China typhoon weakens

Typhoon Conson moved out into the South China Sea on Saturday and was downgraded to a tropical storm, a day after killing two people on China's resort island of Hainan.

A motorcycle rider and a security guard were killed by billboards toppled byhigh winds, according to Xinhua, China's state-run news agency.

Winds with maximum speeds of 126 km/h and heavy rains cut power to much of the city of Sanya on the island.

Earlier in the week, at least 53 people lost their lives in the Philippines because of the storm. Another 87 people were still missing Saturday.

The weakened storm was expected to make landfall in Vietnam by Saturday afternoon or evening.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged authorities in 23 northern and central provinces to ban ships and fishing trawlers from sailing.