World News: Oxfam tells donors to 'step up to the plate' for Pakistan

The international community must inject more funds and effort to stop the spiralling crisis, Oxfam said, adding that only a fraction of people have received the help they need.

The UN will launch the world's biggest humanitarian appeal tomorrow as it seeks to at least treble the $460 million raised so far from across the globe.

Oxfam's humanitarian director, Jane Cocking, said: "This is a crisis of a truly epic scale and it's far from over yet.

"If the people that need help do not receive it, then disease and hunger could spiral. We desperately need donors to step up to the plate and inject urgent funding.

"These people have lost so much, but they still could lose more.

"Even today, people are drinking dirty and contaminated water straight out of the Indus river. Soon we will need to help them go home and restart their lives."

Oxfam said almost four million in need of food aid were yet to receive it.

Japanese cabinet walks out

The Japanese cabinet resigned en masse today as Prime Minister Naoto Kan prepared for a reshuffle as he sought to bolster his authority following an unsuccessful leadership challenge. Kan, who took office just three months ago, won a party leadership election on Tuesday

Final seal for oil spill well

A relief well drilled nearly 2.5 miles under the floor of the Gulf of Mexico has intersected BP's blown-out well, a prelude to plugging it once and for all, the US government said. The final seal should happen by Sunday, five months after the worst offshore oil spill in US history started.

Mexico braced for hurricane

Hurricane Karl strengthened and was expected to gain more power before hitting Mexico's coast near a port and an oil hub today.

The US National Hurricane Centre in Miami said there was a possibility Karl could become a major hurricane with winds of 110mph or higher before making landfall.

The Mexican government issued a hurricane warning for a 186-mile stretch of coast in Veracruz state, stretching northward from Veracruz city.

Gunman kills mum and himself

A man being briefed on his mother's condition by a surgeon at Baltimore Hospital pulled a gun and shot and wounded the doctor before killing his mother and then himself in her room. Paul Warren Pardus reportedly "became emotionally distraught".

Teenagers in kangaroo death probe

Australia: Three teenagers are being investigated by police after reports a kangaroo was beaten and killed while they were at a school camp. The students were immediately suspended after a teacher reported that a kangaroo had been beaten to death with a metal pole.

Honduras: Gunmen have killed a government transport minister, the latest in a string of assassinations in the country.