the humanitarian convoy valerie amos described the situation as terrible. syrian activists say 40 civilians were killed by government forces. all this just one day ahead of the visit to damascus by kofi annan. james begins our coverage. >> of this video posted online claims to show government shelling in homs. the cameraman says these pictures show an attack on civilians inside the mosque. yeah, cameraman says the minaret's were the target of the bombardment. these appear to show the task facing mediators, calling for an end to the government's actions. these pictures show an anti- government demonstration. their pictures of president assad's predecessor. the u.n. humanitarian aid chief -- humanitarians chief valerie amos visited earlier this week. she is now in turkey and called on the syrian government to provide free access to those hit worst by fighting. >> the government has agreed to a limited assessment exercise to be conducted by u.n. agencies and the syrian authorities, which would give us some information about what is happening in the country. we

the un's humanitarian envoy, valerie amos, stopped briefly in turkey on her way to syria. she is trying to reach an agreement for a large-scale aid operation. so far, there is little headway. >> the syrian government has asked for more time to look at the agreement i put to them. it is very important indeed in my view that we get unhindered humanitarian access. however, the government has agreed to a limited assessment exercise to be conducted by u.n. agencies and the syrian authorities. >> many who can make it have been choosing to flee. they are still afraid of what will happen if they are identified. when they arrived last year, many imagined they would only be staying a few weeks. they are asking when something will be done to help them get home again. there is no answer to that question, nor any end in sight to their life as exiles along the border. jonathan head, bbc news, turkey. >> for more on kofi annan pose a diplomatic mission to broker an end to the bloodshed, i spoke to someone from the institute of near east policy. why would bashar al-assad listen to him whe

valerie amoes will do nothing. they are weak people. they understand the brief they are given by the united nations. i understand the abdication of american power hiding behind the russian veto, to be honest with you. we keep going to the u.n. and we sent kofi. there's reputation, solid in rwanda with the reputation questioned. in bosnia with the reputation questioned. he walks in like this innocent man, thinking that there's peace and love to be dispensed around in syria. >> paul, last time we spoke, you just made it out of syria and you very plainly called what happened in homs a slaughter house, what was going on there. the idea that the syrian regime is claiming the armed gangs slit the throats of women and children in homs, now that they control those neighborhoods once again, when you hear that, what do you think? i'm being told we're not hearing you on the air. i'm hearing paul in my ear. apologize for that. we'll try to get that technical problem fixed. for the u.n. to kind of still be paying lip service to the syrian regime's c

. >> coming out the meetings in damascus, valerie amos did not say much, but what she did say did not pull any punches. >> i was devastated by what i saw. excuse me. >> the un envoy was only able to visit the stricken quarter for 45 minutes, but it was clearly enough to impress on her the scale of the destruction wrought by nearly a month of bombardment. much of the superficial damage has been cleared away. the underlying devastation cannot be disguised. activists say many more were killed in summary executions after security forces moved in last week. one man who has had enough, the deputy oil minister, abdo hussameddin. he accused the regime of crushing the will of the people and taking the country to the brink of collapse. he issued a four-minute denunciation on you t. outube. >> i choose to join the voice of justice, knowing that will burn my house, persecute my family, and fabricate lies against me. i advise my colleagues and those who have remained silent for a year about the crimes of this regime to abandon this sinking ship. the blood of the murderers will not forgive those th

just yesterday you had valerie amos, the humanitarian coordinator, who had been eight waiting in beirut for days for a visa. finally she left. not only it bashar killing his people, butchering his people, but he's also trying to have the international community from having right response. it doesn't mean we aren't responding. unfortunately in today's world there are a lot of conflict situations around the world. there there are a lot of contacts with groups who we've

interestingly, after she met with the officials yesterday, valerie amos, the u.n.ress conference. in these situations, there will be a joint press conference if there are issues that have been agreed upon, and it seems to indicate there weren't any issues agreed upon. she was told by the foreign minister she could go wherever she wants in the country, but she hasn't been allowed so far -- according to her team, she hasn't been allowed into any opposition areas. exactly what is being discussed, we don't know. reports from activists today in the city of homs, the city that valerie amos, the u.n. representative, visited yesterday, that a family of 44 people have been found killed by government forces. we can't verify that, but what's what activists are telling us, carol. >> nic robertson reporting live from beirut for us. >>> indianapolis loses peyton manning. did you see the press conference? this guy has class. he could teach a class on class. we'll talk about his emotional farewell with sports radio host dan dockidge. ( whirring and crackling sounds ) man: assembly

