English Language Broadcast

2026 is the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. Shepherding and transhumance are key for conserving land and cultural heritage, promoting biodiversity and ensuring the sustainable development of rural communities. We had the chance to talk to Javier de los Nietos and Paula Jarque, two young shepherds who are keeping these practices alive. Escuchar audio

As Spain endures scorching temperatures amid the second heatwave of the summer, in this week's broadcast we discuss El Niño, a climate event which is already here and likely to strengthen rapidly over the coming months, increasing the risk of further heatwaves, droughts, heavy rainfall and other extreme weather events. To shed light on this climate phenomenon, how it interacts with global warming, and what the weather will be like over the next few months and in the years ahead, we are joined by José Luis Camacho Ruiz, a technical advisor to the Spanish Meteorological Agency and a former director of the International Research Centre on El Niño. We also get to meet a new generation of shepherds this week. Shepherding and transhumance are key for conserving land and cultural heritage, promoting biodiversity and ensuring the sustainable development of rural communities. Javier de los Nietos and Paula Jarque are two young shepherds who are keeping these practices alive. Escuchar audio

With the Fourth of July approaching and 2026 marking the 250th anniversary of the United States' Declaration of Independence, in this week's broadcast we examine the often overlooked role played by Spain in the American Revolutionary War. Historian and researcher Kristine Sjostrom tells us all about Spain's support for the Thirteen Colonies, which was initially a secret, and the key Spanish figures involved, such as Bernardo de Gálvez, Fernando de Leyba and Diego de Gardoqui. On another note, and as high temperatures continue to afflict Spain, we discuss fire prevention and forest management. After 2025 went down in history as the worst year of the century in terms of wildfires in our country, we are joined by Professor Víctor Resco de Dios, a leading expert in this area, to discuss what administrations can do to prevent them. Escuchar audio

Spanish astronauts Sara García Alonso and Pablo Álvarez Fernández were chosen from thousands of candidates to become members of the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2022. An aeronautical engineer with a master's degree in aerospace engineering, Pablo Álvarez Fernández was one of five professional astronauts selected to join the ESA. Before that, he worked on the ExoMars rover, which is set to explore the surface of the red planet. If all goes to plan, he will be the next Spanish national to travel into space and live at the International Space Station, which could happen very soon. As for Sara García Alonso, she is a member of the ESA Astronaut Reserve, and the first Spanish woman to achieve this. A scientist, author, and communicator, Sara holds a bachelor's degree in biotechnology, a master's degree in biomedical and biological research, and a PhD in Molecular Biology. She has won many awards and leads pioneering projects to discover new treatments for lung and pancreatic cancer at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO). We had the chance to chat with Sara and Pablo before their joint seminar at Contemporánea Condeduque, in Madrid. During our conversation, they told us about their careers up until becoming astronauts, the intense training process they have undergone and their potential future missions, as well as the ways in which space exploration can improve life back on Earth. Escuchar audio

While Spain suffocates amid the first heatwave of the summer, in this week's broadcast we look far away into space by speaking with two Spanish astronauts: Sara García Alonso and Pablo Álvarez Fernández. An aeronautical engineer and a biomedical scientist, respectively, Pablo and Sara were selected from thousands of candidates to become members of the European Space Agency in 2022. They tell us all about the intense training process they have undergone since, the missions they hope to take part in soon, and how space exploration can improve life on Earth.  This week, we also talk about flamenco, since London is currently hosting Flamenco Festival, a cultural event which has been running for 25 years to showcase Spanish culture worldwide and celebrate flamenco as an ever-evolving artistic expression. Miguel Marín, the festival's director, gives us the details of this year's edition, which will run until 30 June. Escuchar audio

This Friday, the film 'Viva', the directorial debut of actress Aina Clotet, premieres in cinemas across Spain. It is one of the most anticipated Spanish film releases of the season. Shot in Cátalan, the tragicomedy explores themes including fear of death, dependence on romantic love and the will to live. The film won the Revelation Award at Critics' Week, the Cannes Film Festival's parallel section dedicated to discovering new voices. 'Viva' follows Nora, a woman in her forties trying to rebuild her life after recovering from breast cancer. Her plans begin to unravel when she meets Max, a man in his early twenties who disrupts her fragile stability. To learn more about the film and her experience behind the camera in her first feature film, we have the opportunity to interview Áina Clotét. Escuchar audio

