August 21, 2022 – Somalia News Gazette

August 21, 2022

ROSEN, GLOBAL INVESTOR COUNSEL, Encourages Outset Medical, Inc. Investors With Losses to Secure Counsel Before Important September 6 Deadline in Securities Class Action – OM

NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Outset Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: OM) between September 15, 2020 and June 13, 2022, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important September 6, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Outset Medical securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Outset Medical class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=6976 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than September 6, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) defendants had “continuously made improvements and updates to Tablo over time since its original clearance” that required an additional 510(k) application; (2) as a result, Outset Medical could not conduct a human factors study on a cleared device in accordance with FDA protocols; (3) Outset Medical’s inability to conduct the human factors study subjected Outset Medical to the likelihood of the FDA imposing a “shipment hold” and marketing suspension, leaving the Company unable to sell Tablo for home use; and (4) as a result, defendants’ positive statements about Outset Medical’s business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Outset Medical class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=6976 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com

August 21, 2022

ROSEN, GLOBAL INVESTOR COUNSEL, Encourages Solana Investors With Losses to Secure Counsel Before Important Deadline in Securities Class Action – SOL

NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of SOL tokens (“SOL securities”) between March 24, 2020 and the present, inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important September 6, 202 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action lawsuit against Solana Labs, Inc., the Solana Foundation, Anatoly Yakovenko, Multicoin Capital Management LLC, Kyle Samani, and FalconX LLC (together, “Defendants”).

SO WHAT: If you purchased SOL securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the SOL class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=7539 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than September 6, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, Solana issues securities that are required to be, but are not, registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Throughout the Class Period, defendants promoted SOL securities (SOL tokens) and sold them to investors, who has suffered losses from purchasing SOL securities.

To join the SOL class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=7539 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

August 21, 2022

ROSEN, GLOBAL INVESTOR COUNSEL, Encourages Missfresh Limited Investors With Losses to Secure Counsel Before Important Deadline in First Filed Securities Class Action Initiated by the Firm – MF

NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Missfresh Limited (NASDAQ: MF) pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus (collectively, the “Registration Statement”) issued in connection with Missfresh’s June 2021 initial public offering (“IPO” or the “Offering”) of the important September 12, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline in the class action first filed by the firm.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Missfresh securities pursuant and/or traceable to the IPO you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Missfresh class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=7370 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than September 12, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, the IPO Registration Statement featured false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Missfresh provided false financial figures in its Registration Statement; (2) Missfresh would need to amend its financial figures; (3) Missfresh, among other things, had lesser net revenues for the quarter ended March 31, 2021; and (4) as a result, defendants’ public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times and negligently prepared. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Missfresh class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=7370 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

——————————–

Contact Information:

August 21, 2022

‫ دار سك العملة الكندية تصدر تقرير الأرباح والأداء للربع الثاني من العام 2022

أوتاوا، أونتاريو، 20 أغسطس 2022 / PRNewswire / — يسر دار سك العملة الملكية الكندية (“دار سك العملة”) الإعلان عن نتائجها المالية للربع الثاني من العام 2022 التي توفر معلومات عن أنشطتنا والأسواق التي تؤثر على أعمالنا التجارية وتوقعاتنا لفترة الـ 12 شهرا المقبلة.

وفي هذا السياق قالت ماري ليماي، الرئيس والمدير التنفيذي لمؤسسة سك العملة الكندية الملكية: «تواصل دار سك العملة إظهار المرونة والاستقرار من خلال تحقيق نتائج قوية في خضم الظروف الصعبة التي تشهدها الأسواق». وأضافت: «إن الاستجابة المتميزة لمجموعتنا من العملات الجديدة أوبيولنس كوليكشن ( Opulence Collection ) قد جعلت دار سك العملة تستقطب فئة جديدة من العملاء. وسنستمر في تلبية احتياجات العملاء في جميع أعمالنا حيث نسعى جاهدين للوصول إلى جماهير جديدة واغتنام الفرص الجديدة».

