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Maine Senator Susan Collins and her Democratic challenger squared off in their final Senate debate, clashing sharply over President Trump and his policies. The exchange highlighted the central question of the closely watched race: whether Collins, a moderate Republican, can distance herself from an unpopular president while retaining support from his base in a state that has shifted toward Democrats.

Anthropic has unveiled Claude Duet, a new AI agent app that joins the fast-growing personal assistant and agent market. Coverage from Reuters, The New York Times, The Verge and Engadget frames it as Anthropic's answer to Meta's Muse and OpenAI's Dots. Reports note the product is not yet widely available, with no public trial for most users, but the announcement has put Anthropic squarely into the race to build consumer-facing AI agents.

Spain is bracing for a wet turn as October begins, with the state weather agency AEMET raising its alert to orange for downpours of up to 100 litres per square metre in eastern La Palma on Thursday. Forecasters say a warm Atlantic, at around 24°C, will fuel strong autumn low-pressure systems, with meteorologist José Miguel Viñas warning of 'hard weather events'. Rain and warm weather are expected across much of the country into October, while popular forecaster Jorge Rey predicts storms around the 12 October holiday.

Scenes of chaos are being reported at Place de la République in central Paris, France. The square, a frequent site of demonstrations and public gatherings, is the focus of attention, but details on what triggered the disorder, who is involved, and whether there are injuries or arrests are not yet available.

The Zhalavusha flower garden — the 'Zhuravlinaya zarya' (Crane Dawn) display — will remain in its current location on Revolution Square in Ivanovo, according to local reports. City authorities have decided not to relocate the installation, ending speculation about its future on the central square.

European Central Bank board member Frank Elderson said climate change and nature degradation fall 'squarely within' the mandates of central banks, defending the ECB's role in addressing environmental risks. The remarks reinforce the bank's position that supervising climate-related financial risks is part of its core task of maintaining financial stability, a stance that continues to draw scrutiny from critics who argue central banks are overstepping.

Lord's Cricket Ground has dug up one of its pitches for the first time in more than 25 years, taking action after years of criticism about the state of the square. The move raises questions about what caused the drastic intervention and how the famous venue will rebuild and manage its playing surface going forward.

Europe's housing markets are moving in opposite directions, with prices in Belgrade reported up around 20% while Dublin's are down roughly 15%. Commenters highlight that affordability, not headline growth, is the continent's real problem: in Athens, new homes cost about €4,364 per square metre after a 6.5% rise, leaving typical buyers increasingly stretched. The figures suggest national policies and local demand are pulling European property markets apart rather than moving together.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has begun a diplomatic visit to Uzbekistan, touring the historic Registan Square in Samarkand with his wife. Footage of the visit has drawn wide attention as observers watch what the trip signals for US engagement with Central Asia, a region where Washington has been seeking closer ties amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.

Final Fantasy VII Remake is drawing attention in Brazil following news that Final Fantasy titles are joining Xbox Game Pass this October, alongside Plants vs. Zombies and a slate of indie games. The arrival of the acclaimed role-playing game on Microsoft's subscription service gives a wider audience access to the Square Enix title, which was previously limited to PlayStation and PC platforms.

New archaeological discoveries have emerged during construction works at Piazza Aldo Moro in Bari, halting progress at the site. Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, which is overseeing the project, says the works will still be completed by the end of the year. The finds are believed to be of historical interest, drawing attention to the square's ancient past.

Micron's chief technology officer said the US memory chipmaker will not pursue 4F-squared DRAM designs, even as China's CXMT advances in the technology. The remarks clarify Micron's roadmap as competition intensifies in the memory market, with Chinese manufacturers gaining ground and industry watchers weighing how far they can close the gap with leading US and Korean producers.

Anthropic and a group of major music publishers are facing off in court over the AI company's 'fair use' defense in an ongoing copyright lawsuit. The publishers argue that Anthropic used copyrighted song lyrics to train its AI systems without permission or payment, while the company contends its use of the material is legally protected. The case is being closely watched as a test of how copyright law applies to training artificial intelligence models.

Robot food delivery is growing in Philadelphia, with Wonder launching service in Rittenhouse Square and Grubhub also expanding its robot operations in the city. The rollout means more sidewalks in central Philadelphia will carry autonomous delivery robots, part of a broader push by food and delivery companies to automate last-mile orders in US cities.

The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the New York Knicks in the NBA season opener at Madison Square Garden, with Tyrese Maxey scoring 28 points to lead the Sixers. LeBron James was also involved in the night's chatter, trading words with hecklers courtside in New York. Interest in the matchup is high across the US, UK, India, Japan, Australia and Germany, boosted further by Knicks ticket prices soaring after last season's championship run.

A new poll finds that more than half of Americans disapprove of President Trump's performance, with his handling of the economy a particular weak point. The results, reported by The Center Square, suggest economic dissatisfaction remains a political liability for the administration as voters weigh inflation, costs of living and jobs. Critics are citing the numbers as evidence of eroding public confidence.

Los Angeles office leasing reached four million square feet, the strongest figure since 2019, fuelling a wider conversation about commercial real estate recovery. Alongside this, UK warehouse group SEGRO is drawing takeover attention, while consumers weigh leasing versus buying vehicles in 2026. Commentators are debating whether the market rebound has legs and whether takeover targets are already fully priced.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said any decision on Starlink's continued access in Ukraine rests with Elon Musk, not the White House. The comments come as the satellite internet service, run by Musk's SpaceX, remains vital to Ukrainian military and civilian communications. Rubio's remarks put responsibility squarely on Musk at a sensitive moment in US-Ukraine relations.

The New York Knicks will host the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden as the headline game of a three-game NBA season-opening slate, broadcast on NBC and Peacock. It marks NBC's return to airing NBA basketball, and the league is leaning on a marquee Eastern Conference matchup at MSG to launch the new broadcast partnership.

Ancona's city council has approved the criteria for redeveloping Piazza d'Armi, a large square in the Italian city. The plan includes 500 parking spaces, 38 stalls for the local market, and more green space. The project aims to improve the area's usability and environment.

Hanley Investment Group has arranged the sale of a 13,308-square-foot retail center in Glendale. The transaction, reported by REJournals, adds to the brokerage's record of retail property deals in the region. Terms of the sale and the identities of the buyer and seller were not disclosed in the announcement.

The New York Knicks held a banner night at Madison Square Garden, drawing a heavy celebrity turnout, though one familiar famous fan was notably missing from the crowd. Outlets including Yahoo Sports and the New York Post flagged the absence as a talking point, with fans speculating about which star skipped the celebration and why.

A U.S. House committee has subpoenaed New Jersey's Secretary of State as part of an investigation into roughly 6,600 allegedly illegal voter registrations in the state. The probe, reported by The Center Square, signals renewed congressional scrutiny of New Jersey's voter rolls and election administration. The story is drawing attention amid ongoing partisan debates over election integrity, with Republicans on the committee pressing state officials for records and answers.