In this week's broadcast, within the framework of the visit of Pope Leo XIV to the Canary Islands, we analyse the situation of migrants arriving there and the organisations that support them. One such organisation is CEAR, the Spanish Commission for Refugee Aid. One of their workers, Sara Hernández, told us about the circumstances these people are fleeing, the difficulties they encounter upon arriving in the Canary Islands, and why the pope's message is so important. In our program, we also talk about spanish cinema as the film 'Viva', the directorial debut of actress Aina Clotet, premieres in cinemas across Spain this weekend. 'Viva' won the Revelation Award and the acting award at Critics' Week, the Cannes Film Festival's parallel section dedicated to discovering new voices and is one of the most anticipated Spanish film releases of the season. We interview her director, Aina Clotet. Escuchar audio

In this week's broadcast, we discuss the changes to the education system that Sonia Díez, president of Fundación EducAcción, and Ndaba Mandela, chair of the Mandela Institute for Humanity, want to see, in order for it to adapt to the challenges of today's world. We had the opportunity to discuss this with them at a recent event in Madrid. Both Díez and Mandela believe that young people should be listened to, and that the necessary transformation of the education system will be driven by civil society rather than coming from the top down. We also focus on Pope Leo's ongoing visit to Spain. The Pontiff is currently in Barcelona, where the inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ in La Sagrada Família is the highlight of the Year of Antonio Gaudí, which commemorates the architect's death exactly a century ago. A hundred years later, Gaudí's work continues to make a huge impression. Galdríc Santana, curator of the Gaudí Year and director of the Gaudí Chair, explains the key factors behind his enduring popularity on the English Language Broadcast. Finally, we turn to football. With the FIFA World Cup about to begin and Spain's women's national team already qualified for next year's tournament, we recount the difficult path that female footballers have had to navigate to be recognised as the sporting stars they are today. The story of the first Spanish women's team and how they dared to defy the Spanish society of the early 1970's is recounted in 'Pioneras: Solo querían jugar', a film being released this week. Escuchar audio

When Kathryn Stockett published her debut novel, it was an unexpected success. The Help sold over 15 million copies worldwide and was translated into 38 different languages. The best-selling book was later made into an equally successful film featuring Viola Davis, Emma Stone, and Octavia Spencer, who won an Academy Award for her role. However, Stockett did not publish another book for 17 years. Now, she has made a comeback with The Calamity Club, a novel in which she returns to Mississippi to tell the story of a group of underestimated women who rebel against the roles society has assigned to them. Joining the English Language Broadcast after signing copies at the Madrid Book Fair, Stockett speaks about her new novel, her long absence from publishing, and the weight of expectations afterThe Help. "Instead of just me and the page alone in a room, this time it was me writing with all those readers and critics staring back at me. It was quite daunting; it was paralysing at times," she tells us. Escuchar audio

This week, we bring you a special broadcast from the Madrid Book Fair, which takes place in the heart of the city at El Retiro park and brings together authors, publishers and book lovers. We had the opportunity to chat with some of these readers, as well as authors Kathryn Stockett and Greta García. Kathryn Stockett is best known for her debut novel, The Help, which sold millions of copies worldwide and was later adapted into an equally successful film. After an absence of 17 years, she is now making a comeback with The Calamity Club, which she has been signing at the Madrid Book Fair. We spoke to her about this new novel, her long publishing hiatus the pressure of expectations following the success of The Help. Greta García defines herself as a dancer, clown, stage director and writer. Her debut novel, Solo quería bailar, won the Almudena Grandes Debut Novel Prize, and she is currently promoting her second book, Muere, papá, which was illustrated by her father. We talked about this new book and the importance of humour in her work - a fitting topic, given that humour is the central theme of this year's Book Fair. As part of this special programme, we also spoke to Eva Orúe, director of the Madrid Book Fair, about the event itself, the international authors featured in it and how the fair has evolved over the years. Finally, we also spoke to Esther Gil, who is responsible for the English-language section at Pasajes Librería Internacional, one of the most prominent international bookstores in Madrid. Escuchar audio

In this week's broadcast, we analyse the ongoing efforts towards having an EU-wide legislation against sexual violence which defines rape on the absence of consent. To gain a better understanding of the steps being taken to make this transnational law a reality and the challenges involved, we spoke with Lina Gálvez, Chair of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality at the European Parliament, and Evin Incir, rapporteur for the Civil Liberties Committee. We also discuss documentary films as the 23rd edition of the Documenta Madrid International Film Festival is taking place in Madrid this week. To find out more about this year's festival and the latest trends in documentary filmmaking, we are joined by Documenta Madrid's artistic director, Luis Parés. Finally, we discuss the challenges facing the Spanish documentary film industry with David Varela, director of the film 'El Milagro', which is being presented at Documenta Madrid. Escuchar audio

