BBC News with John Jason.

Regional SADC observers from Southern Africa say Zimbabwe's presidential election did not reflect the will of the people. In this statement, issued just hours after Robert Mugabe took office, the observers from the Southern African Development Communities said the run-up to the election had been marred by politically motivated violence to such an extent that the credibility of the whole vote had been undermined. Dianne Kohler Barnard is a SADC observer.

"There is no, no chance at all, one could have imagined that this could be described as a fair election, as a free election. It was neither. Most MDC leadership is custody or on the run. There are thousands of people living up in the mountains, in the bush. They have been burnt out of their homes, beaten and terrorized."

Our correspondent Peter Biles reports from the possible repercussions of the SADC's statement.

This is a major blow to Robert Mugabe's election victory. SADC had the responsibility for ensuring that there were free and fair elections. After the first round of voting in March, most of regional observers said the elections there had been peaceful and credible. This latest statement could lead Southern African states to withhold recognition and declare the Zimbabwean election illegitimate as some western countries have already done.

The Israeli cabinet has overwhelmingly approved a prisoner swap with the Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah. The plan includes handing over five Lebanese prisoners and an unspecified number of Palestinians in exchange for Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. They disappeared after a clash with Hezbollah fighters two years ago. One of the Lebanese prisoners is Samir Qantar, who has been in jail for almost 30 years for his part in a deadly border raid. The Israeli Education Minister Yuli Tamir has said it would be hard for the government to agree to the swap.

"Samir Qantar is a very cruel man. We all know he murdered the whole family, two little children and a father. And Nevertheless, we thought that we have the responsibility to bring our soldiers back home, and whoever is possibilities for the families, who are waiting anxiously to know what really happened to their children."

A new United States army report into American military operations in Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003 has criticized, what it says, was lack of detailed planning. It accused its American military and civilian leaders of being fixated on ousting the Iraqi leader but of paying too little attention to the failure in which it follow. The study covers May, 2006 to January 2005, details have already appeared in the American media.

The top United Nations humanitarian official says the number of civilians killed in fighting in Afghanistan has jumped by nearly 2/3. John Homes, the head of UN Humanitarian Affairs, told journalists in Kabul that nearly 700 civilians had been killed in the first half of this year, compared to 430 killed in the first half of 2007.

World News from the BBC.

The Malaysian opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, has take refuge in the Turkish embassy in Kuala Lumpur after the police said they were investigating new sodomy allegations against him. Mr. Ibrahim was sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998 and spent more than five years in jail on sodomy and corruption charges which he denied. He accused the government of making up new allegations because they didn't want him to take part in the elections.

"This is anticipating the cause of formation of government, and I am now a legible contestant in the elections. So they can fabricate the same script being repeated in my earlier case in 1998 and 1999."

The Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi denied Mr. Ibrahim's accusation.

At least 39 policemen in India are missing, feared dead after their boat capsized during an attack by Maoist rebels. The vessel was carrying members of an elite unit reportedly on their way to confront the insurgents in the eastern state of Orissa when it came under fire.

The government of Indian-administered Kashmir says it will revoke its controversial decision to transfer forest land to a body that manages an important Hindu shrine. The decision prompted several days of demonstrations by the areas of Muslim majority. The campaign quickly became to focus on border demands for them to Indian rule.

Spain have won the European Football Champion beating Germany 1-0 in the final in Vienna. The Spanish had more chances in the march and their goal came from Fernando Torres in the first half. It's the first time that Spain have won a major trophy since they were European Champions in 1964. Their midfielder, Cesc Fabregas, was overjoyed.

"This is the best day of my life as a football player. I don't think we are conscious yet of what we have achieved. 44 years, later we did it again. I don't know. It's the best feeling you can have as a footballer, it's one of the best trophies you can have, and it's one of your dreams, I made it.

BBC News.