Gibraltar Today

The UK is giving up sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, decades after the population of the archipelago was displaced. The move has received widespread attention in the international press. The Gibraltar Government says it's important to observe how different the case of Chagos is to Gibraltar, and that the UK has made cast iron guarantees to the Rock on sovereignty. Shelina Assomul spoke to the Chief Minister as well as the Leader of the Opposition.

Yesterday evening the Ceremony of the Keys was held at Casemates Square, continuing the tradition from the days of the Great Siege. The Commander of British Forces Tom Guy says that Gibraltar is fully prepared to support Armed Forces operations worldwide. He said the event reaffirms the commitment to Gibraltar, and said he was happy with the support from the community.

In this week’s edition of "Llanitos Abroad", where we speak to Gibraltarians who are living and working away from the Rock, we travelled up to Madrid with poet Jonathan Teuma.

Jose Mari Ruiz gave a look ahead to this weekend’s sports events and matches; he himself spoke to us remotely from a charity 5-a-side tournament in aid of GBC Open Day. He told us how the GBC team was getting on.

October is cancer awareness month, and a group of make-up artists have come together to give their backing to a very worthy cause, Breast Cancer Support's 'Move the Boob' campaign. They've put together a video on social media, and are hoping to raise a good amount of money for the charity during the next few weeks. We spoke to Megan, Melanie and Annabella, who are all part of the team.

And, smiling is contagious, it radiates happiness and affection. It illuminates the world like a bright sun, lighting up the darkest days. So wear your smile proudly and help kindness multiply, especially today as it is World Smile Day. The Newsroom's Celine Soussi popped in to town this morning to catch some smiles.

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The Cross Frontier Group has stressed the social and economic importance of a treaty agreement to the Chief Minister. A meeting was held at Number Six at the group's request. The group comprises unions, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Chamber of Commerce, and their equivalent counterparts from Spain. Kevin Ruiz told us more.

The GHA is once again supporting the 'Stoptober' campaign, encouraging smokers to quit for 28 days and beyond. The campaign follows the NHS campaign in the UK, where research shows that if you stop smoking for 28 days, you are five times more likely to improve public health and reduce smoking-related illnesses. We spoke to Director of Public Health Helen Carter, and Aiden Lane of the GHA's Smoking Cessation clinic to the studio.

There's a big charity event this weekend raising money for the GBC Open Day fund. Ian Howes and our very own Stefan Borge will be "Rocking around the Rock" on Saturday morning and encourage you to get involved. They told us more about the three lap challenge, and their inspiration behind it.

And, in what seems to be a very busy weekend on the Rock, the Diocese of Gibraltar Rosary Crusade is also happening this coming Saturday. It’s happening at the Catholic Community Centre from 10am. Frank Mifsud told us more about the event. 

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Government Minister Gemma Arias Vasquez has been assured there will be no further problems with the 500+ care packages provided by the new provider Lifecome Care.

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What do you think about the current programmes on Radio Gibraltar and on GBC Television? GBC is outside the piazza right now asking for feedback.

We hear from GBC CEO James Neish.

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And… We’re going to go in depth on a topic that affects us all: Are we what we eat?

How does our diet shape our health, how does it reflect our identity, culture, and lifestyle?

We'll discuss our diets, diet fads of the past, the nutritional merits of certain foods, misleading products in supermarkets, the difference - if any - between a calorie of chocolate and a calorie of carrot, plus more...

Joining us is GP Dr. Krish Rawal, nutritionist Karen Jacobsen, Bariatric surgeon Alfonso Antequera, and restaurateur Vijay Vatvani. 

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LifeCome Care, a company providing domiciliary care for the GHA, made the news yesterday after complaints on of changes in carers, claims of no vetting, and various other issues. Ros Astengo spoke to Opposition member Atrish Sanchez for the feedback that they’ve received from the public.

Local navy enthusiast Michael Sanchez was a teenager in 1982 when the Falklands war broke out between Britain and Argentina. Sensing that Gibraltar would play a vital strategic role for the British Armed Forces, he began a diary chronicling the events which would last for 74 days. Now, over 40 years later, Michael's published it as a book... it's called "Falklands conflict - A diary from Gibraltar".

What is 'Gibraltarian English'? Why is it worth studying local authors and their writing? Professor Elena Seaone of the University of Vigo has been studying variation in World Englishes, including interactions between Gibraltar English and Llanito.

And, the International Day of Older People has been marked by the Ministry of Equality. How do older people on the Rock feel and are they stereotyped? Our reporter Kevin Ruiz asked people for their thoughts along Main Street this morning. 

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This weekend saw around 600 volunteers take part in the latest clean up the world campaign. Spanning over 30 teams, they worked to clear waste and restore key sites, highlighting the importance of a cleaner future for Gibraltar. The effort also raised awareness for better waste facilities and stricter fly-tipping enforcement. Kevin Ruiz was out and about speaking to those volunteers and getting an idea of how it all went.

The Photographic Society are currently exhibiting at the Gustavo Bacarisas Gallery. The annual competitive exhibition has seen Maria Luisa Pau win the overall prize with 'Blue Steps' - an image that also won first in the beginner's section. Leslie Linares, Chairperson Photographic Society and Marie Risso, member of the society and winner of this year's Alwani Cup told us more about the competition, which has become a staple of the Rock’s cultural calendar.

We looked back at a busy weekend in Sports with Jose Mari Ruiz, including how the 10th Gibraltar vs Royal Marines rugby tournament went, the latest local football results, and the preliminary rounds of the bowling masters, and how Kim Baglietto retained her Marbella Half marathon title.