يجب قراءة النتائج المالية إلى جانب التقرير السنوي لدار سك العملة والمتوفر على www.mint.ca . جميع المبالغ النقدية هي بالدولار الكندي، ما لم يذكر خلاف ذلك.

أبرز الملامح المالية والتشغيلية

جاءت النتائج المالية للربع الثاني من عام 2022 تجسيدًا لما هو متوقع نظرًا للأداء الاستثنائي الذي تحقق في عام 2021، والصيانة التشغيلية التي تقرر تنفيذها في عام 2022. وتتوقع دار سك العملة أن تحقق ما يفوق أهدافها المالية لعام 2022، على النحو الوارد في خطة أعمالها.
ومقارنة بعام 2021، الذي أسفر عن نتائج فردية، انخفضت إيرادات دار سك العملة بنسبة 12٪ بينما انخفضت الربحية الإجمالية على أساس ربع سنوي نظرًا لانخفاض أحجام مبيعات سبائك الذهب وارتفاع مصاريف التشغيل.
انخفضت الإيرادات الموحدة إلى 841.9 مليون دولار في العام 2022 (2021 – 953.5 مليون دولار).
وانخفضت الإيرادات من أعمال المعادن الثمينة إلى 793.6 مليون دولار في عام 2022 (2021- 905.4 مليون دولار):
- وانخفضت أحجام مبيعات سبائك الذهب بنسبة 20% وبلغت 357.0 ألف أوقية (2021 – 448.7 ألف أوقية) بينما ارتفعت أحجام مبيعات سبائك الفضة 8% على أساس ربع سنوي وبلغت 9.6 مليون أوقية (2021 – 9.0 مليون أوقية).
- ارتفعت مبيعات منتجات السك من دار سك العملة إلى 31.9 مليون دولارًا في عام 2022 (2021 – 24.8 مليون دولار) بسبب ارتفاع المبيعات من مجموعة العملات المعدنية الجديدة أوبيولنس من دار سك العملة وعملات إعادة البيع المعدنية الدولية ومنتجات السبائك المتميزة.
- وارتفعت الإيرادات من أعمال التداول إلى 48.3 مليون دولار في عام 2022 (2021 – 48.1 مليون دولار):
- ارتفعت الإيرادات من منتجات وخدمات تداول العملات الكندية بنسبة 14٪ على أساس ربع سنوي من إنتاج العملات لتجديد مستويات مخزون التداول الكندي المحتفظ به نيابة عن وزارة المالية بالإضافة إلى زيادة عدد الأطنان المترية التي تمت معالجتها خلال الفترة ضمن برنامج استعادة السبائك المعدنية.
- انخفضت الإيرادات من أعمال التدوير الخارجي بنسبة 11٪ على أساس ربع سنوي بسبب انخفاض حجم الإنتاج والشحن في عام 2022 مقارنة بعام 2021.
بشكل عام، زادت نفقات التشغيل بنسبة 13٪ على أساس ربع سنوي لتصل إلى 29.7 مليون دولار أمريكي (2021 – 26.2 مليون دولار أمريكي) ويرجع ذلك في الأساس إلى الزيادات المؤقتة وغير المؤقتة المقررة في النفقات لدعم تحول الأعمال، والقوى العاملة الشاملة والمشتركة، وإعادة الاتصال بعملاء دار سك العملة حول العالم.
وارتفع حجم النقد إلى 86.6 مليون دولار (31 ديسمبر 2021 – 69.3 مليون دولار).
النتائج الموحدة والأداء المالي

(بالملايين)

