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7 costly mistakes to avoid at the pump right now as gas prices surge nationwide

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Gas prices are climbing again just as spring travel ramps up, putting added pressure on drivers from road trips to simply commuting to work.

The national average price for regular gas has jumped in recent weeks, climbing to about $3.98 per gallon — up roughly $1 in just the past month, according to AAA. With seasonal demand increasing and oil prices remaining elevated, experts say drivers should expect continued volatility at the pump.

Luckily, experts say small changes behind the wheel and simple maintenance habits can help stretch every tank further. Here are 7 of their best tips:

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Speeding, rapid acceleration and hard braking are some of the biggest fuel drains. Fuel efficiency drops quickly above about 50 mph, The Points Guy recently reported, and federal data shows aggressive driving can cut gas mileage by up to 40% in stop-and-go traffic.

Cruise control can also help keep your speed steady but experts warn not to use it in slick conditions.

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Using premium gas won’t improve fuel economy unless your vehicle specifically requires it.

Most cars are designed to run on regular 87-octane fuel, making it the most cost-effective option, according to AAA. Using a higher octane than recommended won’t improve mileage or efficiency and typically isn’t worth the added cost.

Underinflated tires increase resistance on the road, forcing the engine to work harder and burn more fuel, experts say. 

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Tires naturally lose about 1 to 3 psi per month, and a 10 psi drop can reduce fuel economy by up to 4%. Pressure can fall even further with colder temperatures or small leaks, making regular pressure checks especially important.

Many drivers believe it’s more fuel-efficient to let a car idle than to turn it off and restart it, but experts say that’s a myth.

A warm engine uses only about 10 seconds’ worth of fuel to restart, meaning idling longer than that wastes gas, and engines can burn up to a half-gallon per hour while idling, according to AAA and government agencies. Letting a car warm up for long periods is also unnecessary, as most vehicles need only about 30 seconds before driving.

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Extra weight — especially roof racks and cargo boxes — can significantly reduce fuel efficiency.

Drivers can lose about 1% of fuel economy for every 100 pounds added to a vehicle, and cargo mounted on the roof creates additional wind resistance that can cut mileage by up to 8% in the city and as much as 25% on the highway, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Clearing out your trunk or removing unused carriers can help your car go farther on each tank, while rear-mounted cargo options tend to have a smaller impact on fuel economy.

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Plan fuel-efficient routes using apps like Google Maps to avoid backtracking and unnecessary stops. Combining errands into one trip and opting for “one-stop” locations when possible can reduce driving time, especially if you avoid peak traffic and stop-and-go conditions. 

Fewer trips also mean fewer cold starts, which use more fuel, helping drivers save gas over time, according to federal guidance.

Air conditioning can increase fuel use — by up to 10% in some cases — while open windows also reduce efficiency by creating drag, so experts recommend adjusting based on speed. 

At lower speeds, windows can be more efficient, but on highways it’s better to close them and use A/C, ideally after airing out a hot car to reduce the strain on the system.

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US allows Russian oil tanker to reach Cuba amid blockade as Trump says island ‘has to survive’

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The U.S. government will allow a Russian tanker full of crude oil to reach Cuba, effectively easing a blockade that has pushed the island into an energy crisis, according to a report.

The Russian-flagged tanker, the Anatoly Kolodkin, was headed for Cuba on Sunday, carrying an estimated 730,000 barrels of oil, The New York Times reported, citing a U.S. official who had been briefed on the matter.

The tanker Anatoly ⁠Kolodkin was just off the eastern tip of Cuba on Sunday, ship tracking data showed.

“We have a tanker out there. We don’t mind having somebody get a boatload, because they need … they have to survive,” President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday when asked about the report.

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“If a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem whether it’s Russia or not,” he added.

Trump had sought to restrict oil shipments to Cuba in an effort to pressure its government.

The U.S. government has temporarily eased some sanctions on Russian oil shipments to help stabilize global energy markets amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz following U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran that began last month.

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The Anatoly Kolodkin, which departed from Primorsk, Russia, could soon dock at the Matanzas port in Cuba if it remains on its current path, according to tracking services MarineTraffic and LSEG.

The oil would provide significant relief to Cuba, where President Miguel Díaz-Canel has said fuel shortages have persisted for months, forcing strict gas rationing and deepening the island’s energy crisis.

The U.S. capture of then-Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January stripped a key Cuban ally who had been providing oil to the island on favorable terms.

The Trump administration then blocked all Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba and vowed to impose punitive tariffs on any third country that supplied shipments to the island, forcing Mexico to stop its exports to Cuba.

Another ship, the Hong Kong-flagged Sea Horse, was also carrying about 200,000 barrels of Russian fuel to Cuba, but was rerouted to Venezuela.

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Lionel Richie issues warning to rude celebrities after Chappell Roan backlash

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Lionel Richie knows the fame game can be a challenge, and issued a warning to rising celebrities after Chappell Roan faced backlash following a negative fan encounter. 

During a sit-down with his son-in-law, Joel Madden, the Good Charlotte frontman admitted he hadn’t once heard his father-in-law complain about fans approaching him in public. 

“I was invisible once,” Richie explained, before acknowledging that he has a difficult time ignoring fans. “They want to say something to you. And you can see it on their face. They want to say something. And for me to ignore them, would be the worst.”

