HEADS UP: How Does Sinovac Stack Up? (Feb. 24)

Here's a Heads Up from Reportr.World on news that you need to know today, Feb. 24:

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• People can't stop talking about China's Sinovac vaccine, which was cleared by the FDA for emergency use. How does it stack up against other jabs?
• Here's what science says about three popular home remedies against sleeplessness. 

TOP STORIES:

• National and local authorities are trying to agree on common travel protocols. The proposals include doing away with the test-before-travel requirement.
• President Rodrigo Duterte met his Cabinet late Monday and agreed to look into setting up more tourism bubbles and providing subsidies for hog raisers to help tame meat prices.
• PLDT and DITO have agreed to interconnect their networks for wireless subscribers.
• JG Summit, seeking to expand its financial technology footprint, has invested in South Africa's digital bank, Tyme.
• Pinay Pride: One of three Fil-Ams who helped land NASA's Perseverance Rover on Mars is a woman. Meet Genevie Yang.

METRO-REGIONS

• The Army arrested in Sulu several female kin of Abu Sayyaf bandits, some caught with explosive materials. They said the women could be deployed for suicide attacks.
• Cebu City authorities ordered the removal of "Run Sara Run" posters urging Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to run for president citing the lack of a posting permit.
• Intramuros in Manila is encouraging cashless payments, starting with entrance tickets, as it reopens in the new normal.
• The President visited flood-hit areas in Surigao. Auring has long weakened into a low pressure area but the threat of rains continues until today.

WORLD

• U.S. President Joe Biden led the nation in mourning a grim milestone: 500,000 COVID-19 deaths.
• French electronica duo Daft Punk are splitting after a chart-topping run.
• Nestle is heeding clamor to release a strictly vegan KitKat. It trades eggs for rice.
• Perseverance beamed back to Earth a sound clip of a gust of wind from Mars. Listen here.

Here's an update COVID-19 cases as of 4 p.m. of Jan. 23: