COPENHAGEN: Lego’s sales of its colorful plastic bricks outpaced the overall toy market in the first half of the year, driven by strong demand in Europe and North America, the Denmark-based toymaker said on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON: US consumer confidence rose to a six-month high in August amid optimism over the economic outlook, but Americans are becoming more anxious about the labor market after the unemployment rate jumped to near a three-year high of 4.3 percent last month.

BEIJING: Leading Chinese automaker BYD posted on Wednesday a 24.4 percent rise in net profit for the first half of 2024, boosted by continuing strong demand for electric cars in its home and overseas markets.

BENGHAZI, Libya: Libya’s oilfield closures spread on Wednesday as the Sarir field almost completely halted output, two field engineers told Reuters, amid a political dispute over control of the central bank and oil revenue.

KUWAIT: In its ongoing commitment to promoting sustainability, Gulf Bank, in partnership with Kuwait Blood Bank, organized a blood donation campaign for its employees.

BUJUM, Burundi: Gerard walks despondently around his small pharmacy in the centre of Burundi’s main city Bujumbura, surveying the many empty shelves.

FRANKFURT: The German economy shrank by 0.1 percent in the second quarter, final data confirmed Tuesday, weighed down by sluggish private consumption and a drop in industrial investments.

RENO, US: Brittnie Aguirre grew up in Nevada and has always wanted to build her American Dream there: owning a home with her husband and three kids.

LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned Tuesday that his new government’s first budget in just over two months will be “painful”, asking the country to “accept short-term pain for long-term good”.