Turkey asked Qatar, which has been under a blockade by Arab countries since June, to join hands for sustainable food production, the Turkish economy minister said Thursday. Nihat Zeybekci, proposed that Turkey, instead of sending finished goods to Qatar, could send raw materials, which Qatar could process at its own plants.

A trawler left Sweden on its way to break Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip 5,000 nautical miles away. The Marianne of Gothenburg departed on Sunday evening and is the first ship in the Freedom Flotilla III to leave for Gaza, according to the website of the Ship to Gaza Sweden campaign.