Brazil ecstatic at World Cup triumph
Newspapers in Brazil salute the striker Ronaldo for scoring the two goals which won the World Cup.

Testing times for Slovak politics
With parliamentary polls looming in Slovakia, the president warns that voter apathy could jeopardise the country's EU aspirations.

Russia's scientists demand a living
Scientists rally in Moscow to tell the government it must pay them if it wants to keep them.

Mid-East press sees Sharon victory
Israeli papers of all hues and the Arabic press agree that President Bush's speech on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was a victory for the line proposed by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Putin faces the media
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses domestic and foreign policy issues in his wide-ranging news conference in the Kremlin.

Pakistani press fears new trend
A day after a suicide bomber attacked the US consulate in Karachi, Pakistan's press fear the nation's "enemies" might be involved.

Arab press downbeat on Bush
President George W Bush's speech produced little enthusiasm in the Arab press on Wednesday. Reaction ranged from the cautious in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Palestinian Authority to the hostile elsewhere.

French press aghast at 'Apocalypse Now'
The scale of the French team's defeat still has not sunk in, the French press says.

Press cries for Argentina
The Argentine press reflects the anguish after the much-fancied national squad crashes out of the World Cup.

Argentine press rue England defeat
Argentine newspapers reflect national frustration at the football World Cup defeat by England.

Pakistan and India ponder Armitage visit
The press in Pakistan and India look at various angles of the visit by the US deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage

Afghanistan's loya jirga
The first post-Taleban national assembly, the loya jirga, is to convene in a giant tent in the grounds of Kabul Polytechnic this week.

Belarus suffers World Cup blackout
Belarus' failure to buy the World Cup broadcasting rights has made the country a football-free zone.

Opinion split on 'flawed hero' Cronje
As news of the death of Hansie Cronje continues to sink in, press assessments of him differed markedly in South Africa and India.

Indian papers see glimmer of hope
There is a new optimism in the Indian newspapers over the Kashmir crisis, sparked by an apparent softening of the tone from senior officials in Delhi.

Guide to Algeria elections
Algerians are to vote on 30 May in legislative elections, held amid unrest and threats of a boycott.

Russian papers on Nato developments
Russian newspapers - especially state-controlled ones - are positive on the new Nato-Russia council, although there are dissenters.

Uproar over Iran's media ban
Iran's ban on media reports promoting talks with the United States has sparked lively debate in the country's papers.

Regional media views Afghan killing
After the killing of Afghanistan's Vice-President Haji Abdul Qadir, the media in the region views the latest setback to the country's reconstruction.