reporter: western officials tell us they expect cyberattacks to cut the internet here and missile strikes will be part of some kind of anticipated russian invasion with the goal of installing a pro-russian government lester richard engel in ukraine tonight, thank you. the cdc director warning americans today to remain vigilant with covid hospitalizations and deaths still high. and health officials are now watching a new version of omicron as more reinfections than ever are reported. here s gabe gutierrez. reporter: the new stealth version of the omicron variant discovered in california seems to be harder to detect, and according to some experts, is even more contagious though it s not yet clear how dangerous it is. so far, we don t really know how it behaves. reporter: across the u.s., reported covid cases are down 6% over the previous week hospitalizations down 8% but deaths are up 21%. still the cdc says that s because of the sheer volume of cases weeks earlier.
it comes to filling vacancies on the supreme court. graham voted for both of president obama s supreme court nominees and was one of three republicans to vote for judge jackson s confirmation to the d.c. appeals court along with alaska s lisa murkowski and maine s susan collins, each possible votes for whomever president biden nominates. we can take our time, have hearings, go through the process, which is a very important one it is a lifetime appointment after all. reporter: whoever the president nominates will make history if they re confirmed. a 50-50 senate has never confirmed a supreme court justice. lester. garrett haake, thank you. let s turn to the ukraine crisis now and no signs this evening that russia is scaling back its military buildup along the border despite pressure from the u.s. and nato our richard engel is in ukraine and has the very latest. reporter: this time, russia mobilized its ships in the black sea as it continues its military buildup for a possible
bench. the top names on his short list and the timeline he gave for making his choice as the 50-50 senate gears up for a confirmation fight. also tonight, tracking the major nor easter threat. 40 million under winter storm watches along the east coast up to two feet of snow expected virginia declaring a state of emergency al roker timing it out. the shootout in houston. three police officers wounded. what we re learning about the suspect. the pentagon warning russia has moved more troops to the ukraine border in the last 24 hours as president biden holds a critical call with ukraine s leader what they discussed. richard engel on the front lines. the deadline for millions of health care workers to get their federally mandated vaccines. the critical pilot shortage and the major airline launching its own flight academy no experience necessary. and after 42 years of telling america s story, a beloved member of our nbc news family signing off
a campaign promise to nominate the first black woman to the court? the confirmation battle ahead also tonight, the u.s. formally rejecting russia s top security demands amid fears of an invasion in ukraine russia threatening retaliation as it steps up its war games. richard engel inside ukraine. the new subvariant of omicron to watch in the u.s. why they re calling it a stealth omicron. it comes as cases and hospitalizations fall but deaths rise to the highest level in nearly a year. and the new study, up to two in three cases may now be reinfections what you need to know. the deep freeze in the midwest as a powerful nor easter takes aim at parts of the east al roker tracking it all. the federal reserve signaling an interest rate hike is coming soon to tame inflation. the moves to make with your money now music legend neil young versus spotify why the popular streamer is removing his music. and more than 80 years after pearl
here in eastern ukraine, life appears normal shops and restaurants are open there s traffic in the streets. but people are starting to get nervous. lester richard engel, thank you. words and tears honoring a fallen police officer here in new york today thousands turning out for the funeral of one of two officers shot and killed while answering a 911 call last week. here is rehema ellis reporter: a sea of blue with officers from around the city and across the country. outside st. patrick s cathedral for a final goodbye to jason rivera inside, mourners remembering the rookie new york city police officer, on the job only 14 months he did it for the right reasons. he wanted to make a difference reporter: both rivera and his partner wilbert mora shot and killed a week ago, responding to a routine domestic disturbance call inside a harlem