German politicians come in for criticism following a row over racism in the country.
As Russia assumes the presidency of the Council of Europe, Russian papers believe Moscow will face a rough time from its European partners.
And a French daily sounds an alarm over the fate of the children of illegal immigrants.
Racism in Germany
In Germany, a political row has broken out after a former government spokesman, Uwe-Karsten Heye, told a radio station that there are towns around the capital Berlin "where I would not advise anybody with a different skin colour to visit" during next month's World Cup.
"They might not leave alive," he added.
"At least the scandal of no-go areas for foreigners has become a political issue"Mr Heye's comments drew a sharply critical response from some politicians.
"There has been a broadly negative reaction to Heye's warning," Die Welt reports.
These politicians are warning against stigmatising the eastern state of Brandenburg - within which Berlin lies - it says.
But many papers agree with Mr Heye's remarks.
The Berliner Zeitung defends the former government spokesman, who now heads an anti-racist group.
"We have to be grateful to Uwe-Karsten Heye," it says.
His warning was justified, it argues, because there are indeed "many centres of right-wing extremism" which "nobody can in all honesty recommend to a black African as a destination for an outing".
"Uwe-Karsten Heye told the truth"Mr Heye could have gone further by talking about the role of politicians, the judicial authorities and the media in fuelling xenophobia, it adds.
"But thanks to him at least the scandal of no-go areas for foreigners has finally become a political issue."
Der Tagesspiegel agrees that Mr Heye "told the truth".
"Is he allowed to do this? Quite simply, to say what he thinks?"
"Of course he is," the paper declares.
And Die Tageszeitung denounces criticism of Mr Heye - voiced by Brandenburg's regional premier, Matthias Platzeck, and the state's Interior Minister Joerg Schoenbohm - as "scandalous".
The paper refers the two politicians to an official report released earlier this year.
"It listed 17 places in which extreme right-wing subcultures - which spontaneously go for foreigners, blacks and left-wingers - are active."
According to the Frankfurter Rundschau, it is wrong to accuse Mr Heye of condemning entire regions.
If some of Germany's regions carry a stigma, it is because of racist activities there, the paper argues.
"We shall gain recognition in the world if we courageously talk about and, if possible, resolve our problems - not by hypocritically criticising somebody who refuses to turn a blind eye."
Russia in Europe
Russia today assumes the six-month presidency of the Council of Europe, Europe's oldest political body, formed in 1949 with the aim of upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law across the continent.
"Moscow intends to come forward with big initiatives on solving pan-European problems," a commentary in Kommersant says.
"Russia, however, is itself beset with problems, which may cause it to be stripped of its presidency ahead of schedule: its reluctance to abolish capital punishment and its failure to comply with the decisions of the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg," it adds.
"It is unlikely that Europe will unconditionally believe that the human rights situation in Russia is up to its own standards""The Russian presidency of the Council of Europe is seen by Moscow as a unique chance to prove that Russia is a valid European state," it explains.
"'Forward to a single Europe without dividing lines' will be the motto of the Russian diplomatic mission," according to Gazeta.
"According to [Russian] diplomats, the dividing lines are not state borders but [Europe's] notorious double standards."
"In Moscow's opinion, they are manifest in the political colouring of the decisions of the Strasbourg court for human rights..."
According to the paper, Moscow will seek the revision of a clause that obliges Russia to allow the monitoring of human rights in the country.
"It is unlikely, however, that Europe will stop watching Russia and unconditionally believe that the human rights situation there is up to its own standards," it says.
A Rossiyskaya Gazeta commentary has little doubt that the Russian presidency will be a challenging time for Moscow.
"It is no secret that the position of the anti-Russian lobby in the Council of Europe is still strong," it notes - before going on to predict an increase in the number of news reports, published by European media, that are hostile to or embarrassing for Moscow.
France's "threatened children"
Following the French parliament's vote in favour of a controversial immigration bill that will make it more difficult for the unskilled to settle in the country, Liberation warns that France will soon become a "strange country" as "thousands of children are going to have to live hidden away".
"As soon as the school doors close, the deportations waltz will resume"These children risk deportation if caught because they are the offspring of illegal immigrants, the paper explains.
It remarks sarcastically that Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy - the person who drafted the new immigration bill - "in a spurt of kindness" gave permission for them to see out the current school year.
But, it says, "as soon as the school doors have closed, the deportations waltz will resume".
Some French parents - campaigners as well as ordinary citizens - are prepared to hide "these threatened children", it reports.
"They all take the view that these children... should not have to pay the price for the immigration policy of the moment."
The European press review is compiled by BBC Monitoring from internet editions of the main European newspapers and some early printed editions.
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