a promise that hit the beaches of normandy. a covenant that split the skies over berlin. a vow that captured iwo jima. a promise was made. a solemn oath that liberated seoul. a sacred trust that defended khe sanh. a pact that dug in in da nang. a contract that weathered tet. a promise was made. a pledge that stormed the desert in iraq. a bond that patrolled door-to-door in fallujah. an iou that braved ieds in kandahar. a promise was made. to america's veterans. a promise we all must keep. dav fights for all veterans and their families so they get the health care, financial benefits and support they earned. if your'e a veteran who needs help, or you'd like to help us keep the promise, visit dav.org. president obama said in an interview released to day he could have beaten donald trump had he been able to run again. speaking to former adviser, david axelrod, the president rejected the notion that democrats have abandoned white middle-class voters. late today, president elect trump tweeted mr. obama "should say that" but i say, no way. >> well this was a national day of mourning in russia for victims of sunday's plane crash in the black sea. pieces of the jetliner were pulled from the water today off sochi. all 92 people on board were killed. and many were members of an army choir. the russians do not suspect terrorism. >> in sclom colombian, an investigation blamed human error carrying a brazilian soccer team to championship match. it found as suspected the plane ran out of fuel. 71 people died. six survived. in the philippines, a powerful typhoon that blew through on christmas day is blamed for at least six deaths. the storm also left five provinces in sthamab abshambles hundred of thousand seeking shelter. in chicago, two brothers were shot and killed at a family party christmas night on what was a very violent weekend. there were at least 27 shootings, 12 people were killed. there have been 745 gun homicide in chicago this year. a more than 56% increase over 2015. chicago police say nearly all of the victims were young, black men, under 30. well the cost of justice has been going up. many states are imposing crippling fines as a way to close budget gaps. behind bars. here's justice correspondent jeff pegues. >> after 24 hours behind bars in college station texas this unemployed mother of three is minutes away from being released. >> i have three children. i just want to go home. see my babies. >> she asked us to conceal her identity as she explains how her inability to pay a simple traffic ticket drove her down a path to jail. >> it just kind of snowballed, with paying my bills. i didn't have the money to, to confront this. >> traffic violations, missed payments and failures to appear in court caused her bill to grow to nearly $3,000 in fines, fees, and an arrest warrant. >> i'm judge -- >> city judge, ed spelane had her released. >> why did you release her? >> released her so she could have a chance to work with us on a plan to do community >> every week he releases dechts not danger to society and simply can't pay the fines. >> it is completely illegal. you cannot be -- put in jail due to your economic status or economic inability to pay a fine. >> the justice department agrees. it sent this letter to every court in the country, discouraging the practice by calling it unlawful. a brennan center study found 15 states have user fees which are explicitly intended to raise revenue. how much money are some of these states making from these fees? >> the state of texas makes a billion dollars a year. >> billion a year? >> in state fees. >> you have. >> he says by releasing defendants who do not have the money, he is simply following supreme court directives. aren't you advocating a slap on the wrist? that's it? >> absolutely not. >> you are crying again. >> this woman got a break. >> yes, sir. >> you know i just need get back on my feet. >> but across the country, others like her are still locked up. jeff pegues, cbs news, college station, texas. >> coming up next -- new technology could prevent drunk driving deaths. and later, the music world pays tribute to george michael. from surfaces for up to 48 hours. you can pick up the flu it's like having a sick family member in your home. but lysol kills 99.9% of germs including 8 cold and flu viruses. to help protect your home lysol that. 2016 may go down as one of the worst years for drunk driving deaths. on average. 28 people a day have been killed in dui accidents. one bad decision can lead to a lifetime of regret. here is t correspondent, kris van cleave. >> it must be a moment that you think about all the time. >> constantly. >> christine alexander knows the pan of drunk driefver can cause. she was one. >> reporter: when you got in the car that night did you know how intoxicate you'd were? >> no. >> reporter: did you think you should have been driving? >> i didn't think that i was that intoxicated. i, i thought i was fine to drive. >> that night in 2004, she had blood alcohol level twice the legal limit. driving home from the bar, she crashed into her boyfriend richard hale's motorcycle. he died. she want to jail. in 2015, 10,265 people died in alcohol impaired crashes. an increase of nearly 300 from the year before. 2016 could be even deadlier. >> itch yf you are drinking don drive. >> we are seeing these increase years. tragic. >> why do you think the drunk driving numbers are going up? >> that's one we are trying to figure out. >> hoping this technology will reduce the number of drunk driving deaths. it uses sensors to measure a driver's blood alcohol level. if too high, the car won't start. but for christine alexander it's too late. >> every -- every waking moment you live with it. and you can't take it back. >> virginia is planning to start testing the drunk driving prevention technology next year. the system could be offered as an optional feature in new cars, by 2020. chris van sleevkris van cleave, washington. >> when we come back, we'll remember george michael, a superstar who spanned the decades. the itsy bitsy spider went up the waterspout. down came the rain and clogged the gutter system creating a leak in the roof. luckily the spider recently had geico help him with homeowners insurance. water completely destroyed his swedish foam mattress. he got full replacement and now owns the sleep number bed. his sleep number setting is 25. call geico and see how much you could save on homeowners insurance. ♪ freedom >> george michael's friend elton john called him the kindest most generous soul and a brilliant artist. singer paul young said michael's voice cut straight through your heart. well, george michael died in his sleep yesterday. jim axelrod has a look back. ♪ wake me up before you go, go >> reporter: he burst onto the scene in the early 1980s waking up post disco pop music world as one half of the duo wham. ♪ i'm not planning on going solo ♪ ♪ we're never going to dance again ♪ >> reporter: with his smooth, soul fell voice, george wasn't going to be anything other than a headliner all on his own. ♪ we could have done this dance forever ♪ >> reporter: born 53 years ago in london, michael would go on to sell more than 100 million records worldwide. ♪ when that love comesr devotio >> reporter: starting in 1987 with "faith." ♪ because i gotta have faith >> reporter: he had eight number one hits in the united states. ♪ i want your sex >> reporter: and won two grammys. ♪ why can't you do it ♪ why can't you set your monkey free ♪ >> the glare of fame's bright lights was too bright at times. in the tabloid for drugs, duis and highly publicized arrest for soliciting sex in a public bathroom which led to his coming out. what didn't get covered was his philanthropy, much done anonymously. earnings from his one hit "jesus to a child." were donated to a hotline for kids in need. ♪ don't let the sun go down on >> royalties from the 1991 duet with elton john of don't let the sun go down on me were earmarked to britain's leading hiv schar tee. george michael's heart apparently failed over christmas weekend at his country home in england. ♪ freedom >> reporter: his fans will miss that remarkable