Here are today’s leading news stories:

COVID-19 Updates

-- Vietnam’s Ministry of Health reported 3,221 COVID-19 cases on Saturday, down by 578 cases compared to the previous day, raising the country’s tally to 860,860, with 790,504 recoveries and 21,131 deaths.

-- Ho Chi Minh City authorities plan to provide COVID-19 vaccination for about 780,000 children aged 12 to 17 from October 22. The vaccination drive is expected to last for five days.

-- Authorities in the southern province of Binh Phuoc have allowed people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have recovered from the disease to enter the locality without having to undergo quarantine.

-- Heath authorities in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday began administering Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine to local residents at several vaccination sites in Thu Duc City.

Society

-- Police in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City confirmed on Saturday they had arrested a 24-year-old man for drugging multiple gay men while going on a date with them to steal their property.

-- Many people lined up in front of famous fashion stores at shopping malls in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday as the shops offered discounts of up to 50 percent on the occasion of Vietnamese Women's Day (October 20).

Business

-- By the end of 2020, state-owned enterprises had invested more than US$6.71 billion abroad, but the accumulated loss reached $1.17 billion, according to a recent report submitted to the National Assembly by the government.

Sports

-- Vietnam U23s are scheduled to participate in a friendly game against Kyrgyzstan U23s during their train trip in the UAE at 9:00 pm on Sunday (Vietnam time). The game will be aired on ONSPORST+.

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