In Syria, the killing continues, as now "crimes against humanity" is entering the accusations.
Libyans are said to be cautiously optimistic about their country's future, while conceding that 'challenges' exist.
Reports out of Turkey say a ferry has been hijacked.
Palestinians' bid for statehood has again met a stumbling block within the UN Security Council.
Earlier today, reports out of Yemen of more deaths at the ehands of pro-government forces.
Israel expands settlements, following Palestinians' acceptance into UNESCO.
Details after the break.
Human rights activists say Syrian forces have killed at least 20 people during anti-government protests around the country, as the government faces new accusations that it may be guilty of “crimes against humanity.”
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says most of Friday's casualties occurred in the Homs region. Security forces have launched a series of raids in the city in search of dissidents, and activists said Syrian soldiers also were killed in an apparent ambush.
The casualty figures could not be independently verified because Syria bars most foreign journalists from operating in the country.
The fresh violence coincides with the Friday release of a Human Rights Watch report, saying Syrian authorities may be guilty of crimes against humanity for alleged torture and unlawful killings.
Human rights groups and opposition leaders have urged the demonstrators to call for a suspension of Syria's Arab League membership. The 22-member league will hold an emergency meeting in Cairo on Saturday to discuss Syria's unrest.
That meeting follows an apparent breakdown of the Arab-League brokered agreement that calls on the Syrian government to end its brutal crackdown on dissent.
Earlier this month, Syria announced that it had agreed to the plan, which includes a withdrawal of security forces from the streets and talks with the opposition. Activists and witnesses, however, have reported continued violence.
On Thursday, Amnesty International called on the Arab League to press Syria to allow independent monitors to enter the country.
Libya
In the first blush of enthusiasm after the nine-month struggle to oust Moammar Gadhafi, many Libyans are optimistic that the country will be able to move toward democracy with little payback for the iron rule and atrocities of the past. But some analysts are not so sure.
The private compound from which Moammar Gadhafi ruled Libya is flattened.
Youths play on what is left of some of his military vehicles.
University students celebrate their newfound freedom.
But there is serious work to do. The council that led the Libyan revolution gave way to an interim government, which is to lead the country to elections and a new constitution.
Along the way, Libyans will have to decide how to deal with those who supported Gadhafi, and those who allegedly committed atrocities in the name of the revolution.
Libyan politician Hadi Shalluf, of the Justice and Democracy Party, hopes to be part of the country’s future leadership. “If anyone committed any crimes, any violation of human rights, he should be judged. If the people didn’t commit any crimes in that time, we have no problem. These people should be integrated into life,” Shalluf said.
Rebel fighters also need to be reintegrated. These men are being honored because they handed in their weapons.
Rebel fighter Tariq Hussein fought in some of the toughest battles in Misrata and in Gadhafi’s hometown, Sirte. He’s guarding government buildings now, and he thinks reconciliation is already well along the way.
“I hope God will grant us reconciliation," Hussein stated. "I think it’s already at 70 percent, and I hope it will reach 100 percent soon.”
But some analysts outside Libya are not sure the country will have such a smooth a transition to democracy. They say tribal, regional and political differences, could become more pronounced in the coming months. Among them is Anthony Skinner of the Maplecroft risk assessment company, who spoke to VOA via Skype.
“We have to be careful, mindful of the risks, that you still have a large number of groups that are very well armed, that are very concerned to ensure that they lay their claim to the political landscape," Skinner said. "And the concern is now with Gadhafi actually removed from power, and actually killed, that this glue which held these groups together will have disappeared.”
Turkey
Hijackers apparently linked to a militant Kurdish organization have hijacked a passenger ferry boat just southwest of the Turkish city of Istanbul.
Turkish Transport Minister Binali Yildirim said Friday as many as five hijackers had taken control of the boat and was holding passengers hostage.
Since the ferry was taken over earlier Friday there have been conflicting reports on the exact number of assailants and passengers.
At least one of the hijackers claims to have a bomb.
Turkish media reported that the ferry Kartepe was traveling on the Sea of Marmara toward Izmit, when the hijacker seized control of the vessel.