voice. those closest to michael say what the world has really lost is one of its kindest and gentlest souls. ♪ you got to give for what you take ♪ >> thank you so much. >> next, a young scientist took on law makers and won. wait till you see what she is up to now. the holidays are a time to catch up with old acquaintances and some who aren't so old. chip reid spent time with a getting bigger. >> when we first met olivia mcconnell two years ago she was leading a campaign to make the woolie mammoth the state fossil. >> olivia mcconnell. [ applause ] >> reporter: now 11 she is making headlines. she and friends, rhymy emily palmer have won first place in seven science fairs in a row. >> remember, you cannot touch it. >> olivia insists they're a team. but it's pretty clear who is in charge. this prize winning experiment begins with the girls swabbing e.coli on to dishes and then soak paper in solution of tobacco, place the pamer on the e.coli, put it in an oven and wait 24 hours to see if the tobacco kills the e.coli. >> you think this could be a cure? for e.coli. >> possibly could. i hope it can. >> sound like a nobel prize for science in this? >> you think what i'm thinking. >> she is a pretty remarkable young lady. >> reporter: anne jack, university of kentucky tobacco researcher says olivia has all the makings of a great scientist. >> she has ability to persevere and get it right. >> reporter: persevere may be an understatement. whose house is that? >> mine. >> reporter: lye flood destroyed her family's home. and all the tobacco she had so carefully prepared. did you think your experiment was over? >> i never think that. >> reporter: you never do? >> never. i don't like to think, i can't do this, because everything is possible. >> reporter: where did you get that attitude? >> probably from my grandma and my mom. i inherited it from the girls in my family. >> reporter: earlier this year, olivia and her team, believe it or not came in second at a science fair. they say a little adversity builds character. but it's hard to imagine she need any more of that. >> i've been told that. chip reid, cbs news, lake city, south carolina. that's the "overnight news" for this tuesday. for some of you, the news continues. and for others, check back with us a little later for the morning news and cbs this morning. from the broadcast center here in new york city, i'm margaret brennan. >> announcer: this is the cbs "overnight news." welcome. i'm tony dokoupil. while most americans are making plans for the upcoming new year's weekend, millions are still struggling to get home from the christmas holiday. severe weather has taken ahold across much of the northern plains. power is out to tens of thousand. whiteout conditions forced the closure of highways, airports. that's left a lot of people stranded. we begin our coverage with susan, elizabeth littlefield of wcco in minneapolis. >> reporter: strong winds. heavy snow. are blasting across both south and north dakota. creating whiteout conditions. and some places conditions are so bad, drivers are creeping along highways, coated in ice. >> 20 miles per hour or less is >> reporter: snow and ice forced north dakota highway patrol to close several hundred miles of the interstate creating a virtual no-man's land. motorists are warned they travel in some regions at their own risk. snowblowers are clearing away a foot of new snow. forecasters warn some areas could get another 6 inches. >> i think i have done more this year than since i owned the snowblower. i hand shoveled ten tons of snow. and -- it's looks like we're in for a pretty hard winter. >> reporter: wind gusts up to 60 miles an hour and freezing rain are knocking out power in both north and south dakota. in minneapolis, a driver escaped serious injury when icy conditions caused this semitruck to tip on its side. but in utah, a a motorist died when his traffic on a snow covered highway. high wind have moved in behind a weekend of rain and snow in minnesota. blowing, drifting snow today forced two of three run ways at minneapolis-st. paul international airport to close. wind gusts here in minnesota, up to 66 miles per hour, that is just below hurricane force. now they know how to fight snow on these runways, without wind it is tough to battle. there were 200 flights canceled or delayed. i'm demarco morgan. the storms caused flight delays weren't just in minneapolis. in north dakota, blizzard conditions transformed the international airport into a frozen tundra. >> oh, you ain't making it through that. mountains of snow blocked runways. strong winds and low visibility forced airport officials to completely shut down. as the storm travels east, so did the misery. >> i don't know what is going on. don't know if i will catch a flight. >> by midday, midway airport in chicago was leading the nation in delays and cancellation. southwest passenger, juan fln >> if you can't get me out today. you can't get me out tomorrow. you don't have any other planes? >> do you always travel during the busiest time of the year? >> no. >> reporter: holiday travelers like shirley wilson took the more than 70 delays and cancellations at newark's liberty international in stride. >> just come in early. because you will never know what will happen. delays, whatnot. come in early. everything will be smooth sailing after that. >> after a bumpy start here at newark airport, traffic is now flowing smoothly. the airline industry estimates, 73,000 more passengers travel in today during the holiday season. margaret. about a 4% increase over last year. >> thank you, demarco. >> his lawyers are scrambling to separate mr. trump from his vast business empire. it may not be so easy. julianna goldman has the story. spend the holidays at mar-a-lago, meeting with advisers, finalizing staff picks and working to untangle any potential conflicts of interest. but we may never know the extent of the conflicts since mr. trump has not released his tax returns. >> at christmas eve service, president-elect donald trump and wife melania were welcomed with a standing ovation. earlier in the day mr. trump announced he would shutter the donald j. trump foundation to avoid even the appearance of any conflict with my role as president. i have decided to continue to pursue my strong interest in philanthropy in other ways. >> i give a lot of money to people, charities, and everything. i love people. >> reporter: since the campaign a series of controversies surrounding the charity. according to its tax filings from 2009 to 2014, mr. trump did not give his foundation any money. and for 2015, found addition admitted to a practice known as the use of schar tee fund for one's own benefit, violation of irs rules. admission came after a series of reports questioning whether foundation money was used to settle business lawsuits. the new york attorney general opened an investigation and order the foundation to stop raising money. his office says while there is no time line for the investigation, mr. trump's charity cannot legally dissolve until the investigation is complete. >> started the foundation with one goal in mind. >> mr. trump's announcement followed son eric's move to stop raising money for his own charity amid questions that donors could be seeking to curry influence. in response the president-elect tweeted isn't this a ridiculous shame. newt gingrich, one of trump's closest al lies said the president elect needs to do more. >> this is not a country that wanders around, trusting people with power. this is a country that wants accountability. >> few details emerging about unexpected death of pop superstar george michael. he passed away sunday jim axelrod reports. ♪ wake me up before you go, go >> reporter: he burst onto the scene in the early 1 w980saking up post disco pop music world as one half of the duo wham. ♪ i'm not planning on going solo ♪ ♪ we're never going to dance again ♪ >> reporter: with his smooth, soulful voice, george michael wasn't going to be anything other than a headliner all on his own. ♪ we could have done this dance forever ♪ >> reporter: born 53 years ago in london, michael would go on to sell more