Today in Spain, child sex abuser stands trial, Línea Directa right to dismiss sex pest worker, winter set to return this weekend, and fratricide case set to conclude.

Spanish News Headlines

The Second Section of the Provincial Court of Ciudad Real will judge a man from today accused of sexually abusing his partner’s youngest daughter, who at the time of the events was 10 years old, and for which the Prosecutor’s Office requests seven years in prison.

According to the indictment, the accused, who lived with his partner and her two daughters, took a nap with the eldest of them, who was ten years old, touching her, sexually, “both above and below the underwear,” says the prosecution.

The Social Chamber of the Superior Court of Justice of Madrid (TSJM) has endorsed the decision to declare the dismissal of a Línea Directa employee appropriate. He was initially dismissed for sexually harassing a colleague to whom he made obscene comments and sent her pornographic videos.

He made inappropriate comments in the professional field with sexual content, such as “it’s great that girls like you come to work in the company”, “how hot you are”, and made specific references to parts of her body.

The worker, dissatisfied with the dismissal, decided to go to court, however, the Social Court No. 22 did not agree with him, so he filed a petition before the higher TSJM.

If you dug your shorts out earlier in the week, you may have been slightly premature, especially given the ups and downs of conditions compared to normality, as meteorologists forecast a significant change in the weather from today and for the end of this week through the weekend.

If the forecast maps come true, we are about to enter a true winter situation thanks to the entry of a north westerly storm that can bring strong winds, rain, cold and snow. If the maps come true, it will be an intense polar jet that some experts do not rule out could become a high-impact storm.

Following the selection of jurors and presentation of the case in the courts of Navarra, the evidence is set to conclude today surrounding the murder of a man in Tafalla.

The Prosecutor’s Office is requesting 21 years in prison for CGZ, 46, for murder, because the attack was “stunning” and “did not give the victim, his brother MM, 49, the option to defend himself.” Only the extenuating circumstance of confession applies, since the defendant went to the Regional Police and told them what happened.

The prosecutor states that the two brothers, who lived together, had a “conflictive” relationship. At 5:10 a.m. on June 21, the deceased returned to the apartment, where the defendant was sleeping. The two began an argument in the living room and during it, the defendant, who already denied such an argument, went to the kitchen, grabbed a knife with an eleven-centimetre blade and stabbed his brother fourteen times.

To read these articles in full, visit SpainToday.news

Business, Markets and Statistics

Thursday’s business, markets and statistics agenda is loaded with references. At the macro level, in Spain the data on home sales and mortgages stand out, whereas in the eurozone, January inflation will be a key news breaker.

Likewise, the leading PMI indicators are known in the main European economies, the US and Japan. The minutes of the ECB’s last monetary policy meeting also come to light and the Ecofin meeting begins.

In the business field, the results of Iberdrola, Telefónica and Repsol stand out, as Repsol also presents the update of its strategic plan. We will also see results from Lloyds Banking Group, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz, Qantas, Mondi, and Nestlé.

Back in Spain, the Institute of National Statistics (INE) publishes the statistics on transfers of property rights for December, and the mortgage figures for December and 2023.

Iberdrola presents its results for the 2023 financial year, as does Telefónica, and as mentioned Repsol presents its fourth quarter results and its 2024-2027 strategic update.

In the Eurozone, the manufacturing PMI, services PMI and composite PMI for February come to light, Eurostat publishes final inflation data for January, and the ECB presents its 2023 financial statements, as well as the minutes of its last monetary policy meeting, held on January 24 and 25.

The Informal Meeting of EU Ministers of Economic and Financial Affairs begins.

Finally, in the United Kingdom, the services PMI, manufacturing PMI and composite PMI for February are known. The report on Divorces in England and Wales (2022) is released, and details of both the Flash UK PMI, whist economists will be watching that EU inflation data given that the UK is in recession.

Things to Do Today

Cinderella is in Torrevieja on Sunday 25 February, and International Flamenco Day is celebrated with a concert on 2 March. You can then take a Trip to Oz, with the kids, on 15 March, assuming you survive Peter and the Wolf on 10 March. There is also the Magical world of Disney concert on 16.

