on this saturday night, escalating crisis, putin i on this saturday night, escalating crisis, putin is stepping closer to sending russian troops into ukraine, and putting washington and moscow on a diplomatic course. march madness, a massive storm triggers mudslides, tornado warnings and evacuations, proving too much for drought-stricken california to handle. now it moves east and delivers crippling snow and ice and more arctic temperatures. without warning, an avalanche roars inside a neighborhood and buries people inside one home. and the bible on the big screen. will the faithful prove to be a

box office blessing for a new film? good evening, we begin with major developments in the crisis in ukraine which tonight is quickly developing into a testy showdown between the u.s. and russia. within the last few hours, president obama and russia's president putin spoke about the crisis by telephone hours after the russian parliament gave putin the okay to send troops into the ukraine. tonight the white house is warning the kremlin against what it calls the continuing violation of international law in ukraine, saying it will lead to greater political economic isolation. earlier the security team met to discuss u.s. options in a rare saturday session. while in ukraine itself there were growing signs that russia has already taken control over the crimea region.

we have full coverage of today's fast-moving developments beginning with our bill neely in crimea. good evening, bill. >> reporter: yes, the crisis here in crimea is deepening, lester, so too, are worries about an imminent russian takeover. ukraine is certainly worried. its acting president has put its army on combat alert. russian boots on the ground in ukraine. they're hiding their identities, their uniforms are not marked. but they're in crimea to protect russia's interests. they have a naval base manned by thousands but many are now off base and in the streets right behind the russian speaking majority here, and there may be more, many more on the way. russia's parliament voted to approve the use of a russian force in ukraine. president putin asked for it, he got it unanimously.

he called the situation in ukraine extraordinary with russian lives under threat. not long after the vote in the biggest pro-russian city in ukraine, chaos. dozens were injured as police battled crowds who raised the russian flag on the regional government building. these protests repeated in other cities in ukraine, east where many areas are now slipping out of the control of these men. ukraine's new government, unelected, untested and in a crisis. we wouldn't give in to russian provocation, says the prime minister. exactly what he can do is not clear. he can't stop this. russia, they chant. on crimea's streets they are excited russian troops are here. they want to see more. >> to protect us. >> reporter: you say the russian troops are here to protect you? >> they are here to protect us. >> of course.

>> because we are russians, we are russians. >> reporter: all eyes are on the military airport where russian planes, up to a dozen, delivered troops and equipment overnight. crimea, now tense, waiting to see if more, many more russian troops join these men. and tonight, a plea to president obama -- ukraine's new government has asked the u.s., nato and europe for help to protect its territory. it sounds ominously like a call to arms. lester? all right, thank you, and kristen welker is at the white house, and moderator "meet the press" david gregory is there. what do we know about the confrontation between president obama and putin? >> reporter: it has been a tense day with the russian president on the phone with president obama for 90 minutes. the white house says during the call, the president expressed deep concern that russia violated the sovereignty.

and the president told putin he will suspend u.s. preparations for the upcoming talks for the g 8 summit in sochi, russia. now, mr. obama warned putin if he continues to violate national law there will be political and economic fallout. president obama shored up support with key allies speaking with the leaders of france and canada. behind scenes, the national security team met here as protesters gathered outside the gates, demanding more u.s. action to combat the russian aggression. and david, let me turn to you, simply sitting out the planning for a meeting doesn't sound very tough. what are the options the u.s. has and what is the specific interest the u.s. has in ukraine? >> reporter: well, there is big economic interests for that part of the world. this is a country of 46 million people with the potential economy to really be good for the region. but it is broke at the moment. and there is u.s. prestige on the line. susan rice, the national

security adviser said on "meet the press" last week it would be a grave mistake to escalate. and just last week the president said there would be costs to this kind of intervention. so what are the costs? what is it that russia seems to disregard the warnings from the u.n.? >> and we'll have more from secretary of state kerry on "meet the press" tomorrow. and kristen to you and in china, at least 28 people killed by knife-wielding as well, thank you. attackers at a train station in what is called a serious violent attack by violent separatists. we want to warn you many of the scenes are very disturbing. >> reporter: pools of blood on the sidewalk, people urgently seeking news of loved ones, this could not be verified by nbc news but appears to show the aftermath of the attack at the chinese train station. tonight it looked like a morgue. eyewitnesss report seeing approximately ten people wearing a type of uniform, their heads covered with black hoods and

