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woman: a successful business owner sells his company and restores his father's historic jazz club with his son. a raymond james financial advisor get to know you, your passions, and the way you bring people together. life well planned. announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. and by judy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news" ín washington and this is bbc world news america. the u.s. democratic ticket for president is officially set as vice president kamala harris taps minnesota governor tim walz. >> would you be my running mate and let's get this thing on the road? [applause]

>> those union members and their families -- anchor: a gaza leader as a new political chief following the assassination of his predecessor. hello and welcome to world news america, i am caitríona perry. we begin in the presidential battleground state of pennsylvania where kamala harris is holding her first rally with her vice presidential pick, tim walz. she selected him this morning after a truncated selection process to find a running mate for the white house. these are pictures from temple university, where they are appearing together for the first time as the 2024 democratic presidential ticket.

they are beginning a multicity campaign tour in philadelphia where high turnout from democrats is critical to winning pennsylvania's 19 electoral college votes. harris's campaign called him a champion for working families. the campaign said in a statement he became a member of congress and a republican district by representing the needs of farmers and rural america. the governor has done more to help with class families get ahead than any other statewide leader in recent memory. a former high school teacher and military veteran, tim walz said it was the owner of his life to be accepted. >> let's talk about you, that's what this election is about. your future, your family. vice president harris knows that. shetoo has a working class family and makes sure that the middle class can get ahead. we believe in the promise of america and the values i learned in nebraska.

when we fight, we win. anchor: until his selection, tim walz probably wasn't a household name in the u.s. or around the globe. he served in the army national guard for 24 years. his highest position was command sergeant major, one of the highest enlisted ranks in the military. he was a formal social studies teacher and football coach at a high school in southern minnesota. he was a u.s. congressman 12 years, winning and a mostly rural southern minnesota district. he was an elected governor of minnesota in 2018, winning by more than 11 points. while minnesota is not considered a swing state it is still likely to play in important role in november's election. the midwestern state has voted democratic in every presidential election for more than 50 years. it neighbors the critical blue wall states of wisconsin, michigan and pennsylvania, the

former industrial heartland's that both sides believe they need to win the white house. by picking walz, the harris campaign is thought to be appealing to blue-collar voters in these areas. to discuss the appeal, i am joined by an illinois congressman. thank you for joining us on bbc news. you were one of the first ones to call for joe biden to step back from the ticket. what is your view of the offering the democratic party is taking to the country now? >> to your forced -- first point, i am very relieved that president biden made in extra ordinary decision, putting his country first, and the transition has gone so well and the extraordinary enthusiasm uniting the party. i served 10 years with governor walz and he's a great guy.

they talk about him as being the epitome as a happy warrior -- i never thought about him that way, he was just a guy who got things done and was very involved in veterans affairs as the ranking member on that committee in congress. he was a centrist. all you need to know about him politically, he was only the second democrat to win that seat in congress since 1890. he knows how to win a swing voter. he knows how to win over moderate republicans, that's how he got a letter to congress and to be governor, and that will be his job on the campaign. anchor: that will be of course particularly of note in a state that neighbors your own in wisconsin and not far away in pennsylvania and michigan as well. what specifically will he bring to those voters that you say he has to win over? rep. quigley: you look at his

record of governor, it covers the full range of things that will appeal to midwestern voters. he signed into law the largest tax cut in the state of minnesota history but was also the governor who led his estate to be the first state to sign protections on choice since the supreme court overturned roe v. wade. he reduced health care costs, bringing insulin costs down to $35. i think he knows how to cover that broad range but he also just knows how to message effectively without sounding like he's even trying to do it. it's like your neighbor talking to you about things you care about. i have some experience with him in that regard. when you serve in congress 10 years, you sit on the floor and have long talks and get to know somebody really well. i'm really happy with the choice and happy for him. anchor: it had been reported the

governor of pennsylvania, josh schapiro, was down to the final two if you want to call it that. what do you think gave tim walz the edge? rep. quigley: i don't know the decision-making process, but from my point of view, he probably just went out and won it with how he addressed the public, his discussions on national tv several times. it just bubbled through and was so enthusiastic and successful. it's easy to imagine that translating on the campaign trail, being such a dynamic ticket. the country has a very broad spectrum and it's hard to capture that 51% that is so essential. trump won by 78,000 votes in three states, biden 46,000 and three states.

