i'm elise preston, cbs news, new york. ♪ ♪ this is the cbs "overnight news." > welcome to the "overnight news." i'm todd hanson. more than 100,000 russian troops are noised to potentially invade ukraine. from the capitol kiev, 90 tons of military aid arrived from the united states. joe biden is monitoring the situation from camp david. he met with his security team this weekend. sources tell cbs news, the u.s. embassy in kiev is in the process of authorizing the departure of non-essential diplomats and families. cbs' david martin takes a closer look at what is at stake and what russia could do next. >> this is the biggest crisis

certainly the biggest crisis since the end of the cold war. >> reporter: the former nato ambassador is talking about the buildup of 100,000 russian troops on the border with ukraine. a former republic of the now defunct soviet union, teetering between russia and europe. >> for the first time in a very, very long time, you see major, major amounts of military equipment in the middle of europe ready to invade another country. >> reporter: it's happening in plain sight of satellites and social media. punctuated by russian video of live fire exercises. >> the thing about russian armed forces that impressed me is how they've able to move real far real fast. >> reporter: retired general ben hodges is the former commander of the u.s. army in europe. when you look at that force, what is it capable of doing? >> the russian way of war has always included lots of

artillery and long-range rockets. so i think if there's a new offensive, we'll see a lot of serious, lethal artillery and rocket fire. >> reporter: ukraine is a big country. does russia have forces positioned that could invade all of ukraine? >> i don't think they could successfully roll over all of ukraine. but i don't think they really want to or need to, to accomplish their objective. >> reporter: vladamir putin's objective is to keep ukraine, the second largest country on the continent, from making common cause with the democracies of europe. >> what motivates putin is a concern about the independence of ukraine, a worry that a functioning, successful, prosperous democracy in ukraine poses a direct threat to his rule, because it will give people in russia the idea that they too could enjoy what ukraine enjoys, and rise up against his autocratic rule. >> reporter: the ukrainians rose

up in 2014 and chased the country's pro-russian leader into exile. putin reacted with his first invasion of ukraine, sending special operations commandos to seize the crimean peninsula, taking a province of ukraine and making it a province of russia. since then, putin has been fuelling a nasty civil war in eastern ukraine, by backing pro-russian fighters who want to break off another chunk of the country. >> there have been thousands of people killed there over the last seven years. but as long as he can manipulate what ukraine is able to do, then it achieves his strategic purpose. >> reporter: russia has marshalled enough firepower to attack ukraine with little or no warning. although conventional military wisdom says putin will wait until february when the ground is frozen and tanks get better traction. but vladamir putin is scheduled to be in china, meeting with president xi on february 4, the

same day as opening ceremonies for the beijing winter olympics. >> is president putin going to do something that upstages his friend's big show in beijing? >> reporter: russian forces are already rolling into belarus, giving putin's troops another advance into ukraine. along with his black sea fleet, putin could choose from several different angles of attack. >> we're not going to see 100,000 russian troops crossing into ukraine at one time. i don't expect that. most of them would remain on the periphery, in place, to continue the threat, to continue the pressure. >> if putin takes just part of eastern ukraine, what does he gain? >> he will have demonstrated that the west cannot stop him, that would be number one. that he can come and go wherever he wants. >> if russia invades, how would it begin?

>> a series of cyber strikes designed to neutralize decision making authority so that the president and the head of the general staff can't understand what's happening. that's going to be the opening gambit. >> reporter: cyber attacks have already defaced dozens of the ukraine government's websites. but that's just mischief could be done to banking, transportation, and electrical systems. >> we're not dealing with boy scouts here. these guys are absolutely ruthless at using cyber to wreck all of the structures of a society. they absolutely do not care about the damage that it causes, as long as it supports their effort. and part of our problem is we continue to be surprised because we can't believe in the year 2022, that a european leader would do this sort of thing. >> reporter: david martin, cbs news, the pentagon. the omicron fueled covid surge has infected tens of