For sports fans, there are a couple of endurance events this weekend, including in the municipality of Elche, where Transilicitana will take place, a staggering 100-kilometre race, with slopes and flats, starting on Saturday with 24 hours to complete the race.

Then, on Sunday 25 February, we have the Torrevieja 21k half marathon, and a 5k race, starting at 9:30 a.m. Both of those events of course will lead to road closures, so check the traffic situation before you travel.

Looking ahead, James Blunt is back in Alicante on 19 July, as is Tom Jones on 25. Other popular groups coming to Spain in the near future include AC/DC, Depeche Mode, and Simple Minds.

A Black Music Festival is taking place in Salt until 9 March, and the Jerez Festival of Flamenco and art is on in Jerez de la Frontera also until 9 March.

Down south, the Malaga Film Festival takes place from 1 to 10 March, followed by the Granada Tango Festival from 12 to 17 March.

Fallas season is about to start, culminating in the celebrations around the middle of March, not forgetting of course we have San Jose, Spanish Father’s Day, a big event in the Spanish cultural calendar. The main fallas event is around Valencia, where this year the calendar is from 25 February to 19 March.

We must also remember that Easter is earlier this year, and one of the big draws is Elche, and in particular Palm Sunday, on account of the history of the city in relation to palm trees. A huge Palm Sunday procession takes place in the city each year.

One of the most unusual festivals takes place in the town of Mula, with the Night of the Drums, or Noche de los Tambores, where drumming begins at midnight on Holy Tuesday until 4 in the afternoon on Wednesday. Similar drum festivals take place in a few other towns too, but Mula is known as one of the best.

Another unusual celebration takes place in Jerte, usually at the end of March and beginning of April, but it depends on the weather, and therefore could be earlier this year, but it is the Cherry Trees in Blossom festival, which beholds a beauty of colour and aroma that is definitely a feast for the senses.

For more local events, pick up The Leader newspaper every Monday, and This is Torrevieja for Torrevieja events.

Local Markets

Thursday markets are held in Alicante, Bigastro, Campoamor (Orihuela Costa), El Altet (Elche), Gran Alacant, Lo Pagan (San Pedro del Pinatar), Rojales, and San Fulgencio (La Marina).

The roads will of course be busy around those locations.

Traffic and Travel

This week, ROADPOL, the European traffic police network, are holding a focussed campaign on vans, trucks and buses, checking everything from vehicle standards and compliance, and driver and documentation. The campaign runs all week and through Sunday 25 February 2024, and will be taking place in most European countries.

In Spain, the DGT are supporting this campaign and so the Guardia Civil, assisted by Local Police in areas where they are taking part, will also be checking on these types of vehicles.

There is also still the possibility of protests causing disruption on the roads, and so you should consult the official information from the DGT which is updated live on their website.

We also still have the risk of snow on higher and mountainous areas, and so snow chains could be required, again, check before you travel.

The same as last week, the weekend is going to be busy on the roads particularly around winter leisure areas, which includes second homes, but mostly the mountainous regions for winter sports. We will have the full details of the busiest times in tomorrow’s bulletin.

For information and updates about driving in Spain, visit N332.es

Flight wise, once again, Heathrow is expected to be hit by strong winds throughout the day, which could have an impact on flights to Spain.

A search and rescue exercise is taking place at Gran Canaria, which is expected to impact commercial flights having to avoid the exercise area, and moderate delays expected as a result.

Also in the Canaries, industrial action is taking place at Lanzarote and Fuerteventura Airports, in the Air Traffic Control towers, with high delays likely.

Official Websites for Travel Information

On This Day

2003, in Seville, the Spanish athlete Alberto García breaks the European record for the 3000-metre indoor dash (7 m, 32.98 s).

1995, the Senate approves the Statutes of Autonomy of Ceuta and Melilla, thus closing the Spanish autonomous map.

1969, 25,000 Asturian miners go on strike.

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