Fuel Riots Spread Around the World, and Trump Approves $2.8 Billion Arms Sale to Israel

September 16, 2026

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5 min read

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Global fuel protests are spreading across multiple continents, driven by soaring energy prices and shortages linked to the war in the Middle East. The New York Times global affairs correspondent Damien Cave reports that frustration is boiling over from Guatemala to Portugal, where farmers and drivers have staged demonstrations. In Indonesia, taxi drivers have stopped working because their earnings are consumed entirely by fuel costs. Long lines for gas are common, with people queuing at 3 a.m. and waiting hours for fuel. Bangladesh is suffering from a shortage of natural gas that powers its electricity grid, forcing factories to shut down for many hours each day. In Syria, the situation is the most extreme: after prices jumped by 40 percent, a man poured fuel over himself and was about to light himself on fire before the crowd intervened. Cave notes that the anger is shifting from simple frustration over prices to outright accusations that governments are colluding with wealthy oil and gas companies, turning the protests into a broader challenge to the political system itself.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:33) **Global Fuel Riots Spread** - Protests over soaring energy prices erupt worldwide, linked to the war in Iran and Middle East disruptions.
2 (02:55) **U.S. House Votes to End Iran War** - The House passes a measure directing President Trump to end military operations, the third such vote.
3 (03:43) **Trump Approves $2.8 Billion Arms Sale to Israel** - The White House signs off on a major weapons deal including tens of thousands of bombs for Israel.
4 (04:27) **Senate Blocks Major Crypto Bill** - A cryptocurrency bill friendly to the industry is defeated, a blow to pro-crypto groups that spent millions on campaigns.
5 (05:13) **Trump Jr. Wedding Payments Face Scrutiny** - Revelations that a Russian businessman helped pay for Donald Trump Jr.'s lavish wedding after-party.
6 (06:39) **Poll Watcher Trainings Raise Concerns** - Tiffany Shu reports that some poll watcher trainings this year are priming volunteers to expect wrongdoing.
7 (09:34) **China Debates Dropping English as Core Subject** - A growing movement in China calls for English to become optional, fueled by nationalism and AI translation tools.

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Show Notes

Plus, the Russian businessman who rented an island for Donald Trump Jr.

Here’s what we’re covering:

Rising Fuel Prices Set Off Anger and Protests Around the World, by Damien Cave
House Directs Trump to Halt War With Iran or Secure Congress’s Approval, by Robert Jimison
Trump Approves $2.8 Billion Arms Sale to Israel, Including 40,000 One-Ton Bombs, by Michael Crowley and Edward Wong
Senate Votes to Block Crypto Bill in Major Blow to the Industry, by David Yaffe-Bellany
Russian Businessman Paid for Donald Trump Jr.’s Lavish Wedding After-Party, by Ben Protess
It’s Poll Watcher Training Season. Distrust Is on the Lesson Plan., by Tiffany Hsu
In the Age of A.I., Some in China Wonder if Learning English Is Worth the Trouble, by Tiffany May and Berry Wang

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