Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world:

Is Afghanistan’s Most-Wanted Militant Now Its Best Hope for Change?

Sirajuddin Haqqani topped the United States’ most-wanted list in Afghanistan, with a $10 million bounty on his head. But since the Taliban’s return to power, Mr. Haqqani has portrayed himself as something else altogether: A voice of relative moderation in a government steeped in religious extremism.

Putin Appears to Say That North Korean Troops Are in Russia

“If there are images they are a reflection of something,” Putin said in a tongue-in-cheek answer to whether Pyongyang had sent troops to help with Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Putin Abandons Caution on North Korea in Pursuit of Victory in Ukraine

The invasion of Ukraine has led the Russian leader to jettison cooperation with the West over North Korea’s nuclear arsenal in favor of an ever-deepening military alliance with Pyongyang.

@nytimes