The five state-controlled newspapers came out as usual and criticized the one-day protest.

And the state-controlled newspaper has reminded voters of Mr. Mugabe's accomplishments over the years.

The President was the first to donate, giving $100,000; nearly every day the state-controlled newspaper runs a list of new contributors to the security fund.

Articles published by the state-controlled newspapers are heavily censored and written to glorify the state and its leader.

The Chinese media were banned from covering his death, other than a small mention in state-controlled newspapers.

Back in China, though, state-controlled newspapers put on a positive spin Wednesday, reporting that more than 188,000 stock market accounts were opened.

Their combined circulation, journalists insist, is less than that of the leading state-controlled newspaper in Minsk.

The state-controlled newspaper, The Daily Herald, has already said as much.

As late as mid-August, state-controlled newspapers in China were still calling for passage of the security bill.

He came to the environmental agency in March 2003 after a 20-year government career, much of it working as a journalist at different state-controlled newspapers.