we will see you back here at 6:00. >> the cbs evening news is next. ♪ ♪ ♪ captioning sponsored by cbs >> cordes: tonight, ukraine on the brink. >> they are uncoiling and are now poised to strike. >> cordes: fears of a russian invasion intensify as vladimir putin oversees massive military drills on the border region today, facing a sharp spike in violence. cbs news is there. >> reporter: i'm charlie d'agata on the front lines with ukrianian forces where there's been a huge upsurge in shlg, something we witnessed ourselves. >> cordes: today in munich, last-dick diplomacy. ukraine's president leaving the capical kyiv to attend. a show of support there from vice president harris, who says

russia's diplomatic rhetoric rings hollow. >> their actions simply do not match their words. >> cordes: also tonight, party on. with covid in retreat, mardi gras celebrations return to new orleans this week. plus a day of remembrance. 80 years after the forced internment of japanese americans. and later, "reporter's notebook." our jamie yuccas takes us inside the bubble in the final hours of beijing's winter olympic games. >> this is the "cbs weekend news." >> cordes: good evening. i'm nancy cordes in new york. adriana diaz is off. tonight, there are troubling new signs that russia is on the verge of invading its neighbor ukraine, putting all of europe on edge. russian president vladimir putin was seen observing a series of nuclear drills today, and a mock battle. it happened just north of the ukrianian border, and it involved warplanes, tanks, and

rocket launchers. u.s. officials say up to 190,000 russian troops are now amassed along the ukrianian border with new deployments in crimea, belarus, and near eastern ukraine. on the front lines, there was an uptick in shelling today. ukraine's military said two soldiers were killed. russian separatist leaders in eastern ukraine ordered the evacuation of women and children and thousands have already fled. at a security conference in munich, germany, today, ukrianian president volodymyr zelensky begged the west to impose stiff sanctions now. zelensky met with vice president kamala harris who called this a decisive moment in history one day after president biden said he is now convinced putin does intend to attack. cbs' christina ruffini was there for all of it. she is in munich ask joins us now. christina, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, nancy. well, it's crunch time, and

everyone here this weekend knows it. one last shot at diplomacy, if diplomacy even still has a shot. >> we are not really living in delusion. we understand what can happen to-- tomorrow. >> reporter: taking center stage at the munich security conference, ukrianian president volodymyr zelensky told a ballroom packed with diplomats diplomatsand government officiat his country cannot afford to panic. >> putting ourselves in coffins and waiting for foreign soldiers to come in is not something we are prepared to do. >> reporter: zelensky's visit to munich was short, with many western allies privately advising him not to risk leaving ukraine. >> welcome. i am looking forward to our conversation. >> reporter: but zelensky said he wanted to make his case himself in person, pressing the u.s. and european allies to sanction russia now before it's too late. >> and we are being told that you have several days, and then the war will start. and i said, "okay, then apply the sanctions today."

>> we have prepared together economic measures that will be swift, severe, and united. >> reporter: speaking earlier in the day, vice president harris said the u.s. and its allies are prepared to impose significant and unprecedented sanctions if russia further invades ukraine. >> national borders should not be changed by force. >> cordes: christina is back with us now. christina, is there any sign the u.s. might be willing to impose those sanctions now before an attack, as zelensky is urging? >> reporter: in a word, no. i spoke to u.s. officials shortly after the meetings today to ask if there was any change in america's position. and they said they still believe the best way to deter russia from crossing that border is to hold their fire until if and when vladimir putin unleashes his. nancy. >> cordes: christina ruffini in munich, thank you. to the ukrianian border now with

shelling intensified today, not far from the spot where cbs' charlie d'agata is embedded with ukrianian forces. >> reporter: this is kind of a no-man's land between the last area, the the last territory that's safely being held by ukrianian forces and russian separatists who they have been fighting for a number of years. as far as they're concerned, the battle against russia and ukraine is already under way. but importantly what they told me is the intensity in fighting, the reskalation in the kind of weapons they've used-- heavy artillery and weaponry in past few days-- is like nothing that they've seen in years, not just hitting ukrianian military positions, but also hitting civilian positions. to their mind, what the russian-backed militias, russian-backedded separatists are trying to do is goad them into, provoke them into launching a serious counter-attack and that will give president putin exactly the sort of pretext he will need in

