First Thing: Vladimir Putin receives warm welcome in North Korea

Russian president makes first visit in 24 years as anti-west relationship deepens. Plus, Ebon Moss-Bachrach on The Bear

Good morning.

Vladimir Putin has arrived in North Korea for a summit with Kim Jong-un, amid US warnings against any agreement that could add to military pressure on Ukraine and raise tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Making his first visit to the reclusive country since 2000, the Russian president flew to Pyongyang where he was greeted by huge welcome banners, cheering crowds and Russian flags.

Putin and Kim were due to sign agreements designed to deepen a relationship that has strengthened significantly since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. “We highly appreciate your consistent and unwavering support for Russian policy, including in the Ukrainian direction,” Putin said, according to the Russian state news agency RIA.

What is North Korea’s role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? The US and South Korea say they have evidence Pyongyang supplied dozens of ballistic missiles and more than 11,000 containers of munitions to Russia. In return, Kim is understood to have sought Russian food and energy aid, and help with his country’s space programme.

What did Nato say about the meeting? The alliance’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said Putin’s trip showed he was “dependent” on authoritarian leaders in countries such as North Korea, Iran and China.

‘The sky was on fire’: New Mexico villagers flee two deadly wildfires

Two fast-moving fires have forced frenzied evacuations and consumed hundreds of buildings in New Mexico, as firefighters struggled to bring the blazes under control.

On Monday, plumes of crimson-colored smoke curled over the village of Ruidoso. Officials warned: “Go now … Evacuate immediately.” By Tuesday morning, approximately 500 structures had been consumed. The governor’s office said on Tuesday evening there had been one death as a result of the wildfires, but did not provide further details.

“This is climate change. It is hot and it is dry,” George Ducker, the communications coordinator of the New Mexico forestry division, told the New York Times.

Why is the state so vulnerable to wildfires? New Mexico has been in the grips of drought, with more than 12% of the state classified as in extreme drought by the US Drought Monitor, mostly concentrated across the south.

Here’s how wildfires are impacting other states: Swaths of California have been subject to smoke-filled skies this week, as fires swept through yellowing hillsides across the state. More than 66,000 acres have already burned in California this year.

Latest Israeli strikes on refugee camps kill at least 17 people in Gaza, medics say

A series of Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday killed at least 17 Palestinian people in two of the Gaza Strip’s refugee camps, according to reports from residents and medics.

Nuseirat and Bureij are home to families and descendants of people who fled to Gaza in the 1948 war around the creation of Israel.

The strikes came as tanks advanced further into the southern city of Rafah, with civilians describing intense bombardments by tanks and planes across the city, which sheltered more than 1 million people before May. Most of the population has fled northwards since the Israeli forces’ incursion.

What is the war’s humanitarian cost? After Hamas attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostage, Israel’s invasion of Gaza has killed more than 37,000 people, wounded 85,000, decimated most of the coastal strip’s infrastructure and brought the population to the brink of famine.

What’s next after Benjamin Netanyahu dismantled his war cabinet on Monday? The Israeli prime minister is expected to hold consultations about the Gaza war with a small group of ministers. Critics allege that he is stalling the war to avoid an inquiry into his government’s shortcomings on 7 October.

In other news …

The actor Ian McKellen says he’s “looking forward to returning to work” after falling from the stage during a performance of Player Kings in London.

Mark Rutte, the outgoing Dutch prime minister, is expected to become the next head of Nato, after a deal with Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán.

An Amnesty International report accused Moroccan authorities of “widespread use of unlawful force” against asylum seekers, in a 2022 incident that caused the deaths of at least 27 people.

US authorities paused safety inspections on avocados and mangoes in Mexico, after two US agriculture department employees were attacked by assailants in Michoacán. They were later released.

Stat of the day: Almost 2,000 children die every day from air pollution, report finds

Nearly 2,000 children under five are dying every day from air pollution, which has overtaken poor sanitation and a lack of clean water to become the second biggest health risk factor for young children around the world, according to a study from the Health Effects Institute.

Don’t miss this: Ebon Moss-Bachrach on thirsty fans, food porn and The Bear

From Girls to Andor to The Dropout, he is one of the best character actors around – now with the Emmy to prove it. With Chris Godfrey, he discusses stress, fantasy and why he will happily work until he keels over.

… Or this: A life in pictures, after Willie Mays dies at 93

Willie Mays, the electrifying Say Hey Kid whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, has died aged 93.

Climate check: More than 577 people die in Mecca pilgrimages as temperatures exceed 125F

At least 577 pilgrims have died during the hajj, underscoring the grueling nature of the pilgrimage, which again unfolded in scorching temperatures this year. The hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam which all Muslims must complete at least once, is increasingly being affected by climate breakdown. According to a Saudi study published last month, temperatures in the area where rituals are performed were rising 0.4C (0.72F) each decade.

Last Thing: Wedding wars! How photographers took over, and vicars fought back

While once there would be a lone photographer taking pictures of the happy couple, now videographers and “content creators” are also invited to document the big day, writes Emine Saner. But the clergy have had enough.

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