World IN BRIEF : IRELAND : Early Elections Seen as Coalition Fails

Ireland headed for early general elections when the Labor Party broke off talks on rebuilding a coalition with Fianna Fail in a fresh dispute over a child-abuse case that toppled their government. Labor leader Dick Spring told Parliament that his party is ready to fight in elections if attempts to form an alternative coalition fail. Spring, who holds the balance of power in the 165-seat lower house, said he was pulling out because Fianna Fail misled him about the bungled government handling of extradition warrants for a pedophile priest.