i'm tom hanson, cbs news, new york. it's wednesday, mar it's wednesday, march 9th, 2022. this is the "cbs morning news." humanitarian crisis continues. the number of people fleeing war in ukraine is soaring as the u.s. takes big new steps to try and slow russia's war machine. january 6th conviction. the first trial linked to the u.s. capitol riots has ended and could set the tone for future cases. and controversial education bill. the legislation that just passed in florida which critics say is a major blow to lgbtq rights. well, good morning, and good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. we begin with the latest in the war in ukraine and the humanitarian crisis it has caused. you can see people evacuating

the city of sumy where a humanitarian corridor has been established to get civilians out. this video shows a hospital in eastern ukraine destroyed by russian shelling. it's another example of russia either targeting or indiscriminately hitting nonmilitary targets. ukraine has mounted a strong defense. this drone video shows russian military vehicles destroyed by ukrainian forces. one u.s. general estimates russia may have suffered as many as 4,000 fatalities, but that number is far from exact. laura podesta is here in new york with the latest on all of this. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. despite that news of ukrainian resistance, u.s. officials say intelligence shows putin plans to increase the intensity and frequency of russia's attacks. moscow is trying to take over the city of irpin and closing in on kyiv. the united nations says more than two million people have fled ukraine since russia's invasion last month.

many doing so as explosions can be heard in the distance. >> absolutely insane. >> reporter: valentina made it to romania on a ferry after she and her boyfriend looked up on line how to escape safely. >> we have cars and all that amazing technology now, and here comes war. this stupid war. >> reporter: unicef says half of all refugees are children. this ukrainian police officer said good-bye to his crying son in irpin as the family tries to stay ahead of the russians. multiple cease-fires have fallen apart leaving thousands trapped in besieged cities. ♪ this violinist celebrated international women's day with a performance in a bomb shelter in kharkiv. >> ukrainians have resisted fiercely -- >> reporter: cia director william burns told lawmakers the war will only get uglier as vladimir putin presses on. >> try to grind down the

ukrainian military with no regard for civilian casualties. >> reporter: according to the newest u.n. report, more than 1,100 ukrainian civilians have been killed, but experts believe that number may in actuality be four times higher. anne-marie? >> wow. laura podesta in new york. thank you so much. in a huge move, president biden has announced a ban on russian oil imports which is expected to put a dent in russia's economy. but it's also expected to strain already record-high gas prices here in the u.s. ed o'keefe has a closer look at how you could be impacted. we're banning all imports of russian oil and gas and energy. >> reporter: president biden's decision to target russia's energy sector is designed to deprive russian president vladimir putin of around $100 million in daily revenue. >> that means russian oil will no longer be acceptable at u.s. ports, and the american people will deal another powerful blow to putin's war machine. >> reporter: the move follows

days of growing pressure to take action as the russian military atrocities mount. but it comes with a steep price. >> putin's war is already hurting american families at the gas pump. >> reporter: the national average hit $4.17 a gallon, a record high. in four states, prices spiked at least 15 cents overnight. in chicago, drivers are considering alternatives -- >> might be time for an electric vehicle. >> reporter: others trying to adjust. >> i'm an electrician, i have my tools, everything. i have to drive this thing every single day. if there's no -- i don't have an excuse. i can't tell my boss gas is too much. i can't use my truck. doesn't cut it. >> reporter: economists warn the typical american household is set to pour out nearly $2,000 more per year on gas. as prices soar, airlines will pass on the cost to flyers, commuters are likely to pump the brakes on travel, and the cost of goods and services will climb due to higher shipping and delivery costs. >> we are concerned as a small business about it. >> reporter: gaddafi ismail runs

a wholesaler in virginia and worries about losing customers as they increase prices. >> we had to increase our prices in the eggs we distribute and milk and other related items that we distribute to the local bakeries. >> reporter: the president says the oil embargo will further squeeze russia's economy which took another hit as four top american brands suspended operations. coca-cola, pepsi, mcdonald's, and starbucks. >> one ruble is now worth less than one american penny. >> that was ed o'keefe reporting. the u.s. military says it is sending two patriot missile batteries to poland as a defensive deployment. but there's been a rare moment of disunity among two nato allies. the pentagon rejected poland's surprise offer tuesday to send its mig 29 fighter jets to a u.s. airbase in germany for use by ukraine. u.s. officials say they were not told and that the idea of sending jets from a u.s. base

into ukraine was concerning. vice president kamala harris will head to poland this week to meet with leaders s there. and there are several big developments in the investigation into the january 6th riots. the head of a right-wing group is now facing charges for his alleged role in the insurrection. it comes as the first trial in connection with the attacks has ended in a conviction. scott macfarlane has details. >> reporter: guy reffitt of wylie, texas, never made it into the capitol but armed with a semiautomatic handgun and zip ties he waved the mob in later boasting of his exploits. >> i don't care if it hit her head every step. >> reporter: he's facing decades in prison after been convicted on all five counts including bringing a gun to the capitol, obstructing congress' certification of the election, and interfering with police. the landmark verdict gives the

