TWO Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) working on Qatar's Doha Metro Green Line have successfully completed their sections of tunnelling.

OMAN's transport minister, Mr Abmed bin Mohamed al-Futaisi, says the decision on January 26 by Etihad Rail in neighbouring United Arab Emirates (UAE) to suspend tendering for its part of the Gulf Railway is causing Oman to reconsider its railway construction priorities.

ITALIAN State Railways (FS) CEO Mr Renato Mazzoncini and Iranian Islamic Republic Railways (RAI) president Dr Mohsen Pour Seyed Aghaei signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Tehran on February 9 pledging to co-operate in the development of Iran's high-speed rail network and the modernisation of RAI's rolling stock fleet.

MASHHAD became the first Iranian city to complete an urban rail link to its airport on February 6, when the country's president Dr Hassan Rouhani inaugurated the extension of light rail Line 1 from Ghadir to Shahid Hashemi Nejad Airport.

ISRAEL's transport minister Mr Israel Katz approved on February 3 what is claimed to be the country's largest railway budget which calls for an investment of Shekels 28.3bn ($US 7.24bn) until 2020.

IRAN's minister of transport Mr Abbas Akhoundi and Italy's minister of infrastructure and transport Mr Graziano Delrio have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for Italian State Railways (FS) to become a development partner for Iranian Islamic Republic Railways (RAI).

THE start of construction on Jerusalem's third light rail line moved a step closer on January 28, when the Municipal Planning Committee granted approval for the Blue Line, which will link Gilo in the south with Ramot in the north.

ISRAEL Railways (IR) has issued an invitation to prequalify for a design-build contract for the trackside element of the first stage of its national ERTMS rollout.

ALSTOM signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Industrial Development and Renovation Organisation of Iran (IRDO) in Paris on January 27, which is intended to pave the way for the supplier to re-enter the Iranian market for urban and mainline rail equipment.

ETIHAD Rail confirmed on January 26 that it has suspended tendering for the construction of the second phase of the UAE's national railway network in a move which is likely to deal a significant blow to the GCC Railway project.