	بنهاية 13 أسبوعًا				بنهاية 26 أسبوعًا
			تغيير					تغيير
	يوليو 2 ‎2022	يوليو 3 ‎2021	دولار	%		يوليو 2 ‎2022	يوليو 3 ‎2021	دولار	%
الإيرادات	841.9 دولار	953.5 دولار	(111.6)	(12)		1,706.9 دولار	1,856.4 دولار	(149.5)	(8)
الأرباح للفترة	2.4 دولار	20.5 دولار	(18.1)	(88)		16.8 دولار	34.3 دولار	(17.5)	(51)
الربح قبل ضريبة الدخل والبنود الأخرى ¹	14.5 دولار	25.2 دولار	(10.7)	(42)		30.3 دولار	51.1 دولار	(20.8)	(41)
الربح قبل ضريبة الدخل وهامش البنود الأخرى²	1.7 %	2.6 %				1.8 %	2.8 %
(1) الربح قبل ضريبة الدخل والبنود الأخرى هو مقياس مالي غير متوافق مع مبادئ المحاسبة المقبولة عموماً. تسوية من ربح الفترة حتى الربح قبل تضمين ضريبة الدخل والبنود الأخرى في الصفحة 12 من تقرير الربع الثاني لعام 2022 الصادر عن دار سك العملة.
(2) الربح قبل ضريبة الدخل وهامش البنود الأخرى هو مقياس مالي غير متوافق مع مبادئ المحاسبة المقبولة عموماً ويستند حسابه إلى الربح قبل ضريبة الدخل والبنود الأخر.

	بتاريخ
	2 يوليو 2022		31 ديسمبر 2021		تغيير دولار		تغيير %
نقد	دولار	‎86.6	دولار	‎69.3		‎17.3	‎25
مخزونات	دولار	‎65.4	دولار	‎86.5		‎(21.1)	‎(24)
الأرصدة الرأسمالية	دولار	‎153.3	دولار	‎154.2		‎(0.9)	‎(1)
الأرصدة الكاملة	دولار	‎403.9	دولار	‎405.5		‎(1.6)	–
رأس المال المتداول	دولار	‎142.6	دولار	‎122.5		‎20.1	‎16

كجزء من خطتها لاستمرارية الأعمال، تواصل دار سك العملة مراقبة سلسلة التوريد العالمية والشبكات اللوجستية لدعم عملياتها المستمرة. على الرغم من أنها تبذل قصارى جهدها، تتوقع دار سك النقود أن كوفيد-19 والمغايرات الناشئة والتضخم، فضلاً عن الأحداث الخارجية الأخرى في جميع أنحاء العالم، ستستمر في التأثير على أدائها في عام 2022. تواصل دار سك العملة العمل على التخفيف من المخاطر المحتملة عند ظهورها وإعطاء الأولوية لصحة وسلامة موظفيها، وتعديل بروتوكولات العمل الخاصة وفقًا لما تطلبه المقاطعات والسلطات الصحية المحلية.

لقراءة المزيد من تقرير الربع الثاني لعام 2022 الصادر عن دار سك العملة، يرجى زيارة www.mint.ca ‏.

نبذة عن دار سكّ العملة الملكية الكندية

دار سك العملة الملكية الكندية هي المؤسسة الرئيسية المسؤولة عن سك وتوزيع العملات المعدنية المتداولة في كندا. وتُعَد دار سك العملة المَلَكية الكندية واحدة من أكبر دار سك العملة وأكثرها تنوعًا في العالم، حيث تُقدِّم مجموعة واسعة من منتجات العملات المعدنية المتخصصة عالية الجودة والخدمات ذات الصلة على نطاق دولي. لمزيد من المعلومات عن دار سكّ العملة الملكية الكندية ومنتجاتها وخدماتها، يُرجى زيارة موقعها الإلكتروني: www.mint.ca ‏. أو متابعة حساباتها على تويتر و فيسبوك و إنستغرام .

