jim muir reports. >> fire's coming ever closer to the center of the regime's power. helping to bar the presidential palace below. now, confirmation that the defense minister has been killed in a suicide attack on an important security meeting in the city. reports from officials say the other top security figures are seriously injured. it is a blow to the very heart of the regime. clashes and skirmishing has continued in several parts of the city, mainly in the southwest and northeast of the center. activists say government forces have used tanks and artillery. the rebel forces are likely armed. [speaking foreign language] syrian state media have played down the fighting in the capital. television showed these pictures of troops on the corners of deserted streets on the southern edge of the city center. the clashes in damascus began on sunday in the south side of town, spreading rapidly. they later broke out on the other side of the city. residents said some of the affected districts have been surrounded by troops and tanks. >> tanks are shelling everything, shooting

jim muir. now u.s. presidential candidate mitt romney is on poland on the final leg of the three-nation overseas tour. earlier in israel, mr. romney called jerusalem the israeli capital and said the differences in culture power israel's economic success compared with the palestinians. mr. romney wrapped his tour with a keynote address if warsaw that praised poland's economy. >> it's an honor to be in this place also. this is a nation with extraordinary heritage that's crafting a remarkable future at a time of widespread economic slowdown and stagnation, your economy last year outperformed all the other nations of europe. quite an accomplishment. i began this partnership in great britain and ended it in poland, the two bookends of nato, history's greatest military alliance, it has kept the peace for over half a century. while i was at downing street, i thought back to the days of winston churchill, the man who first spoke of the iron curtain that had desearched across europe. what an honor to stand in po

our middle east correspondent jim muir is monitoring the latest developments from brute. >> activists say these are the first pictures of the national security picture in damascus where the bomb went on wednesday killing three top security officials including the defense minister. it was claimed by the damascus clan of the free syrian army. >> [speaking foreign language] >> the free syrian army has promised more surprises. its commander based in turkey had a special message to mark the start of ramadan. all the officers and members of the free syrian army congratulate the people on the onset of the blessed month of ramadan in the hope that this month would usher certain victory. >> but the regime is already claiming victory itself. at least here, one of the parts of southern damascus where the fighting has been heaviest. >> we have cleansed the area and we are now in full control. some residents were forced to flee. ransacked shops as well as public and private buildings. >> state television said at least 20 mercenary terrorists were killed, their bodies carefully laid out for the cam

from beirut, jim muir reports. >> syrian state television is now following the aleppo fighting on the ground, as it did for damascus last week. it says government forces have moved into salah al-din, the southwest portion of aleppo which had become a rebel stronghold. >> [speaking foreign language] >> we have taken complete control from the mercenary gunmen and will make it peaceful and just a few days. >> activists say they're still fighting in the quarter and in other areas, syrian troops have defected, handing over government tanks to the rebels. as the battle rages, growing concern for of of many civilians trapped in the city. believes 200,000 have fled. many pouring into improvised field hospitals are civilians. >> [speaking foreign language] >> some days, we get 30, 40, or 50 wounded. that does not include the bodies. some of the bodies are so disfigured that they cannot be identified. >> water supplies have been cut off. the only shops that are open are the bakeries, working round-the- clock to produce bread for the hungry. is the fasting month in midsummer heat is adding to th

make sure to watch "world news" with david muir later on. jimfor joining us. >> i'll be back tomorrow. >> ginger will have the biggest thermometer you have ever seen. >> you won't see me.

make sure to watch "world news" with david muir later on. jimfor joining us. >> i'll be back tomorrow. >> ginger will have the biggest thermometer you have ever seen. >> you won't see me. >> good morning, taking a look of the news that our region ews in today. may have derailed the line train yesterday. happened around 4:45 in the afternoon. of the cars ee off the track. no injuries have been rorpped. the cause is unknown. the metro says it could have problems and the will be a problem today. good morning. stifling hot out there this morning degrees.e is in dew points in the 70s and it already feels 90 across much of the eason. as a ous heat today consequence the service has issued a heat warning from tonight. 0:00 today anywhere from 100-106. we could have a historically hot day. at hand.relief front poised just to the will be dropping down tomorrow in the wake of that finally temperatures back where they should be in the 80s. today 99-106. don't get outside if you can it.ibly avoid tomorrow temperatures again in the upper 90s and then that fro

make sure to watch "world news" with david muir later on. jim. >> i'll see you tomorrow. >> ginger will have the biggest thermometer you have ever seen. >> you won't see me. i'll juts be -- just be hiding behind it. your grilling is still gonna be pretty amateur. but your deck? that's pro. finish like a pro with cabot wood stains. cabot...that's pro.

make sure to watch "world news" with david muir later on. jim. >> i'll see you tomorrow. >> ginger will have the biggest thermometer you have ever seen. >> you won't see me. i'll just be hiding behind it. i'll juts be -- just be hiding behind it. >>> good morning, i'm terry mcsweeney. this afternoon a special prayer service will be held on the grounds of santa clara medical center in san jose to remember those buried at a long forgotten potter's field. here is the picture how the cemetery existed in 1932. the pauper's grave got paved over and construction crews rediscovered the grave when they broke ground. today's prayer service precedes the revolve about hundred coffins that is in direct path of construction. 1300 graves will remain untouched. >> 28th fillmore jazz festival starts this morning, fillmore street between jackson and evidence dye has been transformed. this year, it will feature more than a two dozen bands that will include a tribute to the late ed ta james. it's expected to draw about 90,000 people with 12 blocks of music, arts an