Briefly

DPRK

Pyongyang fires more artillery shells: KCNA

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea said on Tuesday it had ordered military units to fire more artillery shells into the sea, the official KCNA news agency reported, in response to the Republic of Korea's ongoing drills. The firing comes a day after the DPRK said it fired more than 130 shells into the sea off its east and west coasts, some of which landed in a buffer zone near the sea border. Seoul and Washington troops have been conducting drills near the border since Monday. Pyongyang has sharply criticized the joint exercises as provocative and proof of hostile policies by the two allies. "The enemy must immediately cease provocative military actions in the zone near the front lines," a spokesperson for DPRK's army said. In addition to the artillery fire, the army issued a combat emergency alert to units at all levels and troops were ordered to step up surveillance.

UNITED STATES

Biden invites Brazil's Lula to White House

US President Joe Biden on Monday invited Brazil's President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to visit the White House, which may happen after he takes office on Jan 1. US national security adviser Jake Sullivan met with Lula in Brasilia for almost two hours and discussed strengthening democracy in the Americas, combating climate change and addressing the situation in Haiti and Venezuela. Sullivan extended the invitation for Lula to visit Washington on behalf of Biden, the White House said in a statement. Lula welcomed the invite on social media. "I am excited to talk with President Biden and deepen the relationship between our countries," he tweeted. Lula won Brazil's presidential election in October, defeating the incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro.

Agencies Via Xinhua