The following are editorial opinions from newspapers from around the world which may be of interest to Royal Gazette readers.

Knoxville News-Sentinel, Tennessee, on Obama's implementation of tax policy

The administration of President Barack Obama certainly doesn't shy away from taking on tough challenges. It jumped in last week by announcing a far-reaching program to raise $210 billion by cracking down on overseas tax avoidance and tax evasion. ...

Perhaps for tactical reasons the president began his drive for larger tax reform by taking on entities for whom the general public has little sympathy, multinational corporations that legally game the system to avoid taxes — the White House says that because of various breaks and credits the effective tax rate on US-based multinationals is 2.3 percent — and wealthy individuals who evade taxes by hiding their money in offshore tax havens. ...

The biggest single change the president is proposing is to change the laws that allow businesses to take immediate deductions for investments in their overseas operations but defer paying taxes on the profits from those operations until the profits are repatriated to the US An estimated $700 billion in deferred profits is parked overseas. ...

Obama's overseas crackdown will require legislation, and here, he will learn an even larger lesson: Behind every provision of the US tax code lurks a member of Congress. The lawmakers don't like the public to be reminded of this, but our tax laws are purely their handiwork.

The Internal Revenue Service only enforces them.

South Bend Tribune, Indiana,

on Obama's appearance at Notre Dame

Talking to one another, seeking common ground, never will resolve the differences between those who believe women should have the right to choose an abortion and those who believe abortion is murder. The gulf is just too wide and the feelings are too strong.

We do think, however, that those who disagree with President Barack Obama on abortion, and those who agree with him, can find common ground regarding his upcoming visit to the University of Notre Dame.

Obama was offered the honour of delivering the May 17 commencement address. He did Notre Dame the honour of accepting. For both these facts, we are pleased — and especially so for the graduating class.

Its members will be sent forth in life with the eloquent words of the leader of the free world. It will be a wonderful and memorable event for them. ...

All the same, strong feelings on this issue were to be expected. What wasn't expected — and what is a very great shame — is the conduct of people who have travelled to South Bend from other places with no purpose other than to make trouble and grab headlines. ...

No one can stop anti-abortion activist Randall Terry from vowing to turn the Notre Dame campus into a "political mud pit" and the commencement ceremony into a "circus." But we can, as a community, show our shared disdain for his words. This is a community where not everyone agrees. But it also is a community where people can disagree without threats or expressions of hatred.