Are here to analyze the weeks news. Those are just some of the stories were covering on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. And friends of the newshour. 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 ukraine pulled back from the brink, just a bit, today. The prorussian president reached agreement with pro western opposition leaders to limit his power and speed up elections. Protesters are supposed to disarm and withdraw, but its far from clear they will, after scores were killed and hundreds wounded this week. James mates of independent Television News filed this report. Independent square in kiev for once at a stand still. The only signs that chanting increased is the coffins of yesterdays dead hoisting up above the crowd. So many is making it extremely difficult for those who live to make it anything less than total victory. The deal that was signed today by a battle president yanukovych opposition leaders and two european Foreign Ministers is less than total victory. Its a compromise that will see a new constitution and fresh elections later this year. The Foreign Ministers of germany and poland shuttled to the site for almost 24 hours. Overheard warning the hard line protesters there will be terrible consequences if this didnt end. Warning from a man who himself had fled marshall law in poland in the early 80s. He later confirmed to me he had been deadly serious. You were overheard warning them of the possibility of marshall law. Is that a serious threat or even a possibility. The army could have been sent in. To my knowledge troops were being ready. Reporter do you realize the brink what youre saying. The reactionists within minutes of the agreement being signed. Reporter indeed the police were everywhere heading back to barracks. This morning they had ringed the countrys parliament. An hour or so later that was not a sign. And the only police near independent square today were a group of 40 who deserted their posts in the western city and traveled here to join the protests. Little wonder perhaps that some protest leaders have no time for compromise among the president both as to office and on trial. They go away from ukraine. There is not a president here. Reporter the sentiments you hear in over corner of the square. They dont seem to be about to return to their homes leaving behind them the shrines to their dead. There is a deal. The deal in my time bring this crises to an end but that is not a certainty. Woodruff later in the day, ukraines parliament voted for the release of former Prime MinisterYulia Tymoshenko from prison. Shes a major rival of president yanukovych. In washington, white house officials welcomed the turn of affairs and said president obama and russian president Vladimir Putin discussed the situation by phone. Well return to ukraine, right after the news summary. Woodruff in moscow, eight russians were convicted today of rioting at a 2012 protest against president putin. Opponents called it a show trial, and outside the courthouse, police waded into a crowd that had gathered in support of the protesters. More than 200 people were arrested and carried off to waiting buses. The judge postponed sentencing for the eight defendants until monday, after the Olympic Games conclude in sochi, russia. Woodruff as for the competition at the olympics, a spoiler alert, tune out for a moment, if you dont want to know the results just yet. In mens hockey, canada beat the u. S. , onenothing, and plays sweden on sunday, for the gold medal. Canadian men also won gold in the curling competition. And 18year old american Mikaela Shiffrin became the youngest ever goldmedallist in olympic slalom skiing. In somalia, the president ial palace came under attack today by islamist militants linked to alqaeda. A car bomb exploded at the compound in mogadishu, and al shabaab gunmen then opened fire on the guards. When it was over, the site was strewn with wreckage. But the security minister said the president was unharmed, and the militants were dead. translated the attack was carried out by nine men equipped with machine guns. Seven of the nine men were shot dead by the Security Forces after a brief face to face fight and the other two were driving the vehicles which exploded. Woodruff this was the latest in a series of recent attacks by alshabab. The group had been ousted from mogadishu in 2011. A federal judge has ruled the new York City Police departments surveillance of muslims in new jersey was legal. The n. Y. P. D. Was accused of spying on mosques, restaurants and schools in the state since 2002. The judge ruled the operation was a legal effort to prevent terrorism and did not violate civil rights. Arizona could become the first state to let Businesses Refuse Service to gays on religious grounds. State lawmakers approved it last night. Supporters cited the example of wedding photographers who decline to work at gay ceremonies. Gay rights advocates warned the bill amounts to a license to discriminate. Governor jan brewer has not indicated whether she will sign it. President obama held a private meeting with the dalai lama today, over strong objections from china. Beijing has accused the exiled tibetan spiritual leader of inciting violence in his quest for an independent tibet, a charge hes long denied. Today, the chinese denounced his white house visit. translated the dalai lama is a political exile who has long used the cloak of religion to engage in anti china, separatist activities. The meeting is a gross interference in chinas internal affairs and a serious violation of the norms of international relations. It will also seriously damage chinau. S. Relations. Woodruff the meeting was closed to the press and the dalai lama left later without speaking to reporters. The bankrupt city of detroit filed its plan today on how to restructure its 18 billion of debt. It calls for the plan is subject to approval by a federal bankruptcy judge. The nations railroads will adopt voluntary standards for hauling crude oil, after a series of deadly accidents. The Associated Press reports the industry has agreed on slower speeds for oil trains in major cities and increased inspections, among other things. The number of tanker cars carrying crude has risen 40fold since 2008. Mortgage giant Fannie Mae Reports its ready to finish paying back its entire federal bailout. The company will send a dividend of 7. 