That makes it unlikely these fukushima flounder will be deemed safe enough to catch and sell anytime soon. Ifill and, a look at tainted waters here in the u. S. One of the countrys largest coal producers gets slapped with penalties in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and ordered to clean up waterways in five different states. Woodruff those are just some of the stories were covering on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by 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. Ifill the push for a peaceful resolution in ukraine stalled again today. When all was said and done, it remained unclear if or when russia might reconsider its actions in the crimean region. Ifill paris was the focal point for todays diplomacy, but negotiators came away with little to show for their efforts. Secretary of state john kerry met with his counterparts from russia, britain, france and germany. The session was brief with no breakthroughs. Kerry said the meetings were constructive, and that no one is served by further confrontation. We agreed to continue these intense discuss in coming days with russia, with ukrainians, in order to see who we can help normalize, stabilize and overcome this crisis. Ifill but Russian Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov gave no indication, before or after the paris meeting, that moscow would pull back in crimea. Instead, he insisted, again, that the troops occupying much of the region are not russian, but local. translated regarding the selfdefense forces created by the people of crimea, we do not have any power over them, they do not listen to our orders. Ifill lavrov also declined to meet with ukraines acting foreign minister. He said there would be further discussions in days to come. Meanwhile, in crimea itself, u. N. Special envoy robert serry was forced to abandon his mission there after his car was surrounded and he was threatened by a prorussian crowd. New trouble cropped up elsewhere as well. Prorussian activists stormed and retook a government building in the eastern city of donetsk, only hours after being ejected. Theres been no talk of any American Military action in ukraine, but defense secretary chuck hagel told a Senate Hearing that the pentagon is taking other steps. I earlier this week directed the d. O. D. To suspend all military to military engagements and exercises with russia. Also this morning the dod is pursuing measures to support our allies, including stepping up joint training through our aviation detachment in poland. And augmenting our participation in n. A. T. O. s air policing mission in the balkan peninsula. Ifill the head of n. A. T. O. Said the alliance also decided to suspend most of its meetings with russian officials, and review all of its cooperation with moscow. On the economic front, Prime Minister arseniy yatsenyuk, in kiev, talked up prospects of immediate Financial Aid from the west. A good gesture made by the United States government to support the state of ukraine with one billion dollars of guarantees is a first sign that ukraine could be back on track in terms of economic stability. But we need to move further and we strongly believe that our European Partners would provide a package of economic and Financial Aid to ukraine too. Ifill the European Union confirmed it, saying a 15 billion package over two years is in the works. Thats the same amount that now deposed ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych accepted from russia in november. For his part, russian president Vladmir Putin said today theres no reason to damage economic ties between his country and the rest of the world. translated we see a certain political tension, but it should not influence our current economic cooperation. There is no need to create additional problems for anyone. Reporter despite putins plea, european leaders have given russia until tomorrow to leave crimea or face sanctions. Ifill back in this country, researchers report a second baby born with h. I. V. Has been successfully treated. The announcement came today at an aids conference in boston. The baby girl, born in california, was treated with a drug combination almost immediately after birth. She is now nine months old and free of the virus. The same treatment previously worked on a baby born in mississippi. Ifill americans who like their existing Health Insurance coverage may get to keep it another two years. That would extend a transition first announced last fall after millions had their policies canceled under the president S Health Care law. Now, Administration Officials say the extensions will be valid to october first of 2016, even if the policies dont meet new requirements for coverage. Ifill president obamas nominee to lead the Civil Rights Division at the Justice Department was blocked today. Debo adegbile fell well short in a senate test vote, with seven democrats joining republicans in opposition. They criticized adegbiles work at the n. A. A. C. P. Legal defense fund, which represented mumia abujamal, who in 1981 was convicted of killing a philadelphia policeman. Senate minority leader mitch mcconnell. I think this particular nominee would likely not have been nominated at all but for the majority leader breaking the rules of the senate last november to change the rules of the senate, thereby lowering the threshold. This nominee, however, was so unfit for the position to which hes been nominated that even seven democrats couldnt support it. Ifill president obama called the senate vote a travesty. And the senates democratic majority leader, harry reid, said the nominee was treated unfairly. This man did not enter