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...which includes members of both the Islamist Hamas and secular Fatah factions. The United States said it was disturbed at the call by the Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh to resist Israeli occupation. In an address to parliament, Mr. Haniyeh promised to respect previous Palestinian agreements with Israel, but did not mention recognizing it. From Jerusalem, Matthew Price reports.

Ismail Haniyeh's cabinet now contains ministers who recognize Israel's right to exist—no ministers in the previous government did so—which is why it was boycotted. Mr. Haniyeh said the government would work to establish a Palestinian state on land occupied by Israel since 1967. Some believe that is an implicit recognition of Israel, but Israel doesn't agree. A spokeswoman said the new government doesn't recognize her country. It doesn't renounce terror.

Dozens of Iraqis are receiving treatment for exposure to chlorine after three poisonous gas attacks in the city of Fallujah on Friday. At least 8 people were killed in the attack in which for the fifth time this year, trucks laden with chlorine were detonated. The gas burns the skin, causes breathing difficulties and can kill quickly if inhaled. From Baghdad, Hugh Sykes reports.

This is an unsettling and possibly ominous development: there were three chlorine bomb attacks in Iraq last month, three more so far this weekend, by suicide bombers driving tankers filled with chlorine. Most of the victims were at the entrance to a housing estate, where many policemen live with their families. Two of the bombers are thought to have been targeting tribal leaders, who've spoken out against al-Qaeda in Iraq. In another attack, two policemen died, and around a hundred people showed signs of chlorine exposure. A third bomb exploded at a checkpoint.

The authorities in Zimbabwe have stopped two senior members of the opposition from leaving the country for medical treatment. Sekai Holland and Grace Kwinjeh from the Movement for Democratic Change were two of the most seriously injured when opposition demonstrators were arrested and beaten by police last Sunday. Earlier, the African Union called for the scrupulous respect of human rights and democratic principles in Zimbabwe. From Johannesburg, Peter Greste reports.

Western powers have laid global condemnation of Mr. Mugabe's handling of both the economy and political opposition. But African states have preferred what they call quiet diplomacy over public attacks. Now though, the AU has used its strongest language yet in a statement from its headquarters in Addis Ababa. The statement expressed great concern over last week's attacks on opposition figures, and recalled the need for scrupulous respect for human rights and democratic principles in Zimbabwe.

World News from the BBC.

Hundreds of ancient artifacts that were taken out of Afghanistan for safekeeping during the country's civil war have been returned to public display at the National Museum in Kabul. They include an ancient ceremonial phallus that was thought to have been handled by Alexander the Great. The Afghan Culture Minister Abdor Rahman Khan paid tribute to those who'd helped preserve the country's heritage.

Today's event is very important in the cultural field of Afghanistan that slowly we are receiving our treasure that we have lost in the past. This event shows that if Afghanistan's culture and history has enemies, if there are people who are trying to destroy Afghan culture and history, it also has friends who are trying to save Afghan culture and history.

Iran has called on the United Nations cultural agency UNESCO to condemn a new Hollywood film which it says is insulting to Iran's culture and history. The film "Three Hundred" tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae, when 300 Spartan soldiers resisted invasion by a huge Persian army. Iran's representative to UNESCO warned the film could lead to conflict between western and eastern civilizations.

The German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel has criticized the United States for bucking the consensus on climate change. Speaking at an environment ministers meeting in Germany, Mr. Gabriel said that despite agreement between developed and developing nations, the American delegations remained opposed to the kind of carbon trading scheme the European Union had introduced in 2005.

Cricket. There have been two shock results in the World Cup in the Caribbean. The former champions India were beaten by their neighbors Bangladesh, thanks to an aggressive innings by a seventeen-year-old, Tamim Iqbal in Trinidad. Then Pakistan, another former winner of the trophy, were humbled by Ireland, being bowled out for just 132. After a delay for rain and several nervous moments, Ireland reached their total with three wickets to spare. Pakistan have now been knocked out of the competition.

BBC World News.