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Gas prices top $4 a gallon as Iran war triggers global oil shock

March 31, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Gas prices top a gallon as Iran war triggers global oil shock

Gas prices top $4 a gallon as Iran war triggers global oil shock — Cargo vessel, Ali 25, in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz on March 22, 2026 in northern Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.

(NEW YORK) — Gas prices in the United States topped $4 per gallon on average Tuesday, crossing the milestone for the first time in nearly four years, just weeks after the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran set off a global oil shock and spiked fuel costs.

Prices at the pump have soared more than 30% since the war began on Feb. 28., AAA data showed. Fuel costs last exceeded $4 a gallon in August 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Middle East conflict prompted Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime trading route that facilitates the transport of about one-fifth of global oil supply. The risk of a prolonged oil shortage triggered a surge in crude prices.

The U.S. is a net exporter of petroleum, meaning the country produces more oil than it consumes. But since oil prices are set on a global market, U.S. prices move in response to swings in worldwide supply and demand.

Global oil prices hovered around $104 a barrel on Tuesday, which amounted to a nearly 50% price leap from pre-war levels.

Crude oil is the main ingredient in auto fuel, accounting for more than half of the price paid at the pump, according to the federal U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), earlier this week said the current oil crisis had surpassed the combined effect of worldwide energy shocks in the 1970s.

The global economy faces a “major, major threat,” Birol said at an event in Canberra, Australia, noting that no country would be “immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues to go in this direction.”

Member nations of the IEA announced two weeks ago that they plan to release 400 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserve, marking the largest oil release in the 32-nation group’s history.

The Trump administration is set to carry out the second-largest-ever delivery from the nation’s emergency reserve, which will make up nearly half of the IEA’s planned release. Trump also eased sanctions on Russian oil and suspended a key regulation of domestic oil transport. The president has also sought to restore tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tucker Wetmore’s new ‘Brunette’ rule only applies to girlfriends — not tour mates

March 31, 2026 by WDNY Radio

As Tucker Wetmore admits in his latest hit, he typically has a type — and it hasn’t always worked out well. So, he’s vowing to forsake blondes for a “Brunette.”

Still, that didn’t keep him from bringing a couple blondes on tour.

“Isn’t that ironic, though? It’s the Brunette World Tour with blond special guests is how we announced it,” he says. “My manager actually thought of that, because I already knew I wanted Dasha and Carter [Faith] to come out.”

“And then my good buddy Jacob Hackworth, he’s first of three on some of the dates,” Tucker continues. “And I knew I wanted them to come out and she’s like, ‘What if we do, like, ‘with blond special guests’ kind of thing?’ I was like, ‘That’s genius. That’s so funny.'”

“Austin” hitmaker Dasha was along when the tour started in February. Next, Carter joins Tucker as he kicks off the European leg April 8 in Zurich, Switzerland.

Meanwhile, Jacob is now labelmates with Tucker on MCA with his own new radio single, “What Took You So Long.”

“Brunette” is currently #9 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.

Mariska Hargitay set to make her Broadway debut in ‘Every Brilliant Thing’

March 31, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Mariska Hargitay is headed to the Great White Way.

The Law & Order: SVU star is set to make her Broadway debut in May. She’ll be taking over for Daniel Radcliffe in the one-person play Every Brilliant Thing beginning May 26.

“I read Every Brilliant Thing and cried, rejoiced, laughed, cried some more, and loved it so much,” Hargitay says in a statement. “I’m always drawn to themes of healing and renewal, especially when the journey is rendered in all its complexity.”

She says making her Broadway debut with such a life-affirming play is an “extraordinary gift” and “the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.”

“For me, the triumph of this beautiful piece of work—this luminously brilliant thing—is that through a deeply personal story, we experience the universal endeavor of keeping ourselves pointed towards light, compassion and hope,” Hargitay says.

Every Brilliant Thing, which relies heavily on audience participation, follows the central character as they look back on their life through a list of all the little things that make life worth living.

Radcliffe will complete his run on May 24. The show has extended its run through June 28.

RAYE says it’s been ‘a beautiful experience’ taking her show to the next level with a live band

March 31, 2026 by WDNY Radio

RAYE kicks off the U.S. leg of her tour Tuesday night in Sacramento, California. She’s been performing on the trek with a full band, horn section, backing vocalists and occasional string section, a far cry from what her live shows were like when she was first starting out.

Early in her career, RAYE was a featured vocalist on a series of dance tracks, many of which were successful on the U.K. charts. But as she explained, that kind of music didn’t require anything special.