something like governor walz has the ability to make a difference in those critical states, whether it is minnesota, michigan, wisconsin or pennsylvania but i also think across the country. he is somebody you feel like you could get to know very quickly and like. not just from the way he talks but his background. he's the quintessential american story. anchor: thank you so much for your thoughts. illinois congressman mike quigley. now to reaction from the other side of the aisle, republican presidential nominee donald trump took to his social media platform truth social with the simple post, thank you. the trump campaign press secretary released a statement calling the pick no surprise, as he said mr. walz has been his governorship to reshape and a soda into california, and added that he is a dangerously liberal extremist and said the

harris-walz california dream is every american's nightmare. meanwhile, senator j.d. vance, trump's vp pick, is on the campaign trail. he's planning to follow harris on her swing state tour. he criticized the choice of governor walz,: him a far left radical, but added he looks forward to debating walz after the democratic national convention. >> tim walz's record is a joke, he's been one of the far left radicals in the entire united states government at any level but i think what his selection says is that, let harris -- is that kamala harris has been to the need to the far left of her party. anchor: governor walz signed several progressive policies into law, including the legalization of recreational marijuana and expunging low-level cannabis convictions

for more than 50,000 minnesotans. the protection of abortion access into state law, providing free school meals to k-12 students regardless of parental income, utilities offering 100% carbon free electricity by 2040, and a red flag law that gives state courts the power to confiscate guns from residents who pose a risk to themselves or others. most recently the governor has led the democratic party attacks on republican rivals for president, getting traction on social media for labeling donald trump and j.d. vance as "weird." joining me to discuss is the minnesota attorney general. thank you for joining us. governor walz very well known in your own state, perhaps this will known across the u.s. what do people need to know about the governor? >> that he is approachable, a

listener, he listens to what constituents need and then he formulates a strategy to deliver it. in the united states and in the state of minnesota, school lunch and breakfast was means tested and it only went to kids who could afford it. that meant a lot of families who were struggling had large debts to the school were were denied access or given not much of a meal. tim walz was a teacher for years and he knows how hard it is to learn on an empty stomach. he worked with the legislature and they passed a universal breakfast and lunch program for the kids in the system. this will help kids learn better, it will bring up nutrition and improve school attendance. some people might label that left or right, i don't know about the ideology behind that, it just seems pragmatic and

common sense to me. anchor: he's been described as minnesota nice. what does that mean? mr. ellison: it depends on who you ask but i will tell you it means we believe in civility. we believe a lot of luster and open nastiness is not the way to do politics. at the same time, you shouldn't ever discount the toughness of a minnesotan. we live in the coldest state decides alaska, we are pretty hardy and determined. what you will get by minnesota nice is a smile and kind word but determination to get things done. anchor: does that mean he will be able to fulfill the role that often falls to vp candidates, to be the attack dog to keep the top of the ticket above the fray? mr. ellison: what he will do is the way he does everything, with a smile, with a joke and he is

so funny and has such a quick wit you don't want to be on the business side of his wit because everybody will be laughing except for you. not that ever been the target of that but i've seen it have to happen on occasion. for example, i've heard some detractors say he is further left, that's what j.d. vance said. what is far left about saying adult women can control the reproductive choices? what's far left about saying kids can have a full belly to learn in school? what's far left about people affording insulin? these are pragmatic things. my son is a veteran, he served in the u.s. army. my son really appreciates that tim walz has been there for veterans. he's been an advocate for veterans. people who served our country, when they get back sometimes they need health care, sometimes

they need educational benefits, they need things and tim walz has been at the forefront of making sure america delivers for veterans. that's the kind of guy he is. he's not a big ideology guy, he's got a big heart, he's smart and doesn't take himself too seriously. he often will be found wearing a buffalo plaid shirt, which is the red and black we wear appear in the north country. or a cap or camel outfit, that's what he's comfortable and. he's a crack shot, a deer hunter. he also believes in controlling guns because he knows about the danger they've created in our society. he helped pass a red flag law that says if you have committed an assault, domestic violence, you will be prohibited having access to firearms to protect people in domestic partnerships who are abusive. anchor: you mentioned j.d. vance

, the trump campaign has already labeled governor walz as a dangerously liberal extremist. are you concerned that is a label that will stick and be a problem for some of those undecided voters he will be trying to win over? mr. ellison: notice they don't talk about policy, what are they going to do to help the lives of american people? they won't tell you that, all they will do is hurl insults, that's the modus operandi of the republican party. when you get down to it, what is so bad about feeding kids and making sure women can control their own bodies and seniors can afford medicine? if that's what they call far left, i would be shocked to imagine what they call far-right. attila the hun comes to mind. these people are out of touch with what people need. there's no reason to be surprised. they are hedge fund managers,

big-money folks that don't work for the people of the united states, they work for wall street and the big shots that trade back and forth with the only aim being greater and greater profit. anchor: they would say they are working for people in the united states as well but minnesota itself is not likely to be a state in play at the presidential level this year but what can governor walz offer to voters in battleground states that might be undecided? mr. ellison: he can go to any american legion, which is a veterans serving coast, and sit in those rooms and talk to those people about the challenges they are facing and what we can do to make sure their lives are better. he can sit down and talk in any school to parents about kids and dreams for their kids and how to make sure their educational needs are fulfilled. he can talk to any police officer or law enforcement

officer or neighbor about how to keep neighborhoods safer and make sure people are protected and have the services they need to feel safe in their homes. he has that, i care about you, we will sit down and talk about how we make america a better place, how to make this country a place where it serves the needs of all. that's what he can do and he can do it anywhere, not just a swing state but anywhere he needs to go. anchor: minnesota attorney general keith ellison, thank you for speaking to us. mr. ellison: thank you. anchor: we will have more coverage of that rally in philadelphia coming up but let's move to the middle east where hamas has named a new political chief. he is one of the architects of the groups october 7 attack on israel and succeeds a senior commander whose assassination in tehran has stoked fears of regional conflict.

