Hundreds of environmental activists were on a secret "blacklist" used by construction firms in an attempt to disrupt high-profile protests against road building and other developments.

Files on more than 200 campaigners were held alongside a list of more than 3,000 construction workers who had raised legitimate health and safety concerns or belonged to a trade union.

Held over four weeks, six fellows from Commonwealth countries Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, spent time learning about the cement industry in the UK.

A further aim was to showcase how environmental performance can be improved by developing constructive working relationships between industry, regulators and local communities.

Despite the brisk winter weather, President Christina Paxson, Providence Mayor Angel Taveras and more than 30 others gathered Wednesday morning for the topping-off ceremony of the Building for Environmental Research and Teaching.

The ceremony took place outside of the renovated building, the former Hunter Laboratory, and included a series of speakers who were involved in the construction and planning process of the building. It also featured the harnessing of the final structural beam, which was signed by the attendees before being set in place. While the scheduled completion date for the renovation of the building is not until fall of 2013, the ceremony celebrated a landmark moment in the $35 million project.

The Port of Tyne is planning to spend £180m building new facilities creating 900 new construction jobs at its south bank estate in South Tyneside.

Plans involve developing infrastructure for the handling, storage and transportation of imports of wood pellets which are an important source of bio-energy for power stations.

The port’s main Riverside Quay at Tyne Dock will also be extended.