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He added, “Sometimes you meet the person you idolize the most, and you’re sorry you met them. 

The “All Night Long” singer said, “I made a promise to myself – I’m never going to be that. Never.”

Richie noted that star status isn’t for everyone.

“The thing that happens a lot of times is, I tell people when they get into the business, there’s one thing you didn’t calculate,” he said. “I hope you like people.

“Because if you don’t like people, here’s how it’s going to sound. You spend the first half of your career going, ‘Look at me, look at me, look at me, look at me, look at me.’ And then you finally get famous. ‘Don’t look at me. Don’t look at me. Don’t look at me.’”

He added, “The universe gave you what you asked for. Now what is it about people that you don’t like, or you want to be famous and rich without the people? It doesn’t work like that. You have to be able to engage.”

While in town last week to perform at Lollapalooza Brazil, the “Pink Pony Club” singer allegedly directed security to scold his daughter after she spotted Chappell having breakfast at the hotel in São Paulo, according to professional soccer star Jorginho Frello.

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Chappell, 28, addressed the incident on Instagram stories and later denied the fan encounter after the “very upsetting” situation caught the eye of Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere.

In a statement shared on X, Cavaliere said that Chappell was no longer welcome to perform in his city.

“I mean that as long as I’m in charge of our city — this young lady @ChappellRoan will never perform at Todo Mundo No Rio,” he wrote in a statement translated from Portuguese. I doubt that Shakira would do that! By the way, @FrelloJorginho, your little one is already the guest of honor from the organization in May!”

The “Good Luck, Babe!” singer jumped on social media Sunday morning to explain her “half of the story” while lying in bed.

“I didn’t even see. I didn’t even see a woman and a child. No one came up to me. No one bothered me,” the musician confided in her followers while lying in bed. “I was just sitting at breakfast in my hotel, I think these people were staying at the hotel as well.”

“I did not ask the security guard to go up and talk to this mother and child. They did not come up to me. They weren’t doing anything.”

She added, “I do not hate people who are fans of my music. I do not hate children. Like, that is crazy.”

“I am sorry to the mother and child that someone was assuming something, that you would do something and that if you felt uncomfortable, that makes me really sad. You did not deserve that.” 

Jorginho, a midfielder for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Flamengo, wrote on Instagram stories that his family went through a “very upsetting situation” involving Chappell prior to her Lollapalooza Brazil set.

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He claimed online that his 11-year-old daughter was reprimanded by Chappell’s security for looking at the singer.

“The worst part is she didn’t even approach her,” he wrote. “She simply walked past the singer’s table, looked to confirm it was her, smiled, and went back to sit with her mum. She didn’t say anything, didn’t ask for anything.”

Jorghino wrote that after his daughter walked by, “A large security guard came over to their table while they were still having breakfast and began speaking in an extremely aggressive manner to both my wife and my daughter, saying that she shouldn’t allow my daughter to ‘disrespect’ or ‘harass’ other people.”

He added, “It’s sad to see this kind of treatment coming from those who should understand the importance of fans. At the end of the day, they are the ones who build all of this. I sincerely hope this serves as a moment of reflection. No one should have to go through this, especially not a child.”

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‘Lion King’ composer sues comedian for $27M over ‘Circle of Life’ joke

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Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Jonasi faces a lawsuit for $27 million after making a joke about the lyrics to the opening song of the Disney film “The Lion King.”

While appearing on the One54 Africa podcast last month, Jonasi jokingly claimed that “Nants’ingonyama bagithi Baba,” the opening African chant to the song “Circle of Life,” translates to “Look! There’s a lion! Oh my god!”

South African composer Lebohang Morake, otherwise known as Lebo M, the vocalist behind the opening chant, accused the comedian in a legal document on March 16 of making “false statements of fact about the meaning of the ‘Nants’ingonyama’ composition” which he insists translates to “All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king.”

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He claimed Jonasi was diminishing the song’s value, which could have a negative impact on Morake’s reputation and estate, and is seeking more than $27 million in damages.

In an Instagram video on March 13, Jonasi acknowledged speaking to Morake about the joke, which reportedly led to a harsh confrontation.

“When this man first approached me, he approached me with the attitude of saying that I am disrespecting his work, right?” Jonasi said. “And I was like, ‘No, actually, I am a big fan of yours. I actually love the song.’ And therefore, this was just a joke, and comedy has always had a way of starting a conversation. I told him this. This is now your chance to educate people because now people are listening.”

Jonasi claimed that Morake referred to him as a “self-hating” Black man and “idiot” for telling the joke.

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“I realize I’m not actually having a conversation with someone who wants to do that. This person is literally not attacking the joke but my character,” Jonasi said.

Jonasi revealed that he was later served with the lawsuit days later during one of his comedy shows at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles.

“I now have a gluten allergy, anxiety. I got served. I am now American,” Jonasi joked in a video of the performance.

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Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for Jonasi and Morake for comment.

In an interview with the New York Post on Friday, Jonasi, who has launched a GoFundMe page for legal support, denied the allegations in the lawsuit, arguing that the joke has built up more interest in the film and song.

“I’ve actually gotten a lot of messages saying, ‘Hey that joke actually made me wanna go back and watch the movie again.’ It has revived people’s interest in the song. It actually made it more relevant,” Jonasi said.

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