order to escalate the fighting in this area. we've seen those pictures in donetsk, not far from here, where leaders have been trying to tell elderly women and children to get on to buses saying this is a battle zone. this is a battlefield. it's best for you to get away from this area and head toward russia itself in order to find more protection there because this is an active battlefield. commanders here say that's doing the nothing but just sowing panic. they have no intention of invading those areas. in fact, they're trying to hold fire. but what they have seen in the past few days is an escalation right along this border, this contested area, where ukrianian forces have been holding off russian-backed separatists and the commander here was asked who are you fighting? he didn't say russian-backedded separatists. he said russia itself. okay, so, there have just been a couple of explosions. the kids are running and we've been told to get into our buses now. we are as close as we can get to

the front lines. and this just shows you how dynamic the situation is here. charlie d'agata, cbs news, eastern ukraine. >> cordes: president biden has warned there could be challenges for u.s. companies and u.s. farmers if russia invades ukraine. nikole killion continues our coverage from the white house. nikole, tell us about these alerts that have gone out here at home? >> reporter: nancy, the biden administration has already put u.s. companies on notice about the potential for an increase in russian cyber attacks. the administration has encouraged businesses to beef up their cyber defenses, particularly those that handle critical infrastructure, like power and water systems. it has also circulated guidance about how to identify a foreign influence operation. treasury officials recently met with the c.e.o.s of several big banks to discuss potential cyber risk. the agriculture secretary said

u.s. farmers may have to stip if ukraine's exports are cut off. the the country is a global supplier of wheat, so farmers here may have to boost production. and the president has warned of the potential impact on energy prices. he said his administration is prepared to deploy various tools to provide relief at the gas pump. and he plans to work with congress on additional measures to protect consumers. nancy. >> cordes: some serious ripple effects. nikole killion, thank you so much. terrifying video today of a helicopter crashing near swimmers and sunbathers just off miami beach. three people were on board when this chopper went down hard into shallow water just yards from the crowded shoreline. police responded quickly. two on board were taken to a hospital. they're in stable condition. the thirds uninjured. and amazingly, no one in the water was hurt. now to the pandemic and covid cases that are in steep decline

across the country. the death rate is down slightly as well. though the u.s. is still losing about 2200 people a day. cbs' lilia luciano is in los angeles with more. lilia, good evening. >> reporter: upon good evening to you, nancy. well, with omicron finally retreating, the masks are finally coming off in many parts of the country, and we as a nation are shifting away from that covid crisis mode. ( cheering ) wall-trd gras, after covid canceled festivities last year. >> good time to be out with family and to enjoy it without covid. no masks. freedom. >> reporter: america's new optimism is fueled by the sharp drop in cases and hospitalizations. yet, 95% of americans still live in a high-risk area for infection. >> i feel like it's going to be around no matter what. >> reporter: that "live with it" sentiment echoed by the governors of california and utah. they're shifting their response from a pandemic to endemic.

>> let me be clear that this is not the end of covid, but it is the beginning of treating covid as we do other seasonal respiratory viruses. >> reporter: the c.d.c. still recommends universal masking. yet every state but hawaii has ended or is planning to lift mask mandates. the drastic drop in cases is motivating americans to dine out, travel, and hit theme parks once again. california lifted its indoor mask mandate last week, but here in l.a. county, you can only take off your mask if you're outdoors. the indoor requirement will remain in place for several weeks. nancy. >> cordes: lilia luciano in los angeles tonight, thank you. tensions remain high in canada's capital city. today, police in ottawa used batons and pepper spray to clear anti-ings vaccine, anti-manned day protesters who have gridlocked the streets around parliament. more than 170 people have been arrested. today marks the anniversary of a