And, Cancer Research UK is world's leading independent cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research, influence and information. It’s Gibraltar branch is gearing up for a busy month of events, kicking off with the Walk For Life, which is less than two weeks away! We spoke to the charity’s chairperson Annette Goodman and committee member Roseanne Mesilio.

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Parliament has been in session over the last couple of days, with a lot of information bounced back and forth between the Government and the Opposition. Some topics discussed included the relocation of residents from the Queen’s Hotel to the Sunrise Motel and changes to the payment system for local buses. Kevin Ruiz brought us the details.

It’s going to be a huge couple of days of rugby on the Rock, with the annual visit of the Royal Marines! This year is particularly special: it marks the 360th anniversary of the Royal Marines and the 10th anniversary of the Royal Marines v Gibraltar Rugby fixture. We spoke to the GRFU development officer Tom Reed and national team head coach Lee Forty ahead of the big weekend.

Cancer Relief's Biggest Coffee Morning took place today. Aside from the drinks and treats that we’ve come to expect from the event, this year they have also incorporated a Bake Off competition! The winning cake was a gin and tonic sponge cake by Jane Russell. Judges Sharon Garcia from Piece of Cake and GBC’s Ros Astengo told us how difficult is was to pick a favourite.

Jose Mari Ruiz filled us in on all the local sport happening this weekend, with Gibraltar’s cricketers taking on Serbia and some tricky fixtures for Europa FC and St Joseph’s.

And, we end the podcast on this week’s “Llanitos Abroad” feature. Recently we've travelled to Stockholm, Barcelona, Toronto. Today we caught up with multi-award-winning film, TV & games composer Hollie Buhagiar from London.

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Cancer Relief's Biggest Coffee Morning takes place tomorrow. The charity was founded 41 years ago, and this will be its 10th annual Coffee Morning. And this time, for the first time ever, holding their very own Gibraltar Bake Off! Organisers Marisa Desoiza and Rowena Wallace from Cancer Relief told us more.

Tonight’s ViewPoint tackles the proposed Property Tax. It's sparked fierce debate. The legislation is now tabled in Parliament. But is it fair, or will it harm the property market? Host of the show Ros Astengo said that we can expect a fiery debate.

Organisers of the Clean Up the World campaign hope a lot can be achieved this year in raising awareness of littering issues, clearing more secluded habitats from long-standing waste and, reminders on how to better protect our living environment from harmful waste. Janet Howitt is preparing the 20th annual Clean up the World, which will take place on Saturday.

And, the countdown is on! In under two months, Gibraltar's one and only pro boxer will be in action, hoping to extend his 100% record! We spoke to Tyrone Buttigieg fresh out of the cryotherapy chamber.

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Are you fed up of answering emails late in to the night? Or calls from your boss on your day off? About a month ago, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner put to parliament a new ‘right to switch off’ policy - which would allow employees to ignore work-related WhatsApp messages and emails, or decline taking on extra work in the evenings or weekends. The idea is to create distinctive lines between work and home life in an effort to boost productivity.

Should Gibraltar follow suit?

We had an in-depth conversation about this in the studio with Consultant and coach Kerstin Andlaw of ThriveAsOne Consulting, Estate Agent and employer Mike Nicholls of Chestertons, and Gibraltar's Ombudswoman Wendy Cumming. 

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What is Llanito? What does it mean to you? Tonight sees the start of a brand-new series called "Llanito: Exploring the Landscape". We invited co-producer Davina Barbara to the studio to tell why she feels it was important to make this documentary.

The Fire and Rescue Service has begun selective industrial action after the Government stopped negotiations on a collective agreement. In response to GBC questions, the Government says it's written to the union with the aim of defusing the situation and bringing all parties to the table for continued discussion. Our News Editor Christine Vasquez spoke to Unite the Union as well as the Government.

And, the Royal Marines will celebrate their Freedom of the City this Friday. It is a ceremonial honour, recognizing their distinguished service and historic ties to the city. It speaks to the respect shared between the military and the Rock’s community. But it’s also a big policing operation. We spoke to Warrant Officer Brian “Taff” Morris from British Forces Gibraltar and Police Superintendent Paul Chipolina, Head of the Operations Division.

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The Chief Minister has said he trusts Labour and acknowledges that this Labour Government has gone further in protecting Gibraltar's interests than any before it. Speaking to Times Radio during the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, Fabian Picardo said both the Labour and Conservative Governments had made mistakes in the past, but said Foreign Secretary David Lammy had insisted that Gibraltar should be represented at treaty talks.

An emotional protest was held outside No.6 Convent Place this morning, where Maryam Senouni chained herself to the cannons outside the Chief Minister’s office. Her 15 year old daughter Yamina suffers from Pura Syndrome; she is wheelchair bound and requires round the clock care. Kevin Ruiz has been speaking to Maryam, who says that Yamina’s housing situation is having a major impact on her health and quality of life.

Is your personal data safe? How do you look after your personal data online and on your mobile phone? Are you concerned your data might be vulnerable? Steven Sanchez from the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority explained what personal data is and how we should keep it safe.

Jose Mari Ruiz brought us the latest sports news, including the Athletics Association’s 5k season curtain on Saturday, the latest in darts and a chance to try out a new sport: pickleball.

Seaweed might be a nuisance at the beach, or a tasty addition to a salad, but what about its medicinal properties? Nell Cava from the University of Gibraltar is researching its potential.

And, Red Hot Chilli Peppers tribute band Otherside have released an original track in that style. Jonathan Sacramento and Daniel Ghio, the band’s lead singer and bassist, told us about the inspiration behind the new single titled “Inside Your Mind”.

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