that is it for us at 5:00 and we will see you back here captioning sponsored by cbs >> tonight covid cancellations. hundreds of flights cancelled from coast to coast this holiday weekend as airlines face staffing shortages amid an om o kron surge. >> i'm lilia luciano at la comrks where the holiday travel rush continues here and across the country. >> also tonight safety measures with covid numbers rising in a majority of the country. the concerns over how to stop the spread. >> i'm in new york city, whereas you can see behind me many people are lining up to get covid tests after the holiday get togethers. >> plus the passing of a human rights icon, the lasting legacy of archbishop desmond tutu. >> we will be free! >> and 5g fallout. the battle between government agencies amid lingering safety

questions. also going green. environmentalists rewriting the ending on this christmas tradition. and later, neon nostalgia. >> there is just not enough demand. >> how hong kong is shining a light on a fading art form. >> this is the cbs weekend this is the "cbs weekend news" >> good evening, i'm meg oliver in new york, jericka duncan is off. for a second year in a row covid is causing headaches for holiday travelers across the u.s. new infections spreading like wildfire have sparked staffing shortages resulting in long delays and cancellations. new cooed vid infections exceeded 200,000 a day over the past two weeks. that's up 69 percent. covid deaths are on the rise too. cbs's lilia luciano leads use off with a look at post holiday travel, lilia, good evening.

>> good evening to you, meg. it it st another very busy travel day here at lax more than 200,000 people are expected to pass through today alone. a lot of those flyers unhappy with these delays and cancellations cutting into their vacation time. one woman was telling me if she had driven instead of flown she would have made it to her destination yesterday but is still stuck here. covid cancellations hit u.s. airports for the third straight day with more than 700 flights grounded, stranding passengers on one of the bus yetion travel weekends of the year. >> cuts vacation short, christmas vacation. we have to it be back for work. so it was supposed to it be, you know, a nice family vacation, meeting up with other family up there. so it is upsetting. >> what did you tell the airlines. >> that it was wrong, they should have let us know earlier. >> thousands eager to take flights found themselves facing cancellations and delays as airlines had more sick calls and staffing shortages. delta and united with some of the most planes grounded pointed to omicron exposure as a cause.

major airports affected including new york's kennedy, atlanta, lax and newark, new jersey. but despite the cancellations more than 3 million took to the skies since christmas eve. >> there's been a lot of pent up demand. people haven't seen their families and friends for two years. we are seeing record number of passengers coming through since post pandemic numbers. >> the cruise industry is also facing covid disruptions. at least three cruise lines had outbreaks on brd in less than a week, with dozens of passengers testing positive and forced to quarantine. >> they were cleaning and everything was sanitizing. i think personally they had too many people on board. >> travel blogger austin hamawy was on the msc sea shoor. >> not being able to see my family for christmas. >> and more cancellations are expected on domestic and also international flights. adding to that frustration, and the anxiety for flyers with the fast spreading omicron variant is the difficulty to social

distance. one passenger was telling me she felt very vulnerable seeing so many people not wearing masks on flights and also walking around terminals. >> a lot of anxiety, lilia luciano, thank you. now to the surge in the omicron covid var yantd. one in four hospitals with icu's reportedly 95 percent capacity this week. and the omicron spike shows no sign of slowing. cbs's tom hanson joins us now from new york with more, tom, good evening. >> hey there meg, good evening to you, with just a week left in the holiday season, the omicron var yantd is bearing down across the country and health experts are sounding the alarm over a post holiday covid surge, especially among the most vulnerable. >> because i need to know, for the safety of my job and everyone else around me. >> testing lines wrapped around the block in washington d.c. where omicron cases have skyrocketed. there are similar scenes from los angeles to new orleans. one recent study suggests that omicron cases on average have as