“When I started releasing some of the dance hits back in the day, what was I? Like … 18, 19. You just go out with a DJ in front of thousands of people and just, like, hop around,” she laughs. “So it’s been really beautiful, I think, over the last couple of years, the progression for me, in terms of the energy from crowds and the way I present the shows.”

For her current tour, the “Where Is My Husband?” singer has created a full production show to better allow herself to perform her new 17-track album, This Music May Contain Hope. As she explained, having real instruments as backup up is key.

“I’m very much in a place now where [a] live band, [it] doesn’t matter how much it costs, I need the band,” said the award-winning star. “Like, it’s so important to me to present my music in my album through live music. And that’s just been such a beautiful experience.”

The U.S. leg of RAYE’s THIS TOUR MAY CONTAIN NEW MUSIC tour wraps up in LA on May 13. Starting in August, she’ll open for Bruno Mars on his The Romantic Tour.

Brandy talks successful career, new ‘Phases’ memoir

March 31, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Brandy has done many things over the years, way more than she ever even imagined. She says in an interview with Variety that she only ever wished to sing.

“It’s beautiful because a lot of my life, I didn’t see for myself. Like I never saw an actress or I never saw mixing music with different opportunities,” she says. “All I saw was me wanting my voice to do a little bit of what Whitney [Houston]’s voice could do. And that was my dream.”

“When I first started, it just seemed like everything was possible,” she continued. “And I was able to accomplish a lot at a very young age and just dream really big.”

She attributed her success in music, acting and Broadway to “trying to follow my heart and follow my spirit, follow my voice.”

“It led me to places and certain moments that I will always remember,” she explained. “Broadway was mind-blowing, to experience music and live theater and a connection with energy and the audience. You just feel so accomplished and so validated when you’re received.”

Next up for Brandy is the release of her memoir, Phases, out now. Her hope is that people “can see themselves … and know that no matter what you go through in your life, with dedication, discipline and a strong foundation, you can get through anything.

“My life has not been perfect, but I’ve been able to navigate and heal and do the things that I’ve loved to do in my life. I went through a lot. But I’m still here and want to be an example of resilience and tell my stories,” she continued. “Hopefully, I can do that, and it can leave a lasting touch on everyone’s life.”

Brandy received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Monday.

Justin Hayward will share songs, stories on The Story In Your Eyes tour

March 31, 2026 by WDNY Radio

The Moody Blues’ singer/guitarist Justin Hayward is hitting the road on The Story In Your Eyes tour, where he’ll perform songs from every era of his career, share stories with the audience and take part in a Q&A.

Hayward tells ABC Audio that preparing for the tour has been quite nostalgic for him, but says, “I’m finding out things about these songs at the same time.” He notes, “Some of these things I’ve never done onstage before.”

“I find I’m just looking at things that just kind of resonate right now with me,” he adds.

When it comes to picking songs for his set, Hayward says he knows there are tunes “the audience would be disappointed if I didn’t do,” mentioning tracks like “Nights in White Satin” and “Tuesday Afternoon.”

“I think I have to kind of put myself in a position of someone from in the audience and what I would like if going to see artists that have really meant something to me,” he says. He also thinks about the person coming to see him for the first time.

“Because these shows aren’t always about nostalgia or about people coming again and again to see me or the Moodys,” he explains. “So I’m very much aware of that as well, because then the audience evolves too.”

When it comes to the stories he’ll share with the audience, the 79-year-old Hayward says they won’t necessarily be just about the music.

He says he likes to share stories of the band people may not already know and talk about “the affection that we have for each other,” noting their relationship was “quite unique really in my experience.”

Justin Hayward’s The Story In Your Eyes tour begins Tuesday in Cerritos, California. A complete list of dates can be found at JustinHayward.com.

Watch Dave Grohl unbox Foo Fighters’ ‘Your Favorite Toy’ album on vinyl

March 31, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Dave Grohl has shared a preview of the vinyl version of the upcoming Foo Fighters album, Your Favorite Toy, in an unboxing video.

“I’ve never done an unboxing thing before,” Grohl says in the clip. “Honestly, this is the first time I’ve ever seen this.”

Grohl then opens the package to reveal the record sleeve and the LP inside. He also pulls out the included lyric sheet, if you want to pause and enhance to see the words to some of the currently unreleased songs on the record.

“This is amazing, I’m very happy, we put a lot of work into this one,” Grohl says. “Our team of genius artists helped us make something really nice for you.”

Your Favorite Toy, the follow-up to 2023’s But Here We Are, is due out April 24. It includes the released songs “Asking for a Friend,” “Caught in the Echo” and the title track.

Foo Fighters will play a one-off show in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on April 28, followed by headlining sets at the Welcome to Rockville and BottleRock Napa festivals in May. They’ll launch a full North American stadium tour in August.

