>>> FIRST AT 4:00, PRESIDENT
BIDEN BANS ALL RUSSIAN OIL
IMPORTS IN RETALIATION FOR
THE INVASION OF UKRAINE HOW
THAT WILL IMPACT GAS PRICES
HERE AND YOUR FINANCES.
PAULA.
>> TWO BIG MESSAGES FROM
UKRAINIANS TODAY.
THEY KNOW WE’RE FEELING THE
PAIN AT THE PUMP.
WHY DO WE HAVE TO SUFFER FOR
SOMETHING THAT’S GOING ON IN
UKRAINE BUT THEY ASK FOR
CONTINUED SUPPORT AND TO
CLOSE THE SKIES.
I’M PAULA TUTMAN.
I’LL HAVE A LIVE REPORT.
>> WE’RE IN GRAND RAPIDS AS
FOUR MEN GO ON TRIAL FOR THE
PLOT TO KIDNAP GOVERNOR
GRETCHEN WHITMER.
WHAT BOTH SIGH -- SIDES ARE
WEIGHING AS THEY PICK A JURY.
PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES THIS
EVENING.
CALM WEATHER AHEAD OVER THE
NEXT 24 HOURS.
WHAT ABOUT AFTER THAT?
YOUR FULL WEEK’S FORECAST
INCLUDING THE WEEKEND FIRST
AT 4:00.
>> Announcer: LIVE FROM
DOWNTOWN DETROIT, HOME OF
WDIV AND CLICK ON DETROIT,
LOCAL 4 NEWS FIRST AT 4:00
STARTS NOW.
>>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I’M
KAREN DREW.
THE U.S. DEALS A MAJOR BLOW
TO RUSSIA BY BANNING RUSSIAN
OIL IMPORTS TO THE U.S.
IT’S A MOVE THAT WILL HAVE
AN IMPAM HERE AT HOME.
DRIVING UP GAS PRICES THAT
HAVE ALREADY HIT HISTORIC
HIGHS.
THE AVERAGE PRICE FOR A
GALLON OF GAS IS NOW AT A
RECORD $4.17.
THAT’S UP 10 CENTS FROM JUST
YESTERDAY.
AND 55 CENTS FROM LAST WEEK.
A SHORT TIME AGO ASKING
CONGRESS TO SUSPEND THE
FEDERAL GAS TAX UNTIL THE
END OF THE YEAR THAT AMOUNTS
TO 18 CENTS PER GALLON.
PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS THE BAN
ON RUSSIAN OIL COMES WITH A
PRICE BUT SAYS THERE’S A
COST TO DEFENDING FREEDOM.
KIMBERLY GILL IN THE
NEWSROOM WITH MORE ON THE
IMPACT.
KIM?
>> KAREN, THE PRESIDENT
CALLED IT PUTIN PRICE HIKE.
HE SAYS THE BAN OF RUSSIAN
OIL, GAS AND ENERGY TARGETS
THE MAIN ARTERY OF RUSSIA’S
ECONOMY.
ENERGY EXPORTS HAVE KEPT A
STEADY STREAM OF CASH
FLOWING TO RUSSIA DESPITE
ANOTHER SANCTIONS ON ITS
FINANCES.
THE PRESIDENT SAID THE U.S.
CONSULTED WITH ALLIES AND
IT’S ONE MANY OF THOSE
ALLIES MAY NOT BE ABLE TO
MAKE.
RUSSIAN OIL MAKES UP 10% OF
OIL IMPORTS BUT IN EUROPE IT
MAKES UP ONE-THIRD OF ALL
IMPORTS.
GASOLINE PRICES HAVE
INCREASED BY 75% SINCE
RUSSIA BEGAN TO GATHER
TROOPS AT UKRAINE’S BORDER
LAST NOVEMBER.
>> WITH THIS ACTION IT’S
GOING TO GO UP FURTHER.
I’M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING I
CAN TO MINIMIZE PUTIN’S
PRICE HIKE HERE AT HOME.
IN COORDINATION WITH OUR
PARTNERS WE’VE ALREADY
ANNOUNCED WE’RE RELEASING 60
MILLION BARRELS OF OIL FROM
OUR JOINT OIL RESERVES.
HALF OF THAT, 30 BILLION --
MILLION, EXCUSE ME, IS
COMING FROM THE INSTITUTES
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE
BEEN CALLING ON THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION TO BAN ENERGY
IMPORTS FROM RUSSIA.
