News Headlines - 28 February 2020

▽Running out of time: East Africa faces new locust threat - Reuters

Countries in East Africa are racing against time to prevent new swarms of locusts wreaking havoc with crops and livelihoods after the worst infestation in generations.
A lack of expertise in controlling the pests is not their only problem: Kenya temporarily ran out of pesticides, Ethiopia needs more planes and Somalia and Yemen, torn by civil war, can’t guarantee exterminators’ safety.
Locust swarms have been recorded in the region since biblical times, but unusual weather patterns exacerbated by climate change have created ideal conditions for insect numbers to surge, scientists say.

▽Digital bank Revolut becomes UK's most valuable fintech startup | The Guardian

The digital bank Revolut has become the UK’s most valuable financial technology startup after a funding round that more than tripled its value to ￡4.2bn.
The valuation puts it ahead of rival digital bank Monzo, which was valued at ￡2bn last year, and that of small business lender OakNorth, which previously held the top spot at ￡2.2bn.
It comes after Revolut, which is headquartered in London, announced it had raised $500m (￡387m) from a group of investors led by the US fund Technology Crossover Ventures, ending months of speculation around the deal. TCV was an early backer of companies including Airbnb, Netflix and Spotify.

▽Japan minister flying to Lebanon to make case for Ghosn's return - Reuters

Japan’s deputy justice minister is traveling to Lebanon this weekend to try to make the case that fugitive ex-Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn should stand trial in Japan.
Hiroyuki Yoshiie will leave Tokyo on Saturday and meet with Lebanese Justice Minister Marie Claude Najm on Monday, Japan’s justice ministry said.

▽Syria war: Alarm after 33 Turkish soldiers killed in attack in Idlib - BBC News

At least 33 Turkish soldiers have died in a Syrian government attack in opposition-held north-western Syria, in a major escalation of the conflict.
Turkey, which backs the opposition, says it hit 200 government targets in response, "neutralising" 309 soldiers.
Russia, Syria's key military ally, says Turkish troops were attacked in Idlib province by Syrian forces while operating alongside jihadist fighters.

▽Plácido Domingo apologizes; opera guild cites pattern of misconduct - Los Angeles Times

Fallen opera star Plácido Domingo released a statement to The Times late Monday night apologizing for the behavior that led to a series of sexual harassment allegations last summer and culminated in his resignation as general manager of Los Angeles Opera in October... Some of the allegations against Domingo date to his tenure at Washington National Opera in Washington, D.C. One accuser, singer Angela Turner Wilson, said that during that company’s 1999-2000 season, Domingo grabbed her bare breast under her robe. Former singer Patricia Wulf also has said she was harassed by Domingo while working in Washington.