Humanoid robots go on show, amazing!

By Lauren Said-Moorhouse, for CNN

London (CNN) -- When it comes to building cutting-edge robots, it seems their designers have a tendency to create them in their own likeness.These eerily life-like, and occasionally just eerie, robots are just some of the exhibits that went on display Thursday at the Robotville Festival at London's Science Museum.From the Italian-built iCub, which learns by playing with people, to CHARLY, which is being used to help autistic children, these robots mimic humans in order to help them learn about people and communicate with them.

The exhibition doesn't just feature humanoid robots -- there are also robots that swim and ones that swarm, some that explore and others designed for domestic use.

It is being run in partnership with EUNIC and the European Commission Robotics program and ends on December 4.

UN report: Syrian forces commit 'gross violations' of human rights

By the CNN Wire Staff

November 28, 2011 -- Updated 1714 GMT (0114 HKT)

Syrian soldiers attend a funeral on November 26, 2011 of comrades reportedly killed in an ambush in the city of Homs.

(CNN) -- Syrian security forces have committed "gross violations of human rights" since anti-government protests began in March, a United Nations report released Monday said.The U.N. independent international commission on Syria's assessment was based on interviews with 223 victims and witnesses,but observers were not allowed access to the country, the report said.According to the report, evidence "documents patterns of summary execution, arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, torture,including sexual violence, as well as violations of children's rights."Military deserters told the commission that they had been ordered to shoot at unarmed protesters without warning, the report said."The commission reiterates its call for immediate and unhindered access to the Syrian Arab Republic," the report said.Earlier this month, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights estimated that government forces had killed at least 3,500 civilians.Syria's government has consistently blamed armed gangs for the violence and said security forces are protecting the people."The Arabic Syrian military, which we are all proud of, has given martyrs in order to protect the life of civilians," Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said Monday.