millions nationwide and pushed hospitals to the brink. now it appears to be relenting. new infections are averaging about 708,000 a day. that's down 12% over the past week. but it's not all good news, because deaths are still rising. now averaging more than 2,000 a day. on sunday, thousands rallied against vaccine mandates in the capitol, among them robert kennedy, jr. a leader in the anti-vaccination movement. this follows the deaths of 860,000 americans from covid over the last two years. demonstrators also gathered in europe where police fired tear gas and water cannons to break up a rowdy protest in brussels. an estimated 50,000 people marched against covid mandates and restrictions. and in barcelona, they rallied against vaccine requirements for entering indoor spaces like

bars, restaurants and gyms. new york city's mayor is promising new steps to get guns off the streets. ooz -- as the nypd mourns the loss of one of their one. a 22-year-old rookie officer, jason rivera, was shot and killed friday night while answering a call about domestic disturbance. his partner, 27-year-old wilbert mora, was also hit. the suspect, a 47-year-old convicted felon, was shot by a third officer at the scene and is in critical condition. in california, a wildfire raced through the state's majestic landscapes, burning more than a thousand acres of brush and redwood trees. authorities ordered about 500 residents to evacuate and shut down a stretch of the famous highway 1. the smithsonian national zoo has cute but not so cuddly new edition. it's called a porcupet, or what we call baby porcupines.

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this is the cbs "overnight news." i'm major garrett in washington. thank you very much for staying with us. actor peter dinklage is best known for his role on "game of thrones." he is famously very short says he has no problem with his height. but in the new movie he plays a character, ashamed of his appearance. lesley stahl has the story. >> hello, leslie. >> reporter: full disclosure, i've wanted to interview peter for years. but he's a hard man to get in the chair. you're famously private. i'm told you really don't like

to talk like this. >> if i was truly private, i wouldn't be here. i'm notsallinger, i'm an actor. but i think privacy is something that's really getting chipped away at these days. the more you know about an actor's personal life, you see it on screen when they play a character. i feel like subconsciously it chips away at the fabric of who you're seeing. >> i want to say to you, get over it, because this is the way it is. >> pleasure to meet you. >> reporter: the vehicle this charming 52-year-old is selling is cyranno. a new movie based on an old play. cyranno was written in 1897. the tale of a man ashamed of his appearance. >> you don't think she has the

depth to look beyond? >> not bad. >> love you for who you are, not how you look. >> reporter: who helps another man -- >> with women. my whole life i've been useless. wh >> reporter: so he ghost writes love letters to the woman both men love. the character, who is traditionally decked out, has been played by everyone, to steve martin, who didn't win an oscar. >> i'm living proof that god has a sick sense of humor. >> reporter: peter's character is certainly a contender. this was filmed in a small town in sicily last fall at the height of the pandemic. safe, most of the time. what made you decide to shoot a

sequence on a volcano? >> well, it seemed to be a good idea at the time. >> reporter: director joe wright, almost had a disaster movie on his hands, when mt. etna -- it exploded while you were there. >> yeah, that was unforeseen. it was bad luck, really. >> on the last day, the volcano erupted and spitting lava literally at us, as we ran down the hill. >> literaly ran for your life. >> yeah, pretty much. >> reporter: that was the cliffhanger finale of the film shoot in sicily. but our story began calmly in connecticut at the good speed theater three years ago. was peter still working on "game of thrones" at the time? >> he wrapped "game of thrones" and two days later started

