Of consequence, david brooks on happiness, humility, and the road to character. So one of the things, they woodruff those are some of keep moving. Woodruff those are some of the stories were covering on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by lincoln financial committed to helping you take charge of your life and become youre own chief life officer. And with the ongoing support of these institutions and. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Woodruff cuba is being taken off the u. S. List of state sponsors of terrorism. President obama informed congress of his plan today. It takes effect in 45 days unless lawmakers vote to block it. Cubas been on the list since 1982, but its removal was expected as part of the diplomatic warming between the u. S. And cuba. The president met in washington today with iraqs Prime Minister haidar alabadi, and praised his efforts to fight Islamic State militants. The two discussed the military campaign, and the president said abadis efforts to gain support from sunnis, shiites and kurds alike, is critical to that effort. It sends a clear message that ultimately iraq is in control of its own destiny. Part of that means that those who process arms and have the ability to apply force to defend their country have to be under a single government. Woodruff the United States is backing the fight against isis with air strikes and military advisers. The president made no additional military commitments today. He did pledge 200 million in humanitarian aid. Alqaedas branch in yemen has announced that a u. S. Drone strike killed its top religious leader on sunday. Ibrahim alrubaish was a Saudi Arabian national. Hed been released from u. S. Detention at Guantanamo Bay in 2006, and joined al qaeda in yemen. He had a 5 million bounty on his head. The u. N. Security council imposed an arms embargo today against shiite Houthi Rebels in yemen. The council also demanded the rebels withdraw from the capital, sanaa, and other territory theyve seized. At the same time, iran said its preparing a fourpoint peace plan for yemen. But the yemeni ambassador to the u. N. Rejected any iranian role. We refuse the influence of tehran in our domestic affairs. We think that the houthis, if they want to be part of the solution, they are welcome. If they dont want to be part of the solution, they will be persecuted by international law, by national law, by all means of force that we have. Woodruff iran has denied it is supplying military aid to the rebels. But saudi arabia and other sunni nations are carrying out air strikes against the houthis. Woodruff in somalia, the islamist militant group, al shabaab, struck again today, killing at least ten people. Attackers stormed a government complex housing two ministries in the capital, mogadishu. They overran the compound after a suicide bomber blew up his vehicle at the gate. Security forces eventually recaptured the site, but at least 20 people were wounded. Back in this country, the city of chicago agreed to pay 5. 5 million to black victims of Police Torture in the 1970s and 80s. That follows revelations that a former detective and his subordinates forced confessions by using electric shocks suffocation and even mock executions. Victims lawyers say 120 people were tortured. Eight former educators in atlanta will serve one to seven years in prison, in a test cheating scandal that rocked the citys public schools. They were sentenced today. Two others received lighter sentences after accepting deals with prosecutors. District attorney paul howard said its a tragedy that most of the teachers rejected the deal and chose prison instead. Of course the right to reject it was certainly a right that each one of those defendants had and i certainly respect that right but i think the deals we offered or the recommendations were very reasonable. And i wish it had been something different. Woodruff all of the defendants were convicted of feeding test answers to students and even changing incorrect answers. Prosecutors said they were under intense pressure to meet testing targets. An unmanned Spacex Dragon spacecraft blasted off today headed for the International Space station. The supply ship launched from Cape Canaveral with a payload of groceries and other supplies. They included a specially designed espresso machine. Spacex hoped to salvage a booster from the launch by dropping it on a barge in the ocean, but it broke up on impact. On wall street, news of falling oil output in north dakota lifted oil prices, energy stocks, and the broader market. The Dow Jones Industrial average gained 60 points to close back above 18,000. The nasdaq fell 11 points. And the sandp 500 added three. And singer percy sledge, who gained fame for the classic soul ballad when a man loves a woman, died today. Hed been in hospice care in baton rouge, louisiana. That song became a number one hit in 1966 and sustained sledges career for years afterward. Here he is performing it in the 1960s. When a man loves a woman, he down deep in his soul he can bring her to him if she plays him for a fool, hes the last one to know lovin eyes cant ever see woodruff sledge had several other hits, and was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in 2005. At his death, percy sledge was 74 years old. Still to come on the newshour whats behind todays compromise on capitol hill; missing a year, the latest on the search for the abducted Nigerian School girls; using the power of gravity to draw electricity from Drinking Water; david brooks on building character; mapping what cant be seen in the universe; and iraqi americans reflect on their wartorn home. Woodruff now, a bipartisan breakthrough on capitol hill, to let Congress Vote on a final nuclear deal with iran. A compromise bill won Committee Approval today, 19 to nothing, and a president ial veto threat evaporated. Woodruff news of the compromise came as senators entered a briefing by secretary of state john kerry. Tennessee republican bob corker