justice department newfound leverage over the nearly 500 capitol riot defendants still facing possible trial. >> by winning this case decisively, it also increases the opportunity for the department of justice to gain cooperation from those defendants who are perhaps leaders of this riot. >> reporter: reffitt's own son testified against him saying he was so afraid of his anti-government rants that he tipped off the fbi. after the attack, reffitt threatened to kill his son and daughter if they turned him in. their mother, reffitt's wife, defended her husband and said other january 6 defendants shouldn't be scared off. what would you tell people still to stand trial? after watching a guilty verdict? >> don't take a plea. do not take a plea. they want us to take a plea. the reason that we have all guilty verdicts is they are making a point out of guy. >> reporter: meanwhile, there's a new high-profile defendant, proud boys leader enrique tarrio was arrested and appeared in a miami court charged with conspiracy for his

role directing and coordinating the mob. court documents said he met with the now-indicted head of the oath keepers, stewart rhodes, in an underground parking garage in washington, d.c., the day before the attack. >> that was scott macfarlane reporting. in florida the legislation critics have dubbed the "don't say gay bill" on its way to the governor's desk after passing the republican-led senate. the measure bans instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. it's triggered fierce opposition from democrats, civil rights advocates, and even the white house. and it also sparked protests and student walkouts throughout the state of florida including these yesterday. governor desantis is expected to sign the measure. . and a missouri police officer was killed, two others injured while trying to catch a suspect. authorities say the officers responded to a disturbance yesterday outside a store in joplin. shots were exchanged, and two officers were hurt, one critically. the suspect stole a police car, crashed it, and shot and killed another officer. police returned fire killing the

suspect. coming up now, the last state to go mask free when hawaii plans to drop masking rules. and a frightening robbery caught on video. how a homeowner says she was tricked by a candy seller. this is the "cbs morning news." news." ordinary tissues burn when theo blows. so puffs plus lotion rescued his nose. with up to 50% more lotion, puffs bring soothing relief. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. america's #1 lotion tissue. nothing like a weekend in the woods. it's a good choice all around, like screening for colon cancer... when caught in early stages it's more treatable. i'm cologuard. i'm noninvasive... and i detect altered dna in your stool to find 92% of colon cancers... even in early stages. early stages. yep. it's for people 45 plus at average risk for colon cancer, not high risk. false positive and negative results may occur.

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jailed americans after talks with the u.s. it comes after president nicolas maduro signaled an interest in improving relations with the u.s. after russia's invasion of ukraine. the white house announced one of the men is gustavo cardenas, one of six oil executives arrested in 2017 known as the citgo six. they were charged with financial crimes. the release follows a weekend visit by a high-level american delegation to venezuela. "the washington post" says that the senate passed a $107 billion overhaul of the u.s. postal service. the measure provides financial relief that officials say will ensure six day-a-week mail delivery and allow it to modernize and improve service. it comes amid widespread complaints about mail service slowdowns. officials have warned that the postal service would run out of money by 2024 without congressional action. and the "honolulu star advertiser" says that hawaii governor david ige announced the state's indoor mask mandate will end in about two weeks.

hawaii is the last state in the nation to lift its mask mandate. ige cited declining covid case numbers and hospitalizations but said if cases start to go back up he would reimpose the mandate. >> we are continuing to monitor the global, national, and local situation and will take the actions necessary to ensure the integrity of our state's health care system. >> state health officials still recommend wearing masks at schools, hospitals, and prisons. still to come, a new iphone is on the way. we will show you apple's upgrade to its low-priced line that includes some added features. i've pricked my finger. . . i have type 2 diabetes. too many times. and my a1c was still over 9. then i got the dexcom g6. i just glance at my phone and there's my glucose number. no fingersticks. none. yes. holy cow.

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a scary scene on a colorado highway after a small plane burst into flames after crashing on to a median. the plane went down yesterday near centennial airport just outside of denver. no vehicles on the highway were damaged, and the two people on board just suffered minor injuries. no word on what caused the crash, though. on the cbs "money watch" now, apple's low-cost iphone will soon cost a little more. and lululemon is getting into the sneaker business. diane king hall is in new york with those stories and more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, anne-marie. stock futures are pointing to a higher open after the up-and-down session yesterday. stocks ultimately fell after president biden announced a ban on russian oil. the dow dropped 184 points. the nasdaq fell 35, and the s&p 500 slid 30. you could soon pay more when using your visa or mastercard. both are planning to raise fees on large merchants for the right to accept their credit cards