than 100 million records worldwide. ♪ when that love comes our devotion ♪ >> reporter: starting in 1987 with "faith." ♪ because i gotta have faith >> reporter: hd e hat eighernumb one hits in the united states. ♪ i want your sex >>or repter: and won two grammys. ♪ why can't you set your monkey free ♪ >> the glare of fame's bright lights was too bright at times. in the tabloid for drugs, duis and highly publicized arrest for soliciting sex in a public bathroom which led to his coming out. what didn't get covered was his philanthropy, much done anonymously. earnings from his 1996 number one hit "jesus to a child." were donated to a hotline for kids in need. ♪ don't let the sun go down on >> royalties from the 1991 duet with elton john of don't let the sun go down on me were earmarked to britain's leading hiv charity. george michael's heart apparently failed over christmas weekend at his country home in england. ♪ freedom >> reporter: his fans will miss that remarkable voice. what the world has really lost is one of its kindest and gentlest souls. ♪ you got to give for what you take ♪ jim axelrod, cbs news, new york. # overseas, syrian government troops are now in full control of aleppo. the rebel evacuation completed last week, fighting has moved on to other areas. aleppo is still the biggest city in syria. but years of shelling reduced some neighborhood to rubble. tens of thousands were forced to flee in the past two weeks alone. one was a young girl, whose story of survival made her an internet sensation. here is holly williams. >> we have been following that little girl on twitter along with hundreds of thousand of other people who were moved by her story of survival in aleppo. she has just lost her front tooth and loves harry potter. so far so normal for a 7-year-old. except just four days ago, they escaped the nightmarish violence of aleppo. and before that, as they moved under siege, they ran a twitter account that turned her into a social media sensation. with more than 300,000 followers. >> it showed the devastation of war through a child's eyes. the terror when the syrian regime's air strikes rained down on them. eventually, they told us, destroying their home. now in turkey, she is finally safe from the bombs. and she is making plans for the future. >> what do you want to do when you grow up? >> teacher. >> you want to be a teacher like your mum? >> yes. yes. >> you are kind of famous now? did you know that? >> yes. >> how do you feel about that? >> i am happy. >> she told us what it was like as a mother. >> where we live forever war zone. >> you must be very strong to give your family feel that they are also strong. >> reporter: their posts on twitter posted sympathy and outrage at the plight of civilians in aleppo. syria's president, bashar al assad called it a game and propaganda and others claimed the account was somehow a fake. >> they want to blind the truth. >> the two did show the world what happened in aleppo. and made it out alive. though even a little girl's pleas for help didn't stop the carnage. >> reporter: the two told us they want to go back to aleppo soon as it is safe to do so. but after the regime retook the city, we have no idea when that might be. thousands of americans lost limbs in the wars in iraq and afghanistan. one of them is marine sergeant john peck. he has undergone a transplant. and so far, so good. david martin has his story. >> this dude, sergeant john peck. what? what? listed for a double arm transplant. >> reporter: two years ago when john peck, a marine who lost all four limbs to an explosion in afghanistan in 2010, learned he might not have to rely on prosthetic arms for the rest of his life. >> these things. they suck. i've mean, they're horrible. >> this summer peck was wheeled into an operating room at brigham and women's hospital in boston for a 14 hour surgery. packed in ice chests, arms from a young man who had been declared brain dead, 36 hours earlier, were rushed in to be attached to peck's stumps. dr. simon talbot led 60 surgeons, nurses and technicians. >> is there a moment of truth in the surgeries? the moment when you know you have succeeded and attaching that arm? >> there is a fabulous moment of truth. that's when blood can flow into the hand you see it turn pink. >> here we go. look at that. >> oh, yeah. >> feel your pulse. perfect. >> it's that moment when you get butterfly and you know this arm is, actually, back on and back alive again. >> tip of the thumb. >> when peck woke up the next day he had some one else's arms. >> i feel look these things are really compressing and everything. >> before he can use them his own nerves have to grow down to his new fingertips. a slow, some times agonizing process. >> there was one night in the icu i was crying. i was in a lot of pain. even through all of the med. i contemplated calling the doctor, look, doc, i can't handle this pain. take the arms off me. >> bring your arm up. straight out in front. >> he withstood the pain with his medical team constantly checking for any sign his body may rerejecting his new arms. >> reporter: you have hey lot of hard, hard work to do? outcome. >> yeah. >> that's pretty daunting. >> any day my body can say nope, not having it. then go back to brigham, get my arms reamputated higher than i was before. >> feel okay. or too snug? >> too snug. >> for now the arms in braces to protect them from strain. it could be a year before he has sensation in his fingers. >> it is very different. having, having -- to kind of relearn, right. because -- you learned with the prosthetic. and you got that down. and now you got these arms back. you have got to relearn how to use them. >> reporter: two years ago when weep first met john peck he was living in a handicap accessible house. just putting food on the table was an exercise in frustration. >> see, prosthetics don't really help with this. grabbing -- come here. >> all he is trying to do here is scramble a few eggs some one thse has already taken out of >> that awe how i have to open up tupperware. >> kind of a pain? >> yeah, it its. >> put your arm up. >> even with new arms he has to learn how to sit up all over again. >> you are not able to push off with your arms yet? >> no. >> but you will be? >> oh, yes. as soon as those doctors give me the okay. i will be sitting up look a pro again. >> that's the head of the bed. >> every day tasks the rest of us take for granted are now within his reach, thanks to the arms of a dead stranger. you don't know who the donor is? >> i do not. >> but his family may be watching this. >> i know. >> what would you look to tell the family? >> i am just grateful that i am going to have this opportunity to be able to hold somebody's hand again, to possibly be -- to be able to fulfill my dreams, my lifelong dreams. >> the dream even when he had arms, is to become a celebrity chef. >> i am going to compete on next food network star. i'm going to win it. then i am going to open a restaurant. >> reporter: if he never recovers enough dexterity to slice and dice, he says, then he will just run the place. david martin in boston. >> i just want few get in the pool. >> as far as becoming a chef. sergeant peck posted this picture of himself, using both arms to make dinner on christmas eve. the "overnight news" will be right back. ex. one pill fights congestion for 12 hours. guess i won't be seeing you for a while. why take medicines that only last 4 hours, when just one mucinex lasts 12 hours? let's end this. disinfect with lysol bathroom toilet gtrigger... just stay in the toilet. ... and lysol power foamer. they kill 99.9% of germs. to clean and disinfect your bathroom... ...lysol that. later this evening, cbs will air the 39th annual kennedy center honor celebration. the spotlight will fall on a stage full of performers, most of whom you probably know by name. but there is one you may not know. pianist martha argorite. seth doane has her story. