HAVE you ever dreamed of being an astronaut? Well, if you have some “prior spaceflight experience” and US citizenship, Richard Branson may just offer you a job.

Irish singer Brian McFadden was quizzed by Australian police after reportedly becoming abusive on a flight from Los Angeles to Sydney.

Former president Mary Robinson announced plans today to establish a new charity to put human rights at the heart of the climate change agenda.

FEW could picture butch New Zealand rugby forward turned television pundit Brent Pope writing children’s books.

JOHN BILLINGHAM turned heads as he strolled through the arrivals lounge at Shannon Airport yesterday. But the Richard Branson lookalike is used to the public attention he gets. English-born John, 53, who has a home in Killaloe, Co Clare, said: “People are all the time coming up to me and stopping me on the street.”

Nelson Mandela has celebrated his 89th birthday today with a star-studded football match and the launch of a humanitarian campaign, joined by former US President Jimmy Carter, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and other elders of the global village.

The space agency Nasa is planning to make some money on the long air strip normally used by space shuttles.

WORLD-FAMOUS American adventurer Steve Fossett tonight paid tribute to the two men who had inspired his transatlantic flight in a replica World War one bi-plane.

FRENETIC trading in Manchester United shares continued yesterday with US billionaire Malcolm Glazer raising his share in the club to just over 16%.

UK record industry bosses today held crisis talks with their American counterparts to try to revive Britpop in the US.

Michael Jackson will make his very first record shop appearance tomorrow at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square, New York.