Lebanon's prime minister chairs meeting to review preparations for receiving Iraqi crude oil and petroleum products transiting through the country.

OPEC cuts 2026 oil demand growth forecast to 600,000 bpd, down from its prior month's assessment, the group said Wednesday from Vienna.

OPEC said on Wednesday that global oil demand is forecast to grow by 600,000 barrels per day in 2026 year-on-year, down from its previous month's assessment, according to Xinhua reporting from Vienna.

Philippines issues red alert on Visayas grid as multiple plants remain offline Wednesday. Available capacity ~2,153 MW vs peak demand 2,394 MW; Mindanao has nine plants on forced outage.

Red and yellow alerts were raised for power grids in central and southern Philippines on Wednesday as several power plants remained unavailable, according to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). The Visayas red alert is in effect with available capacity at about 2,153 MW against a projected peak demand of 2,394 MW. In Mindanao, nine power plants are on forced outage for August, with 11 unavailable since 2024 and nine others operating at derated capacities.

Israel strikes school and religious commemoration site in southern Lebanon, causing injuries; Lebanese media report blasts in Zawtar, Touline Valley, Haddatha, Beit Yahoun. Ceasefire talks ongoing.

Anadolu Agency reports Israel struck a school and a religious commemoration site in southern Lebanon, causing injuries, while Lebanese media reported explosions in Eastern Zawtar, Touline Valley, Haddatha and Beit Yahoun. The agency said the broader Israeli campaign in Lebanon began on March 2 and has killed 4,335 people despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations.

Lebanon's parliament votes to abolish the death penalty, becoming the first Middle East country to formally end capital punishment — NNA and LBCI TV.

Lebanon's parliament on Tuesday passed a bill abolishing the death penalty, making it the first country in the Middle East to formally end capital punishment, according to the National News Agency (NNA) and local channel LBCI TV. The bill was approved by a majority of the 128-member parliament. The EU delegation to Lebanon welcomed the move, noting it includes retroactive application and builds on a de facto moratorium maintained since 2004.