International Crisis in the Strait of Hormuz

• • Trump Suspends Strikes: President Donald Trump has ordered a five-day postponement of planned military strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure following what he described as "productive conversations" between Washington and Tehran. This 120-hour truce freezes a previous 48-hour ultimatum that had placed the world on the brink of a major conflict.
  • Market Impact: Following the announcement, the price of Brent crude oil plunged 13%, dropping to $99.11 per barrel as investors felt relieved by the potential for a ceasefire.
  • Global Reactions: Russia and China have reacted with caution, arguing that a five-day pause is merely a "tactical move" and that a permanent ceasefire and political solution are necessary to prevent a global energy collapse.
  • Spanish Government Response: President Pedro Sánchez has demanded the immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz to prevent a "long-term energy crisis for all humanity". Spain has already activated a 5 billion euro plan to mitigate the economic impact of the conflict on energy and housing.

• • Senate Hearing on Power Outage: The Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, testified regarding the April 28 power outage, stating that "with existing mechanisms," the blackout "should not have occurred". She maintained there were no prior alerts or warnings and attributed the failure to either a lack of programming, equipment not performing as expected, or a combination of both. Aagesen also called for greater transparency, urging electric companies to make all information regarding the incident public.
  • Airbnb Judicial Ruling: The Superior Court of Justice of Madrid (TSJM) has rejected Airbnb’s request to pause a 64 million euro fine imposed for consumer protection violations. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs identified over 65,000 listings without proper licenses and cited the platform for "unfair commercial practices" and obstructing inspections. Airbnb must now pay the fine while waiting for a final sentence

Spain Today News - 18th November 2025

Alberto Núñez Feijóo presented proposals focused on combating the "precariedad vital" (vital precarity) and "precariedad emocional" (emotional precarity) affecting young people. To address the housing crisis, where prices have more than doubled salaries in seven years, he proposes a massive construction plan to build hundreds of thousands of homes annually, noting that 650,000 were built yearly in 2006-2008. Housing measures include recovering the "cuenta ahorro vivienda" (housing savings account) with an IRPF deduction, and suggesting a reduction in housing VAT from 10% to 4% for those under 35, deferred over 15 to 20 years. He also highlighted the high incidence of youth temporary employment (66%) and part-time work (39%).

Regarding "precariedad emocional," he noted that 6.5% of young people (12 to 20 years old) have attempted suicide. His digital plan proposes mandatory age verification, absolute nightly blocks on application use, prohibiting access to social media for minors under 16, and limiting addictive scrolling.

In judicial news, the Supreme Court judge Leopoldo Puente lifted the partial secrecy surrounding the investigation into the alleged public works rigging (amaños de obra pública) led by Cerdán. The judge indicted three directors linked to Acciona, including former director Justo Vicente Pelegrini. The investigation focuses on alleged illegal commissions received in exchange for public works contracts during the time José Luis Ábalos was Minister of Transport, and Acciona is close to being indicted as a legal entity.

Ukrainian President Volodímir Zelenski visited the Congress of Deputies in his third trip to Spain to seek additional military support. He met with King Felipe VI and will meet with Pedro Sánchez. Spain confirmed its "long-term" commitment, having previously committed $1 billion in 2024, potentially reaching $5 billion by 2027. The visit occurs as Russia advances on the southeastern front and amid a domestic corruption scandal (Case Midas) in Ukraine.

Finally, the Spanish Council of Ministers approved a new economic framework ("cuadro económico"). A key novelty is the inclusion of variables like inequality and poverty reduction, aiming to translate macro growth into improvements for citizens. The Government forecasts sustained GDP growth above 2% until 2028, revising the 2025 forecast upward to 2.9%. This sustained growth, driven by domestic demand, is expected to reduce the unemployment rate (tasa de paro) to 9% by 2028, nearing levels prior to the financial crisis. The Council also approved a 2026 spending ceiling of 212,026 million euros.

The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture ordered the confinement of all outdoor poultry farms starting Thursday to prevent avian flu, citing the notable increase in outbreaks across Central and Northern Europe and the risk posed by migratory birds heading toward Spain.France authorized the extradition of former ETA leaders Juan Antonio Olarra Guridi, Ainhoa Múgica Goñi, and Javier García Gaztelu, 'Txapote,' to Spain. They will be tried for the 2001 murder of Army Lieutenant Colonel Pedro Antonio Blanco. Txapote also faces judgment for a 1996 car bomb attack in San Sebastián.The sources also detail "early exhumations" (beginning during the Transition period) of Civil War and Francoism victims. These efforts were led by family members and neighbors (such as Felisa Casatejada in 1978) who sought a dignified burial for their loved ones, often facing threats and harassment. This movement, which included the 'operación retorno' in Navarra/La Rioja and 'exhumaciones al alba' in Extremadura, is considered the precursor to current democratic memory efforts. A new phase began in October 2000 with the professional exhumation promoted by Emilio Silva in Priaranza del Bierzo, leading to the creation of the ARMH and adopting a human rights focus. Over 17,000 bodies have been recovered since 2000.Politically, the Sánchez government anticipates a temporary relief from the pressure exerted by Junts due to the upcoming parliamentary recess extending until early 2026. Although Junts has declared the "relationship is over," they are expected to approve certain previously negotiated laws. However, the government faces immediate vulnerability if Junts aligns with the PP to pass an amendment favoring the prolongation of nuclear power plant lifespans.