Al-Bayan (United Arab Emirates): Bush: Iran losing influence in Iraq – US President George W.Bush said Iran was losing influence in Iraq and will continue to do so, reiterating that the military option still stands to force Iran to suspend its nuclear program. Bush added that Iraq was turning into a democracy and that the Iraqis realize Iranian influence will only destabilize their country.

Al-Hayat (London): Zibari: Obama assurances he will not present dramatic changes – Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zibari told Al-Hayat that U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign aides assured Baghdad two weeks ago that he "will not introduce dramatic changes in Washington's policy toward Iraq if he wins the election." Zibari said that the commander of the U.S. forces in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, also expected "no sudden or quick changes because Obama listens to the views of the leaders on the ground."

Al-Rayah (Qatar): Gadhafi: Obama either ignorant or is lying to the Jews – Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi criticized in a speech Obama's remarks to a pro-Israel U.S. lobby that Jerusalem should remain Israel's undivided capital. He said that "our Kenyan-American brother Obama's statements on Jerusalem, supporting the Israelis and ignoring the Palestinians show he is either ignorant of international politics and doesn't understand the logic of the Middle East conflict, or he's lying to the Jews in his election campaign."

An-Nahar (Lebanon): Paris: Syria fulfilled its promises in Lebanon – In a new sign of rapprochement between Paris and Damascus since the Lebanese presidential election in Lebanon, a French presidential source said that Syrian President Bashar Assad will be among France's guests celebrating the national independence on July 14. In response to French opposition to this matter, Prime Minister Francois Fillon said that "Syria has fulfilled its obligations regarding the conflict in Lebanon."

Al-Ghad (Jordan): Prison of five to 15 years to three defendants in 'Hamas weapons' case – Jordan's State Security Court yesterday handed a 15-year prison term to one man and five years at hard labor to two others in the "Hamas weapons" case, but the verdict may be appealed. The tribunal convicted the men, arrested in 2006, on charges of illegal import and possession of weapons and explosives, plotting to assassinate the Israeli ambassador in Amman and blowing up the house of a Jordanian intelligence officer.