The European Commission authorized this Wednesday a 750,000 euro aid program to compensate farmers in the Balearic Islands for the increase in fuel costs following the crisis in the Middle East. The subsidies will be direct, ten cents per liter, and will cover additional costs incurred between March 1 and June 30, 2026.

When Joan and Blai Ferrando arrive in Port d'Andratx on a Wednesday, they have already put in twelve hours of work. The crates are full of fish and a van is already waiting to load them. The largest part of the catch goes to Palma, where it will be sold at the fish market the next morning. A small part is reserved for the point of sale at the Port d'Andratx fishermen's guild itself, which opens for an hour or two each day.

In January of this year, Joan Gaià, general secretary of the Farmers' Union (UP) and businessman, paid an average of 0.90 euros per litre for agricultural diesel. It was practically the same price as in August 2025. In May, however, it was already 1.24 euros. This week the figure has reached 1.70 euros. In nine months, one of the essential costs for running an agricultural holding has become 89% more expensive. Since May alone, the increase is close to 37%. "This is a very big blow for those of us who still believe in the countryside," laments Gaià.

The lack of aviation fuel in Cuba has triggered a new crisis that is severely impacting the international tourism sector and, in particular, Spanish companies with a significant presence on the island. The Cuban government has warned airlines that it cannot guarantee kerosene supplies at the country's airports for weeks, a situation that has forced a reconfiguration of flight operations and accelerated adjustments in the hotel sector. The crisis is part of a serious energy emergency plaguing the country, with difficulties importing oil and its derivatives, which affects not only air transport but also the electricity supply and economic activity in general. Tourism, Cuba's main source of foreign currency, is once again in an extremely vulnerable position.