Today's VOA Africa News Summary

Region struggles with global economic downturn but is in better shape to deal with crisis than a decade ago

Chad says 22 soldiers and 225 Sudan-backed rebels were killed in fighting around the eastern city of Abeche

Fighting in Mogadishu has killed more than 50 people, injured dozens of others

The new Somali government has sharply denied reports that unpaid soldiers of the national army have been selling their weapons to hard line Islamic insurgents, including al-Shabaab.

More than 50 killed in clashes between Islamist insurgents, government troops, allied militias

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Chief Executive Officer Karikoga Kaseke said the exemption will help hotels in particular refurbish ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa

PSA Deputy Secretary General Jeremiah Bvirindi said state workers want their allowances raised to at least US$454 a month from US$100 at present

Mr. Tsvangirai told the Financial Times Sunday that no deadline loomed over the talks despite the ultimatum laid down last week by his Movement for Democratic Change

Former Combatants in the Democratic Republic of Congo are threatening to take up arms after accusing Kinshasa of failing to pay them for the last two months.

Spokesman for President Mutharika, Chikumbutso Mtumodzi says the allegations are the imagination of people who do not want to accept that President Mutharika will win the May 19 election

Africa's biggest investors, lenders make available another $15 billion to help continent weather global financial crisis

Spanish navy seized men off coast of Somalia last Wednesday after their boat capsized during alleged attempt to hijack Panamanian-flagged vessel

Most opposition lawmakers have boycotted parliament since last August's military coup ousted Mauritania's first freely-elected leader Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi