MIDDLE EAST 

• Italy's Saipem bags $100m offshore contracts in Middle East, Norway
  EPC contracting giant says Middle East project work to begin under three-year contract in Q4 2019
• Bahrain's fire-hit A'ali municipality building to open in August
  Works minister tours construction site of project for which DI3 International is delivering construction, interior services
• Sharjah to spend $29m in construction, maintenance of mosques
  The expansion of the mosques is part of the government’s plans to keep pace with the population growth across the emirate
• Dubai's Els Club begins upgrade of facilities
  Els Club at Dubai Sports City has announced that work has officially begun on brand new leisure facilities
• Contract awarded for $1.3bn Jubail Island
  Gulf Contractors Company appointed to carry out earthworks and grading, set for completion early 2020
• Arabtec awarded contract to build 322 Villanova homes in Dubai
  Dubai Properties’ Amaranta villas contract to Arabtec Construction will span 20 months, listed contracting giant says
• Italy joins Expo 2020 Dubai with nautical design
  New Zealand and France began construction on their pavilions this month
• UK firm said to plan $440m algae farm in Oman
  London-headquartered Feed Algae reportedly plans to develop one of the world’s largest algae farms in sultanate
• 70% of Dubai's luxury Sparkle Towers sold ahead of handover
  265 apartments in Sparkle Towers, a residential project being built in Dubai Marina in a deal with crystal giant Swarovski, have been sold so far
• Construction of giant Dubai solar park 'ahead of schedule'
  Noor Energy says phase four of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai is 7% ahead of schedule

AUSTRALIA

• Hemp used in housing and health food busts old myths
  

  Since the rise of drug culture decades ago the fast-growing, fibrous hemp plant has been vilified, shunned and prohibited — but now it is finally shedding its undeserved bad rap.

• Construction woes deepen as work continues to dry up
  

  The slowdown in the residential property sector is becoming more deeply entrenched and likely to drag down first quarter GDP growth when the data is released next month.

• Illegal waste allegedly dumped on proposed Darwin water park site
  The Northern Territory’s Environmental Protection Authority claims thousands of cubic metres of construction waste was illegally buried on Darwin harbour’s foreshore, including some which was allegedl…
• 'Nobody wants to lose money' — Triguboff predicts property market bottom on Coalition win
  

  The billionaire Meriton apartment developer says Scott Morrison’s re-election, first home buyer deposit assistance and interest rate cuts will put a floor under the housing market.

• Major Adelaide development scrapped after long wait for buyers
  A $40 million property development in Adelaide — which was spruiked as a “new benchmark for energy and sustainability” — has been scrapped after apartments sat on the market for more than 18 months….
• China's empty homes may prove a bigger threat than Trump's tariffs
  

  Donald Trump’s tariffs will no doubt hurt many Chinese firms, but there’s a potentially bigger risk to its economy over the long term and its entirely home grown, writes Michael Janda.

• SA taxpayers will not have to 'foot the bill for shoddy work' on Darlington Upgrade
  Transport Minister Stephan Knoll says South Australian taxpayers will not have to fork out for “shoddy work” on the new $620 million Darlington Upgrade, after two sections of spray-on concrete crumble…
• Proposed Gold Coast cruise ship terminal grows in size, and possibly cost
  Questions are raised about the financial viability of the Gold Coast’s proposed $450 million cruise ship terminal, after a report shows the project would need to be much larger than planned for….
• New Adelaide road starts falling apart after first rain for 2019
  Traffic delays are expected on one of Adelaide’s busiest roads for the next six weeks after rain damaged concrete installed as part of the $620 million Darlington Upgrade project to turn part of Main…
• Chevron's new Elizabeth Quay headquarters
  Oil and gas giant Chevron has finally committed to building its new headquarters at Perth’s Elizabeth Quay after years of delays, but planners concede it will be at least five years until the waterfro…

INTERNATIONAL

• Volvo extends Chinese collaboration
  Volvo Construction Equipment and SDLG are to consolidate their production and branding of larger excavators made for the Chinese market.Volvo Construction Equipment and SDLG are to consolidate their p…
• Plans announced for new terminal at Dallas Airport
  A sixth terminal is to be built at the USA’s Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) Airport as part of a package of upgrades worth up to US$3.5bn (£2.8bn).A sixth terminal is to be built at the USA’s D…
• Team completes first Antarctic construction season
  The onset of the Antarctic winter marks the end of the first construction season for the team building a wharf for the polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough.The onset of the Antarctic winter…
• Philippines secures $2.75bn loan for new railway
  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provide financing of up to US$$2.75bn (£2.2bn) for construction of a 53km railway in the Philippines.The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provi…
• South Africa issues update on road widening programme
  The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has said that major upgrades to the N2 and N3 highways are being split into several design and construction packages.The South African National Roads A…
• Boring Company signs Las Vegas tunnel contract
  Elon Musk’s Boring Company has been awarded a contract to design and build an underground transport system in Las Vegas, USA.Elon Musk’s Boring Company has been awarded a contract to design and build…
• EDF team wins mega Moroccan solar scheme
  A consortium of EDF, Masdar and Green of Africa has won the contract for Morocco’s landmark Noor Midelt I solar project.A consortium of EDF, Masdar and Green of Africa has won the contract for Morocco…
• Contract awarded for 16 Indian towers
  Arabtec Construction has won a contract worth AED219m (£47m) for the construction of a development of 16 towers near Delhi in India.Arabtec Construction has won a contract worth AED219m (£47m) for the…
• Jacobs picked for Irish factory project
  Jacobs has won a contract as construction manager for an Irish factory that will produce biologic drugs.Jacobs has won a contract as construction manager for an Irish factory that will produce biologi…
• Virgin awards $505m Orlando rail contract
  Virgin Trains USA has awarded a US$505m (£400m) construction contract for the expansion of a rail route in Florida.Virgin Trains USA has awarded a US$505m (£400m) construction contract for the expansi…