chairs the Senate Foreign relations committee. I believe congress should play a role in ensuring that all the details that need to be in place are there, and that on behalf of the American People, before the congressionally mandated sanctions are lifted that we on their behalf ensure that this is something that holds iran accountable, is enforceable, and certainly very transparent. Woodruff that was echoed by corkers opposite number on the committee, ranking democrat ben cardin of maryland. I think this is the right way for congress to take up this issue. I think this is congressional prerogative and were the ones who imposed the sanctions, were the ones who have to take it up for permanent changes. Woodruff under the compromise, congress will have 30 days to review a final nuclear deal with iran. If it disapproves the deal, the president gets 12 days to veto that action. Then, congress has ten days to try to override any veto. But, the congressional review period reverts to 60 days, if a final agreement with iran comes after july 9. Thats nine days past the negotiators deadline. Senate supporters have been working to make sure the measure would garner a vetoproof majority of 67 votes. But the white house suggested today a veto is no longer in the cards weve gone from a piece of legislation that the president would veto to a piece of legislation thats undergone substantial revision such that it is now in a form of a compromise that the president would be willing to sign. Woodruff that set the stage for this afternoons session of the Foreign Relations committee. While, in madrid, spain i think we are, in fact, close to an agreement. Woodruff irans foreign minister announced talks on the final deal will begin april 21st. But he insisted again on lifting the sanctions all at once something the u. S. Has rejected. Whatever happens inside the u. S. And however they want to spin it, all the sanctions economic and financial sanctions that have been imposed on iran by the un, by the e. U. And by the United States must go in the first stage. Woodruff all of which suggests negotiators still have a way to go, before theres any agreement for congress to review. For more, we are joined by republican senator jeff flake of arizona, a member of the Foreign Relations committee. Welcome to you, senator. You know, its so unusual to see any compromise at the capitol. How did this come about . You know it is. 190 vote, thats something thats quite odd now but this came as a result of a lot of work between bob corker and ben cardin and a number of people on the committee. So over the past several days theyve been working to try to make a bipartisan product. They did so. Woodruff well some of your republican colleagues had staked out some pretty tough positions on the Iran Nuclear Deal. Right. Woodruff they were asking for, among other things, compensation for the iranian hostages going back to the 1970s and 80s. They were asking for iran to recognize israels right to exist. What happened on that . Why did they back down . Well, i think we all recognize that these are legitimate issues that need to be addressed at some point but i think we came to the realization or at least agreed enough to put that off and to address that at another time and not part of this agreement. This Nuclear Agreement is too important. Woodruff i know you were among those who had been working to try to see something worked out. For example, you didnt sign that letter to the iranian leaders urging them against a deal a nuclear deal. Why do you think it got to this point . I interviewed secretary kerry last week. He said after all. He said the Senate Already has a vote on lifting any sanctions. Why was there the need for this additional role for congress . Well, this role is really related to the sanctions. What this legislation does is just spell out what we will do when the final agreement is submitted, and our role comes because of the sanctions. We impose them and only congress can lift the sanctions. So i think that this role really is because of the sanctions. And the fact that its coming now is just kind of setting up what happens after and if a final agreement is reached. Woodruff senator weve seen so much pushback on the part of many members of congress about this nuclear deal, a lot of criticism. How would you describe the atmosphere now . Do you think the tension is gone . Are the suspicions still there . How do you size it up . Well, there is justified scepticism about irans ability to abide by the terms of the deal once we see the deal. What the ayatollah said a couple days ago just reinforces that scepticism because he seems to have a different interpretation of the agreement than weve haired. So theres a lot of scepticism, but i think when we look at the alternatives, there are no good alternatives. So i think it behooves us to see whats in the final agreement and take it from there. Woodruff we know or we believe there are still going to be attempts on the senate floor to amend this, to make changes. What do you expect to happen . Yeah, the amendments everybody kind of agreed to put off whatever amendments werent part of the socalled managers amendment. So we didnt entertain any amendments today in the committee, but they probably will come on the floor but my guess is there will be a sufficient number of people who realize that we cant have those amendments if were going to have the final deal, and therefore well have votes on those amendment, but in the end the final bill will look pretty close to what it look like now. Woodruff so senator, what is your expectation, that there will be a deal that will come out of u. S. Iran negotiations by the end of june . You know, i think its. I dont know. I really dont. Every time i hope that theyre making progress you hear statements that make me think were stale long ways off. Ive been supportive of the negotiations being very sceptical that iran will agree to it. Whether they agree or not, this is an important