let her into the country where the government has been fighting to crush a year-long uprising, valerie amos today did meet with the foreign minister in syria to talk about the situation on the ground, especially in towns like homs, and today at the state department, secretary of state hillary clinton who was joined by the polish foreign minister in washington was taking questions about syria and the latest developments. >> thank you, madam secretary. you talked about syria and increasing the pressure on the regime. beyond just increasing the pressure, can you talk about tangible ways that you're working on to help the opposition? specifically, secretary panetta had just told a congressional panel that you're looking to provide technical assistance and humanitarian assistance. if you flesh that out a little bit. and there has been a call by many senators to arm the opposition and get militarily involved. i'm wondering if you could -- do you feel a lot of pressure on the hill to do that? and if you could speak to whether that's in the offing. thank you. >> elise, we have pressure coming from

humanitarian chief valerie amos a visit into syria after repeated requests by the united nations syria deny. access but the security council is calling upon the syrian authorities to grant a most immediate and on injured access in addition a security council is urging the mask is to grant for and on impeded access of humanitarian personnel to all populations in syria in need of assistance now the fifteen member council in their statement also deplored the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country now according to the united nations more than it seventy five hundred syrians have been killed since the anti-government protests in syria began nearly one year ago as i mentioned this is the first presidential statement to come from the security council since early august two thousand and eleven and since then the security council has been deadlocked over how to approach the problem in syria several resolutions were voted on but we did see russia and china. vetoes two times because they were not prepared and still are not prepared for to support any kind of regime change in

just yesterday you had valerie amos, the u.n. under secretary, humanitarian coordinator hooshs had been waiting in beirut for days for a visa to go into syria. she finally left. it was clear syria was not going to give her a visa. nobel killing, butchering his people, also trying to prevent the community to respond. that doesn't mean we aren't responding. unfortunately in today's world there are a lot of conflict situations around the world, a lot of partners we've worked with conflict situations already so you can work with groups. wfp, others, a.i.d.s, office of foreign disaster assistance has a history of being able to work inside conflict areas through trusted partners to make sure our assistance is going to where it's directed but it's not easy. the big question is access and it goes back to senator menendez' question about the russians. this is one area the russians expressed a lot of concern as well as the humanitarian situation and we would like to see that russian concern that's stated on humanitarian to be translated in

humanitarian chief valerie amos was also allowed to visit baba amr, as she began a three-day missionsyria. in washington, pentagon leaders counseled caution over intervening militarily in syria. defense secretary leon panetta appeared at a senate hearing, and was challenged by republican john mccain of arizona. mccain has called for u.s. air strikes against the syrian military, and he pressed panetta on the issue. >> can you tell us how long... how much longer the killing would have to continue, how many additional civilian lives would have to be lost in order to convince you that the military measures of this kind that we are proposing necessary to end the killing and force to leave power, how many more have to die? 10,000 more? 20,000 more? >> before i recommend that we put our sons and daughters in uniform in harm's way, i've got to make very sure that we know what the mission is. i've got to... i've got to make very sure that we know whether we can achieve that mission, at what price and whether or not it'll make matters better or worse. >> sreenivasan: the chairman of the joint

humanitarian chief, valerie amos, told of seeing the shattered neighborhood, during a visit yesterday> the devastation there is significant. that part of homs is completely destroyed and i am concerned to know what has happened to the people who lived in that part of the city. >> reporter: meanwhile, tanks and soldiers patrolled in the southern city of daraa in a bid to repress the uprising that began there more than a year ago. but president assad's regime was dealt a new blow, with four more military officers defecting, plus the deputy oil minister. he was identified as the man in this online video, urging the end of an oppressive regime. >> ( translated ): this is why i have chosen to join the voice of righteousness, knowing that this regime will burn my home, persecute my family and come up with a lot of lies. i advise my colleagues who have been silent in the face of crimes for a year to abandon this sinking ship which is about to drown. >> suarez: and the chorus of syrian voices calling for action grew louder still with this march in al hasaka organized by women, on internationa

