Spain investigates steelmaker for breaching Israel sales ban
Spain’s High Court is investigating the privately owned steelmaker Sidenor over allegations of selling steel to an Israeli firm for the purpose of making weapons in one of the first potential legal consequences of Spain’s ban on such deals.
Judge Francisco de Jorge is leading the investigation of Sidenor CEO Jose Antonio Jainaga Gomez and two other executives for alleged smuggling and complicity in crimes against humanity or genocide, according to the statement.
They were summoned to testify on November 12.
The court said Sidenor sold steel to Israel Military Industries, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, in a deal allegedly conducted without government authorisation or proper registry.
In September, Spain, seeking to pressure Israel to end its war on Gaza, banned ships and aircraft carrying weapons or jet fuel to Israel from calling at Spanish ports or entering its airspace.
It also reinforced a prohibition barring Spanish firms from selling arms and materials used to make them to Israel.
US appoints career diplomat to lead Gaza coordination hub
The US State Department has assigned a career foreign service officer and the current ambassador to Yemen, Steven Fagin, as the civilian lead for a new centre working to implement a peace deal in Gaza and get humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave.
“Ambassador Steven Fagin will serve as the civilian lead of the Civil-Military Coordination Center, which is supporting the implementation of the President’s 20 Point Peace Plan for Gaza,” the department said.
The centre was opened this week by the US Central Command, with Lieutenant General Patrick Frank, commander of US Army Central, appointed as its military lead.
Fagin has served as US ambassador to Yemen since 2022, although he has performed the role from outside the country, which is controlled by the Houthi government not recognised by Washington.
More signs the US is going to try to recreate Baghdad's green zone strategy/failure.
https://iq.usembassy.gov/ambassador-steven-h-fagin/
Ambassador Steven H. Fagin assumed his duties as Chargé d’Affaires a.i. at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on May 29, 2025. Ambassador Fagin has served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Yemen since 2022 and will remain accredited as Ambassador there during his time in Baghdad. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, he previously held key diplomatic roles, including as Deputy Chief of Mission in Baghdad (2020-21) and Consul General in Erbil (2018-20). Since joining the Foreign Service in 1997, he has served in multiple postings across Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Ambassador Fagin holds degrees from Williams College and the University of Michigan. He was born in New York City, grew up in New Jersey, and is a resident of Washington, DC.
