COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, SPA -- Sri Lanka's ruling party has wona resounding victory in elections for a southern provincialassembly, securing more than 67 percent of the votes cast, reported ap. The elections department says President MahindaRajapaksa's United People's Freedom Alliance won 38 out ofthe 55 seats in the council. Sunday's result is a sign of the strong support Rajapaksaenjoys in his native province after leading a successfulmilitary campaign to defeat the Tamil Tiger rebels' 25-yearseparatist insurgency in May.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/707925