Saturday's news in less than two minutes.

 

1. WHO admits Ebola outbreak should have been handled better and models “self-quarantine” after flight to Dallas.

The World Health Organization has acknowledged that it should have handled the initial Ebola outbreak in West Africa better. A draft document obtained by The Associated Press showed  that the WHO blames factors such as incompetent staff and a lack of information for the severity of the outbreak.

It is also being reported that the WHO should have realised the traditional methods of isolation would not work to prevent the spread of the disease in an area like Africa due to poor health infrastructure and porous borders.

According to one news website, “Nearly everyone involved in the outbreak response failed to see some fairly plain writing on the wall,” WHO said in the document. “A perfect storm was brewing, ready to burst open in full force.”

Meanwhile, news.com.au is reporting that Texan romance-novel models Axl Goode and Taylor Cole have “self-quarantined” after sharing a flight with Amber Vinson, the nurse who contracted Ebola after treating Thomas Eric Duncan.

For more information about the Ebola virus: All your questions about the Ebola virus. Answered.

2. Nigerian Government reaches deal with Boko Haram to #bringbackourgirls

Boko Haram, whose name roughly translates as “Western education is sinful”, has killed thousands of people in a five-year insurgency aimed at creating an Islamic enclave in Nigeria’s impoverished northeast.

Nigeria is Africa’s biggest economy and biggest oil producer. President Goodluck Jonathan has been criticised at home and abroad for his slow response to the kidnapping and for his inability to quell the violence by the militants.

3. Aussie jets kill “dozens of terrorists” in Iraq

RAAF aircraft on bombing raids have “killed dozens of terrorists” in two successful air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Australian fighter aircraft have conducted 43 flights over Iraq in the past two weeks and have focussed their efforts in Iraq to allow other coalition forces to focus on fighting in Syria.

Treasurer Joe Hockey has also made a surprise visit to Australia’s base in the United Arab Emirates, spending four hours with RAAF and special forces soldiers awaiting clearance to go into Iraq to assist the Iraqi army. He assured them he wasn’t there to make sure taxpayers money was being spent wisely.

4. French hostage on what it is like to be held by ISIS

A freed Islamic State hostage has spoken out about his time in captivity with four men who were beheaded by the jihadis. French journalist Nicolas Henin, who was captured in June last year and spent 10 months in captivity, described his memories of the time as “brutal”.

“Normally when you are released you are free — I’m not,” he told news.com.au.

“My mind is still somewhere in a cell in Syria, and I can very much wake up one day with news that one of my former cellmates has been killed and this brings me back months before.”

Henin shared a cell with James Foley, Steven Sotloff, David Haines and Alan Henning, all of whom were beheaded by Islamic State jihadis.

5. Childcare operators fined for overcharging government

Childcare operators across the country have been fined almost $2 million, after being targeted by the Federal Government’s new childcare fraud squad.
News.com.au reports that the childcare compliance taskforce has taken action against 24 childcare services, including 22 Family Day Care providers. About half have been exposed for overcharging the government for the children in their care, often unbeknown to their parents.
The taskforce suspended one long day care centre operating in Queensland for failing to notify the Federal Department of Education that its service approval has been withdrawn by the state regulator.

6. President Obama’s credit crisis
President Obama’s credit card was rejected last month at a restaurant in New York.

The President talked about it while signing an executive order to protect consumers from identity theft. He said, “I went to a restaurant up in New York when I was — during the U.N. General Assembly, and my credit card was rejected.”

“They thought there was some fraud going on.”

Fortunately Michelle Obama saved the day by handing over her card.

7. Educator quits her job to twerk online
Jessica Vanessa, who was previously a kindergarten teaching assistant, was discovered by advertisers (and 2 million followers) who found her six second dancing videos on Vine. Vanessa claims she now makes a six-figure salary by mentioning products while twerking.

22 year old Vanessa told Cosmopolitan, “I love working with kids but the money wasn’t there. But if you’re big online or on any social media networks, you’re going to get paid because it’s product advertisement. The Internet pays more, let’s put it that way.”

See why Vanessa is now earning a buttload here: