MIDDLE EAST 

• Heart of Europe project sales hit $155m as construction progresses
  Kleindienst Group says first-half sales supports estimates that there is demand for up to 60,000 second homes in the UAE
• Glow-in-the-dark sand, robot maids and a fake moon: Proposals for Saudi's $500bn futuristic city
  A 2,300 page consultancy document outlines a range of plans for the Neom city on the Red Sea
• Where are they now? Bahrain's Smurf Village
  Attraction themed around the blue Belgian comic book characters was pitched in 2012
• Firefighters tackle fire at Dubai construction site
  No injuries reported after fire on Satwa side of Sheikh Zayed Road
• Where are they now? Michael Schumacher Snowflake Tower
  The tower in Abu Dhabi was to be the first of seven built around the world
• First phase of Saudi Arabia's $500bn giga-project Neom complete
  Second phase to be announced later this year, CEO tells diplomats
• Where are they now? The Herbie Theme Park
  Herbieland was to include original cars from the classic Walt Disney movies
• Where are they now? The Crystal Ball Museum
  The football-shaped building was to be built off the coast of Doha on a manmade island
• Kuwait gives initial approval for $160m Jaber Al-Ahmed bridge contract
  Hyundai selected to operate and maintain causeway, which stretches for over 30km across Kuwait Bay
• Mohamed Alabbar says 'looking east' as China flexes its muscles
  Businesses should start looking east, says Emaar Properties chairman, as the best is yet to come for ‘great’ China

AUSTRALIA

• Low spend on $5 billion northern Australia infrastructure funding
  

  Stakeholders call for an overhaul of the government’s $5 billion fund that promised to turn northern Australia into an economic powerhouse.

• Perth's Convention Centre is sinking, but who will pick up the $10m-plus repair bill?
  Perth’s flagship convention centre at the heart of the CBD is slowly sinking into the Swan River, developing undulating “speed bumps” in a carpark at the base of the structure that is creating hazards…
• BA – Trade Show Bricks
• Even without solar panels, it would only cost $3.80 a day to run this eco-friendly house
  

  Not only can this home withstand bushfire attack, but its innovative design means powering its appliances, lights, and heating and cooling costs as little as a daily cup of coffee.

• Joe and Merylese Mercieca
• Reaching the highest bushfire risk rating could cost 15 per cent more than a standard build
  The display home in the Blue Mountains region is a system of remotely controlled electric shutters, fire resistant external cladding, and fluid ventilation which balancing energy efficiency with stric…
• Triple glazed windows
• Investors facing ruin after deposits for off-the-plan apartments vanish
  

  The collapse of property developer Ralan has left thousands of investors facing financial ruin, but there’s more to the story than just a volatile property market.

• Silicosis surge prompts more calls for a ban on engineered stone products
  

  As new figures show a surge in new cases of silicosis, there are growing calls for the engineered stone benchtops which are a mainstay of Australian kitchens to be banned.

• Construction workers descend using temporary stairs on a major construction site in central Sydney June 13, 2013. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz/File Photo

INTERNATIONAL

• Porr signs contract for 70km Polish rail upgrade
  Porr has signed what is by far its largest Polish rail construction contract to date.Read Full Article: The Construction Index…
• FM Group launches Scottish-Caribbean training tie-up
  Property developer FM Group has launched a programme that involves bringing participants from the Caribbean to Scotland to broaden their experience.Read Full Article: The Construction Index…
• Van Oord wins cabling contract for Taiwan wind farms
  Van Oord has won the cable installation contract for two offshore wind farms that will together supply energy to about a million households in Taiwan.Read Full Article: The Construction Index…
• Skanska to build Oslo apartments
  Skanska has won a NOK244m (£22m) contract for the construction of an apartment complex in Oslo, Norway.Read Full Article: The Construction Index…
• Gleeds picks system for keeping tabs on business
  Gleeds has picked a system from Introhive to help its managers identify who knows who across the organisation around the world.Read Full Article: The Construction Index…
• Danish system for monitoring concrete hardening expands into North America
  Canadian business Kryton International has taken a 30% stake in a Danish company whose technology allows wireless monitoring of the concrete hardening process in real time.Read Full Article: The Const…
• New Zealand pushes offsite construction
  New Zealand’s government is targeting an increase the use of offsite manufacturing to boost the supply of housing construction.Read Full Article: The Construction Index…
• Contract awarded for new Sydney station
  Hochtief subsidiary CPB Contractors has won the AU$463m (£255m) contract to build the new Sydney Metro City & Southwest Pitt Street Station in New South Wales (NSW).Read Full Article: The Construction…
• Atkins appoints team for Middle East business expansion
  Atkins has announced three new appointments to its senior leadership to drive business expansion in the Middle East and Africa.Read Full Article: The Construction Index…
• Salini inks $14bn civils deal for Texas high-speed rail
  Salini Impregilo has signed a design-build agreement potentially worth up to US$14bn (£11.2bn) for the planned high-speed railway between Houston and Dallas in Texas, USA.Read Full Article: The Constr…