foundation]
Supposedly this will raise $2 billion for Texas, narrowing its budget deficit to $25 billion. Progress!