English Language Broadcast

Radio Exterior

The English Language Broadcast of Radio Exterior de España has been on the air since 1944. Our broadcasts seek to inform listeners around the world about goings-on in Spain, as well as offer a Spanish perspective on world events.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    English Language Broadcast - Interview with Philippe Sands: "The rules of international law will outlive Trump"

    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

    19 min
  2. 22 APR

    English Language Broadcast - A bookshop story for World Book Day - 22/04/26

    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

    56 min

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The English Language Broadcast of Radio Exterior de España has been on the air since 1944. Our broadcasts seek to inform listeners around the world about goings-on in Spain, as well as offer a Spanish perspective on world events.