البيانات التطلعية والتدابير المالية غير المتوافقة مع المعايير المحاسبية المقبولة عموماً

يحتوي بيان الأرباح هذا على مقاييس مالية غير متوافقة مع مبادئ المحاسبة المقبولة عموماً التي يتم الإشارة إليها بوضوح عند تقديمها. لا يتم توحيد المقاييس المالية غير المتوافقة مع مبادئ المحاسبة المقبولة عموماً بما يطابق المعايير الدولية لإعداد التقارير المالية ( IFRS ) وقد لا تكون قابلة للمقارنة مع التدابير المالية المماثلة التي تفصح عنها الشركات الأخرى التي تقوم بإعداد تقاريرها وفقًا للمعايير الدولية لإعداد التقارير المالية.

يحتوي بيان الأرباح هذا على بيانات تطلعية تعكس توقعات الإدارة في ما يتعلق بأهداف دار سك العملة وخططها واستراتيجياتها ونموها المستقبلي ونتائج العمليات والأداء وفرص واحتمالات العمل. عادةً ما يتم تحديد البيانات التطلعية بفضل وجود كلمات أو عبارات مثل “نخطط” و”نتوقع” و”تتوقع” و”تعتقد” و”نقدر” و”نعتزم” وغيرها من الكلمات المماثلة. هذه البيانات التطلعية ليست حقائق، ولكنها مجرد تقديرات تتعلق بالنمو المتوقع ونتائج العمليات والأداء وآفاق العمل والفرص (الافتراضات). في حين أن الإدارة تعتبر هذه الافتراضات معقولة بناءً على المعلومات المتاحة، فقد يثبت أنها غير صحيحة. تخضع تقديرات النتائج المستقبلية هذه لعدد من المخاطر والشكوك والعوامل الأخرى التي قد تؤدي إلى اختلاف النتائج الفعلية ماديًا عما تتوقعه دار سك العملة. وتتضمن هذه المخاطر والشكوك والعوامل الأخرى، على سبيل المثال لا الحصر، تلك المخاطر والشكوك الموضحة في قسم المخاطر على الأداء في مناقشة الإدارة والتحليل في التقرير السنوي لشركة دار سك العملة الكندية للعام 2021، وكذلك في الإشارة رقم 9 – الأدوات المالية وإدارة المخاطر المالية في البيانات المالية الموحدة المدققة الصادرة عن دار سك العملة للسنة المنتهية في 31 ديسمبر 2021. يتم إصدار البيانات التطلعية المدرجة في بيان الأرباح هذا فقط اعتبارًا من 17 أغسطس 2022، ولا تتعهد دار سك العملة بتحديث هذه البيانات علنًا لتعكس معلومات جديدة أو أحداث مستقبلية أو تغييرات في الظروف أو لأي سبب آخر بعد هذا التاريخ.

يُرجى التواصل مع: أليكس ريفز، المدير الأول، العلاقات العامة، هاتف: (613) 884-6370، reeves@mint.ca

August 21, 2022

Update: Somali forces end Al-Shabaab hotel siege – security commander

MOGADISHU— Somali forces have ended a deadly siege by Al-Shabaab militant group at a hotel in the capital Mogadishu that lasted about 30 hours, a security commander said.

At least 13 civilians have been killed and dozens wounded since militants from the Al-Qaeda affiliate unleashed a gun and bomb attack on the popular Hayat Hotel on Friday evening, according to Somali officials.

“The security forces have ended the siege now and the gunmen are dead, we’ve had no incoming gunfire from the building in the past hour,” the commander said.

He gave no further information about the total number of civilian or security casualties, or how many Al-Shabaab fighters had been killed, saying the government would give a press briefing on Sunday morning.

The building still needed to be cleared of any explosives that may have been planted, he added.

The attack was the biggest in Mogadishu since Somalia’s new President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took office in June, and underscored the challenge of trying to crush the 15-year insurrection by the militant group.

The hotel, a popular spot for government officials, was destroyed after security forces pounded it with heavy weapons late Saturday in a bid to eliminate assailants who were holed up there for a second straight night.

Witnesses watching the drama from the rooftop of another building said they saw flames tear through the hotel during the bombardment by security forces, with heavy explosions and gunfire reported.