Michigan synagogue attacker committed ‘Hezbollah-inspired act of terrorism’: FBI

March 30, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich.) — The man armed with fireworks who rammed his truck into a West Bloomfield, Michigan, synagogue was carrying out “a Hezbollah-inspired act of terrorism purposely targeting the Jewish community and the largest Jewish temple in Michigan,” the FBI said.

Ayman Mohamad Ghazali was “motivated and inspired by Hezbollah’s militant ideology” for his March 12 attack at Temple Israel, Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, said at a news conference on Monday.

Ghazali — who wanted to kill as many people as possible, Runyan said — died at the scene. Dozens of law enforcement officers were hurt in the incident but nobody inside the synagogue was injured, authorities said.

On March 9, three days before the attack, Ghazali, 41, started looking at web pages for local synagogues, Runyan said.

He tried to buy a gun from two different people. After they said no, he bought an AR-style rifle at a gun store, along with 10 rifle magazines and approximately 300 rounds of ammunition, she said.

Ghazali searched online for phrases including “largest gathering of Israelis in Michigan” and “Israelis near me,” and tried to delete his search history, Runyan said.

He also practiced using his gun at a shooting range and purchased more than $2,200 worth of fireworks, she said.

On March 11, he began adding photos to a Facebook photo album that he called “vengeance,” Runyan said. He posted images that included Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran who was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, she said.

On March 12, the morning of the attack, Ghazali posted numerous photos of his deceased family members to Facebook, and he wrote online, “We will seek retribution for his sacred blood,” according to Runyan.

Ghazali’s two brothers and several other relatives were killed in an Israeli airstrike on March 5, a town official in Mashghara, Lebanon, told ABC News earlier this month.

On March 12, while sitting in the synagogue parking lot, Ghazali sent his sister “19 videos, photos and messages that reiterated his intent to commit a mass terrorist attack, as well as affirming his Hezbollah-inspired ideology,” Runyan said.

Ghazali also exchanged several short phone calls with his ex-wife shortly before the attack, Runyan said. The ex-wife called local police requesting a welfare check, she said.

On the afternoon of March 12, Ghazali plowed his truck into the synagogue and struck a security guard, authorities said. When Ghazali’s truck jammed in a hallway, he opened fire, authorities said, and security guards returned fire.

The synagogue became engulfed in fire. Runyan said Ghazali used approximately 35 gallons of gasoline.

Ghazali died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during an exchange of gunfire with security guards, officials said.

Dozens of law enforcement officers were treated for smoke inhalation, authorities said, but nobody inside the synagogue was hurt, including all 140 students at the building’s preschool. The security guard hit by the suspect’s truck was expected to be OK, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said.

Runyan said she couldn’t say whether Ghazali was inspired by the strikes in Iran but did say he was “engaging in that ideology” before his relatives’ deaths. She said the FBI has not been able to verify if Ghazali — a U.S. citizen with no criminal history — was in Hezbollah.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Jerome Gorgon said at Monday’s news conference, “Had this man lived, I’m convinced that my office would prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he committed the federal crime of providing material support to Hezbollah.”

Ghazali “acted under Hezbollah’s direct and control,” Gorgon said. “Terrorist propaganda is designed to activate the so-called ‘lone wolf’ to act on behalf of the terrorist organization.”

Pavement headlining Make the World Better concert in Philadelphia

March 30, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Pavement will be headlining the Make the World Better concert in Philadelphia on July 24.

The show will support the organization Make the World Better, which was founded by former NFL and Philadelphia Eagles player Connor Barwin in an effort to revitalize local public spaces.

Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. ET.

The Philly concert falls in the middle of Pavement’s previously announced U.S. summer tour, launching in July.

For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit PavementBand.com.

Pierce the Veil earns first #1 hit on ‘Billboard’ Mainstream Rock Airplay chart

March 30, 2026 by WDNY Radio

There’s nothing fake about the chart success of Pierce the Veil’s “So Far So Fake” single.

The track has given PtV their first #1 hit on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart after previously reaching the top spot on the Alternative Airplay tally back in 2025.

“So Far So Fake” originally appeared on Pierce the Veil’s latest album, 2023’s The Jaws of Life. As for it now conquering a Billboard chart three years later, “So Far So Fake” saw a resurgence in 2025 after going viral on TikTok.

Pierce the Veil will play the band’s biggest headlining show to date at Petco Park in their hometown of San Diego on Sept. 12. Their upcoming live schedule also includes sets at the Sonic Temple, Governors Ball, Louder than Life, Shaky Knees and Aftershock festivals, as well as gigs opening for Guns N’ Roses and My Chemical Romance.

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