Africa (except North Africa)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean hackers have stolen an estimated 1.5 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in cryptocurrency and other virtual assets in the past five years, more than half of it this year alone, South Korea’s spy agency said Thursday.

Experts and officials say North Korea has turned to crypto hacking and other illicit cyber activities as a source of badly needed foreign currency to support its fragile economy and fund its nuclear program following harsh U.N. sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic.

22 Dec 2022; MEMO: Zambian authorities have arrested four former Defence Ministry officials over a corruption scandal involving one of Israel's top arms companies.

According to a statement tweeted by Zambia's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) last week, the former officials were arrested on suspicion of corruption in deals worth $500 million with Israeli defence contractor Elbit Systems.

NAIROBI, Dec 22 (NNN-NEWVISION) — The Chinese community in Kenya donated foodstuffs to drought-affected households at a ceremony held in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.

The foodstuffs, including maize flour, wheat flour, beans, green grams, salt, and cooking oil, are destined for the southeastern Kenyan county of Makueni, which is reeling from a food crisis linked to a prolonged dry spell.

NAIROBI, Dec 21 (NNN-KBC) — President William Ruto on Tuesday met with Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Zhou Pingjian at State House.

In a statement, Ruto said Kenya is interested in exploring various areas of partnership with China.

“Kenya is committed to strengthening its mutually beneficial bilateral relations with China, expanding trade and exploring various areas of partnership between our two nations,” he said

Ruto acknowledged China’s crucial role in the development of infrastructure in Kenya and access to markets.

JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Cyril Ramaphosa, president of South Africa's ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), has been re-elected to lead the party for a second term of five years, according to the election results released on Monday.

Ramaphosa was re-elected during the 55th national conference of the ANC, which started in Johannesburg on Dec. 16 and will end on Tuesday.

Ramaphosa, also the country's president, got 2,476 votes while his challenger, Zweli Mkhize, got 1,897.

JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Heavy rains have killed 16 people in South Africa's largest city Johannesburg in the last two weeks, an official said on Saturday.

"Thus far, 23 people have been rescued by Joburg Emergency Medical Services and 148 people have been rescued by the police search and rescue," Executive Mayor of Johannesburg Mpho Phalatse said at a media briefing.

The torrential rains have damaged property, fauna and flora, and essential infrastructure, particularly roads, traffic lights, buildings, substations, power stations and pipelines, she said.

BRAZZAVILLE, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese path to modernization serves as an "example" for developing countries, especially African countries, General Secretary of the Congolese Labor Party (PCT) Pierre Moussa has said.

In a recent written interview with Xinhua, Moussa spoke of the Chinese path to modernization, saying that this "concept through innovation," among other things, would "enlighten many countries in the world," especially countries on the African continent.

OUAGADOUGOU, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Burkina Faso summoned the Ghanaian ambassador on Friday morning for "explanations" after Ghana's president alleged that Burkina Faso had hired the Russian mercenary group Wagner, Burkina Faso's foreign ministry said.

Speaking to reporters alongside U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo alleged that Burkina Faso had hired the mercenaries.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The president of South Africa is fighting for his political future amid an unfolding scandal that has tainted his reputation as an anti-apartheid icon once widely admired for tackling the problems of Africa’s most developed economy.

Cyril Ramaphosa, 70, says he’s innocent of charges that he hid at least $580,000 in a sofa at his game ranch. He’s accused of not registering the money with authorities, and when it was stolen not reporting the theft to police, in order to avoid questions about how he got the U.S. dollars.

JOHANNESBURG, Dec 14 (Reuters) - California-based exploration firm KoBold Metals, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify battery metal deposits, is investing $150 million to develop a copper mine in Zambia, the company announced at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C.

KoBold's investors include Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a climate and technology fund founded by Microsoft's Bill Gates and backed by Amazon's Jeff Bezos and Virgin's Richard Branson.