WHO: Ebola death rate rises to 70 per cent

THE death rate in the Ebola outbreak has risen to 70 per cent and there could be up to 10,000 new cases a week in two months, the World Health Organisation warns.

WHO assistant director-general Dr Bruce Aylward gave the grim figures during a news conference in Geneva on Tuesday.

Previously, WHO had estimated the death rate at about 50 per cent.Aylward said the 70 per cent death rate was "a high mortality disease" in any circumstance and that the UN health agency was still focused on trying to get sick people isolated and provide treatment as early as possible.He told reporters that if the world's response to the Ebola crisis isn't stepped up within 60 days, "a lot more people will die" and there will be a huge need to deal with the spiralling numbers of cases.For the last four weeks, there have been about 1000 new cases per week - including suspected, confirmed and probable cases, he said, adding that the UN health agency is aiming to get 70 per cent of cases isolated within two months to reverse the outbreak.WHO increased its Ebola death toll tally to 4447 people on Tuesday, nearly all of them in west Africa, from 8914 cases.Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia have been hardest hit nations in the current outbreak.Aylward said the agency was still focused on trying to treat Ebola patients, despite the huge demands on the broken health systems in west Africa."It would be horrifically unethical to say that we're just going to isolate people," he said, noting that new strategies such as handing out protective equipment to families and setting up very basic clinics - without much treatment - was a priority.

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Storm batters Sydney causing chaos

A RAGING storm has been tearing through NSW's east coast, battering homes and causing delays at Sydney Airport.

THE NSW State Emergency Service has received more than 300 calls for emergency assistance, including eight flood rescues under way on Tuesday night, with more calls expected to come.

SES spokesman Phil Campbell said trees and power lines were down and conditions were too hazardous in some areas for crews to go out."They'd go kite surfing across the ditch and end up in New Zealand," he said."Obviously the safety of our volunteers is paramount."We are responding to lots of calls for help. We're getting several per minute."Sydney's south, particularly Kogarah and the airport, had been hardest hit, he said.About 5500 homes in Sydney's south have lost power, according to electricity network Ausgrid.Wind gusts of 95 km/h were recorded about 9pm at Sydney Airport and passengers have taken to social media to report on delays and storm battered planes."Storm so severe its pushing our stationary A330 Airbus sliding around the Tarmac at Sydney Airport," tweeted Annalie Killian."Been stuck on this plane now for 4 hours... Piss off storm!" wrote Brett Leonard.Passengers have reported ground crews were nowhere in sight as they sat on planes, waiting for hours before cancellations."Please pray for me! The airport is a mess," one person posted on Facebook.Despite reports the airport had shut down, a spokeswoman told AAP it was operating."The thunderstorms are causing delays," she said."Flights are coming in and out, the weather is causing delays to unloading aircrafts ... it will contribute to knock-on delays."By about 9.30pm, wind gusts increased to 98 km/h at the airport, while in the state's south winds of 161 km/h were recorded at Wattamolla.At Strathfield, almost 90mm of rain has fallen in two-and-a-half hours with flooding expected in low lying areas of Tempe, in Sydney's inner west.Wind and rain hasn't been the only result of the storms as snow fell heavily around the Blue Mountains.About 5cm has fallen in Lithgow, with roads affected by snow and ice.The SES reported 60 passengers have become stuck on a train between Kingsgrove and Bexley North, sparking a rescue operation.By 11.15pm, the Bureau of Meteorology expects the dangerous thunderstorm to hit Parramatta, Hornsby and Manly.

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JP Morgan returns to profit in Q3

JPMORGAN, the largest US banks by assets, has reported third-quarter profit after booking a loss in the same period a year ago.

THE bank on Tuesday reported earnings of $US5.6 billion ($A6.06 billion), or $US1.36 share, compared with a loss of $US380 million, or 17 cents a share, in the same period a year ago.

Revenue for the period rose five per cent to $US24.25 billion from $US23.12 billion a year ago.The results missed the expectations of Wall Street analysts who had forecast earnings of $US1.38 a share, according to FactSet.JPMorgan shares were down 36 cents, or 0.6 per cent, at $US57.80 in pre-market trading. The stock is down 0.5 per cent this year.

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Pistorius' charity work downplayed

OSCAR Pistorius only used charitable work as a marketing tool, the prosecution says as the sentencing hearing of the South African athlete enters its second day.

PROSECUTOR Gerrie Nel downplayed arguments on Tuesday by Pistorius' manager Peet Van Zyl that the double-amputee Olympic sprinter had engaged in volunteer work and donated funds to help disabled people.

Getting involved in charity "is merely an advancement of your career," Nel told Van Zyl. "If you see it that way," the manager answered.Pistorius' defence is trying to depict him as a generous man of good character in an attempt to allow him to avoid a prison sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, 2013.The 27-year-old athlete fired at the 29-year-old model through the bathroom door in his Pretoria home.Judge Thokozile Masipa accepted his version that he took her for a burglar and found him guilty of manslaughter on September 12.The sentencing hearing is expected to conclude this week. Masipa then has a wide discretion in choosing the sentence, which could range from a fine to 15 years in prison.Pistorius' therapist told the court on Monday that he had felt deep and genuine remorse for killing Steenkamp and had been left "a broken man" by his ordeal.A representative of South Africa's Correctional Services Department recommended that Pistorius be punished with house arrest and community service.Nel called the suggestion a "shockingly inappropriate" punishment.The judge said in her September decision that Pistorius did not mean to kill anyone, but acted negligently and unreasonably, knowing there was someone in the toilet with little room for manoeuvre when he fired the shots.The verdict sparked an outcry, with many saying Pistorius intended to kill and should have been found guilty of murder.The 41-day trial of Pistorius - the first double-amputee to compete against able-bodied sprinters in the 2012 London Olympics - was watched closely around the world.

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Suicide car bomb in Baghdad kills 19

A SUICIDE bomber has rammed his explosive-laden car into a security checkpoint in northern Baghdad, killing at least 19 people, including civilians, an Iraqi police official says.

THE attack happened on Tuesday in Baghdad's Shi'ite-majority Khazimiyah district. The official says at least six police officers were among the dead. Another 35 people were wounded.

Hospital officials confirmed the casualties. All officials spoke anonymously as they are not authorised to brief the media.A series of attacks on Shi'ite-majority neighbourhoods in Baghdad on Monday killed 44 people.

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