much as a 25 percent reduced risk of a hospital visit and as much as a 45 percent reduced risk of hospitalization of one day or more. still there is concern for the unvaccinated and people with compromised immunity. >> you have to be careful that we don't get complacent about that. or it night lead to a lot of hospitalizations in the united states. >> several states are reporting their highest daily case numbers in a year, just days away from the the a return to the class r5078 for millions of students, in new york city rates among children are up 4 fold from last week with approximately half of those hospitalized under the age of five. >> it is super con stagous and i have seen the spread among the kids. >> dr. george vermenton is a pediatric physician in the bronx. >> back to school is front of mind for many families across the country. what can families do to keep their kids safe and keep their kids in school. >> it is super important if after family gatherings, if you can get tested, you should get like a test. most important thing is if you

are above five, to get your vaccine. and after that, more people, hand washing. >> and tom, what are schools doing to brace for a potential surge? >> well, meg, here in new york city some schools are offering remote learning as well as keeping the schools ep and in washington d.c. they're extending the winter break by two days, using that time to distribute 100,000 covid tests to faculty and students in hopes of returning to the classroom safely, meg? >> tom hanson, thank you. >> meantime russian troops have reportedly withdrawn from the ukraine border. this comes after months of tension in the region and fears of a russian offensive in 2022. cbs's christina ruffini is at the white house for us tonight, christina, good evening. >> good evening, meg. that's right, russian state media said today about 10,000 russian forces, many of which were deployed near the border with ukraine have been returned to their homebases.

this could help de-escalate tensions in the region however it st only a fraction of the estimated 780,000 to about 100,000 troops russia has in the area. in an interview staiped last week but aired today on "face the nation" margaret brennan asked the vice president if war in europe was eminent? -- imnentd. >> we are having direct conversations with russia. we are very clear that russia should not invade the sovereignty of ukraine. that we must stand up and we are standing up for its territorial integrity. we are working with our allies in that regard. >> the vice president also echoed what president biden has said and that moscow would face unprecedented sanctions should vladimir putin choose to invade his neighbor. this comes after weeks of back and forth between nato and mass cow, between the kremlin and the white house. russia has made its own demands including saying it it wants everyone to agree that ukraine can never join nato, a move that seems unlikely, anyone would

actual three agree to it. u.s. intelligence originally said russia could be ready to invade ukraine as early as january but with the troop withdraw today perhaps st a sign that russia is holding off, at least for now. >> christina ruffini, thank you. >> south africa arch bishoped desmond tutu whose powerful voice helped tear down apartheid has died. tearful mourners town out o in capetown remembering a man who prepared nonviolence and fought for a peaceful reconciliation. >> his legacy will riff on forever. >> tutu was 90 years old. cbs's debora patta remembers the giant of the antiapartheid movement. >>. >> the tiny man way twinkle in his eye, a massive loss. born in the township of south africa desmond tutu went on to

become a nobel peace prize winner. a global campaigner for human rights and a man who always spoke truth to power. with whether it was with awhite racist regime or dictatorship. >> as south africa's first black archbishop he unhesitatingly usedhis office to bravely challenge the brutal racism of the country's apartheid rulers. >> the white people don't want to hear, this the primary terrorism in this country comes from the government. and until that system goes, there is no hope at all of any civility in this land. >> but equally he could turn that righteous fury on his own supporters. in 1985 tutu fearilessly broke up an angry south african mob and prevented them from burning a man to death on suspicion of been an apartheid spy. when the dark days of raiks

hatred finally ended and tutu's long time friend and former south african president nelson mandela was released from 27 years behind bars, the tsh tsh he could not hold back his joy. >> freedom is coming. freedom is coming. >> and it was pan dela who appointed his friend tutu to lead south african's truth and reconciliation commission, a body task tked with uncovering the truth about the apartheid government's brutality. at times it moved tutu to tears. here he breaks down on hearing yet another victim's harrowing stories. but there was a measured consistency in his approach. like the time he begged mandela's wormer wife winnie madikizela mandela to apologize for abducting a young boy in 1988 because she believed he was an apartheid spy. the 14 year old boy's battered body was found many weeks later. >> i begged you, please, you are