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: there are few people on the planet who can make a piano do this. she has a dazzling ability to pull emotion from these 88 keys. the virtuoso mesmerizes audiences, critics, just about everyone, except perhaps herself. >> it is complicated. it is not a relationship like that i love the piano. and i love to practice. and i love to play. it is not >> reporter: i'm surprised. >> it's not like this. some times it is like this. ah! not always. something, i don't want to practice. i don't want to play. what is this? i don't like the sound of the piano. i prefer other instruments. i like strings a lot. offstage the unpredictable performer, revoolz reveals a personality as complex. the piano doesn't love me today. when the piano doesn't like me, i don't play it. >> but the piano is an inanimate object. >> yeah, but i don't feel it like that. >> reporter: it certainly comes alive in her hands. she calls the piano her oldest companion, but specifies, it is not always a friend. to hear you speak it sound like you are talking about a person, a relationship. >> uh-huh. >> reporter: that sometimes rocky relationship has taken her from her native argentina to the world's greatest performance halls. a documentary made by one of her three daughters shows her behind the scenes. at times, anxious about playing. >> i really don't want to play, you know. >> she is nonknown to cancel concerts. and dislike doing interviews. but on the day we met in a dressing room at rome's, she was warm, endearing. >> you think it goes okay? >> yeah. >> reporter: and treated us to a little concert. later, we watched her practice with her friend antonio popano, which leads the italy's famed orchestra. which she will perform with in the u.s. next fame. shear they make her lonely. >> music is wonderful. but the profession is not. now, 75, she has battled cancer two times, had three marriages, and says the piano often kept her away from her daughters. during our interview she suggested one daughter, annie join us and share her seat. >> hello. >> she does things her way. >> we had a fun life, actually. we lived in a big how that was open all the time. >> and there was always music. particularly late into the night. >> soap i would go to bed. and i could hear -- >> trying to sleep, hear your mom practicing. >> i slept. normal for me to have piano. >> reporter: all the time. >> yeah, absolutely. >> reporter: miss martha -- >> it was annie who first receive the kennedy center honor and recognition from president barack obama. >> she doesn't just play the piano, she possesses it. as a critic once wrote, "she its an ununaffected interpreter whose native language music." >> she seems to almost shrug off such praise. would you do it differently itch y -- if you could looking back? >> i think so. >> but i didn't choose it. >> reporter: what do you mean you didn't choose it? >> i was a peachianist before i could decide that i was one, or that i was going to. i didn't choose. it's not a choice. >> reporter: not a choice, rather, a natural ability. she told us, one always wants to do something one is not doing. it is a statement that revealed the human side of a genius. seth doane, rome. ♪ >> you can catch kennedy center z26i0z z17vz y26i0y y17vy did you get what you wanted for christmas? steve hartman caught up with a little girl who most definitely did. >> reporter: whenever i think of the true meaning of christmas, i am always reminded of this second grade classroom outside raleigh, north carolina. it was 2011, the guy in the santa suit had given every one of the kids the exact toy they asked for in their letters. every kid that is, but bethenny arnold. who refused to ask him for a single toy. dear santa my daddy is in iraq could you bring him home for christmas. that would be the best gift of all. >> reporter: did you know you were asking for something that does kind of tough? >> s. world in one night. >> that's true. >> i never wanted anything more than that. >> reporter: bethenny's dad, wendall arnold was a contractor in iraq, repairing the country's electrical infrastructure. ee understand he has to stay and help people. i miss him a lot. >> reporter: last time they saw each other they exchanged the key chains. >> this is his hard. the next time i see you i will give your heart back. >> unfortunately bringing two hearts together at christmas isn't always a government priority. which is why this year, bethenny decided to appeal to a higher authority. santa. she even asked him again at school. >> santa, for christmas, i want my dad to come home. >> reporter: and that's when her wish began coming tr. that's when she got her heart back. and that's when i got my reminder of what this weekend is all about. >> daddy! >> reporter: there is not a toy in the workshop that ever got this kind of reaction. >> you sure you don't want something else. >> i'm just so happy that you are home. >> reporter: not a bow big enough to wrap the joy. since this story first aired, wendall is now back home for good. he says he missed his family too much to stay away another minute. proving the only thing better than a dramatic homecoming is a family you know will always be there. steve hartman, on the road, in raleigh, north carolina. >> there is one dad that was home for christmas. and that's the "overnight news" for this tuesday. for some of you the news continues. for others check back a little bit later for the morning news. and do not miss -- cbs this morning. from the broadcast center here in new york city, i'm tony dokoupil. the present nobody wd.ante snow, ice and wind ruin a lot of holiday travel plans. >> if you can't get me out today, you can't get me out tomorrow. you don't have any other planes? >> also tonight, this year has seen a jump in drunk driving deaths. >> every waking moment you live with it. and you can't take it back. ♪ because i've got to have faith ♪ we'll remember pop superstar george michael. ♪ i've got to have faith, faith, faith ♪ >> and -- >> amber, you cannot touch the dip. >> this young scientist has big plans. >> sound like there is a n obel prize for science in this. >> you think what i'm thinking. >> announcer: this is the cbs "overnight news." holiday travel has become downright dangerous for millions. a wicked mix of freezing rain, snow, and high winds is sweeping through the northern plains to the great lakes. highways are shut for hundreds of miles in the dakotas because of whiteout conditions. violators face stiff fines, thousands are without power. more than 3,000 flights were delayed. more than 350 were canceled. and with most flights booked solid, many travelers may have to wait days to fly. we have two reports, first, susan elizabeth littlefield of cbs minneapolis station, wcco. >> reporter: strong winds. heavy snow. are blasting across both south and north dakota. creating whiteout conditions. and some places conditions are so bad, drivers are creeping along hiys >> 20 miles per hour or less is about all you can do here. >> reporter: snow and ice forced north dakota highway patrol to close several hundred miles of the interstate creating a virtual no-man's land. motorists are warned they travel in some regions at their own risk. snowblowers are clearing away a foot of new snow. forecasters warn some areas could get another 6 inches. >> i think i have done more this year than since i owned the snowblower. i hand shoveled ten tons of snow. and -- it's looks like we're in for a pretty hard winter. >> reporter: wind gusts up to 60 miles an hour and freezing rain are knocking out power in both north and south dakota. in minneapolis, a driver escaped serious injury when icy conditions caused this semitruck to tip on its side. but in utah, a a motorist died when his car slipped into traffic on a snow covered highway. high wind have moved in behind a weekend of rain and snow in minnesota. blowing, drifting snow today forced two of three run ways at minneapolis saint ball international airport to close. wind gusts here in minnesota, up to 66 miles per hour, that is just below hurricane force. now they know how to fight snow on these runways, without wind it is tough to battle. there were 200 flights canceled or delayed. i'm demarco morgan. the storms caused flight delays weren't just in minneapolis. in north dakota, blizzard conditions