Spain to release 11.5 million barrels of oil to contain prices, Middle East conflict causes medicine shortage in Spain, water reservoirs reach highest level in 12 years and more news on Wednesday March 18th.
Spain to release 11.5 million barrels of oil to contain prices
The Spanish government agreed on Tuesday to release 11.5 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves, equivalent to 12.3 days of national consumption.
This is part of the release agreement reached within the International Energy Agency (IEA), under which member countries will jointly release 400 million barrels onto the market, of which Spain is entitled to 2.9 percent.
The measure was announced by Spain’s Minister for Ecological Transition Sara Aagesen, who stressed that the main objective is to “cushion the tension in the markets” since the beginning of the conflict in the Middle East.
Oil prices have risen to over $100 a barrel following the disruption of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, ordered by Iran in retaliation for the US and Israeli attack.
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Spain’s water reservoirs reach highest capacity in 12 years
Spain’s water reserves have now risen up to 83.2 percent capacity, holding 46,608 cubic hectometres of water, the highest level in 12 years.
Just a few years ago, several parts of Spain were suffering from the worst drought they had experienced in years and reserves and reached historic low levels. Now, however, the situation has completely changed.
According to data provided by the Ministry for Ecological Transition the highest levels are found in the Eastern Cantabrian basin at 95.9 percent, and in the internal basins of the Basque Country at 95.2 percent, 89.5 percent near the Galician coast and 86.3 percent in the Western Cantabrian basin.
Middle East conflict causes medicine shortage in Spain
The Ministry of Health, headed up by Mónica García, has confirmed a link between the supply of certain medicines and the war between Iran, the US and Israel.
Specifically, it is affecting the supply of tadalafil and clopidogrel, with shortages of both already. Tadalafil is used to treat enlarged prostates, erectile disfunction and pulmonary hypertension, while clopidogrel is used to prevent serious blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes in high-risk patients.
The issue is down to the closure of air hubs in the Middle East and the reduction of certain routes between there and Europe.
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Zara teams up with British designer John Galliano
Spanish fashion retailer Zara said Tuesday it has entered into a two-year “artistic partnership” with controversial British designer John Galliano.
The 65-year-old couturier will reconfigure pieces drawn from Zara’s past collections into new designs, the company said in a statement.
“Guided by a haute couture process and approach, the collections will be unveiled each season throughout the duration of the partnership, starting in September 2026,” it added without giving further details.
Zara is owned by Inditex, the world’s leading low-cost fashion retailer which posted a record annual profit in 2025 for the third year running.
“To deliver fashion through that enormous platform — that, of course, that’s thrilling. And to be able to work with the kind of resources they have as well, that’s equally thrilling,” Galliano told fashion magazine Vogue.
Galliano, who previously headed artistry at Givenchy and Christian Dior, has dressed countless celebrities during his tenure, including Kim Kardashian, Kary Perry and Zendaya for red-carpet events.
Known for his flamboyant personality and daring designs, Galliano’s career suffered a dramatic setback in 2011 following a drunken rant in a Paris bar where he hurled antisemitic and racist insults at the other patrons.
With additional reporting by AFP and The Local Spain’s editor Alex Dunham
