on this saturday night, escalating crisis, putin is ignore i ignoring a blunt warning from president obama and putting washington and moscow on a diplomatic collision 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 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 law. 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 coverage today with 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. the russian president has been put on alert. russian boots on the ground in ukraine. they're hiding their identities, their units are not marked. they are there to protect russia's interest. 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? >> of course, 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 like a storm. and moderator "meet the press" david gregory is there, as well. 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. during the call, the president expressed deep concern that russia violated the sovereignty. and they will suspend preparation for talks in the upcoming 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 what are the options the u.s. has and what is the specific interest this 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 says it could be a grave mistake to escalate. and 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 in china, at least 28 people killed by knife-wielding attackers at a train station what is called an order pre-medicipre h pre-meditated violent attack. >> 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 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 with knives 40 inches long. the chinese authorities are calling this a planned 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 police, and several others captured alive. 40,000 people use this station every day. this was a surprise attack on saturday night which lasted about an 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 hospital for treatment. no group yet has claimed responsibility. tonight in china the dead are mourned while the hunt for attackers continues. 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 glendora, california. >> reporter: good evening, these are the mountains that burned by the wildfire last january. 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 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? >> all right, miguel, the same massive weather is pushing east and some 40 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. ohio valley, possible snow, including d.c., new york, 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 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. and as we have reported the roads and bridges have taken an especially tough beating this winter with the snow and ice and bombbardment of salt on the roads. even before this our infrastructure was in a sorry state. now after years of neglect we have just gotten a report on how we have to pay the piper, nbc's tom costello has more. >> reporter: in miami, the construction crews were in full sweat building the construction chain here. 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 tractor-trailer incident after it clipped a support beam. now, after the high amount of potholes, the government has put a price tag on where to get the roads where they should be. up to $145 billion, 25 billion for the rail and bus systems. >> 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 put together billions for the recovery act, transportation for america reports 11% of the nation's bridges remains structurally wrong. 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 alongment meanwhile, the nation's roads and bridges continue to take a pounding, tom costello, washington. and when nbc continues, a first, football players in a across america, people like basketball hall of famer dominique wilkins, are taking charge of their type 2 diabetes 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. bombard, bombar 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 has more. >> reporter: this wide receiver, his freshman year, three operations to repair stress fractures in both legs with 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. >> reporter: lifetime coverage for sports injuries is one of the goals for current northwestern players who are asking the national labor board to pay. 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 cou coult coulter. >> it is almost like a 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: one sports generated an estimated $7 billion for schools. they under mined it saying it hurts the purpose for school, an 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 sport, i'll 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. john yang, nbc news, evanston, illinois. when we come back here,

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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 homes in 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 ski er or snow mobiler to trigger an avalanche. >> reporter: here at least 17

people have died in recreation accidents. tonight in mosoula, dozens have evacuated their homes as authorities warn the mountain storm is still unstable. authorities warn of a greater risk of another avalanche. ron allen, nbc news. still ahead, why it may stand a prayer of a chance, the still ahead, why it may stand a prayer of a chance, the my dad has aor afib.brillation, 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.

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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. here is nbc's mike taibbi. >> reporter: with nearly ten million in ticket sales, the bible-themed movie "son of god". >> 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 churches like this in houston spreading the message. >> d first of 13 christian movies released this year, with the upcoming "noah" with russell crowe. >> 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. >> that is nbc nightly news for this saturday, i'm lester holt reporting. we'll be right back here tomorrow evening. good night everyone. >> all i want to do is get me up the football field. >> we're all saying hurry up, snap it, hurry up, snap it. >> he didn't get his hand.

slick rick was nearby. >> this is a gut play right up the middle. >> it was just like is that me? >> coming up, "18 plays:the story of super bowl xxii." >> the following is a presentation of the redskins broadcast network. >> touchdown washington redskins. that's new super bowl record. >> 28 passing yards. >> over 300 yards in one quarter. >> 35 points. 35 points is almost unheard of. >> nobody does that. >> we did it all. wow. in 18 plays.