| A Ukrainian outpost on the eastern front line fell to Russian troops, according to the DeepState map service that's maintained in cooperation with the Defense Ministry in Kyiv. Vuhledar, a strategically located coal-mining town that Russia has tried to take since early 2022, was seized as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy makes increasingly urgent pleas to Western allies for weapons to repel a gradual advance by Kremlin forces.  Vuhledar in August. Photographer: Gaelle Girbes/Getty Images Michel Barnier's first policy address yesterday bought the new French prime minister some much-needed time to fix the nation's finances, while avoiding a major rebuke from investors. Barnier, whose centrist coalition doesn't have a parliamentary majority, said he would delay bringing the budget deficit within 3% of economic output until 2029, and outlined plans for a combination of spending cuts and tax hikes on the wealthy and large companies. Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance came across as the more self-assured in the debate yesterday with his Democratic counterpart Tim Walz, whose nerves were on display as they battled over immigration, abortion, and climate change. The bout saw the two Midwesterners seek to maintain a personable veneer and policy focus as they delivered punishing attacks on each others' running mates. Claudia Sheinbaum pledged in her inaugural address as Mexico's first female president to pursue the efforts of her political mentor, outgoing leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, to improve the lives of the poor. She also promised to safeguard foreign investment as she builds on the legacy of a popular predecessor who wasn't always friendly to business interests. Japan's new prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, held his first phone call with Biden and discussed increasing Japanese military spending and how to strengthen their countries' alliance. A self-declared "defense nerd," Ishiba is a strong supporter of the US-Japan alliance but has also raised novel ideas on ways to develop ties, including by building bases for Japan's military in the US. Malaysia is expanding oil and gas exploration in the disputed South China Sea despite pressure from Chinese vessels in waters where both sides have overlapping claims, the Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said in a report. Crime fears are dominating the run-up to mayoral elections in Brazil, a test for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the candidates he backs in the Sunday races that will serve as an early referendum on his government. China said its Coast Guard vessels entered the Arctic Ocean for the first time, patrolling the waters jointly with Russian ships on a mission that underscored the growing cooperation between Beijing and Moscow in the region. South Africa will need to expedite reforms that can boost economic growth to sustain investor inflows that have surged since the formation of a coalition government, according to the world's largest investment banks. | 
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