US midterms: 5 key House, Senate and gubernatorial races

In this special edition, Annette Young heads to the US as the country prepares for its midterm elections. With the Supreme Court having overturned Roe v. Wade and thus ending the constitutional right to access to abortion, November 8th has become a milestone election for American women.

The US state of Arizona is among the most hotly contested races in the midterm elections. On the Republican side, the candidate for Governor, Kari Lake, repeated former President Donald Trump's false contention that the 2020 election was "stolen." DW's Ines Pohl reports.

The fight for a majority in the Senate has come down to three key races, with Georgia heading to a runoff.

Germany's conservative opposition has held up a landmark welfare reform to provide basic income to some categories of people drawing unemployment benefits. The bill was blocked in the Bundesrat, Germany's upper house.

The veteran politician's announcement comes in the wake of Democrats losing control of the House to Republicans. The Democrats are expected to hold leadership elections later this month.

Mishaal Al Kuwari was eagerly awaiting the start of the World Cup opening game between his national team Qatar and Ecuador with mixed feelings.

Several hundred people gathered to protest remarks that blamed young women for Poland's low birthrate. The Women's Strike movement has frequently protested attacks on women's rights.

Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock has defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a run-off vote in Georgia. It was the final Senate seat left undecided from the 2022 midterms. While the Democrats already held the majority, Warnock's victory now gives the party an outright, 51-seat hold on the Senate.

US President Joe Biden said he will not remain silent as long as antisemitism in the US is on the rise. He made the comments during a Hanukkah event at the White House.

Numerous defections from the Republican party on the second day of voting have meant that after six votes, Kevin McCarthy has failed in his bid to become US House speaker.

Not since 1859, in the build-up to the Civil War, has the House demonstrated such disunity of the Speaker role. Republican Kevin McCarthy is facing increasing pressure to gather the necessary votes or step aside.

It’s time to party! On the sidelines of the exhibition "Habibi, revolutions of love" at the Arab World Institute in Paris, a big dance party celebrates queer culture across the Arab world. And what better way to pay homage to tolerance and love than an evening of voguing? Some impressive artists were there to share the love, among them Vinii Revlon, Vanina Ninja, Myss Keta and also the director of the Institute, Jack Lang. FRANCE 24 went to check it out.