a courtroom for the murderer. He didnt write a single word of any of the briefs on behalf of the murderer. He worked at the naacp. It wasnt his brief. The cost of the success appeared uncertain at best. Homeowners in floodprone areas may soon get relief from higher ifill homeowners in flood prone areas may soon get relief from higher premiums for federal flood insurance. The house voted overwhelmingly last night to undo the increases. They were imposed under a 2012 law to help the program tackle its 24 billion debt. The house measure now has to be reconciled with a similar bill that passed the senate. Ifill a leading coal producer agreed today to pay a 27 million fine and spend another 200 million to reduce toxic discharges. The settlement involves Alpha Natural Resources and its operations in kentucky, pennsylvania, tennessee, virginia and West Virginia. Its largest fine ever for Water Pollution violations. Well have more on the penalty later in the program. In texas, republicans and democrats have chosen their nominees for governor in a closely watched race. Attorney general greg abbott secured the g. O. P. Nomination in a tuesday primary, while democrats chose state senator wendy davis. Theyll face off in november. Ifill israel seized a ship in the red sea today and said it carried advanced rockets intended for Palestinian Militants in gaza. The naval raid happened in international waters, about a thousand miles off eilat on the israeli coast. The rockets were found aboard a ship flying the panamanian flag. Israels military said they were made in syria and smuggled by iran. Traveling in los angeles, israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu said its shows iran cannot be trusted, especially in Ongoing Nuclear talks. These weapons were going to be used against israel. The entire operation, this clandestine operation was organized by iran. While iran is conducting these talks, smiling to the International Community it continues to arm terrorist groups continues to perpetrate terrorism around the world. Ifill iran denied any involvement. And a spokesman for hamas, the militant group ruling gaza, denied the rockets were bound for its territory. translated this zionist tale is a silly claim and a futile fabrication aimed at justifying the blockade on the gaza strip, as if there was a port with ships that come and go from gaza. In actuality, the strip is blockaded and they are talking about a ship that was found in the red sea thousands of miles away. This is a big lie. Ifill in washington, the state Department Said the u. S. Worked closely with the israelis as they planned the raid, and agreed to let them take the lead. Meanwhile, iran claimed it now has missiles with multiple warheads. Four types of Ballistic Missiles were displayed today. The defense minister said two of them have multiple warheads, boosting their destructive power. Some of irans missiles are believed to have a 1200mile range, capable of reaching much of the middle east. U. N. Human rights investigators charged today that all sides in syrias civil war are committing war crimes by shelling and starving civilians. The investigators blamed the major powers for not acting to rein in the warring parties. And, they called again for the Un Security Council to refer the worst violations to the International Criminal court. Pakistan has restarted peace talks with the taliban. The two sides met today for the first time in three weeks after the Pakistani Taliban announced a onemonth ceasefire. Prime minister nawaz sharif has pushed for negotiations since he took office last year, but theyve proceeded in fits and starts. The World Health Organization is recommending that daily consumption of sugar be cut in half, amounting to just five percent of your total calories. The w. H. O. Found higher sugar consumption is strongly tied to obesity, tooth decay and a number of chronic diseases. Ifill on wall street today, the Dow Jones Industrial average lost more than 35 points to close at 16,360. The nasdaq rose six points to close near 4,358. And the standard and poors 500 finished down a fraction, at 1,873. Still to come on the newshour major changes to the s. A. T. ; how fish are faring in the waters around fukushima; trouble for journalists, in egypt and elsewhere; plus, the largest penalty ever for a coal company polluting u. S. Waterways. Woodruff the s. A. T, long a subject of great debate, is about to undergo some big changes. The College Board, which administers the exam, announced a partial overhaul that will take effect in the spring of 2016. The changes include there will be new fee waivers for lowerincome students too. College board president David Coleman said he was concerned the s. A. T. , and the costly testing mania surrounding it, was putting an even bigger burden on disadvantaged students. We must confront the inequalities that now surround assessment such as costly Test Preparation. There is time for the College Board to say in a clear voice, the culture and practice of Test Preparation that now surrounds admissions exams drives the perception of inequality and injustice in our country. Reporter for woodruff fk at the changes and the reason behind it, we turn to special correspondent for education, john merrow. John, welcome to the program. First of all, how big a deal is this that theyre making these changes . I think its a big deal. The changes you mentioned, students will applaud several of them getting rid of the obscure vocabulary words, using propitious in favor of selfdeprecating. They will be in favor of that. They will be in favor of getting rid of the penalty for guessing and getting rid of