As reported by france24.com, St. Peter's Square will be restored to its 17th-century Baroque glory with a major renovation project due to be completed in 30 months. Work has already begun on part of the famous colonnade designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) - the sculptor and architect behind some of Rome's best-known landmarks. It will restore the colours and the architectural integrity of Bernini's original design said the head of Vatican technical services, Pier Carlo Cuscianna. The project will encompass all of the square's 376 columns and pillars, 140 statues and 1,200 meter in terraces and cornices, as well as the Clementina and Gregoriana fountains and the Egyptian obelisk in the middle. "Generous sponsors" are financing the project, Cuscianna said, without mentioning any names. The Vatican Museums will oversee the work and two Italian companies Italiana Costruzioni and Fratelli Navarra have been selected to carry it out.

As reported by emirates247.com, non-resident Indians in the UAE and other Middle Eastern countries are contributing to build what is claimed to be India's biggest mosque, Share Mubarak Masjid, which will come up in the outskirts of Kozhikode (Calicut), Kerala, home to a large number of NRIs living in the UAE. Dr MA Hakkim Azhari Kanthapuram, joint secretary of Markazu Ssaquafathi Ssunniyya of Calicut (a leading religious and charitable institution in India, helping the destitute Muslims and orphans in their education and overall socio-cultural development), during his visit to the UAE said, that about one million members of the organisation, many of them living in the UAE, each contributed US$ 22 to build the largest Indian mosque in a proposed Knowledge City, which is located on the outskirts of Calicut. To be built at a cost of US$ 8.8 million, the mosque will have a built-up area of 23 thousand square meters, accommodating up to 30 thousand worshippers. There will be a library for Islamic research and a conference hall where both Muslims and non-Muslims can come in pursuit of knowledge. The mosque will also be surrounded by Moghul-style garden and landscaping. The entire township would cost US$ 265 million. According to article, in Knowledge City will be professional engineering and medical colleges, a multidisciplinary hospital and healthcare city, a shopping mall, star hotels and convention center. The City layout has been finalised and urban planning is going on. Within the next six months, construction work will start. Currently, the biggest Indian mosque is Delhi's Jamia Masjid, built in the 17th century by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The Jamia Masjid is built with red sandstone and white marble. About 25 thousand people can pray here at a time.

As reported by press-center of Armenian government five small automated hydropower systems will be constructed in Kotayk region by Hov-Khache LTD. The company in 2010 constructed and put into operation Yotnaxbyur-Garni free-flow water line, which supplies with drinking and irrigation water Garni, Gheghard, Goght, Hatsavan, Geghadir and Vokchaberd villages. According to Hov-Khache agreement with the government, it will be allowed to make a deferred payment of VAT upon the import of turbine-generators till September 2014. The cascade of small hydropower systems is planned to put into operation in 2012.

Investment program (Program 1 and Program 2) of "North-South" road corridor was presented on August 10 in Yerevan. According to Press-center of the Ministery of Transport and Communications, total length of the road is about 556 kilometers, which will link the Black Sea and other european countries through Armenia and Georgia. Crossing Armenia's territory from the south to the north (Meghri, Kapan-Goris-Yerevan-Ashtarak-Gyumry-Bavra), the corridor will join the Georgian road. The program funding is divided into separate tranches and government has already signed a US$ 500 million investment agreement with Asia Development Bank. It should be noted, that the first loan agreement was signed on October 12, 2009, the second one this year on May 30. On August 2 the Ministery of Transport and Communications announced a tender for construction works of road sections Yerevan-Ashtarak (11,71 kilometers), Yerevan-Ararat (38 kilometers) and Ashtarak-Talin (42 kilometers). "North-South" road corridor investment program is planned to be completed in 2017.

As reported by worldconstructionnetwork.com, construction work is set to begin on a US$ 500 million semi-submerged resort named Amphibious 1000, on the Qatar coast. Designed by Italy-based company Giancarlo Zema Design Group, the resort will be situated in the centre of a marine reserve and will extend for one kilometre in a horizontal position. Divided into two sections of land and sea, the project includes residential buildings, offices, a central marine park, floating walkways and underwater marina galleries that all form a semi circle around the central tower, which hosts a panoramic restaurant. Sea part will house 4 giant hotels comprising underwater rooms replicating the look of super-yachts. The resort's land portion will be equipped with a museum, exhibitions and aquariums. Other features of the facility include floating walkways as well as a restaurant allowing glimpses of the surrounding landscape. The facility will also incorporate 80 self-contained floating suites known as Jellyfish. Every suite will encompass four stories while featuring an underwater aquarium lounge. The hotels will surround a central public welcome area comprising an interactive museum on water life, water exhibition galleries as well as a glass tunnel leading to the underwater observatory in the marine park's centre. The welcome area is linked via long arm-like structures to fitness centres, gardens and a special outdoor theatre adorned with a moving stage which opens out to the sea. The transportation of guests across the resort will be facilitated by hydrogen-powered aluminium yachts called Trilobis measuring 20 metres. The vessels will sport a steel hull complemented by a superstructure in aluminium and will possess underwater observatory zones.