* Erdogan: Israel threatening ME peace Turkey’s prime minister accused Israel on Monday of threatening peace in the Middle East and using disproportionate force against Palestinians.

* Assad’s new regional strategy creates fresh options For some time now, Syrian President Bashar Assad has skillfully developed a new regional strategy.

* Why China matters Stepping out of the airport in Harbin in northeast China, you are greeted by a giant castle made completely of ice.

* Met to withdraw images of Muhammad Images of Islam’s prophet Muhammad may soon disappear from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s permanent display, in a move aimed to avoid offending Muslims.

* Three more churches attacked in Malaysia in Allah feud Firebombs were thrown at two more churches in Malaysia early Sunday and another church was splashed with black paint, the latest in a series of assaults on Christian houses of worship following a court decision allowing non-Muslims to use “Allah” to refer to God.

* Why we are here Cast your mind back to before Muhammad destroyed the Jewish tribes of Arabia; before Islam expanded beyond the Arabian Peninsula reaching Jerusalem in 638.

* UK’s Ashton seeks ‘more credible’ EU The EU is now in a position to assume a “stronger, more credible role in the world,” the nominee for the EU’s top foreign policy post says.

* Egypt tombs suggest free men built pyramids, not slaves Tombs discovered near Egypt’s great pyramids reinforce the theory they were built by free workers rather than slaves.

* Pope says gay marriage threat to creation In address to diplomats, Benedict XVI slams laws that ‘strike at biological basis of difference between sexes.’

* China set to take top export spot China looks set to overtake Germany as the world’s largest exporter, with fresh customs data showing the Asian superpower sent goods valued at $1.2 trillion overseas in 2009.