Roundup: Oil demand / Kidney transplant / DOTD construction budget


    Forecast lowered: The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries cut its forecast for oil demand growth just days after a surprise decision to boost output, citing the impact of U.S. tariffs on the global economy and crude consumption. The Vienna-based cartel now expects demand to rise by 1.3 million barrels a day this year and 1.28 million barrels a day the next, compared with previous projections of 1.45 million barrels and 1.43 million barrels a day, respectively. Read more from The Wall Street Journal. 

    Seeking a match: Christopher Turner, who directs the Southern University Law Center’s Mixed Reality Virtual Innovation Gaming and Esports Institute, is raising money for a lifesaving kidney transplant. He is currently facing kidney failure. After exhausting local treatment options, he has made the decision to travel across the nation to get on every state’s kidney donor list in hopes of finding a match. Learn more and donate here. 

    $1.1B in projects: The Louisiana Legislature kicked off the 2025 regular session by approving a slate of major highway construction projects proposed by the state Department of Transportation and Development. DOTD’s construction budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year totals $1.11 billion, covering 323 projects scheduled to solicit construction bids. Read the full story.