By Carolyn Cohn LONDON (Reuters) - Developed world mining and energy companies operating in Africa should pay more taxes to help the world's poorest continent climb out of poverty, the president of the African Development Bank said on Sunday.

WASHINGTON - The International Monetary Fund chief criticized the U.S. on Tuesday for cutting back government spending too much too fast, saying it was taking a toll on growth in one of the world's main economic engines. Christine Lagarde also said upbeat financial markets are out of whack with a sluggish global economy that is showing signs of slowing even further. In an overview of trouble spots around the world, Lagarde said the U.S. had come a long way in the five years since it triggered the global economic crisis with financial excesses.

The International Monetary Fund's deputy chief on Thursday expressed hope that Japan will draw up a growth strategy to give market participants the impression that the country's economy will change, a Finance Ministry official said. IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton also said during 30-minute talks with Finance Minister Taro Aso that the world's third-largest economy should carry out fiscal rehabilitation for the nation's future growth, the Japanese official said.

Libya's economy surged 105 percent in 2012 and should grow 20.2 percent this year, as it continues recovering from the meltdown that accompanied the uprising that ousted Moamer Kadhafi, the IMF said on Thursday. The International Monetary Fund said in its latest assessment of the oil-rich North African country's prospects that, while the "political situation is normalising, the government lacks control over parts of the country.