Ifill and we begin a new series where poetry lives. Once upon a midnight dreary. Once upon a midnight dreary. Ifill Jeffrey Brown teams up with poet laureate Natasha Trethewey, to examine a program aimed at improving the lives of people with alzheimers disease. During the session earlier where gary said emma lazurus, you immediately said. Give me your tired and your poor, your huddled masses. Ifill good evening. Im gwen ifill. Woodruff and im judy woodruff. Those are just some of the stories were covering on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by moving our economy for 160 years. Bnsf, the engine that connects us. And by the alfred p. Sloan foundation. Supporting science, technology, and improved Economic Performance and Financial Literacy in the 21st century. And with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. 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 our lead story tonight, syrias president publicly agreed to ban chemical weapons and give up his stockpile, under a russian plan. But, bashar assad wants more time before sharing data on his arsenal. Hes also insisting the u. S. Give up on military action. Meanwhile, u. S. Secretary of state john kerry began talks with the russians. Well have more, right after the other news of the day. Ifill the interim president of egypt formally extended a National State of emergency today, for another two months. The countrys Prime Minister first previewed the move last night on the newshour. The state of emergency has allowed Security Forces to conduct a crackdown on islamist supporters of ousted president mohammed morsi. It turns out the u. S. National Security Agency routinely passes raw Surveillance Data to israel, containing details about american citizens. Londons Guardian Newspaper reported that today, based on still more documents from n. S. A. Leaker edward snowden. The story said a 2009 agreement with israel calls for safeguarding privacy rights, but there is no legally binding enforcement mechanism. Severe flooding in colorado killed at least three people early today. Heavy rain sent torrents blasting down mountainsides where recent wildfires had laid the ground bare. The downpour began overnight, dumping as much as six inches of rain in Boulder County alone over a 12hour timespan and triggering emergencies. Entire roads were washed out, cutting off mountain towns, and rescuers worked to free people trapped in cars. Boulder county sheriff joe pelle said its dangerous work. This is not your ordinary day, not ordinary disaster and all the preparation in the world, cant put people up those canyons while those walls of water and debris are coming down. Ifill also today, fire officials in Northern California reported damage is worse than first believed, in a wildfire about 150 miles north of sacramento. 68 homes have been destroyed, with one person killed. The fire is now 65 contained. A major fire erupted today in a new jersey town that was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy last year. Flames blazed across several blocks of the boardwalk in seaside park, after spreading from an ice cream store. Police said tar roofs and high winds fanned the fire and sent heavy smoke billowing down the beach. Foreclosures across the u. S. Were down substantially in august. The ltingisirm realtytrac says only 56,000 homes went into foreclosure. Thats the smallest number in nearly eight years. But, the company said, the risk of foreclosure mainrehigh in florida, nevada and ohio. Supporters of raising hourly pay to what they call a living wage encountered a setback today in washington d. C. Mayor vincent gray vetoed a bill that would have forced large retailers to pay employees at least 12. 50 an hour. He called it a job killer. The bill centered on walmart and its plans to build new Retail Stores in the nations capital. In business news, twitter has confirmed its going public. The Company Announced it today in a tweet. It gave no details. And on wall street, stocks gave a little ground. The Dow Jones Industrial average lost nearly 26 points to close at 15,300. The nasdaq fell nine points to close below 3,716. The voyager one spacecraft is now, officially, going where no manmade object has gone before. Nasa announced today that voyager has traveled beyond the suns influence, 36 years after its launch. As seen in this animation, the spacecraft actually made its exit in august of 2012, but scientists needed until now to confirm that its sailed into interstellar space. Still ahead on the newshour the u. S. And russia push for a diplomatic solution to syria; budget roadblocks and showdowns ahead in congress; yet another new way to watch t. V. Online; the remarkable life and death of 9 11s first victim and a poetic way to cope with alzheimers. Woodruff now, we delve fully into the syria story. The diplomatic dance intensified today with damascus endorsing a global ban on poison gas, and the u. S. Pressing for a verifiable plan. The announcement came from syrian president bashar assad, on russian state t. V. his government is formally applying to join the International Convention on chemical weapons. translated of course in syria will send an appeal to the United Nations and to the organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons, and this after this the work which will in the end lead to the signing of the convention and the ban of chemical weapons will start. Woodruff officials at the u. N. Confirmed receiving the application document from damascus. Assad also said hes willing to hand over his chemical arsenal to outside control, under a russian proposal with one key condition. translated it should be a twosided process, and its aimed first of all at stopping the u. S. From threatening syria, and it also depends on how when we see that the u. S. Really wants stability in our region and will