The International Council of Museums established International Museum Day in 1977 to raise public awareness of the role of museums and promote their importance in the development of society. This year, the museums around the world, have celebrated on May the 18th the International Museum Day under the theme "Museums Uniting a Divided World." To mark the occasion, we visited the National Museum of Romanticism, in Madrid. This Museum houses an important collection of historical and artistic objects focused on daily life and customs of the 19th century, with special attention to the aesthetic movement of Romanticism. To learn more about the Museum of Romanticism, we were joined by curator Inés López Gómez and we also spoke to some foreing visitors that were discovering this museum. Escuchar audio

Following Augusto Pinochet's arrest in London in 1998, his team approached British lawyer Philippe Sands. They wanted him to represent the Chilean dictator. "I would have done it, but my wife said she would divorce me if I did the case," Sands tells the English Language Broadcast. Instead, he ended up representing Human Rights Watch in the case against Pinochet. Last year, he published 38 London Street, a book in which he delves into the crimes of Pinochet's regime and the dictator's connection with a Nazi official who secretly lived in Chile. An expert in international law, Philippe Sands has appeared as counsel before international courts in many other significant cases, notably representing Mauritius in the sovereignty dispute over the Chagos Archipelago and Gambia in the ongoing genocide case against Myanmar. As an author, he has written about the Nuremberg trials, and he is currently working on a book about the killing of Ukrainian novelist Victoria Amelina in a Russian attack. We had the chance to discuss all this and more with Sands during his latest visit to Madrid, where he also reflected on the lack of accountability for the crimes of Franco's dictatorship in Spain. We also talked about Gaza, the definition of genocide, and Donald Trump's disregard for international law. "International law has always been a long game. Mr Trump can express the desire to tear up the rules, but I suspect that, in the long term, the rules of international law will outlive Mr Trump," Sands assures. Escuchar audio

In this week's broadcast, we interview Philippe Sands, a lawyer, writer and international law expert. Having been involved in the Pinochet case in the '90s, and currently acting as counsel in the landmark genocide case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice, Sands reflects on the definition of genocide, and on Donald Trump's disregard for international law. "The rules of international law will outlive Mr Trump," he assures us. Sands, whose latest book, 38 Londres Street, recounts Spanish efforts to hold Pinochet accountable for his regime's crimes, also reflects on the open wound of the lack of accountability for human rights violations during the dictatorship in Spain. In his view, "Spain lives with a haunting of its own because it has never really come to terms with what happened after General Franco took power". On another note, this week we also celebrate International Museum Day, which took place on Monday. To mark the occasion, we visit the National Museum of Romanticism in Madrid -one of the few museums in the world focusing on this historical period- where we speak with curator Inés López and visitors from around the world.  Escuchar audio

The hantavirus outbreak on board the Hondius cruise ship has reignited fears and sparked a political confrontation in Spain. To shed some light on the true extent of this health crisis, we are joined by Dr Daniel López-Acuña, an epidemiology and global public health expert, and former World Health Organization executive. "This outbreak does not pose pandemic or epidemic threats. It is not the COVID infection," he reassures us. Following the complex evacuation of the ship's passengers in Tenerife, all eyes are now on the 14 Spanish nationals who were on board and are currently in quarantaine in a military hospital in Madrid. Against this backdrop, Dr López-Acuña stresses the need of conducting sufficiently lengthy quarantines, stating that countries choosing "light versions of quarantine" are making a mistake. In this week's broadcast, we also discuss architecture, given that Barcelona is the World Capital of Architecture for 2026. The event aims to showcase the city's urban diversity, with each district taking centre stage over the next few months through a variety of activities. To find out what it means to be the World Capital of Architecture, we are joined by architect Anna Ramos, Director of the Mies van der Rohe Foundation and one of the organisers, who gives us a sneak peek at the planned events ahead. Escuchar audio

