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Jakarta gears up for rally; toll now 500JAKARTA: Indonesia today braced for another week of violence after days of mob rule here left about ...

Jakarta gears up for rally; toll now 500
JAKARTA: Indonesia today braced for another week of violence after days of mob rule here left about 500 people dead, with tanks and troops keeping a tight guard over the tense capital. As foreigners fled the country, the military tried to reassure people the situation was under control adding 1,000 people had been arrested for looting. Many governments were taking no chances however, amid the continuing grisly clean-up operation, which has so far revealed the charred remains of 499 people.

A major opposition rally is scheduled for Wednesday.

Mayor shot dead
COLOMBO: Newly elected mayor of northern Jaffna town Sarojini Yogeswaran was shot dead today by a suspected LTTE gunman thereby rendering a serious blow to the Lankan Government8217;s efforts to restore normalcy in the war-ravaged town. The 60-year old widow was shot over ten times at point blank range by two members of LTTE8217;s pistol gang8217; at her residence in Jaffna. The assailants came on abicycle and shot her inside her house. She died on way to hospital.

MTNL strike
MUMBAI: Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited employees in Mumbai and New Delhi will go on a one-day token strike on May 19. Services like trunk calls, overseas calls, telephone repairs and issue and receipts of bills will be affected. The staff are demanding that the issue of absorption of DoT people working in MTNL should be delinked from the issue of DoT8217;s corporatisation.

Nurses resume
NEW DELHI: Health services in government-run hospitals here today normalised after more than 11,000 nurses resumed duties since their 12-day strike was called off last night. Out-patients department, emergency and other sections of all hospitals, including the three Central government-run hospitals functioned normally. Medical services at AIIMS also normalised with nurses resuming their duties.