transformed the international airport into a frozen tundra. >> oh, you ain't making it through that. mountains of snow blocked runways. strong winds and low visibility forced airport officials to completely shut down. as the storm travels east, so did the misery. >> i don't know what is going on. don't know if i will catch a flight. >> by midday, midway airport in chicago was leading the nation in delays and cancellation. southwest passenger, juan flynn thought he was going to atlanta. >> if you can't get me out today. you can't get me out tomorrow. you don't have any other planes? >> do you always travel during the busiest time of the year? >> no. >> reporter: holiday travelers like shirley wilson took the more than 70 delays and cancellations at newark's liberty international in stride. >> just come in early. because you will never know what will happen. delays, whatnot. comen early. everything will be smooth sailing after that. >> after a bumpy start here at newark airport, traffic is now flowing smoothly. the airline industry estimates, 73,000 more passengers travel in today during the holiday season. margaret. about a 4% increase over last year. >> thank you, demarco. and susan elizabeth. where the weather permitted americans floc sees a second most foot traffic of the season right behind black friday. jericka duncan went looking for bargains. >> yeah, 75% off christmas. >> the holiday shopping season didn't end with christmas. for some it just began. >> there is like so many clearance racks everywhere. >> i think everything at least had one sale on it. >> also one more chance for retailers to cash in. analysts predict the week after christmas will account for about 14% of this year's holiday sales. department stores struggling to keep up with online retailers, looked forward to today and the increased foot traffic. market strategist, max wolf. >> why is the day after christmas becoming so much more increasingly important for these brick and mortar stores? >> probably 25% of the people say they got a gift card. gift card business is enormous, blowing up. we also know returns are a big deal. you will get people back that way. >> reporter: overall holiday shopping sales expected to be up roughly 4% from last year. more than $79 billion. that is a nearly 11% increase. >> just all the stuff you need. but you just wait for the sale. so this is a great time to make those purchases. >> that mentality won't change. but how consumers get what they want, especially younger ones, likely will. >> if you counted on them to be your next customer, you have how to come up with a new strategy pretty quick or you become the short neck giraffe on the great plains of american retail. >> that they why in the cupping year you will see retailers working hard to bridge the gap between offline and online shopping. margaret, analysts say some retailers are already expeerment experimenting with ways people can pay for things inside the store by using their phone. >> wow, thank you. well, over the weekend, president-elect donald trump said he is planning to shut his charitable foundation to avoid any conflicts of interest. done. julianna goldman explains why. >> i give a lot of money to people. charities and everything. i love people. >> reporter: the donald j. trump foundation embroiled in controversy since the campaign. it largely doled out other people's money. according to tax filings from 2009 to 2014, the president-elect did not make any donations. and for 2015, admitted to a practice known as self-dealing. the use of charity fund for one's own benefit. which is a violation of irs rules. the admission came after a series of reports questioning whether foundation money was used to settle business lawsuits. the new york attorney general is conducting an investigation. and says mr. trump's charity cannot legally dissolve until the investigation is complete. >> there are no laws governing conflicts of interest for the president, but margaret, ethics experts say the only way for mr. president obama said in an interview released to day he could have beaten donald trump had he been able to run again. speaking to former adviser, david axelrod, the president rejected the notion that democrats have abandoned white middle-class voters. late today, president elect trump tweeted mr. obama "should say that" but i say, no way. >> well this was a national day of mourning in russia for victims of sunday's plane crash in the black sea. pieces of the jetliner were pulled from the water today off sochi. all 92 people on board were killed. and many were members of an army choir. the russians do not suspect terrorism. >> in colombian, an investigation blamed human error for the crash of a charter jet cang to championship match. it found as suspected the plane ran out of fuel. 71 people died. six survived. in the philippines, a powerful typhoon that blew through on christmas day is blamed for at least six deaths. the storm also left five provinces in shambles and hundred of thousand seeking shelter. in chicago, two brothers were shot and killed at a family party christmas night on what was a very violent weekend. there were at least 27 shootings, 12 people were killed. there have been 745 gun homicide in chicago this year. a more than 56% increase over 2015. chicago police say nearly all of the victims were young, black men, under 30. well the cost of justice has been going up. many states are imposing crippling fines as a way to close budget gaps. those who cat behind bars. here's justice correspondent jeff pegues. >> after 24 hours behind bars in college station texas this unemployed mother of three is minutes away from being released. >> i have three children. i just want to go home. see my babies. >> she asked us to conceal her identity as she explains how her inability to pay a simple traffic ticket drove her down a path to jail. >> it just kind of snowballed, with paying my bills. i didn't have the money to, to confront this. >> traffic violations, missed payments and failures to appear in court caused her bill to grow to nearly $3,000 in fines, fees, and an arrest warrant. >> i'm judge -- >> city judge, ed spelane had her released. >> why did you release her? >> released her so she could have a chance to work with us on a plan to do community service. >> every week he releases dechts not danger to society and simply can't pay the fines. >> it is completely illegal. you cannot be -- put in jail due to your economic status or economic inability to pay a fine. >> the justice department agrees. it sent this letter to every court in the country, discouraging the practice by calling it unlawful. a brennan center study found 15 states have user fees which are explicitly intended to raise revenue. how much money are some of these states making from these fees? >> the state of texas makes a billion dollars a year. >> billion a year? >> in state fees. >> you have. >> he says by releasing defendants who do not have the money, he is simply following supreme court directives. aren't you advocating a slap on the wrist? that's it? >> absolutely not. >> a >> yes, sir. >> you know i just need to -- get back on my feet. >> but across the country, others like her are still locked up. jeff pegues, cbs news, college station, texas. >> coming up next -- new technology could prevent drunk driving deaths. and later, the music world pays tribute to george michael. that cough doesn't sound so good. well i think you sound great. move over. easy booger man. take mucinex dm. it'll take care of your cough. fine! i'll text you in 4 hours when your cough returns. one pill lasts 12 hours, so... looks like i'm good all night! ah! david, please, listen. still not coughing. not fair you guys! waffles are my favorite! ah! some cough medicines only last 4 hours. but just one mucinex lasts 12 hours. start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. 2016 may go down as one of the worst years for drunk driving deaths. on average. 