2 billion to the u. S. Treasury next month. Added to what its already paid, that will more than cover the 116 billion it received in 2008. Smaller sibling freddie mac has also fully repaid its bailout. The two agencies own or guarantee half of all u. S. Mortgages. On wall street today, the Dow Jones Industrial average lost almost 30 points to close at 16,103. The nasdaq fell four points to close at 4,263. For the week, the dow lost threetenths of a percent. The nasdaq rose half a percent. Still to come on the newshour what todays deal means for the upheaval in ukraine; two governors weigh in on whether states are as divided as washington is; the controversy over jailing teens in solitary confinement; shields and brooks on the weeks news; plus, what the Winter Olympics tell us about life in russia. Woodruff the potential breakthrough in ukraine today was lauded by leaders of the opposition, but protestors are still calling for the president to step down immediately. Jeffrey brown has more. Brown and joining us once again to look at todays peace deal is Adrian Karatnycky, a senior fellow at the atlantic council. Welcome back. So do we know first what finally forced this agreement . I think a panic on the part of mr. Yanukovych that he was losing control. And i think sort of a sense that his backing is collapsing. Yesterday the parliament had met and a clear majority including defectors from his ruling party signaled that, you know, the bottom had fallen out of his base of support within the ukrainian establishment. That part that supported him. So i think he was almost forced into this kind of a step. Brown earlier in the program some of the key elements here, earlier elections limit on president ial powers. How definitive are these, are these strictures at this point . Well, today the parliament had a vast majority with a veto proved majority returned to the 2004 constitution, which basically gives the president the right to appoint the foreign minister and the defense minister. For example the militia, head of the militia and police is appointed by the parliament. The government is shaped in effect by a coalition of Political Parties that shape the majority, and then deal among themselves for the distribution of many of these posts. Politics will be drifting away from mr. Yanukovychs pervoo view. Until a government is in place theres a lot of mischief and a lot of trouble and potentially theres still possibility of violence. Fundamentally power is driving from mr. Yanukovych. Even though theres talk about an election no later than december, i believe mr. Yanukovych will be gone in a matter of weeks, if not a matter of days. Brown of course as weve heard many of the demonstrators want him gone immediately. Theres still a lot of concern whether this agreement will hold for them or abide by it. Well, i think that they will. I think theres a lot of anger obviously after the terrible events of the last few days. But a bill was already tabled for mr. Yanukovychs impeachment. And given the fact that majorities and veto proof majorities have emerged in the parliament and the elite including many of mr. Yanukovychs former backers is working hand in glove with the opposition, suggests that the signals being sent that his future is not very secure, even through institutional means. So i think there will be, you know, once a new prosecutor general is appointed, are again not one that the president , the parliament can remove that the parliament approves. All these kinds of changes is going to put mr. Yanukovych in peril. There will be normal function of institutions. Meaning once theres a government, once theres a normal Prime Minister and a prosecutor general they will conduct investigators. Locals can also conduct investigations for others who have died in the regions and try to trace back where the orders were given. Which i think puts mr. Yanukovych as the ultimate person in charge of the power structures and the Police Ministries and the militia ministries puts him in peril under these investigations. So i think he will feel very uncomfortable. Today he left. His plane took off for Eastern Ukraine where a congress that is trying to stir up some degree of federalism is going to be meeting tomorrow and i believe hes heading to russia the next day. So i think hes either bargaining for his future or looking for some ability to fight back with a few cards in his hands. Brown i want to also ask you about the importance of the potential release of the former Prime Minister yulia tymochenko. Where does this play into all of this. That was another sign. That was another veto proof authority. It can be dragged out for 15 days. If the president doesnt sign bill it goes back for a revote in the parliament and if the 310 back it that law is changed and shes obligated then, the courts will be empowered to release her and obligated to release her because the charges under which she was sentenced have been decriminalized. Once she enters into the fray, i think theyll have a populist voice and i think it will be a little bit destabilizing. But i think theres kind of a maturity that is present there. A firmness, the chance used to be [indiscernible] which means con be gone, excon since he served prison as a young