Abdul El-Sayed defies $60 Million campaign against him, wins Michigan Democratic Senate Primary

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  By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis Despite massive spending by outside groups and high-profile endorsements for his opponent, Abdul El-Sayed secured a decisive Democratic Senate primary victory and now heads into a closely watched November showdown. Abdul El-Sayed has scored one of the most closely watched political upsets of the 2026 election cycle, defeating Representative Haley Stevens in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary despite facing more than $60 million in outside spending , much of it from pro-Israel political groups. The victory marks a significant breakthrough for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and sets up a high-stakes general election contest against Republican Mike Rogers in November. El-Sayed's campaign prevailed even after Stevens received late endorsements from Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and influential national Democrats, including Representative James Clyburn . Those endorsements failed to reverse momentum behind El-S...
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Fuel Crisis Fallout: Iraq Fires Oil Ministry Spokesman as Public Anger Grows

 


By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj

Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan, Kurdish Policy Analysis — 3 June 2026

Iraq's Oil Ministry has replaced its spokesman following controversial comments during the country's fuel crisis, highlighting growing public frustration, accountability pressures, and deeper challenges facing Iraq's energy sector. 

Iraq's Oil Ministry has removed spokesperson Abdul-Sahib Bazzoun Al-Hassnawi from his post over "repeated shortcomings” in statements related to the country's recent gasoline crisis, which sparked angry reactions, a well-informed source told Shafaq News on Wednesday.

The ministry ordered the change in line with directives from Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi to reorganize official media offices. Al-Hassnawi will remain in charge of the ministry's media office, while a replacement from the ministry's economic department has been appointed to serve as spokesperson.

The source also indicated that the gasoline shortage is expected to be resolved within days through fuel imports from the United Arab Emirates, pending repairs to technical faults at several refineries producing petroleum derivatives.

Al-Hassnawi previously rejected reports of a gasoline shortage in remarks to Shafaq News, attributing congestion at filling stations to increased fuel consumption driven by high temperatures. He maintained that domestic gasoline production exceeds daily demand, which stands at around 32 million liters.

However, sources had revealed that the detention of Deputy Oil Minister for Refining Affairs Adnan al-Jumaili in a corruption investigation may have contributed to supply disruptions and lengthy queues since the Eid Al-Adha holiday, with some northern refineries reportedly slowing or suspending fuel shipments in protest over the move. To safeguard energy supplies, Iraq's High Commission for Human Rights (IHCHR) called on authorities to strengthen domestic production and expand refining capacity.

#Iraq #Oil #EnergyCrisis #FuelCrisis #Baghdad #IraqPolitics #MiddleEast #Governance #OilMinistry #EnergySecurity #Geopolitics #PublicAccountability

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