GWANGJU, South Korea (Reuters) - The world economy is recovering moderately but still faces challenges such as the need for medium-term fiscal consolidation, the IMF's First Managing Director, John Lipsky, said on Sunday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, previewing a big push on the U.S. economy next week, on Saturday defended policies that he said "have stopped the bleeding" and put the middle class on the road to recovery.

Take a peek at companies that are beating the odds, despite a slowdown in their industries.

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has approved a $690 million payment to French retailer Casino and other owners of a supermarket chain nationalized earlier this year, state media said on Saturday.

Take a moment during your end-of-summer holiday to remember the people who built America and to recognize the strengths of our ever-evolving workforce today.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, previewing a big push on the U.S. economy next week, on Saturday defended policies that he said "have stopped the bleeding" and put the middle class on the road to recovery.

The EPA's proposed fuel economy labels range from baffling to genuinely useful.

GWANGJU, South Korea (Reuters) - G20 delegates agreed on Saturday global economic recovery would endure although the speed of expansion may slow, a South Korean official said.

Stocks closed near session highs Friday, with the Dow erasing its losses for the year, as investors welcomed a better-than-expected report on the U.S. job market.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda said on Saturday Tokyo would take decisive steps to stem the yen's rise when needed, while suggesting that coordinated currency market intervention was a difficult option.

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Nationalized Anglo Irish Bank will be "decommissioned," with a decision on its fate expected within a few weeks, a junior government minister was quoted on Saturday as saying.

HOUSTON (Reuters) - BP Plc successfully replaced a failed blowout preventer from atop its ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well late on Friday, the top U.S. official overseeing the spill response said.

TORONTO/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese officials have ordered state companies to meet investment bankers to explore ways to block BHP Billiton's $39 billion bid for Potash Corp, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said.

WILMINGTON, Del./SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Hipster brand American Apparel Inc is in talks to bring in an outside restructuring firm as the manufacturer and retailer struggles to fix its flagging operations, sources told Reuters on Friday.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors in Gabriel Capital LP, a so-called feeder fund that funneled money to imprisoned swindler Bernard Madoff, were awarded $12.74 million by a panel of three arbitrators, court records show.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors in Gabriel Capital LP, a so-called feeder fund that funneled money to imprisoned swindler Bernard Madoff, were awarded $12.74 million by a panel of three arbitrators, court records show.