Obama says his economic policies halted "bleeding"

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.

Earl fizzles as it sweeps through Maritime Canada

HALIFAX, Canada (Reuters) - Hurricane Earl made landfall in Canada on Saturday and fizzled after a series of scares along the U.S. East Coast, flooding roads, felling trees and cutting power to tens of thousands in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia.

Taxpayers likely to face initial loss on GM IPO: sources

NEW YORK/DETROIT (Reuters) - The U.S. government is likely to take a loss on General Motors Co in the first offering of the automaker's stock, six people familiar with preparations for the landmark IPO said.

Thousands protest French clampdown against Roma

PARIS (Reuters) - Tens of thousands protested across France on Saturday against a clampdown on immigrants, launching a week of action over policies on which President Nicolas Sarkozy has staked his political reputation.

Venezuela OKs payment for French retailer Casino

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.

Curfew declared after 7.1 quake hits New Zealand

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Authorities declared an overnight curfew for Saturday after a major earthquake hit New Zealand's second biggest city, Christchurch, bringing down power lines and bridges and wrecking roads and building facades.

Minister says Pakistani militants stoking sectarian rift

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pro-Taliban Pakistani militants are trying to create a sectarian rift, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Saturday, as a new wave of violence piled pressure on a government already struggling with a flood crisis.

Mexican judge orders drug lord held 40 more days

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A Mexican judge ordered Edgar "La Barbie" Valdez, believed to be one of the country's top drug bosses, held for 40 more days of investigation, the federal prosecutor's office said on Saturday.

BP Gulf well "secured," awaiting final kill: U.S.

HOUSTON (Reuters) - BP Plc's ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well is secure with no threat of spewing crude again, the top U.S. official overseeing the spill response said

Karzai announces "peace council" to push Taliban talks

KABUL (Reuters) - An Afghan peace council to pursue talks with the Taliban has been set up, President Hamid Karzai said on Saturday, the latest step in a gradual move toward reconciliation with the Islamist insurgents.

Factbox: Canadian energy companies bear Earl's brunt

(Reuters) - Canadian companies shut down some energy installations ahead of Earl which regained hurricane status as it lashed into the Maritime Provinces on Saturday, while U.S. energy operations were largely unscathed by the storm.

Tropical Storm Gaston may reform over Atlantic

MIAMI (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Gaston could soon come swirling back to life over the central Atlantic Ocean, U.S. forecasters said on Saturday.

Obama to address new economic ideas next Wednesday

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Friday he would outline new measures next week to boost the U.S. economy, but analysts were skeptical he would be able to deliver a big enough package to lift growth significantly.

Canadians say Earl packs hurricane-speed winds

HALIFAX, Canada (Reuters) - Canadian forecasters have measured hurricane-speed winds from buoys near the center of Earl and view the storm as a Category One hurricane.

Bomb kills 54 in Pakistan, Taliban threatens U.S.

QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) - A suicide bomber struck a rally in the Pakistani city of Quetta on Friday, killing at least 54 people in the second major attack this week and piling pressure on a U.S.-backed government overwhelmed by a flood crisis.

German held by U.S. troops planned Europe attacks: report

BERLIN (Reuters) - A German Islamist held by U.S. troops in Afghanistan and interrogated since July has revealed details of planned attacks on targets in Germany and Europe, a news weekly reported Saturday.

Crime adds to misery for Pakistan's flood victims

MEHMOOD KOT, Pakistan (Reuters) - Crime and the sale of donated aid supplies are undermining the aid effort for Pakistan's flood victims.

BP replaces failed blowout preventer on Gulf well

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.

Government says no leaking oil at Mariner platform

HOUSTON (Reuters) - U.S. government inspectors found no leaking oil at Mariner Energy Inc's burned platform in the Gulf of Mexico, officials said late on Friday, allaying fears about more environmental damage after BP's massive spill.

Mariner fire not like BP spill: U.S. Interior chief

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - The fire at Mariner Energy's oil and gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico appeared to be an industrial accident and not an example of problems in regulatory oversight, the U.S. Interior Secretary said.