Top news items in major Zambian media outlets

The following are news highlights in Zambia's major media outlets on Friday.

-- Commercial banks in Zambia have instituted investigations in a wave of cyber-crime that has hit five banks, resulting in over 1,000 bank accounts being hacked by unknown people.

The Bankers Association of Zambia (BAZ), an association of commercial banks, said the incident is suspected to have happened during the Easter holiday, adding that affected banks have devised measures to avoid other account holders being also affected. (Zambia Daily Mail)

-- Zambian President Edgar Lungu has warned against abuse of funds raised from the tolling project, saying the funds should be channeled towards road maintenance.

Lungu said when he commissioned a toll gate in central Zambia's Chisamba district that the benefits derived from the introduction of the tolling program were immense and that his government would not allow abuse of funds collected. (Daily Nation)

-- U.S. Senator Ben Cardin has told Zambian President Edgar Lungu to treat the country's leading opposition leader who is in custody for treason humanely and release him from jail.

Senator Cardin, a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who has written a letter to Lungu expressing concern over Hakainde Hichilema's continued detention, said the opposition leader should be treated in accordance with Zambian laws. (The Mast)

-- The Zambia Under-20 national soccer team has threatened to boycott playing at the World Cup if their Africa Cup winning bonuses are not paid.

The players, who have not been paid their dues since lifting the Africa Cup title after beating Senegal 2-0 in March, have since started boycotting trainings in protest against the failure by soccer authorities to pay them their dues, saying it was demoralizing. (Times of Zambia) Endit