Catalonia
Hundreds of people gathered across cities and towns in Catalonia to mark the one-year anniversary of the contested referendum on independence.
Pro-independence protesters obstructed major roads south of Barcelona and a high-speed railway line in Girona.
Activists blocked streets in Lleida, while students filled Barcelona’s central square waving separatist flags.
Sexual Offenses
The Supreme Court has ruled that any and all physical contact of a sexual nature, where deliberate, and irrespective of how brief it is, counts as a criminal offence.
This ground-breaking verdict means grabbing someone in a pub, a crowd or on public transport, is no longer simply a civil offense but attracts criminal charges on the grounds of ‘sexual abuse’.
This interpretation of Article 181 of the Penal Code clarifies the situation for many victims since verdicts in lower courts have varied between jailing offenders for sexual abuse and dismissing it as ‘nothing’.
ETA
The prime ministers of France and Spain marked their countries’ “victory” in fighting ETA in Madrid yesterday, five months after the Basque separatist group disbanded.
In a symbolic act, the French government handed over 8,000 ETA documents seized in France that could help solve more than 350 unresolved crimes committed during decades of killings, kidnappings and extortion waged for an independent Basque homeland.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said peace was achieved “thanks to the determination of all of society and cooperation between Spain and France”.
At least 853 died at the hands of ETA in its four decades of activity.
ETA called a permanent ceasefire in 2011, and announced it was disarming in April 2017.
Government Disclosure
The government has published information on the earnings and assets of current and former officials as part of an effort to increase transparency amidst corruption allegations leveled against ministers.
The figures, published in the government’s Official Gazette, showed there are currently three millionaires in the Spanish cabinet.
a Government spokesperson said: “This government is really moving forward on the path of transparency, which it believes is the only way to advance in democracy.”
Foreign minister Josep Borrell was the wealthiest in terms of declared earnings with €2.77 million. Isabel Celaa, who is also education minister, came second with €1.62 million.
They were followed by science minister Pedro Duque who has around €1.5 million in assets. His tax arrangements recently come under scrutiny and he has been dogged by allegations that he has not paid some property taxes, which he denies.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has some €343,000 in assets on the books. Former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, has €1.54 million in declared assets.