PBS NewsHour

The Crimean Parliament announced a referendum on whether the region should join Russia or remain part of Ukraine, but the newly formed government in Kiev pushed back, calling it illegal. President Obama criticized the upcoming vote and took action to restrict visas and place financial sanctions on Russians behind the Ukraine invasion. Hari Sreenivasan reports.

In the largest fine ever for water pollution permit violations, Alpha Natural Resources, one of the largest coal producers in the nation, agreed to pay $27 million in fines and spend another $200 million to clean up its toxic discharges in five Appalachian states. Gwen Ifill talks to Dina Cappiello of The Associated Press to discuss the EPA settlement.

Egypt’s arrest and trial of three Al-Jazeera journalists, charged with assisting the Muslim Brotherhood, has prompted outcry around the world. The case helps highlight growing dangers to journalists worldwide, especially in countries caught in war or turmoil. In 2013, 119 members of the press died while on assignment. Alison Bethel McKenzie of the International Press Institute and David Rohde of Reuters join Jeffrey Brown to discuss the hazards.

The trial for three journalists who work for the Al-Jazeera network continued in Cairo. Mohamed Fahmy, Baher Mohamed and Peter Greste are accused of endangering Egyptian national security by assisting the Muslim Brotherhood, a charge denied by their families and Al-Jazeera. Jeffrey Brown reports on the global response to their arrest and imprisonment.

With help from fisherman and citizen scientists, researchers in Japan and the U.S. are tracking the nucleotides in the ocean creatures who swim in the plume of water tainted with radiation from Fukushima. Their research is part of a long-term effort to figure out when — if ever — certain fish will be safe to eat. Science correspondent Miles O’Brien reports.

The College Board announced a partial overhaul of the SAT, slated to take effect in the spring of 2016, which will eliminate the mandatory essay, revert to a top score of 1600 and create new fee waivers for lower-income students, among other changes. Judy Woodruff turns to special correspondent for education John Merrow to examine the measures and what they mean for students.

In our news wrap Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry met with Russian and European counterparts to discuss peace in Ukraine. Meanwhile, pro-Russian activists re-claimed a government building in Eastern Ukraine and a UN special envoy abandoned his mission in Crimea after being threatened. Also, in the U.S., researchers report a second baby born with HIV has been successfully treated.

In Oakland, not far from Silicon Valley, a small group of teenagers are glued to their computer screens, learning a new language. The Hidden Genius Project is a small non-profit that’s working to teach computer coding to young African-American men and bring them into the high tech sector -- one of the few parts of the economy that’s booming and aching for diversity. Aarti Shahani of KQED reports.

Roughly 18 out of every 100,000 Army soldiers commit suicide every year, while many more attempt or consider killing themselves. A new study on the rise in suicides found that 1 in 10 soldiers could be diagnosed for an anger impulse control disorder. Jeffrey Brown talked to Dr. Ronald Kessler of Harvard Medical School about how pre-existing mental illness may make soldiers more vulnerable.

President Obama’s 2015 budget proposal includes new spending for preschool, job training and public works and would expand the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-wage workers. Judy Woodruff talks to Robert Greenstein from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and James Capretta from the Ethics and Public Policy Center about whether measures meant to narrow the economic gap would be effective.

Chief foreign correspondent Margaret Warner offers background on possible diplomatic steps for the U.S. on the Crimea crisis, then Judy Woodruff talks to John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago and Amy Knight, author of "How the Cold War Began," about how far the U.S. is prepared to push Russia out of Ukraine and who is to blame for the conflict.

In our news wrap Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the U.S. and the world to not allow Iran to proceed with any part of its nuclear program in remarks during a visit to Washington. Also, the court martial began for Brigadier General Jeffrey A. Sinclair, who is being tried on charges of sexual assault. Sinclair is believed to be the most senior U.S. officer ever to face trial for sexual assault.

Speaking out for the first time since effectively taking over Crimea, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that region is gradually stabilizing, but he reserved the right to use force to protect ethnic Russians there. Meanwhile, Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to Kiev to pay tribute to protesters and announce a $1 billion aid package for the new government. Judy Woodruff reports.

How damaging is Russia’s recent activity in Crimea to Russia’s long-term relationship with the West? Is the current tension adding momentum toward “a new Cold War divide?" Gwen Ifill gets two views from Stephen Cohen of New York University and Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia on the build up to Russia sending troops into Ukraine and how the U.S. should react.

At Cesar Chavez Academy in East Palo Alto, Calif., 7th graders are learning yoga as a way to cope with the stress of life in a community rife with homelessness, shootings and gang war trauma. By teaching these children to pay close attention to their breathing and movements, Stanford University researchers are hoping they will focus better in school and beyond. Jeffrey Brown reports.