MIDDLE EAST 

• Contractor hired for $107m Shindagha Bridge project in Dubai
  Belhasa Six Construct, part of the Belgian BESIX Group wins infrastructure contract
• UAE-based HLG Contracting announces new name and brand
  HLG Contracting becomes BIC Contracting, the company’s second name change is less than two years
• Watch: drone footage shows progress on Expo 2020 Dubai site
  Construction is well advanced on the three Theme Districts that form the core of the Expo 2020 Dubai site, says organisers
• Sharjah Healthcare City project set to double in size
  Decision made as Sharjah Healthcare City Authority gives nod to plan to set up a $100m 120-bed hospital
• Dubai's Arabtec wins $42m deal for Cairo project
  Arabtec Construction will build phases 3 and 4 of Village E Levana in the Uptown Cairo Master Project
• Oman construction sector the fastest growing in the Middle East
  Oman’s infrastructure projects are driving spending in the construction sector, aided by favourable regulations in the sultanate that incentivise foreign investment
• New long-term visa to boost UAE property market 'in big way'
  Senior execs at Danube Properties, Gemini Property Developers and Samana Developers hail decision
• UAE's Azizi says on track to complete Al Furjan tower soon
  Finishing works currently in progress at Azizi Shaista which will add more than 280 units to Dubai district
• Crane collapses at Grand Mosque in Makkah
  The driver of the crane was the only one to sustain any sort of injuries, which were described as being ‘slight’
• FTA outlines requirements for VAT refunds on new homes
  The rules apply to UAE nationals who hope to recover the amount used to finance construction of new residences

AUSTRALIA

• Feuding heirs of $2.5 billion construction tycoon sell off empire to resolve will dispute
  The heirs to construction tycoon Len Buckeridge’s fortune decide to sell the $2.5 billion BGC business empire he founded more than 50 years ago after failing to resolve a long-running dispute over his…
• Construction activity remains weak as private sector spending contracts
  

  The ongoing spending spree by governments with big public transport projects propped up the construction sector in the first three months of the year.

• James Hardie profit tumbles on mounting asbestos claims
  

  Building materials maker James Hardie says compensation claims from its historical production of asbestos fibre are higher than expected and have dragged down its profits.

• Mesothelioma claims by year
• Hundreds of jobs created as Adelaide Casino expansion set to start
  

  A $330 million redevelopment of the Adelaide Casino will create up to 800 ongoing jobs upon its completion, SkyCity Adelaide says.

• Trade war averted? China agrees to 'substantially' reduce trade surplus with the US
  

  The agreement to dial down China’s massive surplus with the US may lack detail, but it certainly looks like the world has dodged the prospect of a global trade war, at least for now.

• The saga of Perth Children's Hospital
  Right from the get go the Perth Children’s Hospital has been beset by problems.
• Trucking company fined over 'preventable' deaths of Irish construction workers
  The deaths of two workers were preventable because there were “simple and practical steps” the trucking company, Axedale Holdings, could have taken to ensure the panels were secure, the deputy chief m…
• One Plus One: Barry Du Bois
  Builder-turned-TV presenter Barry Du Bois is battling cancer for a second time. He accepts his disease is incurable, but says his approach to life is more positive than ever.
• Removing flammable cladding from Queensland Government buildings to cost tens of millions
  

  An inquiry set up in the wake of London’s deadly Grenfell Tower fire concludes that tens of millions of dollars must be spent on dozens of Queensland Government buildings to make them safer.

INTERNATIONAL

• Contractor chosen for Dubai’s ‘infinity’ bridge
  Besix Group subsidiary Six Construct has been appointed as the contractor for a Dubai bridge whose design is based on the symbol for infinity.Besix Group subsidiary Six Construct has been appointed as…
• Hochtief lands Singapore tunnelling contract
  Hochtief subsidiary Leighton Asia is the lead partner in a joint venture that has won a contract worth A$540m (£305m) for tunnel and infrastructure work in Singapore.Hochtief subsidiary Leighton Asia…
• London law firm expands HK construction practice
  The Hong Kong office of London-based law firm HFW has appointed a new construction partner .The Hong Kong office of London-based law firm HFW has appointed a new construction partner .Read Full Articl…
• Aecom team unveils design for Denver Airport hyperloop
  A team that includes Aecom has unveiled its initial design for a hyperloop station serving Denver International Airport in the USA.A team that includes Aecom has unveiled its initial design for a hype…
• Financial close reached on €160m Irish wind farm
  Financial close has been reached on the Oweninny wind farm project in Ireland.Financial close has been reached on the Oweninny wind farm project in Ireland.Read Full Article: The Construction Index…
• SNC-Lavalin wins Saudi district cooling scheme contract
  SNC-Lavalin has won an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for a district cooling scheme in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.SNC-Lavalin has won an engineering, procurement and construction (…
• New partnership tackles cyberattacks on infrastructure
  Professional services firm GHD has teamed up with cybersecurity specialist Virsec to address the growing risk of cyberattacks on infrastructure.Professional services firm GHD has teamed up with cybers…
• HDR to design 1400-bed Chinese hospital
  HDR has been named as architect for a 1,400-bed hospital in Guilin, China.HDR has been named as architect for a 1,400-bed hospital in Guilin, China.Read Full Article: The Construction Index…
• Downer wins contract for Aussie military training area
  A joint venture of Downer and FKG Group has been appointed as managing contractor to carry out major remediation of the Shoalwater Bay military training area in Australia.A joint venture of Downer and…
• Contractor picked to tear down Seattle viaduct
  Contractor Kiewit has won a US$93.7m (£70m) contract to tear down a major viaduct that is being replaced by a tunnel in the middle of the US city of Seattle.Contractor Kiewit has won a US$93.7m (£70m)…