"cy "c "cy "cyranno." >> i love the character. i love how uncompromising he is, that he is unwilling to be bought. i don't think he would post much on instagram or twitter. he really is his own person. >> yet he's insecure. >> yes. >> erica, your wife, told us that you begged her for the part. >> begged? i mean, essentially, yes, that's true. >> but why? what was it? >> for an actor, you always want to do something that, for at least at least, that cares you. i know that sounds very valiant, but it's true. i had never sung since i was a kid. ♪ i can't tell you how long i -- >> reporter: joe wright came to see the play. he asked erica to write the screenplay. so there are were scenes in the movie almost directly from the play. >> and other things he needed to

change. the last act is almost word for word. >> what did you ask her to add? >> she had referenced the nose, and made no reference to pete's height. and i felt that it was important to make some reference to how others might perceive cyranno. so at the beginning, someone calls him a freak. >> you're a freak. >> the insult is empty, but i accept it. >> so we understand what the deal is, and then we can get past it. >> your wife, she said she didn't write the play with you in mind. >> no. >> but i wonder if she did subliminally, because it fits you so perfectly. it's the glove. >> perhaps she did. i would like to think that it allows it to speak more universally and not specifically to someone my size or differently abled. that we all have thane security when it comes to the person that

we are. >> reporter: in the movie, you forget it. >> that's my gig is to -- it's to get beyond it. that's not all who i am. i've read scripts where i say no to these characters that they're trying to get me to play, because it's just my height and it never scratches anything deeper. >> you had a mood, you wouldn't play santa's elves or a leprechaun. >> they're not real people. i mean, if it was a really well written leprechaun who had complexity and like -- but no. >> the next time he speaks, kill him. >> "game of thrones," because of that, you're totally famous. can you walk down the street without being swarmed? it depends on the day. >> do you hate it? >> that i do, because i'm not working. >> we live in the chelsea for a

while and had a very big dog that had to be walked a lot. this is probably season three of "thrones" and he started walking down the street and all these people came, i don't know where they were coming from, from the restaurants. it was like 30 people, you know, peter, peter, coming towards him. and i see him walking towards me, leonardleonardo dicaprio, a just walked by and nobody blinked. >> what's intriguing is that you have spoken about how you don't want to be stared at or looked at, and then you choose a profession that's all about people staring at you. >> but i own that stare. it's because i have flipped it maybe, and they're staring at me for a bif reason. >> what about when you were growing up? you said you had a happy childhood. >> here we go. >> reporter: for a moment, i thought this would be the abrupt

end of our interview. >> no. i grew up in a town in new jersey, and we didn't move. i wasn't the new kid. i imagine if someone like me comes into a new school, there's a bit of getting used to it. social dance there. but i grew up in the same town. so it was just what it was. >> are you as balanced as you come off? >> no. >> i think it might be an acting thing. >> you think i'm acting now? >> maybe a little bit? >> really? >> really? no, this (computer keys clicking) (mouse clicks) - shriners hospitals for children is awesome! my favorite people in shriners are the doctors and the nurses because they help people through life. wow, i was a really cute kid! (chuckles) but it's true! shriners hospitals for children is awesome! the first time i went to shriners hospitals for children, i was two months old.

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question your protection. try always discreet. a home fit for a princess is on the market in rome. it's a 16th censtury estate and one of the most expensive homes for sale anywhere in the world. it went up for auction last week but didn't sell. >> it's got the makings of a fairytale, a real-life prince meets a woman from texas, makes her a princess, and gives her this historic villa that's virtually exploding with art. all of it priceless. well, almost priceless. ♪ ♪ any rome villa is bound to cost a princely sum. >> we're in the aurora room.

>> reporter: but the 16th century villa aurora, comes with its own princess. >> there are two secret messages in each of these alcoves. that's real gold they used to payment with. >> reporter: and none more colorful than the serene hiness. is was in better shape.om the >> reporter: in 1980, this texas girl was married to south carolina congressman, when he was convicted of fraud. the next year, as her marriage crumbled, she threw gasoline on the scandal and posed for playboy. she found her footing in manhattan real estate, helping donald trump purchase the gm building in 1998. that's when she met her second husband, even here on cbs sunday