Scores of people were trapped when the assault began and although officials said dozens had been rescued, including children, it is not known how many were still inside when the siege ended.

Al-Shabaab, which has carried out numerous deadly attacks in its war against the fragile government in the Horn of Africa nation, has claimed responsibility.

Security official Mohamed Abdikadir had reported earlier the number of civilians confirmed to have died was 13.

The director of Mogadishu’s main trauma hospital, Mohamed Abdirahman Jama, said it was treating at least 40 people wounded in the hotel attack and a separate mortar strike on a seaside area, Hamar Jajab.

One woman, Hayat Ali, said three children aged between four and seven were found by security forces hiding in a hotel toilet in a state of shock but were later reunited with their family.

Another survivor said he and some colleagues had performed evening prayers before taking tea in one of the hotel’s open spaces when they heard the first explosions on Friday, the start of the weekend in the mainly Muslim country.

“I managed to run to a nearby exit gate away from the gunmen,” Hussein Ali said. “The gunmen started firing and I could hear the shots behind me, but thanks to God… we managed to escape.”

Somalia’s allies, including the United States, Britain and Turkey, as well as the UN, have strongly condemned the attack. So did ATMIS, the African Union force tasked with helping Somali forces take over primary responsibility for security by the end of 2024.

“We express our heartfelt condolences to the families who lost loved ones, wish a full recovery to those injured, and commend Somalia’s security forces,” the US State Department said, while reiterating “steadfast” support for the country’s counterterrorism efforts.

ATMIS expressed “solidarity” with the Somali government, while the UK’s embassy in Mogadishu said the country stood “alongside Somalia as it confronts those who seek to destroy what has been achieved”.

Witnesses had reported at least two powerful explosions on Friday as gunmen burst into the hotel. Police said the initial blast was caused by a suicide bomber who forced his way into the hotel with other gunmen.

A second explosion occurred just minutes later, witnesses said, inflicting more casualties as rescuers, security forces and civilians rushed to the scene.

Al-Shabaab spokesman Abdiaziz Abu-Musab told the group’s Andalus radio earlier Saturday that its forces had “inflicted heavy casualties”.

In a statement by the group’s news agency cited by the SITE Intelligence monitoring group, the jihadists claimed to have held hostages during the siege, including government and security officials.

Al-Shabaab has carried out several attacks in Somalia since Mohamud took office, and last month launched strikes on the Ethiopian border.

Earlier this week, the United States announced its forces had killed 13 Al-Shabaab operatives in an air strike, the latest since President Joe Biden ordered the re-establishment of a US troop presence in Somalia, reversing a decision by his predecessor Donald Trump.

Mohamud said last month that ending the jihadist insurrection required more than a military approach, but that his government would negotiate with the group only when the time was right.

Al-Shabaab was driven out of Mogadishu in 2011, but still controls swathes of countryside and is able to launch deadly strikes, with hotels and restaurants often hit.

The deadliest attack occurred in October 2017 when a truck packed with explosives blew up in Mogadishu, killing 512 people.

Source: Nam News Network

August 21, 2022

Somali Forces End Hotel Siege, Heavy Casualties Reported

Somali federal police said Sunday that security forces had ended the Mogadishu hotel siege by the al-Qaida-affiliated militant group al-Shabab after nearly 30 hours of operations. Officials say more than 20 people were killed in the attack.

At a press conference in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, Sunday, Somali police chief General Abdi Hassan Hijar said that casualties include civilians and security personnel who were killed in the al-Shabab complex attack on the Hayat hotel in the center of the city, near Somalia’s criminal investigation department headquarters.

He said the main focus of the security forces was rescuing trapped civilians after al-Shabab fighters targeted the hotel with explosions and stormed the building, followed by a firefight that lasted nearly 30 hours.

He added that the security agencies involved in the operations who ended the siege at midnight rescued more than 106 people, including women and children.