according to the "wall street journal." the fees often help build up the company's rewards programs but are often passed down into higher costs for consumers. the new fees are reportedly set to kick in next month. speed and price appear to be the big selling points as apple unveils its latest collection of smartphones. the new phones offer stronger screens, longer lasting batteries, and connections to the ultra fast 5g networks. in a sign of inflation, apple's bare bones se will sell for an 8% hike from the last version from last year. the fancier iphone 13 is $700. they're set to be in stores march 18th. and lululemon is branching out into footwear. the athletic clothing company is planning to introduce a running shoe for women later this month in north morning, mainland china, and the u.k. sales have ramped up during the

pandemic. lululemon plans to roll out running shoes for men next year. anne-marie? >> if their shoes are as cute as their tights, which looks like they are, they could be a success. the tights are successful. >> those tights are good. i have a couple pairs because they're a pretty penny. and i've tried others to compare, and it's difficult to match lululemon tights. we'll see. >> i know. we will see. diane king hall in new york. diane, thank you so much. >> you got it. up next, a blockbuster football trade. seattle seahawks quarterback russell wilson is reportedly headed to a new team. do you have a life insurance policy you no longer need? now you can sell your policy - even a term policy - for an immediate cash payment. we thought we had planned carefully for our retirement. but we quickly realized we needed a way to supplement our income. if you have $100,000 or more of life insurance, you may qualify to sell your policy. don't cancel or let your policy lapse without finding out what it's worth. visit coventrydirect.com to find out if your policy qualifies. or

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here's a look at the forecast in some cities around the country. ♪ we're getting our first look at wnba star brittney griner after she was arrested last month at a moscow airport. now russian state tv released this blurry image which is allegedly griner's booking photo. it is not known when the photo was taken, though. the two-time olympic gold medalist was detained at the airport after russian authorities said that a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil. e could face up to ten years in a russian prison. one of the biggest names in the nfl is on the move in a trade that could shake up the league. the seattle seahawks are

reportedly sending star quarterback russell wilson to the denver broncos in exchange for three players and several top draft picks. the trade can't become official until the start of the league's new year a week from today. wilson must also pass a physical. think he'll be okay with that part. while russell wilson may be on the most, aaron rodgers is staying with the green bay packers. the 38-year-old announced he will return to the team for the 2022 season but wrote earlier reports of him signing a contract were actually wrong, as were the supposed terms. reports had said that rodgers signed a four-year, $200 million deal. coming up on "cbs mornings," tony dokoupil continues his reporting from poland as he shares an essay on the refugee crisis at the ukrainian border. i'm anne-marie green. this is the "cbs morning news." "

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our top stories this morning -- president biden announced our top stories this morning -- president biden announced a ban on russian oil imports in response to the invasion of ukraine. it comes after ukrainian president zelenskyy asked the u.s. and western allies to cut off russian oil imports. mr. biden warned the move will increase gas prices here at home, though. the average price for a gallon of regular gas hit a record $4.17. and the leader of the far-right proud boys, enrique tarrio is under arrest for his role in the january 6 riot. he was charged with conspiracy for his suspected role in directing and coordinating the mob. meanwhile, a texas man was found guilty in the first trial stemming from the attack.

guy reffitt was convicted on all five counts including bringing a gun to the capitol. one of the more bizarre and lasting symptoms of covid is the loss of smell and taste. some patients can experience the problem for months after the infection. now researchers in philadelphia are testing a new way to restore those senses. stephanie stah has one woman's story. >> reporter: nancy is finally able to enjoy eating again. she lost her taste of sense of smell and taste after covid last february. >> it was jarring. i lost it instantaneously. >> reporter: it's often one of the first symptoms of covid that's usually temporary. for some patients like nancy, the inability to taste and smell again lasts and becomes a covid long-haul symptom. >> it was life changing that i couldn't enjoy any food. i didn't want to eat -- it was so depressing. >> reporter: with limited treatment options, nancy found an intriguing research project at jefferson health.

>> i really feel that it's helping me. >> reporter: the jefferson research is testing platelet-rich plasma, prp, from the patient's only blood to restore smell. it's been used to heal injuries and regrow hair. now instead of injections, dr. rosen and his team are using a biodegradable sponge infused with prp. >> you put it up very high in the nose where all the smell fibers are located. gets absorbed through the lining of the nose. it basically helps those cells that have been damaged by the covid virus to start regenerating. >> reporter: he says of the nine covid patients who have received prp, eight have responded. >> i'm able to start to enjoy some flavors, food again. >> reporter: after five treatments once a month, nancy says her sense of smell and taste are slowly coming back. she's able to enjoy her perfume again and is back to wine tastings. stephanie stah, cbs news, philadelphia. >> that's fascinating. i bet she couldn't wait to get

back to wine tasting. coming up on "cbs mornings," the role of u.s. forces in the ukraine crisis. we're going to speak with retired lieutenant general ben hodges, former commander of u.s. army forces in europe. plus, how to talk to your children about the conflict in ukraine. we'll hear from a clinical psychologist. and tony dokoupil continues his reporting from poland as he shares an essay on the refugee crisis at the ukrainian border. that's the "cbs morning news" for this wednesday. thanks for watching. i'm anne-marie green. have a great day. ♪

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