stop threatening and aiming to attack, and stop supplying weapons to terrorists, then we will consider the process can be brought to the final stage. Woodruff but in geneva, u. S. Secretary of state john kerry gave no sign that condition would be acceptable. President obama has made clear that should diplomacy fail, force might be necessary to deter and degrade assads capacity to deliver these weapons. Woodruff kerry also dismissed assads offer, which the syrian leader called standard process, to wait 30 days after signing the convention to submit chemical weapons information. There is nothing standard about this process. The words of the Syrian Regime in our judgment are not enough. Woodruff the secretary of state is in geneva, for at least two days of talks with his russian counterpart, sergey lavrov, on how to secure and destroy syrias vast chemical weapons stockpiles. The u. S. Goal to gauge just how credible russias proposal is. This is not a game and i said that to my friend sergey when we talked about it initially. It has to be real. It has to be comprehensive. It has to be verifiable. It has to be credible. It has to be timely and implemented in a timely fashion. And finally, there ought to be consequences if it doesnt take place. Woodruff in washington, president obama said he was optimistic about kerrys diplomatic efforts abroad. I am hopeful that the discussions that secretary kerry has with foreign minister lavrov as well as some of the other players in this can yield a concrete result. Woodruff at the same time, russian president Vladimir Putin aired his own views in the New York Times on the web and in the paper. He wrote woodruff meanwhile, in syria, the civil war raged on. New amateur video out today showed victims of aerial bombing, filling a hospital at a rebel stronghold in the north, near aleppo. The rebels have been pleading for u. S. Weapons, and the Washington Post reported that after months of delays, the c. I. A. Began shipping them light arms and other munitions over the past two weeks. That was disputed by general salim idris, who commands the main rebel faction. He told npr that u. S. Assistance has been limited to food and medical materials, as well as flak jackets and communications gear. So, can the u. S. And russia who have been at loggerheads for years over syria come to an agreement . For answers, im joined by angela stent director of the center for eurasian, russian and east European Studies at georgetown university. She has served in the state department and at the National Intelligence council. And Andranik Migranyan is the director of the institute for democracy and cooperation, a Nongovernmental Organization that has close ties to russias leadership. Welcome to you both to both to the newshour. Angela stent to you first. Why are the russians deciding to get involved in this after all these years . I think president putin has seen a major opportunity. For 20 years russia has complained or tried to block what the u. S. Did, or went along and said they didnt have an opportunity to shaipt agenda. They have an opportunity now. Theres division in the u. S. The president has hesitated about what to do. Russia does have a special relationship with president assad. And i welcome the fact that theyve now tried to take the initiative, and find some solution to this awful legislation. Woodruff Andranik Migranyan, so its just taking advantage of a window of opportunity . No, i dont think so. We have another perception. Yesterday, the wall street journal published information that a year ago, during the summit of g20 put the problem of Syrian Chemical Weapons and purported the idea to put the weapons under international control. Even in april, when kerry visited moscow, they raised this question together with lavrov, but, unfortunately, at that time, president obama already said assad has to go. Thats why they didnt pick this opportunity. Otherwise, a year ago, this process could start. And, unfortunately, if americans at that time agreed with russians, they had to legitimize assads power in syria because you cant put under control chemical weapons if you dont talk to the acting president. And this is the sad reality, which means russias position always was constructive. Woodruff lets come back to angela stent. His version is the russians have been trying to do something here for years and the u. S. Just hasnt taken advantage of it. Well, i dont really think that i wouldnt share that view. This is woodruff just a moment. I wouldnt share that strew. This is yesterdays wall street journal publication. The russians from the beginning have notmented to see assad go and they believed he could prevail. And maybe theyre right. Maybe he will prevail. So theyve been very reluct of luctant to do anything to undermine his position there. I think weve now gotten to the point that chemical weapons have been used even though president putin said in the article it was the rebels, the opposition that used them, not the u. S. Were in a position where they realize something has to be done. They would still like to keep assad in power and the way to do this is to do away with the chemical weapons issue while they still provide conventional weapons to syria, of course. Woodruff what does russia want to see happen in syria . Russias position is constant. Russias position is putin is not stuck with assad, and today he repeated that in his article. Lavrov several times said about that, russia was in favor of negotiating settlement when both sides involved in the conflict could participate in this negotiations. But, you know, again, american position and western position was assad has to go. But, listen, assad enjoyed large support over the population over there. Large support of ethnic and religious minorities. He enjoyed the support of his large army. Somebody had to represent