dark chapter in american history. it's also a day of remembrance for descendants of thousands of japanese americans forcibly interned during the second world war. cbs' nancy chen spo teso.ke >> the army provided fleets of vans to transport household belongings. >> reporter: eight decades have passed. >> and buses to move the people to assembly centers. >> it was based on racial prejudice and hate. >> reporter: but the pain is still raw for june aiochi berk, a u.s. citizen and one of 120,000 japanese americans rounded up from their homes and sent to internment camps after the attack on pearl harbor. she was 10 years old. >> did we do wrong? we did nothing wrong. >> and these were the barbed wire fences and they were a lot higher. >> reporter: to keep people inside. >> oh, yes. >> reporter: inside the japanese american national museum in los angeles, a reminder of where mas yamashita

lived from when he was six years old to nearly 10. what do you think the camp has taken away from you? >> well, self-esteem. i spent most of my life trying to regain it. >> reporter: most of those locked away were u.s. citizens, hauled off to harsh landscapes across america to what the government called "relocation centers." >> the evacuees cooperated wholeheartedly. the many loyal among them felt that this was a sacrifice they could make in behalf of america's war effort. >> reporter: the reality, say those who lived it, was far different. >> the dirt was all brown. the barracks were all black. and the sky was always gray. >> reporter: the executive order authorizing the government to forcibly remove japanese americans from their homes and close their businesses came from president franklin roosevelt. what does executive order 9066 symbolize to you? >> it was all based on racism. >> reporter: and now, as fewer survivors can share their

experiences, recent violence against asian americans has added urgency to their mission. what is the importance of learning from history? >> not to repeat it. >> reporter: nancy chen, cbs news, los angeles. >> cordes: straight ahead on the "cbs weekend news," from heroes to targets of abuse. the latest challenge confronting healthcare workers crushed by covid. and another american athlete makes olympic history.

>> cordes: covid case numbers may be dropping, but the pandemic has taken a heavy, sometimes hidden toll on healthcare workers. we found a dramatic example of that at a georgia hospital. here is cbs' elise preston. >> every day i read about reports in which my staff are either verbally or physically abused. >> reporter: it's a far cry from the days when healthcare workers were hailed as heroes.

at piedmont henry hospital south of atlanta, that's all changed says dr. lily henson. >> we've ensured that we have public safety officers throughout the hospital. >> reporter: does it anger you that this is happening to your staff members? >> absolutely. my staff are my family. and the idea that they're not appreciated for the great work that they're doing really breaks my heart. >> reporter: just 47% of henry county residents are fully vaccinated. 64% are fully vaccinated nationwide. >> there's a widespread perception in our community that covid is a hoax. >> reporter: healthcare workers here say with each covid wave, there's a flood of aggression. >> it's a difficult situation comely and tactfully to try to get someone to calm down. >> it's not uncommon to have a very... emotionally tense conversation with families. >> reporter: what are those verbal attacks look like? >> accusations why we aren't giving certain medications that

they may have researched on the internet. >> reporter: how has social media and the spread of misinformation about covid played into everything that you're going through? you're laughing? >> yeah, it's a sad laugh. you know, social media is a blessing and it's a curse. day in and day out, they ask for these therapies that have not been shown to be effective. >> reporter: dr. henson says when hospitals are full of patients that don't trust science, it's a dagger to moral. >> we get this threat that says , you know, "if my loved oneidize, that's your fault." that's really heartbreaking. >> reporter: what about people who have large followings who are promoting the spread of misinformation? what would you say to them? >> i would say that they have on their conscience the lives of these patients. >> reporter: elise preston, cbs news, stockbridge, georgia. >> cordes: still ahead on the "cbs weekend news," a good samaritan rescues two children from a burning apartment and all of it is caught on camera.

>> come to the window! >> cordes: body cam video shows the dramatic rescue of two children from an apartment fire in mesa, arizona, friday. an unidentified good samaritan left his car and jumped into action, rescuing both an infant and a six-year-old girl. both children are hospitalized with minor injuries. towing ships are on the way to a massive cargo ship that's burning off portugal's coast. has about 4,000 vehicles on board, including porsches, audis, and bentleys. the crew was evacuated wednesday when the fire began. the ship was headed to the united states. up next on the "cbs weekend news," mary team u.s.a. medals n today with american women leading the way.

