Spain Today – Monday 20 May 2024

There are lots of local holidays scattered around the country for this Monday, 32 to be exact, but some key areas are around Barcelona, and Tarragona, but it might be worth checking with your local authorities where you are.

Monday is a holiday in many areas of Spain, soccer players investigated for a hate crime and injuries, and Spain exhausts all natural resources for the year today.

Flights between the UK and Spain could suffer delays this week.

Contents (click to jump ahead)

Spanish News Headlines

Monday is Pentecost Monday, a Christian holiday celebrated on the Monday 50 days after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles.

Pentecost Monday is a religious holiday celebrated in some parts of Spain, but not a national holiday, celebrated in some towns in Catalonia, Castilla y León (Zamora) and Castilla-La Mancha (Ciudad Real). Over 30 locations in Spain recognise it as a holiday.

One of the biggest celebrations is the Virgen del Rocío procession in El Rocío, Huelva.

Also known as Whit Monday, today is also a holiday in many European countries and some parts of Argentina.

A violent brawl erupted after a soccer match in Trujillo between Trujillo FC and Moralo CP.

The fight involved players, fans, and technical team members. One Moralo player claims a Trujillo player made racist insults during the game, sparking the brawl.

One Trujillo player is being investigated for a hate crime and injuries. Four players, including the alleged victim of racist remarks, are being investigated for separate injuries.

Spain has used up its entire year’s allowance of natural resources today, marking its “Earth Overshoot Day.” Friends of the Earth, an environmental group, urges a change in consumption habits and government action.

This “ecological deficit” means Spain has consumed more resources like water, energy, and food than the Earth can replenish in a year. The group blames the current production and consumption model, highlighting the EU’s unsustainable resource use.

To read these articles in full, visit SpainToday.news

Business, Markets and Statistics

The week starts in Spain with the publication of the spring Financial Stability report by the Bank of Spain.

Also in Spain, we will have figures on competition, and medical education.

In the eurozone, industrial production for February and total reserve assets for March will be known.

The ECB releases the survey of monetary analysts for April, Eurostat publishes industrial production figures for February, and the informal meeting of Energy Ministers begins.

On the other side of the Atlantic, in the US, the main references will be retail sales for March and the manufacturing Empire for April.

On a business level, Goldman Sachs publishes its first quarter accounts, and back in Europe we can all prepare to hear all about the hardship Ryanair are suffering with their accounts being published.

Dominating the news in the UK will be the conclusion of the long-running infected blood inquiry, as the chair, Brian Langstaff, publishes his final report and recommendations.

Julian Assange could find out his future as the High Court looks set to rule on his final attempt to appeal his extradition to the US.

However, neither of those stories are likely to get as much coverage as the fact the King and Queen will be at the Chealsea Flower Show.

Talking of flowers, in a tentative link sort of way, Monday is also World Bee Day, helping to raise awareness about one of the most important insects on the planet. Sadly though, we still don’t hold caterpillars in as much high regard, some places in Spain taking action to irradicate them, despite the lack of realisation that caterpillars become butterflies and butterflies are as important as bees for pollinating none-food flora.

Traffic and Travel News

Industrial action by Air Traffic Controllers could have an impact on flights to and from Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez airport all of this week, although minimum service requirements dictate that disruption should be minimal, unless something else causes additional impacts.

Alicante airport also has overnight runway closures scheduled, but the activity should not affect flights unless there are delays.

A military operation is set to take place in the south of France and include missiles firings over the Bay of Biscay.

Military operation DURANDAL 2024 will take place between now and the 14 June, but commercial flight impact is set to effect three days during the period, dates which have not yet been published, other than they will be on weekdays.

A separate military exercise, operation KRYPTON 2024, is also scheduled to take place over the Bay of Biscay.

The Russian Navy are also carrying out exercises and there are also military activities scheduled for Italy and Finland.

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