¿Qué? – The Spanish News Podcast

What in God’s name is happening in Spain? Simon Hunter, editor of the English Edition of Spanish newspaper EL PAÍS, tries to explain it all to his beloved English-speaking audience

We are on a (summer) break

Season 5 of the ¿Qué? podcast is coming to an end a little earlier than we expected. Thanks to you all for listening and we'll be back in September!

07-22
01:12

S05E08: New spike in coronavirus infections and the fallout from Cuba protests

This week, we discuss the ongoing rise in Covid-19 cases, in particular among young people, and we also examine how protests by Cuban citizens have been putting the central government in a tight spot 

07-15
34:14

S05E07: Delta strain in Spain and the debate over bilingual education programs

This week on our Spanish news podcast, we discuss the rise of the delta coronavirus strain in Spain, the spike in infections among young people and what regions are doing to curb contagions.

07-08
40:13

S05E06: Coronavirus update and interview with Bremain in Spain chair

This week, we discuss the spread of the delta variant and the progress of the Covid-19 vaccination drive, and speak to the MBE recipient, Sue Wilson, about the work her organization does to protect the rights of UK citizens living in the country.

06-24
45:37

S05E05: A tragedy in Tenerife and Sánchez's hallway chat with Biden

This week on our Spanish news podcast, we look at the tragic case of Anna and Olivia, two little girls who are thought to have been murdered by their father in Spain’s Canary Islands, and discuss the broader problem of gender violence in Spain. We also explain how an announced “bilateral meeting” between Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and US President Joe Biden turned into a hallway chat that lasted less than a minute.

06-17
34:29

S05E04: How Spain’s autonomous regions have handled the pandemic

We discuss how complicated the coronavirus crisis has been in the country due to the powers of the regional governments

06-10
37:58

S05E03: Spain's Covid vaccine campaign, and Brexit advice for Britons

This week we take a look at Spain's ongoing Covid-19 vaccine campaign, and also consider some of the changing rules and regulations for UK nationals  traveling to or living in the country

06-03
35:46

S05E02: Travel after Brexit and Catalan politics

This week we discuss the changes to the coronavirus restrictions on travelers from the UK, and look at the new Catalan government, which has made securing clemency for the jailed leaders of the 2017 breakaway bid a priority

05-27
37:30

S05E01: Picking up where we left off

After a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Simon Hunter and Melissa Kitson are back with a brand new series

05-20
40:20

We are on a break

Things are a little complicated for everyone right now, so we will have to take a little break with our podcast. But fret not, we'll be back with you as soon as possible! Stay safe and thanks for listening.

04-03
02:59

S04E10: UK ambassador to Spain Hugh Elliott discusses the coronavirus crisis

We also catch up with Chris Dottie, the president of the British Chamber of Commerce, and Martin Makepeace, the president of the British Association of San Antonio, Ibiza

03-27
37:24

S04E09: Coronavirus lockdown in Spain

This week we talk about the state of alarm aimed at slowing the spread of Covid-19, and interview some of our podcast heroes about how they are managing under the new restrictions

03-19
46:19

¿Qué? S04E08: The coronavirus in Spain and an alleged assault in the Big Brother house

This week we talk about how Covid-19 is affecting Spaniards, and discuss a court investigation into the alleged abuse of a ‘Gran Hermano’ contestant

03-11
25:38

S04E07: EL PAÍS SEMANAL’s feature article on ‘Why I vote for Vox’

This week we talk to Guillermo Abril, the journalist who wrote a recent feature based on interviews with supporters of the far-right party, and which left no one indifferent

02-26
26:53

S04E06: The trial of Willy Toledo and a plan to crack down on Franco apologists

This week we examine how a Spanish actor and activist ended up in court for a Facebook post, and consider the limits of free speech in Spain

02-19
25:12

S04E05: Poverty in Spain and the 33-year pension scam

This week, we discuss a UN expert’s findings on the serious levels of inequality in the country, and discover how a social worker managed to collect a deceased man’s Social Security payments for more than three decades

02-13
23:11

S04E4: The coronavirus quarantine in Madrid and drama at Barajas airport

This week we speak to EL PAÍS correspondent Jaime Santirso, who was evacuated from the Chinese city of Wuhan last week, and recount the drone sightings and emergency landing in the Spanish capital on Monday

02-06
34:34

S04E3: Brexit and rock-bottom rents in Madrid

This week, we discuss how Brexit will affect Britons living in Spain, and why some tenants are able to pay as little as €7 a month for an apartment in the capital

01-29
20:42

S04E2: A new Catalan trial and Vox’s idea for a parental veto

This week we discuss the latest trial covering the 2017 events in Catalonia, and examine far-right Vox’s plan for a so-called “parental pin.”

01-22
24:17

S04E1: New government in Spain, and failed heist at French palace

This week we talk about Pedro Sánchez being voted back in as prime minister, and the unlikely story of an infamous spanish ram-raider who was hired by the Chinese mafia to steal precious artworks.

01-16
25:30

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