Energy chief says gas may stay above $3 into next year

April 20, 2026

Summary

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said gas prices had likely peaked, but may stay above $3 a gallon until next year.

Why this matters

The story points to how the Iran conflict is affecting U.S. fuel and travel costs. It also highlights differing timelines from Trump administration officials on when consumers may see relief.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sunday that gasoline prices had likely peaked, but could remain above $3 a gallon until next year.

Gas below $3 a gallon “could happen later this year, that might not happen until next year. But prices have likely peaked, and they’ll start going down,” Wright told CNN’s “State of the Union.” “Certainly with the resolution of this conflict, you’ll see prices go down.”

Trump administration officials have given different timelines for lower prices. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week that gas prices would fall to about $3 a gallon this summer. Trump has said prices could remain elevated until November.

All three have said prices should fall after the Iran war ends. “Under $3 a gallon is pretty tremendous in inflation-adjusted terms,” Wright said. “We’ll get back there for sure.”

The war’s effect on oil shipments has also prompted airline warnings about a possible jet fuel shortage. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Sunday that jet fuel would become more available as the conflict eased.

More top news

World

U.S. seizes Iranian cargo ship

Iran said it would retaliate as tensions continued amid a fragile ceasefire.

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A U.S. Navy destroyer in the Arabian Sea fired on a cargo vessel headed to an Iranian port on Sunday as part of the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, U.S. Central Command said.

The Iranian-flagged M/V Touska was sailing through the northern Arabian Sea toward Bandar Abbas, Iran, when the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance intercepted it and warned that it was violating the blockade, according to Central Command.

“After Touska’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period, Spruance directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room,” the command said. “Spruance disabled Touska’s propulsion by firing several rounds from the destroyer’s 5-inch MK 45 Gun into Touska’s engine room.”

Central Command published a brief video of the encounter. U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the vessel, and the Touska remained in U.S. custody, the command said.

President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that “an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them.”

“The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom,” Trump added. “The TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity. We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!”

The blockade, involving 10,000 troops, more than a dozen warships, and more than 100 fighter and surveillance aircraft, took effect April 13 after U.S.-Iran peace talks failed.

Central Command said vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports were subject to the blockade, while ships not visiting Iranian ports could still use the Strait of Hormuz. It said U.S. forces had encountered and redirected 25 commercial vessels since the blockade began.
Virginia

1 dead, 1 hospitalized after Halifax shooting

One person died at the scene, and the second person was taken to a hospital. Deputies did not identify either victim or disclose the hospitalized person’s condition.

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One person died and another was hospitalized after a shooting early Sunday morning in Halifax County.

According to the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a report of a shooting at a home near Turtledove and Tuscan lanes off Mills Road in Hollister. When they arrived, they found two people with gunshot wounds.
South Carolina

Wastewater spill releases 100,000 gallons in Bluffton

The wastewater did not reach local waterways, the authority said. Signs were posted in the area to notify the public.

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An estimated 100,000 gallons of wastewater spilled Saturday from a failed force main near Burnt Church Road and Ann Smith Drive in Bluffton, according to the Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority.

The overflow began at 11 a.m. and stopped about 2:30 p.m., when authority crews contained it. Crews remained at the site into Saturday evening to clean up and repair the 16-inch collection main, which was expected to return to service.

The Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority notified the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services and said it was working with the agency to assess and address any effects of the overflow.

Wastewater is used water that can include human waste, food scraps, oils, soaps, and chemicals, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In homes, it includes water from sinks, showers, bathtubs, toilets, washing machines, and dishwashers. Businesses and industries also contribute used water that must be treated.

The authority said it delivers an average of 10 million gallons of wastewater a day to eight regional facilities for treatment and disposal.
North Carolina, South Carolina

Union County plane crash kills 4 family members

Witnesses reported seeing heavy black smoke as emergency crews responded. The airport remained temporarily closed while investigators worked the scene.

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Authorities identified the four people killed in a plane crash Friday evening in Union County as members of the same family.

