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Somalis say shutdown of money transfers leaves 'hopeless situation' in Africa

The Star Tribune talks with local Somalis, who are fretting for their families in the war-torn African nation. Many are desperately trying to find other ways to send money to relatives trying to survive in a country with no banks or functional government.
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The Star Tribune talks with local Somalis, who are fretting for their families in the war-torn African nation. Many are desperately trying to find other ways to send money to relatives trying to survive in a country with no banks or functional government.

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The bank that handles most of the money transfers from Minnesota's Somalis to relatives back home plans to shut down the service on Friday. Sunrise Community Banks says it fears it could violating rules meant to clamp down on the funding of terrorists. But Somalis say their families depend on the money and ending the service could create a humanitarian crisis.

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