He says he wants to share with Somali people in the country and abroad that the operations at Hayat hotel ended at midnight. During the operations, he said, the security forces focused on rescuing and securing the civilians trapped in the hotel, and more than 106 people, including children and women were rescued. It is shocking that innocent civilians have died there.

Dr. Abdulkadir Abdirahman Adan, the founder of Aamin Ambulance, part of the emergency team involved in taking civilians to hospitals, told VOA by phone Sunday that despite difficulties, their team was able to transport wounded people to hospitals for treatment.

He says Aamin picked up 11 wounded people and seven bodies, including men and women.

The al-Qaida-linked Islamist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on Hayat hotel in Mogadishu and claimed it had killed 63 people and wounded 107 others.

The attack was met with international condemnation.

The United States said it strongly condemned the attack.

A statement issued by the U.S. State Department expresses “heartfelt” condolences to the families who lost loved ones, wishes a full recovery to those injured, and commends Somalia’s security forces.

The statement added that the United States remains steadfast in its support of Somali and African Union-led efforts to counter terrorism and build a secure and prosperous future for the people of Somalia.

The Intergovernmental Authority for Development in Eastern Africa, or IGAD, also condemned the attack.

Nuur Mohamud Sheekh, spokesperson for the executive secretary of IGAD, told VOA that the attack was a “terrible disaster” for the entire region.

“Look, this is a terrible disaster, not just for Somalia, but the entire IGAD region is in mourning. Our executive secretary did condemn this heinous criminal act in the strongest terms possible. Acts of terror are a threat to both the national, regional and global stability, and must be defeated collectively and we will be working closely with all the regional actors, international partners and of course with the government and the people of Somalia to defeat terrorism collectively,” said Sheekh.

This was the first deadly attack by al-Shabab on an upscale target in Mogadishu since Somalia’s new president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, took office in May.

The attack also was the longest hotel siege in Somalia since al-Shabab started its insurgency more than 15 years ago.

Source: Voice of America

August 21, 2022

Nigeria intensifies fight against illegal armed groups: minister

ABUJA— The Nigerian Armed Forces have intensified their crackdown on extremists and bandit groups to address security threats in the country, Defense Minister Bashir Magashi said.

The military and other security agencies have cooperated to force criminals out from their hideouts, Magashi told a security conference held in the nation’s capital Abuja.

Security operatives have been deployed to highways susceptible to armed hijacks, as well as to north-central and northwest regions to track down militants hiding in forests, he said, adding that they have destroyed several camps of militants and rescued kidnapped victims.

Over 70,000 militants and their families have surrendered to troops in recent months, and thousands of displaced people have returned home, he said.

In southern Nigeria, troops were fighting to thwart the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra group and reduce crimes such as crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, he said.

Source: Nam News Network

August 21, 2022

Japan PM Tests Positive for COVID-19, Symptoms Mild

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has tested positive for Covid-19, his office said Sunday, a week before the leader was expected to attend an African development conference in Tunisia.

Kishida took a PCR test “after experiencing a mild temperature and a cough” from Saturday evening, an official from the Prime Minister’s Office of Japan told AFP.

Reports in local media including public broadcaster NHK said he may now attend the August 27-28 Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) remotely.

Japan has logged record Covid-19 cases in recent days, although its total death toll from the disease is far lower than many other countries, at 36,780.

The 65-year-old Kishida, who took office in October, had his fourth vaccine shot earlier this month.

He has been on holiday with his family and was due to return to work on Monday.

Japan has never imposed a strict lockdown, and anti-infection measures mainly targeting bar and restaurant opening hours were lifted in March across the country.

The nation’s borders have partially reopened although tourists are still banned unless they are on organized group trips.

Tokyo has partnered with African countries since 1993 to hold TICAD around every five years.

At the upcoming meeting, Japan will strongly support “African-led development” with a focus on economy, society, and peace and stability, a Japanese foreign ministry briefing document said.

Japan would also contribute to enhancing food security in Africa to address the food crisis which had worsened due to the situation in Ukraine, the document said.

Source: Voice of America