morning in 2017. >> tell me about the moment you laid eyes on rita. >> oh, that's a moment i will never forget. >> reporter: he died in 2018, sparking a bitter inheritance dispute between his children from a previous marriage, and princess rita. one she says makes the hbo series "succession" look tame. >> they can take the company out of our hands and we would never get near it again. >> this is child's play compared to what i've been through. >> reporter: unable to resolve it, the court ordered the house to be auctioned off, leaving half the proficient it to the sons and half to the princess. the estimated value, $533 million. it failed to attract any official bids, so now it's up for auction starting at $320 million, still making it one of the most expensive homes in the world. for that price tag, you might expect a swimming pool oar a

tennis court. now you'll have to settle for a renaissance masterpiece. >> it's called ed jupiter, nep and pluto. >> do we know how much this painting alone is worth? >> the estimates are $350 million. >> for that deal, throw in several ancient roman busts. >> this is ceasar augustus. >> just sitting there. ♪ ♪ >> and even a sculpture by mic miche michelangelo. one he didn't make for a church. when she moved here 20 years ago, the house was in shambles, but made it her life mission to resurrect it. even leading tours. it feels like a museum with all the history here. but this was more than that. >> it was a home.

my heart will always be here. i feel a great responsibility. (dr. david jeremiah) there may have never been another time in history when end times prophecy has been more aligned with the culture and circumstances of the world than it is today. i believe there are ten phenomenon we are witnessing today that were recorded centuries ago in bible prophecy. (male announcer) join dr. david jeremiah in his new series, "where do we go from here?" on the next episode of "turning point." right here on this station.

when you humble yourself under the mighty hand of god, in due time he will exalt you. hi, i'm joel osteen. i'm excited about being with you every week. i hope you'll tune in. you'll be inspired, you'll be encouraged. i'm looking forward to seeing you right here. you are fully loaded and completely equipped for the race that's been

designed for you. finally this morning, we would like to thank all the viewers who responded to the historic blood shortage. the red cross declared the first-ever national blood crisis, and inspired many of you to donate, including our own norah o'donnell. >> so many americans answered the nationwide call to arms. in some sorts of the country, blood drives are completely booked. >> i saw your segment. >> so meredith, what made you want to donate? >> well, i really did watch the show and thought, i need to do that. >> reporter: we gave blood here in the nation's capitol. my blood is going to go to three people. donations plummeted to the pandemic, but there are covid

safety measures in place. >> very safe and seamless. >> reporter: it was my second donation, but katie ripley is going for the first time. what do you think about this effort that you're involved with to encourage more people to give blood? >> i'm excited about it. it feels like a concrete way to help people and do some good in a time when a lot of us feel powerless. >> reporter: katie is not just a donor, but a blood donation saved her life after she was hit by a car when she was 6 years old. >> what's motivated me is knowing that i can help other people the way that i was helped. and i'm so grateful for the person who donated blood so that i could be here today. >> reporter: so this is your way of giving back? >> absolutely. >> the red cross says it's grateful for the outpouring of support but it's not enough. if you would like to give, we would information on our website.

that is the "overnight news" for this monday. reporting from the nation's capitol, i'm major garrett. this is a cbs news flash. family members of american embassy workers in kiev are being ordered to leave ukraine. the push comes as fears grow over a possible russian invasion. americans are also being warned against travel to the eastern european country. the embassy will remain open but with limited staff. you can file your taxes this week, but expect delays. an irs worker shortage coupled with pandemic related changes are to blame for a significant backlog. the agency is still processing 2020 returns. a robotic bar tender will shake and stir drinks at the winter olympic games.

for more news, download the cbs news app on your cell phone or connect to tv. i'm it's monday, january 24th, 2022. this is the it's monday, january 24th, 2022. this is the "cbs morning news." americans are told to leave ukraine amid a possible russian invasion. where president biden may send u.s. troops as a standoff intensifies. unsigned order. the alleged proposal to seize voting machines during former president trump's final days in office. to the end zone for the win! he caught it! ball game! >> reporter: one of the most exciting playoff weekends in league history. good morning, and good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. this morning, the u.s. is taking