process to go through. We have to make sure this International Coalition that weve maintained stays together, and if we need to impose tougher sanctions, those sanctions need to be multilateral. So its been important to go through this exercise even if it were not to lead to an ultimate agreement. Woodruff senator jeff flake, member of the Senate Foreign relailingses relations committee, we thank you. Thanks for having me on. Woodruff now lets turn to Margaret Warner and our political reporter lisa desjardins. Youve both been watching this all day long. Before that margaret what happened here . I asked senator flake that but he went from 48 hours ago the president was saying im going to vie to this to everybody saying, were all on board. It became apparent to the white house that even Many Democrats who support the diplomatic track saw this was a conditional prerogative. They imposed sanctions. They needed to have a role. So the white house was trying to push this watereddown verdicts saying after we get a deal you get to look at it and your viewing can be known. That would be meaningless because the president could waive those president ial sanctions. This bill forbids him from doing that. His hand is stayed for 30 days. Faced with the possibility you could have waves of defection, that would have left secretary kerry in a weaker position dealing with the iranian and they feel senator corker is someone they can do business. With you saw him very effectively corral all of these members including two president ial candidates on that committee, to all join in unanimously. It was quite a coup. Woodruff senator flake was marveling to me that they got all the members of the committee. Lisa, fill us in a little bit more about whats in this agreement, this compromise. There are a number of trig centers this bill, 30 day, ten days. Margaret was talking about this. If you want to talk big picture this deal gives Congress Just under two months to react to an iranian deal it doesnt like. They have two months to try and basically oppose it. Whats important here margaret also mentioned this, is you heard jeff flake say in the interview, only congress can roll back these congressional sanctions. Only congress can roll them back permanently. The president has power under the sanction law to roll them back temporarily. What this deal does, it freezes that. It says during this period of about two months when congress is reviewing the deal the president cannot roll back these sanctions. Iran wants him to, this says, no, you cant do it. Thats an important power for congress. It gives them the room the maneuver. Ultimately, though, if congress does get approval of the deal they will need a super majority to block it. Woodruff margaret does this mean the white house has given up some of its prerogative to congress . Yes and no. In other words, the president. A lot of the sanctions that robb is most upset about were imposed by the treasury. They have to do with irans access to the International Banking system. Congress had nothing to do with that. This bill does not prevent the president from rolling those back right away. It doesnt prevent the e. U. From rolling them back. You heard zarif talk about them. It doesnt say anything as i understand it about the white houses position about the u. N. Sanctions. I think the one thing it does it does somewhat tie secretary kerrys hands. He can now say to zarif, to his counterpart, look, the alternative was the prospect of a hugely disorderly process with members, republicans all the time coming up with new sanctions. Weve got a game plan now, a blueprint, and, you know were going to. If you want a good deal and you want to satisfy the congress, you might have to give a little more on centrifuges. So the white house doesnt buy that argument. They would have rather had nothing, but you heard some democrats making that point today. Woodruff lee Centennial Park its clear the president did some backing down on or the white house did. There was also some backing down on the part of republicans. Absolutely. Talking to republicans it was fascinating, judy because they kept saying, this is a difficult decision but a little bit of what jeff flake said, we felt we had no other option because the president could waive these sanctions without us. Woodruff the white house was making that argument all along. They felt this was their only chance to have a choice. It doesnt mean they can get the votes they need. They need 67 votes in the senate. Could get them, maybe not. But they like this because, judy, if they can get 67 votes that means its a bad deal. It sounds like for both of you, it sounds like senator corker had to do some real talking and i dont know arm twisting . What do you want to call it . Also incredibly reasonably every person, thank you so much for your input. Its been so valuable. Hes just been very cool and measured about it. He said, im just a businessman. I knew nothing about iran. One interesting distinction its not like a treaty where the burden is on the white house. You know, when you send up a international treaty, the senate can sit on it for years. You have to get 60 senators willing to bring it. Here, as one republican senator very upset about it was complaining, this isnt like a treaty. Weve got 30 days to make up our mind and otherwise if we dont disapprove, the president can just roll right on by us. So the white house, it sounds like a technical timing issue but it is quite important. Woodruff it sounds like at the same time it does give secretary kerry some legal room in negotiating . Absolutely. Both sides got something out of. This the white house wanted nothing, but at least they got a shorter time line and the white house importantly got a time frame for a congressional reaction. So if Congress Disapproves theres a veto back and forth. That could stay open forever. This says you only have this amount of time to ring in on this deal. Also republicans judy got a seat at the table n