Officials said the victims were James Moffatt, 60, who was piloting the aircraft, Leasa Moffatt, 61, Andrew Moffatt, 30, and William Moffatt, 28.

The National Transportation Safety Board said the crash happened around 6 p.m. at Union County Airport. The aircraft, a Mooney M20J, had stopped to refuel before continuing its trip.

Officials said the family was traveling from the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina to Huntsville, Alabama.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are leading the investigation. The agencies said they will examine the pilot, the aircraft, and environmental conditions at the time of the crash. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days.

Authorities said more information will be released as it becomes available.
North Carolina

Third victim identified in downtown Greenville stabbing

Investigators said the incident appeared to stem from an ongoing dispute between two groups of teenagers. Police said it did not appear to be random and that there was no ongoing threat to the public.

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Greenville police said a third victim was identified after a stabbing early Sunday, April 19, in downtown Greenville.

According to the Greenville Police Department, the third victim later arrived at a local hospital and is also believed to be younger than 18. Police said all three victims were receiving treatment.

The incident happened about 2 a.m. April 19 in the 500 block of Cotanche Street, near Jimmy John’s, police said. Two teenagers, both believed to be about 16, were initially reported injured. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening, authorities said.

Police charged 19-year-old Isaiah Whitehurst with simple affray, a Class 2 misdemeanor involving a fight between two or more people in a public place, and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.

Officers reviewed area camera footage, and detectives were working to determine who had a weapon and to identify everyone involved.

Additional charges are expected, police said. Authorities said they will seek juvenile petitions for at least one 16-year-old connected to the fight, and others will be charged as they are identified.

Police asked anyone who recorded the incident to send video to Major Crimes Detective Dixon at jrdixon@greenvillenc.gov.
North Carolina

Rocky Mount stop, home search lead to drug charges

Investigators said they found more than half a kilogram of suspected fentanyl powder, fentanyl pills, cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine

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A monthslong drug investigation in Eastern North Carolina ended Saturday, April 18, with a traffic stop, a search warrant, and one arrest, according to authorities.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation worked with Rocky Mount police, sheriff’s offices in Wilson, Nash, Edgecombe, and Halifax counties, and federal agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations.

Around 11 a.m. Saturday, Rocky Mount police stopped a vehicle linked to the investigation. Police said Kendrick Williams, of Rocky Mount, was driving.

Investigators said they found more than half a kilogram of suspected fentanyl powder, fentanyl pills, cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine during the stop.

Authorities then executed a search warrant at Williams’ home. Investigators said they found additional drugs, cash, and firearms.

Williams was charged with two felony counts of trafficking opiates. He was being held without bond at the Nash County Jail.

Officials said the investigation remained active and that additional charges could follow.
North Carolina

NC lawmakers return, teacher pay tops agenda

According to multiple reports, North Carolina ranked near the bottom nationally for teacher pay growth and per-student public school funding. Public education advocates said they planned to press legislators in the coming weeks to increase spending.

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North Carolina lawmakers will return to Raleigh on Tuesday for a new session without a full state budget after more than a year of negotiations stalled over spending.

Teacher pay is expected to be a central issue. Leaders in both parties agree that raises are needed, but they remain divided over the size and structure of any increase.

House Republicans have proposed an average 8.7% raise over two years, including a 22% increase in starting pay. Senate Republicans, citing concerns about long-term costs, backed a smaller plan of about 3.3% over the same period, along with one-time bonuses.

Democratic Gov. Josh Stein proposed an average raise of nearly 6%, while also restoring extra pay for teachers with master’s degrees and increasing compensation for veteran teachers and school leaders.

North Carolina ranked 43rd nationally in teacher pay, with an average salary of $58,292, nearly $14,000 below the national average and lower than every neighboring state.

Rep. Brian Biggs, R-Randolph, chair of the House Education Committee, said earlier this month that teacher pay would be a priority when lawmakers returned. Biggs later told education advocates that the state must offer meaningful raises this year, not small increases that fail to keep teachers in the profession.

While the short session is scheduled to run through the summer, Biggs indicated negotiations could last longer.