man. The new chance is death to the prisoner. So there is a call for a capital penalty, even though ukraine no longer has the death penalty. But theres rage out there in the public. And i think he is aware of that. Its been said that some of his valuable are being removed from his lavish residence north of kiev which has over 10,000 square, 100,000 square feet and these lavish ponds and lakes in which over 100 million has sunk. Valueables have been removed from his offices in the president ial administration. I dont even know if hes coming back. Reporter all right, Adrian Karatnycky of the council. Thank you once again. Thank you. Woodruff the nations governors have gathered in washington this week for their winter meeting. And with action in the Nations Capital stymied by partisan gridlock, many are looking to the states for solutions to the countrys challenges. For a sample of whats happening we are joined by two governors, Tennessee Republican bill haslam and illinois democrat pat quinn. Governors welcome to you both. People think with all the polarization in washington, the stay things must be a lot less polarized. I was reading a story in the Washington Post suggests that really whats in the states is what happened here in washington. Governor in red states go in one direction governor in blue states go in another. When he became governor five years ago there was a pragmatic approach of governors, whatever the party to solve problems whether its building roads or doing Early Childhood education. Those are fundamental things that everybody understands. I sure hope that keeps going, dont you think bill. I think what governors have in common is were forced to solve problem. Governors have to balance their budgets every year so they have to make some hard decisions. We have to provide real every day services to people with Mental Health issues or running prisons or billing roads. We live in a much more practical world that washington does. Woodruff lets talk to some areas they either Work Together or not. For example president obama urging the governors toert work at the federal level or the state level to raise the minimum wage. I know governor quinn, this is something thats important to you to get it up. How do you see that issue and Governor Haslam, how do you see that. Im ready to go. We have a minimum wage right now of 8. 25 which is higher than the federal by 1. And we want to get it over 10. I was with the president this morning and i think he looks forward working with states around the country to get this done. Even if congress doesnt act because theres a principle as oval as the bible. If you work 40 hours a week. If youre a mom or dad raising kids, you shouldnt have to live in poverty. I think this is a value issue. I think some of the republican governors need to take another look at this issue because we should raise the minimum wage. Its a fundamental issue for every day people. If you look the Congressional Budget Office says if you do that youre going to lose 500,000 jobs. You always have to look at the costs of an action like that. Will this make a dramatic difference in income inequity issue were talking about . I think it will make some but i think theres a lot of other issue that will make more difference and i think the president s focus on education, i think long term, will make more differences. Thats what youre seeing out of a lot governors. You have to address income equal is address speculation. We invest in Early Childhood education, making sure our Community Colleges are up to getting our Work Training going. But when you talk about the minimum wage, this is a5 its as old, i think, appropriate Francis Pope Francis talked about it. Theyre working hard jobs and i really feel that this is an issue thats going to be in our country all through this year. And our president s going to make sure everybody understands it. Woodruff do you see it having a chance in your state. I dont think theres a big movement. If you look again, im not certain that those are the families that the president s talking about addressing. I do think theres a lot, theres an issue to address. Income inequity is a fair issue, its a right one, im just not sure. Woodruff you were one of the folks in tennessee who was arguing very much against the United Auto Workers having a right to organize. That vote did not succeed. Does this really say that organized labor just is not going to be anywhere in the south despite the lower wages. No, absolutely not. Organized labor has been there. I think the workers actually at the end of the day got to vote on that. Its a valuable proposition there for themmor not. Volkswagon is providing great jobs. We put together and sent a package for them and theyre looking at expanding and theyre saying they want to keep their costs down so its an important piece. I think that was just clean rotten. That was wrong for the governor to interfere with the Union Election. We have ford, chrysler and mitsubishi which is organized with the United Auto Workers. All three of those companies, theyve grown enormously. Mitsubishi has a new product line. But for a governor to interfere with Union Election is just plain wrong. They dont think you were doing the right thing. The state is interesting. The other thing is volkswagon said to us what i costs to build a car and number two we want to attract a network closer. Neither of those will be easier. Suppliers everywhere said if it comes flat out well be a lot less interested. Our state, i have ford and i have chrysler and i have mitsubishi and all of them and their suppliers want to have the workers organized. They like to work with people who get a fair wage and decent fits. I think this is a value difference again, whether its the minimum wage or the right to organize an union. These are fu