Flooding caused by some of the Philippines’ heaviest rain on record has seen more than half of its capital city, Manila, submerged in water.

Typhoon Durian smashed into the Philippines with heavy rains and winds gusting up to 165 mph, spawning flash floods and sending walls of muddy volcanic ash and red-hot boulders crashing down on several villages, officials said today.

The fourth devastating super typhoon in as many months has battered the Philippines, setting off a volcanic mudslide and widespread flooding that killed at least 109 people and left dozens more missing, officials said today.

SOUTH AFRICA is aiming for the stars with plans to launch a space agency to promote cutting-edge technology, including satellite development, on the world’s poorest continent, a senior government official said yesterday.