* Libya protests: Col Gaddafi under mounting pressure Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s regime is under huge pressure after a night of protests in the Libyan capital Tripoli.

* CoS Mullen in Turbulent Middle East, Stunned by Upheavals US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen, on a pre-planned visit to the Middle East, says he is stunned by the pace of upheavals in region.

* US must be removed from Islamic world: Khamenei Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday called on Muslims to “remove” the US from the Islamic world.

* Italy and Czech Republic back Gaddafi despite bloodbath The EU is struggling to speak with one voice following a massive loss of life in Libya over the weekend and the regime’s vow to fight protesters to the “to the last bullet”.

* China’s security tsar warns over ‘jasmine revolution’ China’s official in charge of the state security apparatus has warned of the need to find new ways to defuse unrest.

* Suez Canal says Iran navy ships passage delayed Egypt postpones passage of Iranian vessels through Suez Canal en route to Syria by 48 hours. US says closely monitoring situation

* Why Arab Spring could be al Qaeda’s fall The burgeoning democracy movement across the Middle East appears to have caught al Qaeda off guard and threatens to reduce the terrorist group to irrelevance.

* Wash. Post: Intransigent Abbas Unwilling to Make Peace The Washington Post says the recent US veto in the UN might have one positive effect: The prompting of a reevaluation of “weak and intransigent” PA chief Mahmoud Abbas.

* Saudi Arabia chides US for vetoing UN resolution on Israeli settlements In rare show of criticism of its ally, Saudi Arabia expresses regret over US vote regarding resolution that described settlements as illegal.