this group of people. You can say just go. Who is coming next . This is russias position. Thats why russia was very constructive in the sense because americans showed a very bad Credit History within this region because their involve independent iraq was disaster. Involve in libya was disaster. Involvement in egypt was disaster thats why this is the time to listen to moscow not to the United States, but just follow woodruff i hear the message, and i hear your message, and i want to give miss stent a chance to respond. Well, we are listening to moscow. So you know, we had insisted before that we thought assad had to go before you could have any solution. Its clear that at the moment, thats not going to happen. I mean, obviously, the United States has had to modify its position there because of events on the ground and because russia has blocked any u. N. Resolution to anything that would in fact enable one to talk about a transition away from assad. And i think in the end, maybe we and the russians dont share such a different view of what we would like to happen in syria eventually, which is a stable government not controlled by extremists. The problem is how you get there, and this may be a first step toward getting there but we do have to wait and see how this is going to pan out. Woodruff if thats the case, if the goal is the same, why havent the two sides been able to get together do you think . I think it has to do with assad himself wa diagnosis of what is the problem and i think with the russian concern, which mr. Putin expressed in the article and what mr. Migranyan is expressing, what comes afterred and the fear that extremist elements will come to power and threaten the region and russian itself. Woodruff mr. Migranyan, do you accept the idea that what the u. S. And russia want ultimately in syria is a stable country and so maybe the interest is shared. Its just there thats different . Thats true and i absolutely knows better the on thinks whats next . Because a criuntry is in ruins. Washington demanded mubarak goes and the country is in chaos. And thats why one must be very cautious making statements which is then hard to play back. Thats the reality. Woodruff mr. Migranyan, what do you think the prospects are that the two sides will come together, that mr. Kerry, mr. Lavrov, the u. S. And russia will be able to come to some agreement that will actually manage to separate the syrians from their chemical weapons . I think that if congress will be determined not to give authority to president to strike against syria in this case, we can have a success in diplomatic area. Otherwise, if i am afraid and i dare to say if obama enjoyed the support of congress, he could ignore Security Council as that happened with reagan, with clinton, with bush jr. , and could unilaterally act against assad because he once said he is causincause crossing the red li. Fortunately, congress is making more sober policy. Woodruff angela stent, it sounds as if he is saying if the threat of military force is taken off the table maybe they can come together. How do you see it . I think the prospects at the moment, lets be optimistic, but its a question of timing. How long is it going to take, first of all, for syria to sign this convention, then to allow to show where its chemical weapons stockpiles are and there to start getting rid of them. And one can foresee a situation, a scenario where this could keep drag out, and at some point the president has made it clear that he would act, Even Without Congress support. He made that clear in his speech. And then i think its a serious question can you center a u. N. Resolution that doesnt have some sanction against assad. If you dont say if he doesnt comply with this the threat of force is always there. If russia doesnt agree with that, how much pledge do you have . I think we have to sit back and see what mr. Kerry and mr. Lavrov can accomplish but i think timing is going to be the major question. Woodruff we hear you both, angela stent, Andranik Migranyan, thank you. Ifill we turn now to capitol hill, where intraparty fights over health care could force another round of showdowns and setbacks on the budget. Without an agreement, the federal government could shut down in less than three weeks. Theres all this speculation about. About these deadlines that are coming up. Im well aware of the deadlines and so are my colleagues. Ifill the first of the deadlines hanging over House Speaker john boehner and the rest of congress arrives october first, at the start of the new fiscal year. Thats when lawmakers have to approve major spending bills, or risk shutting the federal government down. But a core group of house republicans, spurred on by tea party activists, are insisting that funding for the Health Care Law now universally nicknamed obamacare be cut first. Weve got to send a message from all across america to members in the house and the senate and particularly to the leadership were not going to put up with funding obamacare. Weve got to get rid of it and this is our last best chance. cheers ifill in one showdown this week, Tea Party Republicans refused to support a temporary spending proposal that would have allowed the senate to restore obamacare. Still, boehner said today hes confidengree ant can be reached. Were working with our colleagues to work our way through these issues. I think theres a way to get there. Im going to be continuing to work with my fellow leaders and our members to address those concerns. Ifill but time is short, so House Majority leader eric cantor announced congressional recess scheduled for later this month may not happen. Members are advised that pending ongoing discussions on the continuing resolution, the house may need to be in session during the week of september 23 and possibly into the weekend. Ifill democrats say r