World in brief: Volcanic ash risk grounds flights

DUBLIN, Ireland – All flights into and out of Ireland were canceled this morning because of the renewed risk of volcanic ash drifting south from Iceland, the Irish Aviation Authority announced Monday.

But experts said they couldn’t tell whether the shifting winds would lead to wider European airspace shutdowns, mirroring last month’s crisis, when more than 100,000 flights were canceled and airlines estimated they lost more than $2 billion in business.

Iceland’s weather forecasting service attributed the resumed threat to Irish airspace to a change in wind direction, not substantially increased emissions of ash.

Japan objects to base’s relocation

TOKYO – Japan’s prime minister said today that moving all of a key U.S. Marine base out of Okinawa is “impossible,” breaking with past promises to move the base outside the southern island.

It was the first time since Yukio Hatoyama became prime minister in September that he officially acknowledged that at least part of Futenma Marine air field would remain in Okinawa, which hosts more than half the 47,000 American troops based in Japan.

Hatoyama had frozen a 2006 agreement with Washington on moving Futenma to a less crowded part of the island, straining ties with the U.S.

Gunmen kill five at soccer field

MEXICO CITY – Gunmen drove up to a soccer field and shot five men to death as they played early Monday near the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco, police in southern Mexico said.

It was unclear why the five men were playing so late, but the region of Guerrero state is often so hot and humid by day that athletes wait until night to compete. Many people also work unusual hours in the local tourist industry.

There was no immediate information on a possible motive for the attack. However, the area around Acapulco has been plagued in recent months by a bloody turf war between rival factions of the Beltran Leyva drug cartel.