Gibraltar Today

On Saturday afternoon, four local cyclists made a triumphant return to Gibraltar after completing a gruelling 10-day, 1,200 km ride from Lourdes for charity. The challenge was dedicated to the memory of the late Daphne Alcantara, aiming to promote awareness about the critical importance of early diagnosis of brain tumours. Three of the four cyclists join us in the studio: Jimmy Alcantara, Ian Howes and Glen Ballantine.

The Gibraltar General and Clerical Association (GGCA) held an Extraordinary General Meeting where members voiced frustration at not having received a meaningful pay rise since 2019. Our reporter Jonathan Sacramento is reporting on this today.

May is Stroke Awareness Month - a time to highlight the realities of strokes, the importance of recovery support, of stroke prevention and what can cause strokes. John Shephard is no stranger to GBC television and Radio Gibraltar for his sports coverage, but today he speaks to us as a stroke survivor and a campaigner for increased awareness.

And, June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, a time to celebrate and commemorate the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. It is observed in June to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a pivotal moment in the gay rights movement that occurred in June 1969. Gibraltar Pride 2025 is exactly a month away! Raygan Martinez-Gaivizo is leading the organisation.

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Yesterday, Liverpool's Premier League title parade was marred by an incident when a car ploughed into a crowd of Liverpool fans, hospitalising 27 people, with two seriously injured. Police say they do not believe the incident was terrorism-related. A group of local Liverpool fans were at the victory parade including Dani Buhagiar, who shared his experience.

Admiral Sir Derek Reffell was a Governor who served Gibraltar with dignity, dedication, and distinction, according to the Chief Minister. He served on the Rock from December 1989 to April 1993. We spoke to Sir Joe Bossano about the former governor, as he was Gibraltar's Chief Minister for that time. Sir Joe Bossano also spoke to us about a speech he gave recently in East Timor about self-determination.

Campion Park is the place to be this coming Saturday! A mixed 3v3 Street Netball competition promises intensity and fun, and everyone is welcome. It’s a first for Gibraltar, and GNA President Moira Gomez told us more about the inspiration behind it.

And, Ricky the Teddy Bear has become somewhat of a local celebrity in recent years. He is the face of local charity RICC's annual picnic - raising money and awareness for research in to childhood cancer. Ahead of this weekend, we were joined by Denise Marsden, Sebastian Garro and Karen Celecia in the studio, along with Ricky the Bear of course!

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Robin Sheppard-Capurro hosts the show today, covering the following topics:

1 - We start with a tribute to former Crown Prosecutor and Barrister, Robert Fischel, who died earlier this year, aged 72. A ceremony at the Supreme Court yesterday in his memory. GBC Newsroom's Katy Docker summarises the tribute, and studio guest Charles Gomez adds his memories of Mr Fischel KC.

2 - The UK has signed a deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, but what does this mean for Gibraltar? Charles Gomez is an Honorary Professor of International Law and International Relations of the University of Cádiz and a member of the Key Advisory Group for Law at the University of Gibraltar. He shares his strong opposition to the Chief Minister's views in Parliament yesterday, where he said the UK has made the right decision.

3 - The winners of this year's Young Enterprise competition are a group called "Collectify" - a company selling trading cards about the Rock's community and culture. The top prize was awarded at a ceremony earlier this week where all the teams made their final presentations. Jessie Chipol-Nuñez spoke about what the group have learned on their journey, with a look-ahead to the next stage.

4 - Sport: Jose Marie Luis gives a round-up of the week's sports news, including Scott Wiseman's appointment and squad announcement for the up coming Nations League matches. And it's 50 days until the Island Games - we check in with Linda Alvarez and Louis Chichon of the Gibraltar Island Games Association for the latest.

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The Chief Minister told us the UK/EU reset deal is hugely positive for Gibraltar, and says that Gibraltar is "excruciatingly close" to a Treaty. Fabian Picardo admits he's running out of metaphors to describe how close we are but he remains positive, believing the Gibraltar negotiations have moved forward a lot in the past 8-12 weeks. But what does the Leader of the Opposition think? Keith Azopardi joined us in the studio.

The charity Men in Need works with men in the community who face a range of personal challenges. Single fathers, men who sleep rough, men trying to refresh their lives & reintegrate into society. The charity helps them find physical things they may need, but also gives them help with their daily challenges... and: hope! Jayne Wink, Carmen McLaren and Nick Calamaro told us about a 25 kilometre sponsored walk being organised to raise funds and awareness of Men in Need.

The Spring Visual Arts Competition attracts a range of artists, from painters and sculptors to photographers and videographers. Naomi Duarte is the overall winner of the competition, her painting 'Devotion' scooping the top prize. It’s a portrait of her grandfather: she told why she often turns to her family for inspiration.

And, coming soon on GBC Television, “Face Off” will follow six local make up artists as they battle it out to become Gibraltar's next make up star! You may have seen the TV promo with Deepak Ramchandani, who'll present it. We spoke to the producer of the show James Murphy.

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There was a fatal accident at sea in Gibraltar waters out from Camp Bay yesterday. A Filipino crew member died following an incident with machinery on board a Gibraltar-flagged bunker barge. The Government said: "The incident took place onboard as the vessel was manoeuvring to berth alongside a receiving vessel". A police investigation is underway. Unite the Union is calling for a comprehensive enquiry by the relevant authorities.

And, mental health is something that we talk about often and, and we have all felt its affects in some form or another. In times where we may we need support, we turn to the GHA. But how well are their services working? A report has recently published by the Mental Health Board, which essentially acts an audit of Gibraltar’s mental health services. It’s prepared by a statutory board. We invited the Chair of the Mental Health Board George Parody to discuss it in depth, alongside Conchita Triay from the Mental Welfare Society, who has read the report and shares her feedback.

