Around the World: Sri Lanka

Parliament election soon

Re-elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa will dissolve parliament shortly and call a legislative election, his office said on Thursday, in a move that could enable him to reshape the unwieldly coalition now backing him.

Rajapaksa won a thumping victory on Tuesday over his former army commander, General Sarath Fonseka, in the Indian Ocean island's first nationwide election since the defeat of the separatist Tamil Tigers.