a great president, and you you don't know how your greatness will be enhanced if you say sorry. things went wrong for people. the business of dismantling apartheid was not all doom and gloom, tutu had a self-deprecating sense of humor. >> one lady said it to me, yeah, bishop, if they do this when you have yet, can you imagine what is going to happen when nelson comes? which to crack a joke-- the world say little darker without him. he leaves behind a foundation committed to keeping rights but his real legacy is the wonderful

tale of how a past we are a big laugh became a tblobbal conscience for the world. debora patta, cbs news, south africa. >> the archbishop leaves behind a wife and four children. >> straight ahead on the cbs weekend news a battle over the 5g rollout could trigger thousands of flight delays and cancellations.

>> next week the wireless industry will roll out 5g service designed to provide much faster internet. but the faa is concerned how that might impact airplane safety systems. it's become a battle between the industry's regulators and the fallout could cause massive flight cancellations for travelers. cbs's countries van cleef reports. >> a standoff between two federal agencies could have

flight-halting kens consequences for airlines caught in the middle much starting january 5th, u.s. airlines may have to stop using equipment that helps pilots land in bad weather or low visibility at more than 40 of the nation's bus yes airports following an faa order prompted by concerns about possible interferntion from newly activated 5g cell phone towers. >> 5g is now the biggest issue facing the airline industry, it is remarkable it to say in a world where we are still in covid. >> united c.e.o. scott kirby says airlines have no choice but to adhere to the faa order. >> if we go back to decades old procedures and technology for flying airplanes, cancel thousands of flights per day and hundreds of thousands of customers, it thrb a catastrophic failure of government. >> the wireless industry insists there is not a safety issue, arguing the aviation industry's fearmongerring relies on completely discredited information and deliberate distortions of fact. at&t and verizon are pledging to reduce signal strength on cell towers near airports. >> we have 39 countries where

you have this deemploy -- deployment, there have been no issues. >> tennessee senator marsha blackburn believes expanded 5g service is essential. >> what we are looking at is a way on to the taje bythhe fcc sa n be worked out. the wireless industry has spent about $80 billion buying the band wipped for 5 goings and opposes any further delays but the airlines say without a solution those flights will have to it be delayed an cancelled. it do impact an estimated 32 million flyers over the course of next year. kris van cleave, cbs news, washington. >> still ahead on the cbs weekend news, winter weather closes roads and causes multiple accidents out west. and it's not over yet.

within it was a white christmas in some parts of the country, in nevada a massive storm pounded reno and lake tahoe. a 70 mile stretch of interstate 80 was shut down by heavy snow and white out conditions. and more snow is on the way, up to two to three feet by tuesday. >> minnesota was also stopped by a christmas day snow storm. a nearly 50 vehicle pileup shut down parts of interstate 94 for more than two hours on saturday. numerous cars were destroyed and many injuries reported. and in northern california a state trooper had a narrow escape with some runaway wildlife. there was no corralling this charging bull that was threatening traffic. the officer toork a deep breathe as you can see right here and avoided injury. as did the bull, thank goodness. next on the cbs weekend news, it is a growing idea, keeping christmas green with a rented tree.

>> tis the season of the christmas tree and increasingly many people are asking whether artificial or real trees are better for the environment. now there say better option, cbs's roxana saberi has the story. >> at primrose vale farm in england. >> it is the shape people looking. >> laurie sperring is looking for the perfect christmas tree. >> a living potted one that he is renting for around $80. >> why a rental tree. >> it is great for the environment. i can bring it tbak and also it will last. the whole time over christmas, i haven't had to go out and can cut one down. >> calculating the environmental cost of a christmas tree can be complicated. >> environmentalists say a chopped tree can leave a heavy carbon footprint unless it's recycled. and that plastic trees that be even worse unless they're refused over many years.