meanwhile israel and hezbollah have been carrying out air strikes against each other. six people have reportedly been killed in lebanon. there was also attack on the country's northern coast. the has below leader said the attack wasn't in response to israel's killing of a senior commander from the group last week. he said retaliation was yet to come and will be strong and effective. for more, here is our diplomatic correspondent who sent this report from jerusalem. reporter: we understand the appointment of the leader of hamas was unanimous by the organizations leadership. it was always likely in the wake of the assassination, which was blamed universally on israel even though israel has yet to comment directly on it, it was always likely that he would be

the figure to take over. there were one or two other candidates but he's by far the most prominent. i think what it tells us is hamas's reaction to the assassination is one of total defiance. by killing if not a moderate definitely the most pragmatic member of hamas, israel has now secured as the leader of hamas the most radical figure within the organization, the man most committed to the use of violence, the manna generally regarded as the chief architect of the dreadful attacks of october 7 last year. anchor: bangladesh's parliament has been dissolved a day after the prime minister was dramatically forced from power. he resigned and fled the country after weeks of student led protests spiraled into deadly unrest.

protest leaders have set a deadline for a solution to pave the way for a new interim government. protesters hope it will be led by a nobel prize winner who has just been named the leader of the new interim government and bangladesh. meanwhile, police in bangladesh have gone on strike, complaining of a wave of reprisal attacks against them. they said they would not return to work until the safety of every officer was guaranteed. a statement from the police union has apologized for violence used against protesters in recent weeks. the capital is reported as calm but there have been reports of violence and looting across the country. we have a report. reporter: bangladesh facing a new uncertainty after the downfall of the prime minister. in the meantime, the president and army chief are holding talks with different political parties

and student leaders to formulate a new interim government. the students have demanded that in any upcoming government their voices must be heard. meantime violence is still going on. more than 400 police stations across the country were set on fire, meaning officers went into hiding. the police are afraid of public backlash. there was no immigration police officers on monday to attend. many people associated with the prime minister's party, their houses came under attack and were burned. some leaders were beaten to death. it could be a difficult job for the interim government to maintain law and order. it will be a crucial issue in the days to come. anchor: the u.k. prime minister

says to expect substantial sentencing over conflict in england. he convened a second merge and see meeting to tackle the unrest. 400 people have been arrested in more than 100 charged with criminal offense after a week of disorder. the arrest directed after the fatal stabbing of three girls in an englishtown, southport, fueled by this information and anti-immigrate sentiment. in belfast, police say an assault on the man in his 50's last night is being investigated as a racially motivated hate crime. here is our correspondent. reporter: some visible signs of violence being removed from the streets here, but the sense of fear and tension hasn't lifted. last night, police faced a group

throwing bricks, metal rods and petrol bombs. officers fired two ton round and a 15-year-old. a man in his 50's suffered serious injuries when attackers stomped on his head. detectives are treating it as a racially motivated hate crime. >> the things we've witnessed the past few days have been hoeven does. there's been violence, assault, damage to property, arson, racist slurs on our streets. this is not who we are as a society. reporter: the latest disturbances happened close to this supermarket, which was set on fire saturday. manager says he's frightened about the future. >> we need actions, we need solutions immediately to make

everything calm down. we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow and that's the thing. reporter: most of the troubles have been in south belfast, the most diverse part of the city. northern ireland has had a low level of immigration compared with the rest of the u.k.. there is never before been street violence on this scale against members of ethnic minority communities. the owner of this restaurant didn't want to appear on camera because she's concerned for her safety. >> most of my staff -- but this is not a reason. i am scared. they don't take anybody's jobs, i created jobs here. reporter: damage businesses are set to get financial help from the local counsel but they say there are many ways they can't afford more disruption or disruption.

anchor: it is day 11 of the paris olympics and it has ended in dramatic fashion with the u.s. returning to the top of the metal table after china briefly occupied the spot. a stunning upset in the men's 1500 race helped, and a runner added one more olympic gold to team usa's total with a win in the women's 200 meter race. stay with us on bbc news. announcer: funding for presentation of this program is provided by... financial services firm, raymond james. announcer: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. and by judy and peter blum kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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amna: good evening. geoff: on the news hour tonight, minnesota governor tim walz joins the ticket as the kamala harris's vice presidential ticket.