Bahrain

The Turkish Limak Holding and its Kuwaiti partner, Al-Kharafi International, laid the foundation stone for a $4.3 billion airport terminal project - the largest tender won abroad in a single package by Turkish contractors - with a ceremony in the Gulf country on May 9.

Iran's defense minister on May 8 lashed back at Saudi Arabia, slamming the kingdom's deputy crown prince over belligerent comments last week that underscored the deep rivalries between the Sunni and Shiite power.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on May 8 said he aimed to boost economic and military ties with Arab Gulf states, as talks on a free trade zone deal pushed ahead.

Erdoğan, who is expected in Kuwait on May 9, said Ankara was involved in "high level strategic dialogue" with the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the state-run KUNA news agency reported.

A top Turkish hoteliers association has said around 4 to 6 percent of increase is expected in arrivals from the Middle East to Turkey over this year, particularly ahead of and after the holy month of Ramadan. 

In a written statement on May 5, the Hotels Association of Turkey (TÜROB) said there is demand especially for health tourism from the region. 

Oil-exporting Arab states of the Gulf are heading "in the right direction" to plug budgetary gaps thanks to fiscal reforms, but more change is still necessary, the International Monetary Fund said on May 2.

Ethiopian-born Turkish athlete Elvan Abeylegesse has been stripped of the two silver medals she claimed at the Beijing 2008 Olympics over 5,000m and 10,000m, along with her 10,000m silver medal from the 2007 World Championships, for doping violations.

A consortium formed by Turkey's TAV Airports Holding and Saudi Arabia's Al Rajhi Holding Group has entered into exclusive talks for the operating and development of Yanbu International Airport in Saudi Arabia with local authorities, the Turkish firm said in a statement on March 13. 

Bulgarian resort Sunny beach again is the cheapest tourist destination in the world, shows the international travel portal Hoppa. It compares prices for a night in a hotel room, alcohol, coffee and other components in popular resorts worldwide.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar could be seen as a return to the bad old Sunni alliance against Iran in the region. For the time being, it is not clear if the move is part of a Turkish governmental attempt to influence the new U.S. administration, or a response to U.S. President Donald Trump's new Mideast policy.

Turkey's National Intelligence Agency (MİT) has held a meeting with the CIA's new director, Mike Pompeo, about the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), widely believed to be the orchestrators of the July 2016 failed coup attempt, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said.