THE HOUSE IS SET TO VOTE
TODAY ON A BILL THAT TAKES
THINGS EVEN FURTHER THAN THE
PRESIDENT’S ORDER.
WE KNOW A LOT OF HAVE YOU
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BAN
SCPNGS THOSE RISING GASOLINE
PRIES.
COMING UP AT 5:00 AND 6:00.
PRIYA MANN IS WORKING TO
ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS IN A
LIVE REPORT.
UNTIL THEN KAREN, BACK TO
YOU.
>> WEISH PROIT, KIM.
NOW THAT IMPORT BAN COMES AS
THE WORK CONTINUES TO
ESCALATE IN UKRAINE.
AT LEAST 21 CIVILIANS
INCLUDING TWO CHILDREN WERE
KILLED IN A RUSSIAN AIR
STRIKE IN THE UKRAINIAN CITY
OF SUMI.
A PLANNED EVACUATION ROUTE
OPENED TODAY.
U.N. ESTIMATES AT LEAST TWO
MILLION PEOPLE HAVE LEFT
UKRAINE SINCE THE BEGINNING
OF THE INVASION.
TODAY McDONALD’S ANNOUNCED
IT WOULD TEMPORARILY CLOSE
ALL LOCATIONS IN RUSSIA.
>>> SOME UKRAINIANS ARE
CALLING ON WESTERN ALLIES TO
DO MORE.
MANY ARE FEARFUL THESE PRICE
HIKES WILL HAVE AN IMPAMTH
ON HOW AMERICANS FEEL.
PAULA TUTMAN JOINING US WITH
THAT PART OF THE STORY.
SHE JOINS US LIVE FROM
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
PAULA.
>> Reporter: HI, GOOD
AFTERNOON, KAREN, GOOD
AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
UKRAINIANS WORK TO GET
MESSAGES OUT.
LET’S START WITH THE GAS
PRICES HERE IN WASHINGTON
TOWNSHIP, $4.25 GALLON AS
THESE GAS PRICES TICK UP FOR
THE UNITED STATES THERE ARE
MANY WHO DESPERATELY HOPE
THAT THE SUPPORT FOR THIS
DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH SPIRIT
FOR UKRAINE AS IT DEFENDS
ITS DEMOCRACY WILL NOT WANE
WITH A PAIN AT THE PUMP.
>> FOR SOME AMERICANS I
PRESUME IT WILL BE JUST WHAT
DO WE HAVE TO DO WITH
UKRAINE, UKRAINE IS
SOMEWHERE FAR AWAY WHY DO WE
HAVE TO SUFFER FOR SOMETHING
THAT’S GOING ON IN UKRAINE?
>> Reporter: THE DOCTOR IS
AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
THEOLOGY WORKING AT UKRAINE
CATHOLIC CHRIST AND LIVING
IN LAVIVE WITH HER THREE
TRAUMATIZED DAUGHTERS.
I THINK IT’S GOING TO BE
TOUGH.
BUT I THINK PEOPLE WILL
START TO ANALYZE IF THEY
UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS
HAPPENING I THINK PAYING
MORE FOR GAS IS NOT AS BIG
PRIZE AS HAVING A CHILD
KILLED.
>> Reporter: SO FROM UKRAINE
A NEW MESSAGE.
>> I REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS
LIKE BEFORE THE WAR ALL THE
SUN AND SUNRISES.
>> Reporter: UKRAINIANS
STUCK IN THE WAR ZONE ARE
GETTING THEIR MESSAGES OUT
THROUGH THEIR FAMILIES AND
OTHER COUNTRIES AND THROUGH
SOCIAL MEDIA.
THIS CAMPAIGN EMERGING FROM
UKRAINE TO THE NATO
DEMOCRACIES OF THE WORLD
WITH A HASHTAG AND HAND
SIGNAL TO CLOSE THE SKIES
OVER UKRAINE AND CREATE A
NO-FLY ZONE.
>> AND NOW HERE IN THE
SHELTER I HAVEN’T SEEN THIS
SKY IN SEVEN DAYS.
THAT MOVE WOULD GIVE NATO
MEMBER NATIONS THE ABILITY
TO SHOOT DOWN RUSSIAN
FIGHTER JETS AND BOMBERS
LEVELING UKRAINE.
BUT IT’S NOT THAT SIMPLE
SAYS THE HEAD OF THE
POLITICAL SIGNS DEPARTMENT
AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY.