valerie amos visited homs wednesday. she entered the besieged area from the besieged arab red crescent. >>> western diplomats say that iran is trying to clean up something at its military base. inspectors believe the site may have been used to test triggers for nuclear bombs. >>> this is what a solar flair looks like up close. the flair erupted and was captured by scientists in this dramatic video by nasa. we should be feeling its effects today as radiation distorts the magnetic field possibly disrupting the gps signals. those are the headlines from cnn. i'm juanita raj paul. "world business today" starts now. >>> good morning from cnn london, i'm nina dos santos. >> and a very good afternoon from cnn hong kong, i'm andrew stevens. welcome to "world business today." the top stories this thursday, a boom town in the midst of devastation. we'll tell you about a japanese city doing brisk business as its neighbors struggle to rebuild. >>> the deadline for the greek debt swap is fast approaching. the signs so far are good as

first, valerie amos, just back from syria and camps across turkey. the syrian government insists and has insisted for a year with armed terrorist gangs that are responsible. from what you saw, does it make sense to you that armed terrorist gangs are capable of the destruction? >> they have been heavy fighting going on. any kind of opposition or armed gang would have had to have the considerable weapons at their disposal. >> you met with the foreign minister, members of the assad regime. how do they, in private, do they use the rhetoric of armed terrorist gangs? do they seem to believe that? >> all of the ministers that i met made it clear that the syrian government was fighting terrorism. they were fighting people who wanted to see regime change in the country and also made the point that they did not think there was significant humanitarian needs in the country. >> how can they say that there's not, you know, significant humanitarian needs in the country? we have seen with our own eyes the shelling of it. we have seen what independent reportered cal

i spoke earlier about it with valerie amos. desperately injured people there afraid to go to government run hospitals. there's little medicine. little food getting in. if the syrian regime refuses to allow the red crescent in, why should anyone believe that a week or two weeks from now, they're going to help you do an assessment of the needs of the people? won't a lot of the people be dead? >> my job is to keep trying. my job is to try as hard as we can to get the help to the people who need it. my job is not to give up. >> we'll have more of that interview the top of the hour. we'll also talk to a reporter who barely escaped. also, a tale of two campaigns. rick santorum and newt gingrich are battling it out in an alternative to mitt romney. we're joined by top advisers from both camps tonight on the've of a couple of important southern contests. >> see you in just a few moments. >>> imagine being punished for wearing a jeans and a t-shirt or beaten for sharing an innocent kiss with a boy after school. she says it was a reality

now, vallue valerie amos the human rights chief visited the neighborhood baba amad.said she was completely taken back by the sheer level of destruction and lack of people. she said she was wondering where it was all the families there would have fled. to video that emerged from the neighborhood right next to this neighborhood gives an idea of what it was that valerie amost would have seen. deserted area. every single building barg marks from bullets or artillery falling and no sign of humanity whatsoever. >> and arwa, inside syria reports the oil deputy minister is defecting. highest-ranking official to abandon the regime. let's listen to what he had to say. >> translator: i do not want to end my life servicing the crimes of this regime. you have inflicted on those you claim are your people a full year of sorrow and sadness. denied them their basic rights to life and humanity and pushed the country to the edge of the abyss. >> arwa, is this significant just one official? does it matter? >> reporter: this is an indication that the regime is beginning perhaps to fray o

the humanitarian chief, valerie amos, is welcome in syria but that her earlier request to visit the besieged cities and towns in that country was rejected because it was an "inappropriate time" for the syrian government. >> suarez: homs is a pretty big place, about a million people before all this started. has word been getting out on the condition of civilian there is? >> well, certainly red cross in both the arab red crescent and the i.c.r.c. are expected to evacuate many of the wounded who have been receiving quite rudimentary medical treatment if we are to see all of these amateur videos that have been posted on youtube. some of the dho are still in the cities say that they are... have been cleaning, washing and cutting up sacks of flour, basically, and using the fabric as bandages to try and tend to some of the wounds of these civilians and defectives who have come under constant bombardment now. they say for many of the wounded they can't do anything for them and that they're just treating them as well as they can given e circumances and tha they're running shorts on all sorts of suppl

humanitarian chief valerie amos is finally speaking out about her trip to baba amr, specifically the neighborhood of homs where she expressed shock and concern at the sheer level of destruction she saw and also wondering where it was that all the people went, where did all of the residents flee to because the streets she saw were you utterly deserted and almost every single building bearing the scars of bullet wounds or art tillry shells the government pounded on that neighborhood and on others, as well. activists are reporting that dozens of people have been killed across the country, but 44 of them in the city of homs alone. part of a summary execution that took place in the fields. this is the type of violence that so many are saying has to end. brooke? >> arwa, i know you spent several harrowing days reporting on the shelling from syria. we're working up a documentary for you airing this weekend. we're going to be talking about that tomorrow. we look forward to it here on cnn. got to get news just into us. mississippi supreme court has issued a ruling in a fight over former gover