the mandatory essay. The older folks will like going back to 1600 instead of 2400. Theres a search Comfort Level with the number 1600. Its kind of like the new coke, that was an experiment that didnt work. And i think everyone will applaud the fee waiver for certain lowincome students to make it easier for them to use the s. A. T. Reporter so when the president of the College Board said he saw among other things the test should offer worthy challenges not artificial obstacles, what was he saying . Well, i think he wants to make the test more relevant, to make the s. A. T. More relevant. In the questions, the language part of it, the students will be reading source documents a letter and asked to make judgments and find evidence. So thats not going to be susceptible to test prep. Whether it turns out that way, i would suspend judgment on that. Reporter is it possible to say by looking at these changes whats going to be tested in each student . Well, what mr. Coleman wants is that this will connect more closely to the high school curriculum, which is, of course, itself being changed. And in the clip you played and the other parts of his speech, he went after test prep, saying that this is a source of inequality, that wealthy families can pay for test prep and that gives them an unfair advantage. And you didnt mention that theres an alliance formed with salcon, the founder of the conn academy, that would have free prep lessons so people wont have to spend all that money to get ready for the s. A. T. , thats his hope. Im a little skeptical about that. If he was trying to drive a stake through the heart to have the test prep industry, good luck with that. Theyre smart people and i predict their business will actually improve because theyll be able to say, hey, theres a new s. A. T. , we can help you get ready for it. Reporter when he says hes concerned about inequality, the fact that students who are disadvantaged have been students who come from a lowincome background, for example, may be disadvantaged, do you see these changes addressing that . It may be that the different content of the s. A. T. Will work to the advantage of students who tend to business, who do their work, and that shouldnt be determined by your income level. This test has almost always been a better predictor of your parents income and education than of how well you might do as a freshman, he acknowledges that. I think whats happening part of whats happening here is that the College Board is paying attention to market share. Now, its a direct competitor of another test called the a. C. T. And just two years ago the a. C. T. Surpassed the s. A. T. More kids took the s. A. T a. C. T. E s. A. T. And this matters because theyre both businesses. Just like restaurants, they need customers. Even more upsetting, i think, for the s. A. T. Is that a number of students have embraced the a. C. T. Kentucky will use the a. C. T. As a measure of school quality. I dont that any state uses the s. A. T. Perhaps. There are 13 to 14 states now rely on the a. C. T. , and that has to be a little scary for the folks at the s. A. T. So i think, you know, thats part of whats driving this. Theyre losing market share. Reporter and remind us in woodruff and remind us in thumbnail a, what is the difference between two two tests . Well, the a. C. T. Has a science section, the s. A. T. Does not. The a. C. T. Is much more aligned with high school curriculum, more of an achievement test. S. A. T. , what does the a. Stand for . At one point the scholastic aptitude, then the scholastic achievement test. Some say its scholastic advantage test. Its now known as the s. A. T. Just like k. F. C. Used to be kentucky fried chicken. I think the a. C. T. Is seen by more people as being a more reliable test and mr. Coleman is moving aggressively to counteract that. Woodruff you started out by making a distinction between how students will see this and how some adults will see it and, finally, if youre a student and if youre a parent or an educator, how do you view what do you make of this change . Well, you know, the other part of this, judy, is that about 800 colleges no longer require either of these tests. So thats another factor in whats going on here. Mr. Coleman is moving to say this s. A. T. Matters. The market share to have the a. C. T. And 800plus colleges require neither the a. C. T. Nor the s. A. T. , hes moving aggressively to make that happen. I talked to nick lemon who knows more about this than just about anyone and he said, on balance, these are positive changes, these are a good thing. Well see. I kind of like using words like propitious, but it shouldnt be a guessing game that you study for. So using words that we use in the real world, that makes a lot of sense. I think probably nick lemon is right, a lot of these changes are good, but dont forget, the underlying motive, i think, is the market share a market share one. Woodruff special correspondent for education, thank you. Thank you, judy. Woodruff now, the second of a threepart series on the impact of the meltdown at the Fukushima Nuclear power plant in japan. Tonight, we look at questions about the safety of fishing in the region, now and in the future. Newshour science correspondent miles obrien traveled there recently and has the story. Reporter as brisk winter mornings go, this was a fine one to go fishing. Steamed out of the port of japan. Our captain was a fourthgeneration fisherman his son is a at the helm. The predecessors in the Family Business never went on an expedition like this one. We cannot eat the fish we catch, he told me. All fish must be released. We are allowed to fish on