This week, we are joined by Spanish photographer Luis Tato, who was recently awarded the World Press Photo prize in the Africa category. Having witnessed firsthand the growing difficulty and danger of practising journalism while reporting on conflicts in East Africa, Tato calls for more respect and protection for reporters and photographers. We also examine the increasingly dangerous situation facing journalists in Lebanon with our collaborator in Beirut, Elsa Yazbek Charabati. The latest symbol of this violence against the press is the murder of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil, known as 'the Butterfly of the South', who was killed in an Israeli strike. In this week's broadcast we also take a sneak peek at the new exhibition on the Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbarán at the National Gallery in London. This is the first major exhibition devoted exclusively to Zurbarán's work in the UK. It features 42 of the Baroque master's paintings, a third of which come from Spain, as the show's co-curator, Dr Francesca Whitlum-Cooper, tells us. Escuchar audio

Gareth Thomas is living proof that you can have an active, full life while being HIV positive. On a mission to fight stigma, the Welsh rugby legend joins us on the English Language Broadcast after running a half marathon in Madrid to debunk the myths and misunderstandings that still surround HIV today. "So many people have an image of people who live with HIV to be weak. I choose to be strong. They expect them to be silent. I will be loud," he tells us. In this week's broadcast, we also look back at the historic power cut that left most of Spain and Portugal in the dark one year ago. To discuss the lessons of the blackout, the current state of Spain's electricity system, and whether it could happen again, we are joined by Pedro Fresco, general director of the Valencian Energy Sector Association and energy expert. Escuchar audio

To celebrate World Book Day, we visit Desperate Literature, an international bookshop in the heart of Madrid. Co-owner Terry Craven gives us a tour and recounts the bookshop's history, from sleeping in the store in the early days, to being forced to relocate amid a dire real estate market after an investment fund bought the previous premises. Terry also tells us all about the events held at Desperate Literature, including their Short Fiction Prize, which is receiving entries from all over the world, including from writers in Iran, as well as a handwritten entry from a correctional facility in the US which arrived shortly after we walked through the door. Meanwhile, in the Middle East, where daily life is still shaped by uncertainty and the ongoing scars of war, reading is emerging as an increasingly important refuge and space of freedom. Despite the fragile situation there, the Instituto Cervantes in Beirut is continuing its cultural activities to mark World Book Day. Our collaborator in Lebanon, Elsa Yazbek Charabati, gives us the details. Finally, in this week's broadcast we also discuss 'The global economic impact of disinformation', a recent analysis which estimates the cost of disinformation at 417 billion dollars worldwide in 2024. Joining us to explain how certain actors are profiting from disinformation while it costs the rest of the world millions is Thomas Delorme, an Information Threats and Public Affairs consultant at Sopra Steria and one of the authors of this study. Escuchar audio

To mark World Art Day, we explore the history and cultural significance of Guernica, Pablo Picasso's iconic masterpiece, which has become a universal symbol of civilian suffering in times of war. Joining us to discuss the painting is Pepe Karmel, an Art History professor at New York University and a world authority on Picasso's work. We focus in particular on the many journeys that Guernica has undertaken throughout its lifetime, amid the controversy surrounding the request to transfer the piece to the Basque Country for a temporary exhibition. Professor Karmel weighs in on the debate, while the Reina Sofía Museum has already opposed the move due to concerns over the painting's condition. This week, we also discuss European defence policy with Diego de Ojeda, Head of the Defence and Preparedness Unit at the General Secretariat of the European Commission, who took part in an event hosted by Club Diálogos para la Democracia this week. After his presentation, he told us about the opportunities for the Spanish defence sector in developing the EU's security capabilities. Escuchar audio

In this week's broadcast, we interview Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank (EIB). Against the backdrop of the war in the Middle East, and with the EIB having quadrupled its funding for defence-related projects since 2024, Calviño asserts that Europe must "break free from its dependence on fossil fuels" and become autonomous in terms of security and defence as well. The former Spanish Vice President and Minister for Economy also weighs in on the evolving relationship between Europe and the United States. In her opinion, "there is a seismic shift in the tectonic plates that underpinned the global order" and the European Union is finding its voice in this new scenario. "Our unity is clearly our strength; that is why there is so many wanting to divide us," she says. We also speak to Blanca Hervás, a rising star in Spanish athletics who recently won two medals at the World Indoor Championships in Poland. Aside from discussing her latest successes, she talks about the implications of becoming an elite athlete and tells us how she has decided to leave her job to focus fully on her sporting career. Finally, to mark World Health Day this week, we are joined by Dr Manuel Valiente, Head of the Brain Metastasis Group at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO). His team has recently revealed a novel way in which tumours hijack immune cells to alter the brain and spread cancer, a discovery that could be valuable in treating not only brain metastases, but also other conditions. Escuchar audio