Nasa managers cleared Discovery to return home today, planning for a possible touchdown in New Mexico for only the second time in space shuttle history because of bad weather on both coasts.

CONTINUOUS education and re-training are critical if Ireland’s highly skilled workforce is to remain competitive and if the country is to lure major jobs projects here, FÁS said yesterday.

Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew landed in the Mojave Desert last night after three days of bad weather prevented the ship from returning to its Florida home port.