28 people a day have been killed in dui accidents. one bad decision can lead to a lifetime of regret. here is transportation correspondent, kris van cleave. think about all the time. >> constantly. >> christine alexander knows the pan of drunk driver can cause. she was one. >> reporter: when you got in the car that night did you know how intoxicate you'd were? >> no. >> reporter: did you think you should have been driving? >> i didn't think that i was that intoxicated. i, i thought i was fine to drive. >> that night in 2004, she had blood alcohol level twice the legal limit. driving home from the bar, she crashed into her boyfriend richard hale's motorcycle. he died. she want to jail. in 2015, 10,265 people died in alcohol impaired crashes. an increase of nearly 300 from the year before. 2016 could be even deadlier. >> if you are rinking don't drive. >> we are seeing these increases that we have not seen in 50 years. tragic. >> why do you think the drunk driving numbers are going up? >> that's one we are trying to >> hoping this technology will reduce the number of drunk driving deaths. it uses sensors to measure a driver's blood alcohol level. if too high, the car won't start. but for christine alexander it's too late. >> every -- every waking moment you live with it. and you can't take it back. >> virginia is planning to start testing the drunk driving prevention technology next year. the system could be offered as an optional feature in new cars, by 2020. kris van cleave, cbs news, washington. >> when we come back, we'll remember george michael, a superstar who spanned the decades. from surfaces for up to 48 hours. you can pick up the flu it's like having a sick family member in your home. but lysol kills 99.9% of germs including 8 cold and flu viruses. to help protect your home lysol that. jack knocked over a candlestick, onto the shag carpeting... ...and his pants ignited into flames, causing him to stop, drop and roll. enters insurance. because all his belongings went up in flames. jack got full replacement and now has new pants he ordered from banana republic. visit geico.com and see how affordable renters insurance can be. ♪ freedom >> george michael's friend elton john called him the kindest most generous soul and a brilliant artist. singer paul young said michael's voice cut straight through your heart. well, george michael died in his sleep yesterday. jim axelrod has a look back. ♪ wake me up before you go, go >> reporter: he burst onto the scene in the early 1980s waking up post disco pop music world as one half of the duo wham. ♪ i'm not planning on going solo ♪ ♪ we're never going to dance again ♪ >> reporter: with his smooth, soul fell voice, george michael wasn't going to be anything other than a headliner all on his own. forever ♪ >> reporter: born 53 years ago in london, michael would go on to sell more than 100 million records worldwide. ♪ when that love comes our devotion ♪ >> reporter: starting in 1987 with "faith." ♪ because i gotta have faith >> reporter: he had eight number one hits in the united states. ♪ i want your sex >> reporter: and won two grammys. ♪ why can't you do it ♪ why can't you set your monkey free ♪ >> the glare of fame's bright lights was too bright at times. in the tabloid for drugs, duis and highly publicized arrest for soliciting sex in a public bathroom which led to his coming out. what didn't get covered was his philanthropy, much done anonymously. earnings from his 1996 number one hit "jesus to a child." were donated to a hotline for kids in need. ♪ don't let the sun go down on with elton john of don't let the sun go down on me were earmarked to britain's leading hiv schar tee. george michael's heart apparently failed over christmas weekend at his country home in england. ♪ freedom >> reporter: his fans will miss that remarkable voice. those closest to michael say what the world has really lost is one of its kindest and gentlest souls. ♪ you got to give for what you take ♪ >> thank you so much. >> next, a young scientist took on law makers and won. wait till you see what she is up to now. ♪ ♪ take a good look at yourself. ♪ oh, yeah. ♪ and turn. ♪ oh! ♪ very nice. ♪ check that smooth backside one more time. ♪ no, really check it. ♪ do you see any changing or suspicious spots? ♪ it's your skin. ♪ and it's important. ♪ if you're a man over 50, you're in the group most likely ♪ to develop skin cancer, including melanoma, the cancer ♪ that kills one person every hour. ♪ ♪ when detected early, skin cancer is highly treatable. ♪ check yourself out. ♪ and find someone else to help. ♪ learn more about what to look for at spotskincancer.org. ♪ a message from the american academy of dermatology. the holidays are a time to catch up with old acquaintances and some who aren't so old. chip reid spent time with a scientist whose idea keep getting bigger. >> when we first met olivia mcconnell two years ago she was leading a campaign to make the woolie mammoth the state fossil. >> olivia mcconnell. [ applause ] >> reporter: now 11 she is making headlines. she and friends, rhymy simms and emily palmer have won first place in seven science fairs in a row. >> remember, you cannot touch it. >> olivia insists they're a team. but it's pretty clear who is in charge. this prize winning experiment begins with the girls swabbing e.coli on to dishes and then soak paper in solution of tobacco, place the pamer on the e.coli, put it in an oven and wait 24 hours to see if the tobacco kills the e.coli. >> you think this could be a cure? for e.coli. >> possibly could. i hope it can. >> sound like a nobel prize for science in this? >> you think what i'm thinking. >> she is a pretty remarkable young lady. >> reporter: anne jack, university of kentucky tobacco researcher says olivia has all the makings of a great scientist. >> she has ability to persevere and get it right. >> reporter: persevere may be an understatement. whose house is that? >> mine. >> reporter: last year a massive flood destroyed her family's home. and all the tobacco she had so carefully prepared. did you think your experiment was over? >> i never think that. >> reporter: you never do? >> never. i don't like to think, i can't do this, because everything is possible. >> reporter: where did you get that attitude? >> probably from my grandma and my mom. i inherited it from the girls in my family. >> reporter: earlier this year, olivia and her team, believe it or not came in second at a science fair. they say a little adversity builds character. but it's hard to imagine she need any more of that. >> i've been told that. chip reid, cbs news, lake city, south carolina. that's the "overnight news" for this tuesday. for some of you, the news continues. and for others, check back with us a little later for the morning news and cbs this morning. from the broadcast center here in new york city, i'm margaret brennan. >> announcer: this is the cbs "overnight news." welcome. i'm tony dokoupil. plans for the upcoming new year's weekend, millions are still struggling to get home from the christmas holiday. severe weather has taken ahold across much of the northern plains. power is out to tens of thousand. whiteout conditions forced the closure of highways, airports. that's left a lot of people stranded. we begin our coverage with susan, elizabeth littlefield of wcco in minneapolis. >> reporter: strong winds. heavy snow. are blasting across both south and north dakota. creating whiteout conditions. and some places conditions are so bad, drivers are creeping along highways, coated in ice. >> 20 miles per hour or less is about all you can do here. >> reporter: snow and ice forced rt close several hundred miles of the interstate creating a virtual no-man's land. motorists are warned they travel in some regions at their own risk. snowblowers are clearing away a foot of new snow. forecasters warn some areas could get another 6 inches. >> i think i have done more this year than since i owned the snowblower. i hand shoveled ten tons of snow. and -- it's looks like we're in for a pretty hard winter. >> reporter: wind gusts up to 60 miles an hour and freezing rain are knocking out power in both north and south dakota. in minneapolis, a driver escaped serious injury when icy conditions caused this semitruck to tip on its side. but in utah, a a motorist died