aid chief valerie amos, she's in syria now trying to negotiate for the free passage to the hardest hit areas. but certainly there are no indications yet that this mission will be successful. >> clarissa, thank you. now from capitol hill, democratic senator john kerry. he is, as you know, chairman of the senate foreign relations committee. good morning, senator. >> good morning, charlie. >> senator, you have made a number of visits to syria before this crisis started. you know president assad well and had conversations with him. should we at this time follow the advice of senator mccain and engage in military strikes? is it that serious and is that the right thing to do? >> it is that serious. is that the right thing to do right now? i think not. you have to lay groundwork. the united states can't jump up one morning and saylet drop bombs on syrian tanks. there has to be a legal foundation and some understanding with the gulf states and the arab league and there also has to be a better understanding of exactly who you're helping and how you're helping them. i think it is imperative to h

finally yesterday they allowed in aid workers from the syrian arab red cross and valerie amos. she is in syria now trying to negotiate for the free passage of aid workers to the hardest hit areas. certainly there are no indications yet that this mission will be successful. >> clarissa. thank you. from capitol hill, democratic senator john kerry. he is chairman of the senate foreign relations committee. good morning, senator. >> good morning, charlie. >> senator, you have made a number of visits to syria before this crisis started. you know president assad well and have had conversations with him. should we at this time follow the advice of senator mccain and engage in military strikes? is it that serious and is that the right thing to do? >> well, is it that serious? it is that serious. that the right thing to do tomorrow or the next day? i think not. i think you have to lay some groundwork here. i mean, the united states can't just jump up one morning and say, okay, let's go drop some bombs on the syrian tanks. there has to be a legal foundation laid. there has to be some unde

s chief humanitarian representative, valerie amos, was there and she went into the town.upplies have been handed out to some of the people who have fled into neighboring villages. but we don't have a good analysis of how much is needed how much more is required in the future and what good it's doing because there aren't independent witnesses there that can tell us. >> nic, excellent reporting. obviously a lot of need. those people there inside of syria, aid that is desperately trying to get to those people as that fighting in that country is continuing. >>> brace yourself. i want you to see this. sun sending mighty powerful energy this way. we'll tell you what to expect from a solar flare. for their clients' futures. helping millions of americans retire on their terms. when they want. where they want. doing what they want. ameriprise. the strength of a leader in retirement planning. the heart of 10,000 advisors working with you one-to-one. together for your future. ♪ in here, the landscaping business grows with snow. to keep big winter jobs on track, at&t provided a mobil

and valerie amos just wrapped up her two day visit to the region including war torn homes where she saysg the syrian government for unhindered access to the wounded, something that has been denied thus far. >>> we are awaiting for mississippi's attorney general to speak, could be any minute. this is jim hood. he is suspected to discuss the mississippi supreme court decision yesterday we brought to ow breaking news around this time basically letting stand the more than 200 convict pardons granted by the state's former governor, governor haley barbour and that decision not sitting well with one victim calling it more politics than justice. >> the supreme court weighed in on the wrong side of the issue. i think they did what was politically easy for them rather than what was right for the people of mississippi. >> a bizarre accident in florida. here's what happened. an elderly woman, she was run over by her own car. this happened when she got out to pick up her mail. police say she simply forgot to put the car in park and a fire chief tried to help her but the car knocked him down, too. nei

valerie amos just wrapped up a two-day visit to that region including a war-torn home where hardly a soul can be found now. today she's asking the syrian government for unhindered access to the wounded, something they've denied so far. 62 more civilians have been reported killed in fighting today. the opposition says government forces are storming villages, killing soldiers who have defected and given the dangerous situation there it's hard to imagine why anyone would want to put themselves on the front line, but cnn arwa damon did just that. she was in homes reporting on the atrocities first hand. >> reporter: this has been completely trashed and the activists were telling us that the bombardment, they keep hearing it over and over again, the sounds of artillery falling and it's nothing compared to what they've been through before. but this was once an ordinary home and an ordinary family lives here and we don't know what their story was. there's just bits and pieces of their lives left behind including this children's toy. >> what happened -- >> this weekend learn what it's like to