that's one reason rental trees are a growing trend here. >> we are planting more each year and we can't plant them fast enough to be honest. >> the manager says nearly all of his farms 1,000 firs and spruces for rent will reserved long before the holidays. >> why is it it so popular? >> well, you are keeping a tree alive. there is something sort of feels a bit morally wrong about watching a tree grow for ten years, to cut it down just for three weeks to throw it away. >> after christmas the rental trees will be brought back here, replanted in these pots in the ground where they will live to see another christmas. >> that's what sperring plans to do, decking his halls year after year with a rental tree. >> roxana saberi, cbs news, gloucestershire england. >> great idea. when we return the move to preserve the fading glory of hong kong's neon sky line.

>> finally tonight hong kong has lived under a neon glow since the city emerged from world war ii. it is a site immortalized in movies and photos. but recently many of hong kong's neon signs have disappeared. cbs's ramy inocencio met one of the last neon light vendors. >> when night falls on hong kong the dwindle number of neon lights still blaze on. the green flow from a pawn shot glinting off a window, a pink pig calling down to hungry customers for noodle soup, characters in red and yellow advertising local spices. >> but these lights are fading. about 3,000 signs have been taken down each year since 2006. 80 year old master congress-- wong kin-wah is one of the last light vendors 1-9d 57 is when he started the tile floor warn down where he stood

most. >> he shows me how the glass tubes are coated inside with phosphorus powder it give different colors. then fires up his self-designed pipe of blowtorches to soften the glass to wendt it-- bender it to his bill, he attaches electrodes pumps in colorless neon then runs a current to make sure it works. in neon's heyday it is believed hong kong had about 40 fasters, now master wong think there are fewer than four. the post world war ii boom brought commercialism, competition and a crush of sierns that made hong kong iconic. but in the real world fears over falling signs, many crafted decades before any government regulation has given way to strict modern policy. tht and cheaper led's are ending the reign of neon and its masters. >> there is just not enough demand. people have to make a living and put food on the table. many changed careers or were forced to retire. >> you are one of the last neon

masters of hong kong. how does that make you feel. >> it nakes me feel sad, he says. i don't know what to do. >> the dying of the lights doesn't mean it goes gentle into the night. tetra neon exchange is a hong kong nonprofit raising a wareness of his cultural loss. cardin chan is its passionate general manager, the shine she saved lies under the sky rating to-- waiting to be restored. many don't see neon worth saving. >> eventually i will brake-- eventually they will want to work with us. >> back at master wong's workshop he shares one simple hope. the best way to preserve neon is for people to keep liking it. so this light of hong kong won't fade into history. >> ramy inocencio, cbs news, hong kong. >> amazing. that is the cbs weekend news for this sunday.

later on cbs, "60 minutes," i'm meg oliver i live from the cbsn bay area studios, this is kpix 5 news . a live look outside with a wet and windy christmas weekend and and we are even seeing a little snow. the weather and pandemic are throwing a wrench in holiday travel plans and why cancellations and delays are expect it to keep piling up. he is sick as a dog and it is extremely fitting. he was basically lifeless. >> it is a devastating virus affecting pets in southern california and experts say it is a matter of time before it hits the bay area. good evening and thank you for joining us. we look at a live look outside from 680 tonight with a cold and rainy night across the bay area and that is not all.

we also see some snow in the bay area mountains. this was the same on mount diablo today and some snow also falling in sonoma county and the chp tweeting out this photograph from geysers road earlier today. darren peck has been tracking it all for us. what you have? the snow level is down to about 3000 feet and mount diablo which has no wanted and high definition doppler and the radar can tell the difference between rain or snow and you see that purple.only showing up on the uppermost 100 feet or so of mount diablo and that tells us where it is snowing and it is kind of fun to know that it is snowing on higher peaks but it is primarily a rain story. here comes the next band of rain for the south bay and in the last 45 minutes you can see