The session also begins after the state Supreme Court earlier this month ended the long-running Leandro school funding case, shifting responsibility for education funding from the courts to state lawmakers.
Personal Finance

AARP says inflation may limit 2026 Social Security COLA

AARP said the 2026 COLA was set at 2.8% because the third-quarter 2025 average was 2.8% above the same period in 2024.

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AARP said before 2026 that a 2.8% Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, could help retirees only if inflation eased.

“The COLA’s impact on beneficiaries’ purchasing power will depend largely on inflation trends in 2026,” AARP wrote. “If inflation cools, the 2.8 percent benefit increase could provide retirees with a modest financial cushion.”

“But if prices continue to climb, the COLA may leave beneficiaries struggling to manage their expenses.”

On April 10, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 0.9% in March on a seasonally adjusted basis and 3.3% over 12 months on an unadjusted basis.

After that report, The Senior Citizens League said it estimated a 2.8% COLA for 2027, matching the 2026 increase. The group said the average monthly benefit for retired workers would rise by $56.69, from $2,024.77 to $2,081.46.

AARP also highlighted other 2026 changes.

The standard Medicare Part B premium will rise in January from $185 to $202.90, a 9.7% increase. Most enrollees pay that through automatic Social Security deductions.

The Social Security payroll tax rate will remain 12.4%, split between workers and employers, while self-employed people will pay the full amount. The taxable wage cap will rise to $184,500.

A temporary tax deduction for people 65 and older will reduce taxable income by up to $6,000 for eligible filers through 2028, according to AARP. The group said the change will reduce Social Security tax revenue by $168.6 billion and move the retirement fund’s depletion date to late 2032.

For beneficiaries below full retirement age, $1 in benefits will be withheld for every $2 earned above $24,480 in 2026. In the year a person reaches full retirement age, $1 will be withheld for every $3 earned above $65,160 until the month they reach that age.
US Politics

Importers can seek refunds for voided Trump tariffs

In court filings, Customs and Border Protection said more than 330,000 importers paid about $166 billion on more than 53 million shipments. As of April 14, 56,497 importers had registered for the agency’s electronic payment system and were eligible for refunds totaling $127 billion, including interest.

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A refund system for businesses that paid tariffs later invalidated by the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to open Monday.

Importers and their brokers will be able to file claims through an online portal starting at 8 a.m., according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which is administering the process.

The system follows a Feb. 20 Supreme Court ruling that President Donald Trump lacked constitutional authority when he imposed broad new import tax rates last April under a 1977 emergency powers law. Last month, a judge at the U.S. Court of International Trade said companies subject to those tariffs were entitled to refunds.

Businesses must submit declarations identifying goods on which they paid the tariffs. If Customs and Border Protection approves a claim, refunds will be issued in 60 to 90 days, the agency said.

The government will process claims in phases, starting with more recent payments. The first phase is limited to cases in which tariffs were estimated but not finalized, or are within 80 days of final accounting.

Tariffs are paid by importers, though some companies pass those costs to consumers through higher prices. The refund system will repay businesses directly, and companies are not required to share the money with customers.

Some consumers may still seek reimbursements through class-action lawsuits. FedEx, which collected tariffs directly from some customers, said it planned to return refunds after receiving them from Customs and Border Protection.

“Supporting our customers as they navigate regulatory changes remains our top priority,” FedEx said in a statement. “We are working with our customers as CBP begins processing refunds and plan to begin filing claims on April 20.”
US

Iranian woman arrested at LAX in Sudan arms case

Investigators alleged Mafi helped arrange the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses to the Sudanese military. If convicted, Mafi faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. She was expected to appear Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court.

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Federal authorities arrested an Iranian woman Friday at Los Angeles International Airport on allegations she brokered weapons deals involving Sudan.

“Last night, Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for trafficking arms on behalf of the government of Iran,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli wrote Sunday on X.

“She is charged with a violation of 50 U.S.C. 1705 for brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan.”

According to Essayli, Mafi became a U.S. citizen in 2016. He said she worked with others on behalf of Iran and was preparing to board a flight from California to Turkey when she was arrested.