UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations on Thursday offered to mobilize international support for the Philippines after a major typhoon left at least 477 dead.

"The United Nations stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance and to mobilize international support for the response," Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

Nesirky said that UN Leader Ban Ki-moon had sent "sincere condolences" to the Philippine government over Typhoon Bopha (local name: Pablo), which hit Mindanao island on Tuesday leaving the hundreds of dead and at least 250,000 homeless.