U.S. gas prices hit record high

American drivers are now paying an average of $4.17 per gallon for regular unleaded. The national average has soared by about 50 cents per gallon during the past couple of weeks. The lowest average price as of Tuesday morning is $3.71 per gallon in Oklahoma, according to AAA. California has the highest at $5.44.

Will prices keep going up? The United States and its European partners are considering halting Russian oil imports as a way to pressure President Vladimir Putin to stop his invasion of Ukraine. Such a move could further affect prices. The previous record high average gas price in the United States was set in 2008, at $4.11 per gallon.

Dig deeper: Read Esther Eaton’s report in The Stew about the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, which has halted because of the war in Ukraine.

—WORLD has updated this report since its original posting.