Turkish coast guard vessels were following the hijacked ferry.
Izmit's mayor, Ibrahim Karaosmanoglu, had told local NTV that only one assailant was involved.
Details about the incident are still coming in. News reports say that between 17 to 23 people were on board the vessel.
Palestinians/UN
A Palestinian bid for full United Nations membership has failed to win approval in the U.N. Security Council committee that deals with new members. Friday’s outcome was not unexpected.
The committee met Friday to adopt a report saying the 15 members were “unable to make a unanimous recommendation to the Security Council” to admit the Palestinians. The committee will now send the report to the council, which will decide what, if any, actions to take.
The Palestinians, frustrated by stalled peace talks with Israel, launched a bid for statehood via the United Nations in September. But several member states, including the United States, have said the only road to statehood goes through peace talks.
Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour told reporters that his government had hoped for a different outcome Friday, but is not giving up.
“Unfortunately, this is not the reality today," said Mansour. "We have, collectively, to do more work and we more determined than ever to continue with this exercise until the conditions in the Security Council are ripe for Palestine to become a member state.”
The Palestinians have several options. They can ask a Security Council member state - possibly Lebanon or South Africa - to call for a vote in the council. If they do that, they will certainly fail, as diplomats say they do not think the Palestinians would get the required nine ‘yes’ votes, and even if they did, the United States has said it would veto such a move.
They could also go the U.N. General Assembly where they hold observer status as an ‘entity’, and if they get a two-thirds majority approval - which is likely - upgrade to ‘non-member state’ observer. This would expand some of their ability to participate in U.N. activities, such as being signatories to some international treaties.
Ambassador Mansour said all the options are under consideration and that the Palestinian leadership, together with its Arab and other partners, would decide what route to go in the coming weeks.
Yemen
Yemeni government forces have killed at least 11 civilians in one of the country's largest cities, a day after a United Nations envoy started a mission to urge President Ali Abdullah Saleh to hand over power.
Medical officials and witnesses say civilians were killed early Friday when Yemeni forces renewed shelling in Taiz, where demonstrators have been calling for President Saleh's departure.
News reports say pro-government forces opened fire near Freedom Square, the site of ongoing protests against Mr. Saleh. The Reuters news agency says deadly clashes have also erupted between pro-Saleh forces and followers of opposition tribal leaders.
Meanwhile in the capital, Sana'a, tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in competing demonstrations for and against President Saleh.
The turmoil has coincided with a visit by U.N. envoy Jamal bin Omar who arrived Thursday in Yemen to try to convince the president to accept an initiative that calls for him to step down.
The Yemeni leader has indicated on several occasions that he would accept the terms of the agreement, which was brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). However, each time he has backed away without signing the plan.
For months, opposition activists have held demonstrations calling on Mr. Saleh to resign. The president's supporters frequently have held rival rallies coinciding with the opposition protests.
Israel
After the United Nations' cultural organization UNESCO voted to grant membership to the Palestinians, Israel announced it would accelerate construction of Jewish settlements on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The move drew international outrage. One of them is Givat Hamatos, a settlement that was already in the scheduling phase.
It lies on a hill between Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Twenty years ago, there was temporary housing here, for newly-arrived Ethiopian and Russian immigrants.
Only 40 families live here now. But Israel plans to change that.
Galia Cohen is a retired city worker. She has rented this house for 20 years. She would like to have a nicer home. "I heard about it many times. But nothing has happened here," Cohen said.
Yaakov Baruchi moved to Givat Hamatos 20 years ago with his wife and two children. Now he has nine kids and wants to expand.
"This housing is not appropriate for the 21st century. Although it's nice here, this is not a house. This is what one calls a tin neighborhood," Baruchi said.
Givat Hamatos lies between two districts that Israel built on West Bank land it captured in 1967 and later annexed to Jerusalem.
Palestinians say Israel wants to consolidate control over traditionally Arab East Jerusalem and undermine the demand that it be the Palestinian capital as part of any peace agreement.
All content based on VOA News reports.
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