>> cordes: brian flores returned to the n.f.l. today. the pittsburgh steelers hired the former miami dolphins head coach to serve as an assistant coach. the hiring comes less than three weeks after flores sued the n.f.l. and three teams over alleged racist hiring practices. u.s. women add to their medal count in the final weekend of beijing's winter olympics games. today, t team u.s.a.'s elana meyers taylor and sylvia hoffman won bronze in the women's two-person bob sled. that makes myers the most-decorated black athlete in winter olympics history with five medals. she'll carry the flag for the u.s. in tomorrow's closing ceremonies. in the total medal tally, team u.s.a. is in fifth place. norway leads with 35. when we return, we go inside the beijing bubble for a look at

covering the highs and lows of the olympic winter olympics.

>> cordes: finally tonight, after 15 days of competition, the olympic winter gameses in beijing are coming to a close. and our jamie yuccas has covered all of it. >> reporter: from weeks of pre-olympic health checks to daily throat swabs and robot waiters, these were the games unlike any other. but the strict bubble rules worked. allowing us to focus on the games at hand. like the final farewell to legendary snowboarder shaun white, and a major hello to american-born freeskier eileen gu. the painful wipeout of mikaela shiffrin, who is 0 for five in medal events, but golden

redemption for nathan chen after his pyongyang disappointment. better mental preparation was a difference maker. >> we are athletes but we're humans first and we need to take care of ourselves as humansr and everything. >> reporter: indeed, mental health was a new priority for team u.s.a. dr. jess barley leads the effort. >> whether it's well-being, whether it's a crisis, whether you're just feeling home sick. >> reporter: nonetheless, one event became an emotional train wreck, women figures, the doping scandal surrounded kamila valieva, left almost everyone in tears. and the sports image in shreds with many questioning the tactics of valieva's adult team and coaches. how important is it to start looking at those people within her inner circle? >> it's of extreme importance because it's a minor. >> reporter: positive takeaways: exuberant cross-country star jessie diggins, celebrating bronze. another classic women's hockey final between canada and u.s.a.

the best battling for the love of their game. and john shuster's curlers who showed me firsthand how demanding this quirky game can actually be ( laughing ) as for me, i can't wait to get back home and out of this annoying restrictive, stressful bubble. but i am so very, very grateful to the other members of our small-but-mighty team, jack and randy, who helped keep me sane-- truly-- and warm, and often laughing throughout or month-long marathon. jamie yuccas, cbs news, beijing. >> cordes: her curling technique isn't bad. well, that's the news for this saturday. first thing tomorrow, "sunday morning with jane pauley." followed by "face the nation." margaret brennan's guests will include secretary of state antony blinken, nato secretary general jens stoltenberg, plus the russian and ukrainian ambassadors to the u.s. for now, i'm nancy cordes reporting in new york. good night.

captioning sponsored by cbs live from the cbs bay area studios this, is kpix 5 news. >> now at 6:00, san francisco's legendary chinese new year's parade making comeback. a wildfire in february. what do we know about the fire that started in the santa cruz mountains despite the temperatures cooling down. i'm so insulted. >> i'm very disturbed to hear this. >> outrage boiling over an oakland fall out over a school board meeting that dashed hopes of delaying school closures. >> . hank the tank strikes again. the south lake tahoe neighborhood fed one a 500- pound bear. a helicopter plunges into

the atlantic ocean. good evening, thanks for joining us. i'm juliette goodrich. >> and i'm brian hackney. the chinese neyear's parade is roaring back to life. >> here is new video of huge crowds in san francisco enjoying the return of the chinese new year parade. it started about 30 minutes ago. you can see a bunch of people, floats, several marching units making their way through china town. max is there and has more on the excitement. >> reporter: the chinese new year's festival and parade made a grand new entrance to the area after a year off from the pandemic. people were excited to celebrate the year of the tiger in true san francisco fashion. this is known as one of the biggest celebrations outside of aisha. it mark add big