Financial Transparency Coalition

Botswana government officials may have entered into questionable deals with convicted US congressman William Jefferson for educational technology and satellite transmission contracts in exchange for support for Botswana during the “diamond for development” controversy.

The IRS on August 7 issued Notice 2009-62, which further extends the deadline for filing a foreign bank account report (FBAR) for those taxpayers who have only signature authority over a foreign account or who have an interest in a commingled fund.

Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz says using emergency laws is not an option as negotiations on a settlement between the American tax authorities and UBS continue.

ZURICH (Reuters) - The Swiss government held a special session on Monday to discuss the U.S. tax evasion case hanging over Swiss bank UBS as negotiations to settle the issue dragged on.