>> THE IDEA OF SETTING UP A
NO-FLY ZONE OVER ANY PART OF
UKRAINE IS AN INCREDIBLY
IRRESPONSIBLE AND
POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS
DECISION BECAUSE THE ONLY
WAY YOU CAN MAKE THAT WORK
FRANKLY IS BY SHOOTING DOWN
RUSSIAN AIRPLANES.
>> Reporter: IT INVITES THE
POSSIBILITY OF NOT JUST
WORLD WAR THREE BUT WORLD
WAR THREE WITH NUCLEAR WAR.
>> IF YOU BELIEVE THE ANSWER
TO DOING THE RIGHT THING
MEANS A RISK OF AN EXCHANGE
OF NUCLEAR WARHEADS THEN I
WOULD CHALLENGE THAT IDEA
THAT THAT’S THE RIGHT THING.
>> Reporter: BUT FOR THE
WOMAN SHIELDING THREE YOUNG
TERRIFIED DAUGHTERS --
>> I DO NOT THINK THAT BY
CLOSING OUR SKIES NATO WILL
START WORLD WAR III BECAUSE
I THINK IT’S ALREADY ON AND
I THINK THAT I UNDERSTAND
THE COUNTRIES, I UNDERSTAND
THE LEADERS WHO ARE
HESITATING BECAUSE IT’S A
TOUGH DECISION BUT I THINK
THAT EVERY DAY WE’RE JUST
LOSING TIME BECAUSE PUTIN
DOES NOT PLAY TO ANY RULES.
ABSOLUTELY NO EASY ANSWERS
AND JUST WHEN YOU THINK IT’S
INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED IT
GETS EVEN MORE COMPLICATED
AND, KAREN, GET THIS, I DO
WANT YOU TO STAY WITH ME
BECAUSE COMING UP AT 6:00 I
TALK TO A LOCAL PROFESSOR
WHO HAS BEEN DOING RESEARCH
ON WAR AND ITS AFFECTS ON
CHILDREN, HIS DAUGHTER IS
STUCK IN KYIV RIGHT NOW.
HE AND HIS DAUGHTER HAVE
BASICALLY BECOME SUBJECT
MATTERS FOR HIS OWN
RESEARCH.
CASE STUDIES FOR THE
RESEARCH HE’S BEEN DOING FOR
YEARS.
IT’S INCREDIBLY EMOTIONAL.
SO I’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE AT
6:00.
>> WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT,
THANK YOU, PAULA.
>>.
THE OTHER BIG STORY WE’RE
WATCHING AT 4:00, JURY
SELECTION IT HAS STARTED FOR
THE FOUR MEN CHARGED WITH
PLOTTING TO KIDNAP GOVERNOR
WHITMER.
SHAWN LEY IS LIVE WITH THAT.
>> Reporter: GOOD AFTERNOON
FROM GRAND RAPIDS.
THIS LONG AND VITAL PROCESS
OF SELECTING A JURY FOR THIS
CASE UNFOLDED INSIDE THE
FEDERAL COURTHOUSE HERE YOU
SEE BEHIND ME HERE IN GRAND
RAPIDS.
THE JUDGE MAKING IT CLEAR
THAT THIS CASE IS DIFFERENT
BECAUSE OF THE WORLDWIDE
ATTENTION IT GOT IN THE NEWS
MEDIA GIVING THE SHOCKING
ALLEGATIONS THAT A GROUP OF
MEN.
MOST FROM MICHIGAN WERE SO
ANGRY ABOUT GOVERNOR
WHITMER’S COVID RESTRICTIONS
THAT THE FEDS SAY THE MEN
PLOTTED AND TRAINED TO
LAUNCH A VICIOUS ATTACK
UNDER SUMMER HOME IN AN
EFFORT TO KIDNAP HER.
HOWEVER, AT LEAST FOUR OF
THESE POTENTIAL JURORS TODAY
IN JURY SELECTION THEY TOLD
THE JUDGE THEY DON’T LIKE
GOVERNOR WHITMER.
THEY FORMED A STRONG OPINION
ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT’S CASE
AND THAT WOULD TAINT HOW
THEY WOULD WEIGH THE
EVIDENCE.
ANOTHER POTENTIAL JUROR SAID
HE BELIEVES SIMPLY THE MEN
ARE GUILTY.
THOSE POTENTIAL JURORS WERE
DISMISSED.
THE REST WERE ASKED POINTED
QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR
POLITICS, AND IF THEY COULD
PUT THEIR POLITICAL VIEWS TO
THE SIDE TO FAIRLY WEIGH THE
EVIDENCE IN THE CASE.
