An explosion ripped through an upscale hotel in Somalia"s capital Thursday during a university graduation ceremony, killing three government Cabinet ministers and six others, officials said. Two journalists were among the dead. More than three dozen medical, computer science and engineering students had gathered to receive their diplomas at the ceremony at the Shamow Hotel, which sits in the small patch of Mogadishu that is held by Somalia"s weak central government. The ministers for education, higher education and health were killed in the blast, said Somali Information Minister Dahir Mohamud Gelle. The ministers for sports and tourism were wounded, the Associated Press reported. Two reporters were killed in the blast and two other journalists were seriously wounded, said Bashir Khalif, a reporter for the Somali government"s radio service. In total, nine people were killed, said Col. Abdilahi Hassan Barise, a police spokesman.