running through the station with knives that were 40 inches long. the chinese authorities are calling this an organized, violent, premeditated attack. one survivor said that everybody was trying to run away, the knife-wielding assailant striking at those who could not move fast enough. it is thought among the dead, five attackers shot by police, and at least one has been captured alive. 40,000 people use this station every day. this was a surprise attack on a busy saturday night and it lasted for about one hour. the local reporter said that the police officers stormed in to overpower the suspects, more than 100 ambulances were called to the station. some victims tended where they lay while others were taken to the area hospitals for treatment. the regional government is

blaming separate iists as tonig the dead are mourned. back in this country, the latest on our seemingly endless wave of severe winter storms begins to sweep across the u.s. drought-stricken southern california has already been hit with heavy rain, more in the past few days than they have had in a year. nbc's miguel almaguer joins us from hard-hit glendora, california, good evening, miguel. >> reporter: good evening, these are the mountains that burned by the wildfire last january. look at how high that debris is. in some areas, more than 14 feet tall. the big concern is this will come out of the basin and into this million dollar community down hill. but so far, so good. pounding rain. thunderstorms, dangerous mudslides. 25 miles east of los angeles debris continues to pour into back yards along ridge view drive.

just down the road during a lull between storms a race to clear the mud. >> i'm trying to give the water a place to go. >> reporter: that next winter wallop rolled in quickly. tonight, a thousand homes are threatened by the hill side above. >> mandatory evacuations will remain in effect until we have an opportunity to get through the storms and our engineers have an opportunity to get that intel back to us. >> reporter: with nearly a foot of rain falling in some areas, creeks are swollen, roads have flooded. debris is everywhere. steve sheridan and his crew with the l.a. county flood control must keep the mud moving. >> everything you see here being held behind this structure, if this structure was not here, would have ended up in the community down below us. >> reporter: for california this has been a winter of extremes. in january, wildfires. and even now the state remains in extreme drought. >> we've got three. >> reporter: three? >> yeah, guess we'll see what happens. >> reporter: he is a fifth generation farmer and rancher

and says even with this recent downpour his wheat harvest is ruined. >> look at that plant there. it is dead. i think the rains are just too late. >> reporter: from farms to cities, this winter of extremes has crippled california. tonight, forecasters say this storm has almost passed by the -- but the threat is far from over. tonight, high tides threaten low-lying areas while here in the foothills these basins are holding. the mountains, however, will need to take another onslaught of rain to stay steady. lester? and the same massive weather system is pushing east and some 140 million people are in its path. meteorologist kim cunningham has more on what to expect, kim? >> reporter: well, lester we can expect a lot of snow and ice. so expect major travel problems as you travel from the midwest to the ohio valley. look at that forecast. it is going to be ice and snow on top of it. if you're in indianapolis,

cincinnati, that is what you can expect. the mid-atlantic, northeast, sunday night into monday is where we'll see our major problems just in time for rush hour traffic. now i talked about power outages. we're going to see that, little rock to lexington, travel conditions will be hazardous in this region as ice accumulates out there on the roads and trees which is where some of the problems will occur. five inches of snow, st. louis, little rock looks like ice but no snow for you. if you're heading towards parts of the ohio valley over a foot of snow possible here. d.c., including new york we're talking three to five inches of snow. so this storm is a big one affecting a lot of people, back to you. kim cunningham, thank you. and winter weather is to blame for a series of car crashes. in denver, one person was killed in a giant chain collision pile-up on i-25 as heavy snow fell. more than 100 vehicles, including a number of big rigs, were involved in this one.

and near minneapolis three college students were killed when their suv slid sideways on an icy road and into the oncoming tractor-trailer. two other students in the suv survived but they are seriously injured. and as we have reported the roads and bridges have taken an especially tough beating this winter with the snow and ice and bombardment of salt on the roads. tearing them apart to you. even before this our infrastructure was in a sorry state. now after years of neglect we have just gotten a reality check on what it is going to cost to pay the piper. nbc's tom costello has more. >> reporter: in miami, the construction crews were in full sweat building the construction interchange to the quickly growing suburbs. one upgrade to a national system of roads and bridges that is cracked, crumbling, patched up and rusted. driven home last may by the i-5 bridge collapse in washington state after a tractor-trailer clipped a support beam.

now, as americans dodge a lunar landscape of potholes, the government has estimated what it will cost to put the roads back where they should be. up to $145 billion, 25 billion for the rail and bus systems. secretary of transportation, anthony fox. >> we have a leaky roof and what happens when you have a leaky roof is if you don't fix it, it becomes more expensive to get it put back together again. >> reporter: while congress has spent billions on infrastructure improvement through the infrastructure recovery act, 11% of the nation's bridges remains structurally ddeficient. bridges typically have a 65-year life span, this bridge here built in 1950 carries 70,000 cars a day but is starting to strain under the load. to pay for the national repair job president obama this week called on congress to overhaul the business tax code. >> revitalizing the system, it cannot be out sourced. >> reporter: but a divided congress is unlikely to go along. meanwhile, the nation's

roads and bridges continue to take a pounding, tom costello, washington. nbc news. when nbc nightly news continues on this saturday, a first, football players at a major university tries to unionize. and later, what hollywood hopes will be a big draw at the box office. with non-insulin victoza. for a while, i took a pill to lower my blood sugar, but it didn't get me to my goal. so i asked my doctor about victoza. he said victoza works differently than pills, and comes in a pen. and the needle is thin.

