Typhoon Mawar prompts mass evacuations in the Philippines.

Thousands of people are being evacuated, schools and offices are being shut down, and a no-sail ban has been imposed in the Philippines as Typhoon Mawar approaches the country's northern provinces. The typhoon is expected to spare the mountainous region a direct hit, but authorities have warned of dangerous tidal surges, flash floods, and landslides. Disaster-preparedness officials said the typhoon's course could change abruptly and there was no room for complacency. The Philippines is one of the world's most disaster-prone countries, with about 20 typhoons and storms each year battering the archipelago.