when his car slipped into traffic on a snow covered highway. high wind have moved in behind a weekend of rain and snow in minnesota. blowing, drifting snow today forced two of three run ways at minneapolis-st. paul international airport to close. wind gusts here in minnesota, up to 66 miles per hour, that is just below hurricane force. now they know how to fight snow on these runways, without wind it is tough to battle. there were 200 flights canceled or delayed. i'm demarco morgan. the storms caused flight delays weren't just in minneapolis. in north dakota, blizzard conditions transformed the international airport into a frozen tundra. >> oh, you ain't making it through that. mountains of snow blocked runways. strong winds and low visibility forced airport officials to completely shut down. as the storm travels east, so did the misery. >> i don't know what is going on. don't know if i will catch a flight. >> by midday, midway airport in chicago was leading the nation in delays anca southwest passenger, juan flynn thought he was going to atlanta. >> if you can't get me out today. you can't get me out tomorrow. you don't have any other planes? >> do you always travel during the busiest time of the year? >> no. >> reporter: holiday travelers like shirley wilson took the more than 70 delays and cancellations at newark's liberty international in stride. >> just come in early. because you will never know what will happen. delays, whatnot. come in early. everything will be smooth sailing after that. >> after a bumpy start here at newark airport, traffic is now flowing smoothly. the airline industry estimates, 73,000 more passengers travel in today during the holiday season. margaret. about a 4% increase over last year. in 24 days, donald trump will be sworn in as the 45th president of the united states. >> his lawyers are scrambling to separate mr. trump from his vast business empire. it may not be so easy. julianna goldman has the story. >> this week. mar-a-lago, meeting with advisers, finalizing staff picks and working to untangle any potential conflicts of interest. but we may never know the extent of the conflicts since mr. trump has not released his tax returns. >> at christmas eve service, president-elect donald trump and wife melania were welcomed with a standing ovation. earlier in the day mr. trump announced he would shutter the donald j. trump foundation to avoid even the appearance of any conflict with my role as president. i have decided to continue to pursue my strong interest in philanthropy in other ways. >> i give a lot of money to people, charities, and everything. i love people. >> reporter: since the campaign a series of controversies surrounding the charity. according to its tax filings from 2009 to 2014, mr. trump did not give his foundation any money. and for 2015, found addition admitted to a practice known as self-dealing. the use of charity funds for one's own benefit, violation of irs rules. admission came after a series of reports questioning whether foundation money was used to settle business lawsuits. the new york attorney general opened an investigation and order the foundation to stop raising money. his office says while there is no time line for the investigation, mr. trump's charity cannot legally dissolve until the investigation is complete. >> started the foundation with one goal in mind. >> mr. trump's announcement followed son eric's move to stop raising money for his own charity amid questions that donors could be seeking to curry influence. in response the president-elect tweeted isn't this a ridiculous shame. newt gingrich, one of trump's closest al lies said the president elect needs to do more. >> this is not a country that wanders around, trusting people with power. this is a country that wants accountability. >> few details emerging about unexpected death of pop superstar george michael. he passed away sunday at age 53. jim axelrod reports. ♪ wake me up before you go, go >> reporter: he burst onto the scene in the early 1980s waking up post disco pop music world as one half of the duo wham. ♪ i'm not planning on going solo ♪ ♪ we're never going to dance again ♪ >> reporter: with his smooth, soulful voice, george michael wasn't going to be anything other than a headliner all on his own. ♪ we could have done this dance forever ♪ >> reporter: born 53 years ago in london, michael would go on to sell more than 100 million records worldwide. ♪ when that love comes our devotion ♪ >> reporter: starting in 1987 "withh.fait" ♪ because i gotta have faith >> reporter: he had eight number one hits in the united states. ♪ i wyoant ur sex ep>> rorter: and won two grammys. ♪ why can't you do it ♪ why can't you set your monkey free ♪ >> the glare of fame's bri lights was too bright at times. in the tabloid for drugs, duis and highly publicized arrest for soliciting sex in a public bathroom which led to his coming out. what didn't get covered was his philanthropy, much done anonymously. earnings from his 1996 number one hit "jesus to a child." were donated to a hotline for kids in need. ♪ don't let the sun go down on >> royalties from the 1991 duet with elton john of don't let the sun go down on me were earmarked to britain's leading hiv charity. george michael's heart apparently failed over christmas weekend at his country home in england. ♪ freedom >> reporter: his fans will miss that remarkable voice. those clt is one of its kindest and gentlest souls. ♪ you got to give for what you take ♪ jim axelrod, cbs news, new york. mthat stuff only lasts a few hours. or, take mucinex. one pill fights congestion for 12 hours. guess i won't be seeing you for a while. why take medicines that only last 4 hours, when just one mucinex lasts 12 hours? let's end this. overseas, syrian government troops are now in full control of aleppo. the rebel evacuation completed last week, fighting has moved on to other areas. aleppo is still the biggest city in syria. but years of shelling reduced some neighborhood to rubble. tens of thousands were forced to flee in the past two weeks alone. one was a young girl, whose story of survival made her an internet sensation. here is holly williams. >> we have been following that little girl on twitter along with hundreds of thousand of other people who were moved by her story of survival in aleppo. she has just lost her front tooth and loves harry potter. so far so normal for a 7-year-old. except just four days ago, they escaped the nightmarish violence of aleppo. and before that, as they moved under siege, they ran a twitter account that turned her into a social media sensation. with more than 300,000 followers. >> it showed the devastation of war through a child's eyes. the terror when the syrian regime's air strikes rained down on them. eventually, they told us, destroying their home. now in turkey, she is finally safe from the bombs. and she is making plans for the future. >> what do you want to do when you grow up? >> teacher. >> you want to be a teacher like your mum? >> yes. yes. >> you are kind of famous now? did you know that? >> yes. >> how do you feel about that? >> i am happy. >> she told us what it was like as a mother. >> where we live forever together. >> raising three children in a war zone. >> you must be very strong to give your family feel that they are also strong. twitter posted sympathy and outrage at the plight of civilians in aleppo. syria's president, bashar al assad called it a game and propaganda and others claimed the account was somehow a fake. >> they want to blind the truth. >> the two did show the world what happened in aleppo. and made it out alive. though even a little girl's pleas for help didn't stop the carnage. >> reporter: the two told us they want to go back to aleppo soon as it is safe to do so. but after the regime retook the city, we have no idea when that might be. thousands of americans lost limbs in the wars in iraq and afghanistan. one of them is marine sergeant john peck. he has undergone a double arm transplant. and so far, so good. david martin has his story. >> this dude, sergeant john peck. what? what? listed for a double arm transplant. >> reporter: