Inside the Americas

Outgoing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is challenging the election he lost last month to left-wing rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro blames a software bug and is demanding that the electoral authority annul most of the votes cast on electronic voting machines. Although Lula's victory has already been ratified by the Superior Electoral Court, Bolsonaro's claims could fuel protests from a small but committed group of his supporters.

This week, NASA's next-generation Moon rocket blasted off with three test dummies aboard. The successful launch brings the United States one step closer to putting astronauts back on the surface of the Moon. If everything goes according to plan, Artemis 1 will propel a capsule to orbit around the Moon and then return to Earth with a splashdown expected in the next three weeks. For more, we speak to Jean-François Clervoy, an astronaut at the European Space Agency who was previously at NASA.

The US midterms saw more of a pink wave than a red one as President Joe Biden's Democrats fared better than expected against the Republicans. However, the GOP still looks on track to narrowly win the House of Representatives and block much of Biden's agenda for the last two years of his term. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis breaks down the results so far and explains what they mean for former president Donald Trump's influence on US politics.

America goes to the polls next week for crucial midterm elections that could see the Democrats lose control of Congress. In this special edition, we look at why Tuesday's vote is so important. We also take a trip down the Mississippi River to talk to voters about some of the key campaign issues. Finally, we report on how the city of Charlottesville has changed since a young woman was killed at a protest against White supremacists there in 2017.

There are just a few days to go until the second round of the presidential run-off in Brazil. Both incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and his left-wing rival Lula da Silva are leaving no stone unturned in trying to convince voters that they've got what it takes to lead the country going forward. Bolsonaro is considering raising the minimum wage and adjusting the salaries of civil servants for inflation. This comes as universities in the country say they're desperate after years of budget cuts imposed during his term in office. Our correspondents report.

Haiti has been grappling with food and fuel shortages, spiralling inflation and now an outbreak of cholera. US officials say they're in talks with international partners who are interested in playing a role in bringing the security situation under control. This comes after the country's Prime Minister Ariel Henry issued an appeal for help. We take a closer look.

In the United States, the midterms are now less than one month away. Local and statewide races are being held across the country with all 435 seats of the House and a third of the Senate up for grabs. And abortion has become one of the big hot-button issues, as FRANCE 24's Annette Young reports from Kentucky.

Last year, half of the coaches of America's National Women's Soccer League were fired following players' complaints of emotional and sexual abuse. This week, a follow-up investigation into the scandal showed that this kind of abuse is systemic in women's football in the US. Our Sports Editor Selina Sykes tells us more.

We bring you a special edition on the upcoming elections in Brazil. On October 2, some 156 million Brazilians will head to the polls to elect a third of their senators, 513 deputies, all 27 governors and Brazilian state legislatures, as well as a president. There are 11 candidates running for Brazil's top job, but the presidential contest looks set to be a face-off between current far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro and left-wing former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

As Brazil prepares for the first round of presidential elections in October, we take a closer look at the importance of the Evangelical Christian vote. Four years ago, the vast majority of that electorate supported Jair Bolsonaro, but today their loyalties are wavering. Our correspondents Fanny Lothaire, Louise Raulais, Julia Courtois and Perrine Juan report.