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The new Honorary Colonel of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment says the RG needs to be brought up to full strength in the context of the current geopolitical issues. General Patrick Sanders, the head of the British army up until his retirement last summer, has a long history of association with the Rock, having served here with the Royal Green Jackets. We spoke to the outgoing Honorary Colonel of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, Francis Brancato.

With the lovely weather we’ve had lately, what better way to enjoy the sunshine than taking a walk in the Convent Gardens. The Governor, Lieutenant General Sir Ben Bathurst and Lady Bathurst have opened their doors to the public today to raise funds for the EV Foundation and Men In Need. Robin Sheppard-Capurro was at the Convent taking in the atmosphere and trying some of their signature spinach and feta sausage rolls.

This Thursday, Gibraltar Athletics will host a brand-new event at Lathbury: the inaugural Dynamic New Athletics, or DNA, competition. It’s a concept created by European Athletics consisting of a team-based, interschool competition between Bayside, Westside and Prior Park. Frank Carreras, alongside Avelino Baldachino of Gibraltar Athletics, called it a welcome re-introduction of field events locally.

The Rotary Club is known for its charity fundraising initiatives, and the organisation have worked closely with youth groups over the last few years. And they plan to celebrate their relationship with local youth charities by hosting a cheese and wine night! MJ Feeke and Sara Anderson of the Rotary Club told us more.

And, you may have heard of Pickleball - it is the fastest growing sport in the United States. And the ripple effects are being felt across the world, with more and more countries picking it up. Gibraltar is no exception. There are over 40 members playing up to twice a week. Later this week, the GSLA is hosting an Open Day for the older folk! Development and Training Officer Michelle Turner told us more.

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The UK and EU have agreed to a new deal, which including a 12-year agreement on EU fishing boats in UK waters. Fabian Picardo was in the studio who stated that any deal between the UK and the EU is positive news for the wider UK family, but says Gibraltar is negotiating its own treaty, which he says is excruciatingly close.

Earlier this month, 10-year-old Gibraltarian Alma Belle Baharal competed at the Portuguese National Puzzle Championships, and she wasn't just there to make up the numbers. Alma Belle claimed not one, not two, but three gold medals! She’s loved puzzles since she was a baby, and gave us some tips or how to complete them.

Message in a bottle: a simple but effective way for people to keep their basic personal and medical details where they can be found in an emergency on a standard form and in a common location – the fridge. A Lions Club initiative, it helps emergency services personnel to save valuable time in identifying an individual very quickly and knowing if they have any allergies or take special medication. We spoke to Manolo Olivera from the Lions Club, John Perry from the emergency services and Jenny Victory from the Special Needs and Disabilities office.

It was a busy weekend for local sports with Europa FC going to the preliminaries for the Champions League, another league title for the ladies’ Europa hockey team, and the Gibraltar half marathon. Jose Mari Ruiz covered all of them.

And, today marks 50 years of the CCC Sequence Dance Club! Husband and wife Curro and Ana Maria Morro have been at the helm since the beginning. They have kept the club active throughout even during lockdown. We caught up with both of them to find out how they are marking this huge milestone.

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The Gibraltar Financial Intelligence Unit plays a key role in Gibraltar’s efforts to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and other forms of financial crime.It is the central authority for receiving, analysing, and disseminating Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) or Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs). They've just published their annual report. We invited the GFIU's Director Edgar Lopez into the studio to break down the results.

A relentlessly busy weekend of sports, and Jose Mari will certainly be busy this weekend covering them all! A big event happening tomorrow is the play-off final in Futsal. Europa and Bavaria will go head-to-head in a winner-takes-all contest - qualification for the UEFA Champions League the main prize. With just over 24 hours to go, we spoke to  Europa's Frank Warwick and Bavaria's Chris Remorino.

Later this month, the Law Council of Gibraltar will host the rock's first-ever Legal Walk. Inspired by the London Legal Walk, this landmark event will bring together the legal community for an evening of walking, networking, and fundraising – all in support of the GBC Open Day Fund. Partner at Hassans David Montegriffo told us more.

And, ahead of International Museum Day on Sunday, the Gibraltar National Museum is holding an open day tomorrow! The annual event always proves popular, which is perhaps unsurprising, given the rock's rich natural history. We asked Tyson Holmes of the National Museum what we can look forward to in tomorrow’s event.

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On today's episode of Gibraltar Today...

Pat Orfila joins us to educate us on the Anti-Wipes Campaign.

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Shelina Assoumull reports on the new planned Waste Facility.

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Nick Pecino is in the studio telling us about Careers in Insurance.

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And one of the most popular bands on the Rock joins us, Cedar is here!

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What lessons have been learned from the Grenfell tragedy? The Fire Industry Association has grown to become Europe’s largest fire protection trade association, with over 1,200 members. Tomorrow, the Sunborn Hotel will be the venue for their annual Fire Safety Summit. The main aim is to enhance competency and promote education within the fire safety sector. We invited the FIA's Chief Executive Officer Ian Moore and Sir Ken Knight, a retired British fire-fighter and public servant, into the studio.

It’s mental health awareness week. GBC's Nicole Byrne has been involved in an initiative to brighten people's days with small plants. With the help of Greenarc, a support station was set up inviting colleagues to spend some meaningful time with each other, and leave a kind message in exchange for a small succulent.

And, Daria Bogacka is a passionate mother, yogini, life coach, and traveller... for nearly 30 years Daria lived with Bulimia. Bulimia is an eating disorder in which a person has regular episodes of eating a very large amount of food (bingeing) during which the person feels a loss of control over their eating. The person then uses different purging methods to prevent weight gain. This evening, she will be speaking at the Gibraltar Yoga Centre on "Holistic Healing of Eating Disorders".

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