victoza is an injectable prescription medicine that may improve blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes when used with diet and exercise. it is not recommended as the first medication to treat diabetes and should not be used in people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. victoza has not been studied with mealtime insulin. victoza is not insulin. do not take victoza if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to victoza or any of its ingredients. symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include swelling of face, lips, tongue or throat, fainting or dizziness, very rapid heartbeat, problems breathing or swallowing, severe rash or itching. tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. serious side effects may happen in people who take victoza including inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) which may be fatal.

stop taking victoza and call your doctor right away if you have signs of pancreatitis, such as severe pain that will not go away in your abdomen or from your abdomen to your back, with or without vomiting. tell your doctor about all the medicines you take and if you have any medical conditions. taking victoza with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. the most common side effects are nausea, diarrhea, and headache. some side effects can lead to dehydration, which may cause kidney problems. if your pill isn't giving you the control you need, ask your doctor about non-insulin victoza. it's covered by most health plans. are you flo? yes. is this the thing you gave my husband? well, yeah, yes. the "name your price" tool. you tell us the price you want to pay, and we give you a range of options to choose from. careful, though -- that kind of power can go to your head. that explains a lot. yo, buddy! i got this. gimme one, gimme one, gimme one!

the power of the "name your price" tool. only from progressive. we're back with a new move that could transform college sports. unionizing the players. the idea is being pushed by some football players at northwestern university who are seeking to form a labor union, our john yang looks at what is behind the move. >> i need you to focus. >> reporter: chicago jim teacher wore number 7, a wide receiver, his freshman year? three operations to repair stress fractures in both legs with titanium rods. now he can't even jog. >> is there every a day you can't feel pain? >> every day i wake up i feel pain, with the rods. i do feel pain. i do feel the guys with ncaa. they should take the rods out.

>> reporter: lifetime coverage for sports injuries is one of the goals for current northwestern players who are asking the national labor board to recognize them as a labor union. the players argue they're already full-time players who should have scholarships and rules. it is the boldest assault yet on the ncaa and it is fiercely defending the image of amateur student athletes. their leader? graduating quarterback cane coulter. >> it is almost like a dick dictatorship, where nothing is decided by us. >> reporter: on the sidelines, paid endorsements, and scholarships. >> frankly, money is what this is all about. how do you divide all the money that is made from the big-time sports. >> reporter: division one sports generated an estimated 7 billion there a year for schools. the ncaa slammed it, saying it

undermines the purpose of college and education. the schools contend the athletes are students, not employees, they should not be paid for football. but they say they're willing to listen to their concerns. >> we just don't believe the proper way is through a labor negotiation. >> reporter: experts in labor law say the players' efforts may be a hail mary pass, for now, jeff yarborough doesn't watch the game he once played. >> if students have a voice in the sports that they play, i will be a fan again. but i'm not a fan right now. >> reporter: players looking to change the game for future college athletes. john yang, nbc news, evanston, illinois. when we come back here, a miracle in montana after an avalanche crushes homes.

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scores of neighbors joined a frantic rescue effort after an avalanche suddenly swept down a mountainside in montana and slammed into homes, burying three people. our report from nbc's ron allen. >> reporter: without warning, an avalanche roared down jumbo mountain into what is called rattle snake valley, tearing up at least two home s in missoula montana. dozens of residents grabbed shovels and dug for signs of life. >> i was sitting watching tv and felt the noise, and looked and saw the house gone. >> reporter: an hour later, an 8-year-old boy was pulled from the deep snow. he was playing outside. he is in fair condition, expected to recover. an hour after the boy was saved, this retired professor was pulled from the debris able to survive in a small air pocket near a fallen chimney.

and as night fell, more than three hours after the ordeal began, his wife, an artist, was found alive. her condition still critical. >> well, i'm used to avalanches but i can't believe there would be one that did that much damage so i was really shocked. >> reporter: investigators say a snowboarder in a restricted area triggered the slide. snow had fallen just about every day in february with blizzard conditions when the avalanche struck. >> continuous snowfall is keeping it packed near the tipping point, the breaking point, where it takes the extra weight of a skier or snow mobiler to trigger an avalanche. tipping the balance. >> reporter: across the west, avalanche warnings have been in place throughout back country wilderness areas, with at least 17 people dying in recreation accidents. tonight in missoula, dozens have evacuated their homes as authorities warn the mountain storm is still unstable.

