5 things you need to know this morning: Oct. 12, 2021

Start your day off right with five things you need to know this morning.

Five things you need to know

1. North Korea to build 'invincible army'

North Korea's tyrant, Kim Jong-un, has pledged to build an "invincible army." He said it would be created amid hostility from the US.

North Korea's Kim rips US and promises "invincible" military https://t.co/VmlURiMtnH pic.twitter.com/QsI4twhQYK

— The Hill (@thehill) October 12, 2021

2. UK government blasted over COVID-19 response

The UK government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis was one of the country's worst public health failures ever, a group of MPs has said. More than 150,000 people have died with the virus in the UK.

Covid response ‘one of UK’s worst ever public health failures’ https://t.co/F44F376s8m

— The Guardian (@guardian) October 11, 2021

3. Tire removed from elk's neck after 2 years

An elk that had a tire around its neck for two years has finally been liberated. The hapless critter was tranquilized and had its antlers removed during the operation in Colorado.

For more than two years, a wild elk had a car tire struck around his neck. Now, it’s free. https://t.co/aQMzN2S3dR

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 12, 2021

4. Evidence suggests humans have been using tobacco for 12,300 years

Humans could have been using tobacco for up to 12,300 years, new evidence suggests. Researchers have found four charred tobacco plant seeds in an ancient fireplace in Utah.

Charred seeds found in an ancient hearth used by hunter-gatherers in what's now Utah suggest that humans used tobacco more than 12,000 years ago -- 9,000 years earlier than previously documented and well before agriculture took root in the Americas. https://t.co/KvgxoFwFP8

— CNN (@CNN) October 11, 2021

5. Spanish politicians attack Biden over Columbus comments

Some politicians in Spain have attacked President Joe Biden after he said Christopher Columbus's world-changing transatlantic voyages led to "devastation." The leader of the Popular Party said the voyages represented the most important event in history after the collapse of the Roman Empire.

Spanish right attacks Biden over Columbus and conquests https://t.co/A5t8VJpXXt

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) October 12, 2021