SO MUCH MORE ABOUT THOSE
VERY STRONG MACHINES FROM
SOME OF THOSE POTENTIAL
JURORS LIVE HERE FROM GRAND
RAPIDS AT 5:00.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU,
SHAWN.
>>> THE FIRST JANUARY 6TH
DEFENDANT TO GO TO TRIAL IS
FOUND GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS.
GUY RUFFIN ATTEMPTED TO
STORM THE U.S. CAPITOL WHILE
ARMED WITH A GUN AND ZIP
TIES.
HE FACED FIVE CHARGES
INCLUDING TRANSPORT OF A
FIREARM IN SUPPORT OF CIVIL
DISORDER, AND OBSTRUCTION OF
AN OFFICIAL PROCEEDING.
JURORS STARTED THEIR
DELIBERATIONS THIS MORNING
AFTER A TRIAL THAT TOOK
ABOUT A WEEK.
AGAIN HE WAS FOUND GUILTY ON
ALL COUNTS.
THE JUDGE IN CASE SET
SENTENCING FOR JUNE 8th.
>>> WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A
QUIET STRETCH OF WEATHER BUT
ANDREW SAYS TO ENJOY IT NOW
BECAUSE IT WON’T LAST VERY
LONG.
LET’S GET OUR FIRST CHECK OF
THE FORECAST.
YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT.
WE HAVE THE SUNSHINE OUT
THERE.
CALM CONDITIONS NO SLIPPERY
WEATHER FOR THE REST OF THE
EVENING.
IT IS ON THE CHILLY SIDE.
WE ARE LOOKING AT 35 DEGREES
FOR OUR FRIENDS OVER IN
PONTIAC, HELLO MT. CLEMENS
YOU HAVE 39 DEGREES.
IT’S 40 DEGREES RIGHT HERE
AT THE STATION.
IT’S DOWN A COUPLE DEGREES
IN THE PAST HOUR OVER AT
METRO AIRPORT BUT IT WAS 40
DEGREES IN ROMULUS AND AT
CITY AIRPORT ON THE EAST
SIDE OF THE CITY NOT TOO
LONG AGO.
WE’RE LOOKING AT 38 DEGREES
CURRENTLY, MOSTLY CLOUDY BUT
LOOK AT HOW BRIGHT IT IS.
YOU CAN ME OF THE BLUE SKIES
THAT’S OUT THERE AS WELL.
PREPARE FOR WIND CHILLS THAT
ARE IN THE LOW 30s AND UPPER
20s THAT’S HOW COLD IT FEELS
OUTSIDE.
TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO DIP
THOUGH WE’LL SEE 35 DEGREES
IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS.
DOWN JUST BELOW FREEZING
WHEN YOU JOIN US TONIGHT AT
11:00.
BUT REMAINING CALM AND QUIET
FOR NOW.
EMPHASIS ON FOR NOW.
THERE ARE SOME MORE
SNOWFLAKES IN OUR FUTURE.
WE’LL TALK ABOUT YOUR
SEVEN-DAY FORECAST IN
MINUTES.
>> THANK YOU, ANDREW.
>>> ELIGIBLE MICHIGAN
DRIVERS COULD SEE A REFUND
CHECK STARTING THIS WEEK.
DRIVERS WILL GET $400 PER
VEHICLE SO LONG IT WAS
INSURED ON OCTOBER 31st OF
2021.
MOTORCYCLES AND R.V.s ARE
ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR THE
REFUND.
IT WILL COME IN THE FORM OF
A CHECK OR DIRECT DEPOSIT.
THE REFUND WILL BE SEND TO
YOU BY YOUR INSURANCE
COMPANY AND YOU WILL NOT
HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TO GET
IT.
THE MONEY COMES FROM $3
BILLION SURPLUS FROM THE
STATE’S CATASTROPHIC CLAIMS
ASSOCIATION.
>> WHAT WERE WE GOING TO DO
WITH THAT SURPLUS.
WE WERE ASKING OURSELVES
WELL, THE ANSWER IS PRETTY
SIMPLE, WE NEED TO GIVE IT
BACK TO MICHIGANDERS.
SO LAST NOVEMBER I CALLED ON
THE MCCCA TO DELIVER REFUND
CHECKS TO EVERY MICHIGANDER
WITH AUTO INSURANCE.
NOW THE MCCCA WILL BE
ISSUING $400 PER VEHICLE
REFUND CHECK.
>> STATE OFFICIALS SAY