MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar Breaking News.-

Headlines:
HMS Tireless leaves Gibraltar;
SS Rotterdam in Gibraltar for “uplifting”; Tercentenary Art Exhibition.

HMS Tireless leaves Gibraltar

The Royal Navy nuclear submarine HMS Tireless left Gibraltar this Wednesday morning, after a five-day visit that caused tensions in British-Spanish relations and sparked protests in southern Spain. The submarine had been docked at the Gibraltar naval base since last Friday. Spanish political, environmental and grassroots groups expressed concern at the presence in Gibraltar of the submarine, which sparked a controversy during a previous extended visit four years ago. Over the weekend, a Spanish environmental group placed a black flag at the border between Spain and Gibraltar to protest the British sub's visit. HMS Tireless was stranded for almost a year at Gibraltar, from May 19, 2000, to May 7, 2001 - because of a breakdown in the nuclear reactor's refrigeration system, sparking protests in southern Spain. The nuclear sub's latest visit was not well received by the Spanish government, which considered the vessel's presence in Gibraltar "a provocation". British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos in a meeting that London "understood the sensitivity" of the submarine's visit to Gibraltar, which came amid celebrations to mark the 300th anniversary of British rule in the Rock. Madrid was informed of the submarine's visit by London on June 23, and the Spanish government said the vessel's arrival had been "planned for several months within a normal program of operations".

SS Rotterdam in Gibraltar for "uplifting"

One of the oldest cruise liners in the world- the SS Rotterdam- is in the Gibraltar Cammell Laird shipyard for a high-profile contract which will see it kitted out as a floating hotel and conference center before sailing to her final resting berth in her namesake port. The ship arrived on Sunday and a Dutch team tasked with the project is now in Gibraltar discussing the works to be carried out. The SS Rotterdam, who carried out her maiden voyage in September 1959, is 748 feet long, ninety-four feet wide and can carry a total of 1,456 passengers in transatlantic service, and about half that number on cruises. Commonly referred to as the ?Grande Dame' of the ocean, she is the fifth ship to bear the Rotterdam name, the first of these opening a Transatlantic service in 1872. Cammell Laird successfully fought off stiff competition from other European shipyards to be awarded the contract for the repairs to the Rotterdam. Works will include various amounts of steel and pipe work, cleaning, upgrades, dry-docking and painting. The full extent of the repairs are not yet known, as the Dutch project team is currently reviewing the ship and discussing the works required. Following the repairs, the Dutch Government intends to tow the ship to her final resting berth in Rotterdam, where she will become a museum allowing people from all over the world to see its luxury. The ship will also function as a hotel and conference center, and will be the focal attraction for an historical occasion that will take place in Holland next year.

Tercentenary Art Exhibition

Gibraltar Chief Minister Peter Caruana said the newly opened ?300 Years of Images of Gibraltar' Exhibition was a ?unique opportunity' for Gibraltarians to see a collection of artwork and heritage which has never been exhibited before. Officially inaugurating the exhibition together with Culture and Heritage Minister Clive Beltran, Mr Caruana thanked Museum Director Clive Finlayson for the work in putting together the exhibition, and presented Governor Sir Francis Richards with a copy of the official exhibition book which is now on sale priced at £15. "We are celebrating Gibraltar's Tercentenary, and there are many ways of doing that but this is a particularly important one. Not only because of the graphic illustration of 300 years of out history, but also because a collection of this sort has never been put together before, and probably won't be put together again until our 600th anniversary- and we won't be around to enjoy that". Mr Caruana thanked all the contributors to the exhibition. "I think it's great that so many Gibraltarians not only take an interest in our art and heritage, but also spend a considerable amount of money in putting it together, and most importantly repatriating it to Gibraltar". The Chief Minister congratulated Professor Finlayson and his team ?for the many hours of work in putting together this exhibition' and hoped many Gibraltarians would walk through the front doors to visit the collection. "It is a testimony to the richness of our history that there is such a huge amount of heritage and artwork about Gibraltar and we ought to be very glad that there are people making a living out of looking after it for us."