i'm catherine kobiyashi in tokyo. >>> u.s. president obama says a russian proposal could be a potential breakthrough in the debate over a military strike on syria. russian foreign minister lavrov has urged syrian leaders to turn over their chemical weapons to international monitors. he said that might help them avoid military action. >> reporter: if the establishment of international control over chemical weapons in that country would allow avoiding strikes we would immediately start working with the syrian government. >> lavrov urged syrian leaders to join the prohibition of chemical weapons. he was with his syrian counterpart. he said members of his government welcomed the proposals. but he said they're concerned about the security of the syrian people. the united nations secretary-general is urging the syrians to transfer the chemical weapons to a safe place within the nation. he said then the weapons can be destroyed. >>> a chinese defense official has on firmed that an aircraft that threw near japanese air space belonged

i'm catherine kobiyashi in tokyo. thanks for joining us. captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: secretary of state john kerry met today with his russian counterpart in geneva, as both searched for a diplomatic solution to securing syria's chemical weapons. >> woodruff: also tonight, the remarkable life story of an internet genius, who was almost certainly the first victim of 9- 11, murdered as he tried to stop the hijackers on one of the planes to hit the world trade center.

i'm catherine kobiyashi in tokyo. >>> u.s.president obama says a russian proposal could be a potential breakthrough in the debate over a military strike on syria. russian foreignis

i'm catherine kobiyashi in tokyo. >>> syrian leaders seem to be taking steps to give up their chemical weapons. bashar al assad has endorsed a proposal. and he said his country is