two years ago when john peck, a marine who lost all four limbs to an explosion in afghanistan in 2010, learned he might not have to rely on prosthetic arms for the rest of his life. >> these things. they suck. i've mean, they're horrible. >> this summe peck was wheeled into an operating room at brigham and women's hospital in boston for a 14 hour surgery. packed in ice chests, arms from a young man who had been declared brain dead, 36 hours earlier, were rushed in to be attached to peck's stumps. dr. simon talbot led 60 surgeons, nurses and technicians. >> is there a moment of truth in the surgeries? have succeeded and attaching that arm? >> there is a fabulous moment of truth. that's when blood can flow into the hand you see it turn pink. >> here we go. look at that. >> oh, yeah. >> feel your pulse. perfect. >> it's that moment when you get butterfly and you know this arm is, actually, back on and back alive again. >> tip of the thumb. >> when peck woke up the next day he had some one else's arms. >> i feel look these things are really compressing and everything. >> before he can use them his own nerves have to grow down to his new fingertips. a slow, some times agonizing process. >> there was one night in the icu i was crying. i was in a lot of pain. even through all of the med. i contemplated calling the doctor, look, doc, i can't handle this pain. take the arms off me. >> bring your arm up. straight out in front. >> he withstood the pain with his medical team constantly checking for any sign his body may rerejecting his new arms. >> reporter: you have hey lot of hard, hard work to do? with, with -- an uncertain outcome. >> yeah. >> that's pretty daunting. >> any day my body can say nope, not having it. then go back to brigham, get my arms reamputated higher than i was before. >> feel okay. or too snug? >> too snug. >> for now the arms in braces to protect them from strain. it could be a year before he has sensation in his fingers. >> it is very different. having, having -- to kind of relearn, right. because -- you learned with the prosthetic. and you got that down. and now you got these arms back. you have got to relearn how to use them. >> reporter: two years ago when weep first met john peck he was living in a handicap accessible house. just putting food on the table was an exercise in frustration. >> see, prosthetics don't really help with this. grabbing -- >> all he is trying to do here is scramble a few eggs some one else has already taken out of the shell. >> that awe how i have to open up tupperware. >> kind of a pain? >> yeah, it its. >> put your arm up. >> even with new arms he has to learn how to sit up all over again. >> you are not able to push off with your arms yet? >> no. >> but you will be? >> oh, yes. as soon as those doctors give me the okay. i will be sitting up look a pro again. >> that's the head of the bed. >> every day tasks the rest of us take for granted are now within his reach, thanks to the arms of a dead stranger. you don't know who the donor is? >> i do not. >> but his family may be watching this. >> i know. >> what would you look to tell the family? >> i am just grateful that i am going to have this opportunity to be able to hold somebody's hand again, to possibly be -- to be able to fulfill my dreams, my lifelong dreams. >> the dream even when he had no arms, is to become a celebrity chef. >> i am going to compete on next food network star. i'm going to win it. then i am going to open a restaurant. >> reporter: if he never recovers enough dexterity to slice and dice, he says, then he will just run the place. david martin in boston. >> i just want few get in the pool. >> as far as becoming a chef. sergeant peck posted this picture of himself, using both arms to make dinner on christmas eve. the "overnight news" will be right back. disinfect with lysol bathroom toilet gtrigger... just stay in the toilet. ... and lysol power foamer. they kill 99.9% of germs. to clean and disinfect your bathroom... ...lysol that. later this evening, cbs will air the 39th annual kennedy center honor celebration. the spotlight will fall on a stage full of performers, most of whom you probably know by name. but there is one you may not know. pianist martha argorite. seth doane has her story. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: there are few people on the planet who can make a piano do this. she has a dazzling ability to pull emotion from these 88 keys. the virtuoso mesmerizes audiences, critics, just about everyone, except perhaps herself. >> it is complicated. it is not a relationship like that i love the piano. and i love to practice. and i love to play. it is not like this. >> reporter: i'm surprised. >> it's not like this. some times it is like this. ah! not always. something, i don't want to practice. what is this? i don't like the sound of the piano. i prefer other instruments. i like strings a lot. offstage the unpredictable performer, revoolz reveals a personality as complex. the piano doesn't love me today. when the piano doesn't like me, i don't play it. >> but the piano is an inanimate object. >> yeah, but i don't feel it like that. >> reporter: it certainly comes alive in her hands. she calls the piano her oldest companion, but specifies, it is not always a friend. to hear you speak it sound like you are talking about a person, a relationship. >> uh-huh. well that's what it is. >> reporter: that sometimes rocky relationship has taken her from her native argentina to the world's greatest performance halls. a documentary made by one of her three daughters shows her behind the scenes. at times, anxious about playing. >> i really don't want to play, you know. >> she is known to cancel concerts. and dislike doing interviews. but on the day we met in a dressing room at rome's, she was warm, endearing. >> you think it goes okay? >> yeah. >> reporter: and treated us to a little concert. with her friend antonio popano, which leads the italy's famed orchestra. which she will perform with in the u.s. next fame. she rarely does solos, because they make her lonely. >> music is wonderful. but the profession is not. now, 75, she has battled cancer two times, had three marriages, and says the piano often kept her away from her daughters. during our interview she suggested one daughter, annie join us and share her seat. >> hello. >> she does things her way. >> we had a fun life, actually. we lived in a big how that was open all the time. >> and there was always music. particularly late into the night. >> soap i would go to bed. and i could hear -- >> trying to sleep, hear your mom practicing. >> i slept. normal for me to have piano. >> reporter: all the time. >> yeah, absolutely. >> reporter: miss martha -- >> it was annie who first learned her mother was going to receive the kennedy center honor and recognition from president barack obama. >> she doesn't just play the piano, she possesses it. as a critic once wrote, "she is an unaffected interpreter whose native language is music." >> she seems to almost shrug off such praise. would you do it differently itch -- if you could looking back? >> i think so. >> but i didn't choose it. >> reporter: what do you mean you didn't choose it? >> i didn't choose it. i was a pianist before i could decide that i was one, or that i was going to. i didn't choose. it's not a choice. >> reporter: not a choice, rather, a natural ability. she told us, one always wants to do something one is not doing. it is a statement that revealed the human side of a genius. seth doane, rome. ♪ >> you can catch the kennedy center honor celebration tonight at 9:00 p.m. eastern here on cbs. the "overnight news" will be right back. ♪ it's tuesday, december 27th. it's 2016. this is the "cbs morning news." political dustup. president obama says he could have won a third term. to that, president-elect says no way. mall chaos, fights and fireworks, and people running for safety and forced the evacuation of several malls around the country. oh, that ain't good. thousands of travelers are still trying to make it home after a winter storm shut down roads and

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