forecasts expect yet another storm and with it an even greater risk of another avalanche. ron allen, nbc news. still ahead, why it may stand a prayer of a chance, the big trend this year in movie-making. b. he has the most common kind... ...it's not caused by a heart valve problem. dad, it says your afib puts you at 5 times greater risk of a stroke. that's why i take my warfarin every day. but it looks like maybe we should ask your doctor about pradaxa. in a clinical trial, pradaxa® (dabigatran etexilate mesylate)... ...was proven superior to warfarin at reducing the risk of stroke. and unlike warfarin, with no regular blood tests or dietary restrictions. hey thanks for calling my doctor. sure. pradaxa is not for people with artificial heart valves. don't stop taking pradaxa without talking to your doctor. stopping increases your risk of stroke. ask your doctor if you need to stop pradaxa before surgery or a medical or dental procedure. pradaxa can cause serious, sometimes fatal, bleeding. don't take pradaxa if you have abnormal bleeding or have had a heart valve replaced. seek immediate medical care for unexpected signs of bleeding,

like unusual bruising. pradaxa may increase your bleeding risk if you're 75 or older, have a bleeding condition or stomach ulcer, take aspirin, nsaids, or blood thinners... ...or if you have kidney problems, especially if you take certain medicines. tell your doctors about all medicines you take. pradaxa side effects include indigestion, stomach pain, upset, or burning. if you or someone you love has afib not caused by a heart valve problem... ...ask your doctor about reducing the risk of stroke with pradaxa.

to prove to you that aleve is the better choice for him, he's agreed to give it up. that's today? [ male announcer ] we'll be with him all day as he goes back to taking tylenol. i was okay, but after lunch my knee started to hurt again. and now i've got to take more pills. ♪ yup. another pill stop. can i get my aleve back yet? ♪ for my pain, i want my aleve. ♪ [ male announcer ] look for the easy-open red arthritis cap. finally tonight, on oscar m finally tonight, on oscar weekend what may signal a box office trend for the coming year. the christian-themed movie "son of god" had a huge opening night. that is leading some to predict

2014 will be the year of the bible in american film. here is nbc's mike taibbi. >> reporter: breaking towards the top spot with nearly 10 million in ticket sales, the bible-themed movie, "son of god," starring portuguese actor diogo morgado, as jesus. >> who do you think i am? >> you are the son of god. >> reporter: it was a huge release, 3100 screens nationwide, producer mark burnett. >> this is a passionate project for us, the most important thing is that the movie gets seen and used. >> reporter: it certainly helped that the filmmakers spent months preaching to the converted. with mega churches nationwide like joel osteen's houston church spreading the message. >> don't forget on this friday night "the son of god" movie is coming out that we're all supporting. >> reporter: and the crowds who came out got what they came for. >> we need more of this in the world. >> i don't think you can go

wrong with it. >> reporter: how do you fill these seats? a distributor said you hunt where the ducks are, and here, more than 100 million weekly church-goers is huge. in fact, "the son of god" is the first of 13 christian movies released this year, with the upcoming "noah" with russell crowe. and exodus, with christian bale. will this be the year of the bible? >> if enough of them do well see more of them in the future. >> reporter: it can be tricky, that is why they say they're inspired by the story of noah. when a christian themed movie hits the cross-over sweet spot, like "passion of the christ" with 100 million in ticket sales, the results can be miraculous. mike taibbi, nbc news, los

angeles. >> that is nbc nightly news for this saturday, i'm lester holt reporting. we'll be right back here tomorrow evening. good night everyone. [ sports announcer ] here's another one, alyson dudek. hales corners, wisconsin. nice pass by alyson dudek. can she hang on to that spot? and she does! [ male announcer ] with the u-verse wireless receiver, your tv goes where you take it, allowing inspiration to follow. ♪ [ dad ] looks pretty good, right? [ girl ] yeah. [ male announcer ] switch to u-verse and add a wireless receiver today.

♪ [ male announcer ] switch to u-verse and add a wireless receiver today. o ooh . the re o frozen lake michigan at soler field, home of the chicago bears, and tonight from the 17 yard line to the 17 yard line, a snowy hockey rink and on it two of the nhl's best, the penguins and the blackhawks. toews at the front of the net. last weekend teammates took the olympic stage to take home sochi gold. this was t