this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. making history — the democratic presidential candidate, joe biden, chooses kamala harris as his running mate for november 5 us election. the fifty—five year old california senator is the first black woman to run on a major presidential ticket in america. they take on donald trump in three months‘ time — his campaign team has already weighed in, saying ‘americans will resoundingly reject‘ this is bbc world news, the headlines the pair at the ballot box. the us democratic presidential the main opposition candidate, joe biden, leader in belarus flees the country after disputing has announced that he‘s selected the california senator, the presidential election result. kamala harris, as his running mate for november 5 election. ms harris is the first black woman on a presidential ticket

the people of beirut in american history. observe a minute‘s silence, the pair will take on donald trump marking the moment an explosion in november‘s election. the president‘s campaign ripped through the city — has already weighed in, one week on. saying that ‘americans will resoundingly reject‘ the ticket at the ballot box. the people of beirut have observed a minute‘s silence, marking the moment a week ago when the city was hit hello and welcome if you re watching by a huge explosion. they also walked through the streets dressed in white in the uk or around the world —— to commemorate those who‘ve died. stay with us for the latest news the main opposition leader in belarus has fled and analysis from here the country after disputing and across the globe. i‘m tim willcox. the presidential election result. it is official, after months of speculation and 84 days before election day the democratic nomineejoe biden has picked his running mate. and if elected senator kamala harris is set to make history as the first black female vice president in the nation‘s history — and the first african american to hold the position. the daughter of immigrants — ms harris was only the second

african american women ever elected to the senate. taking to twitterjoe biden said — "i have the great honor to announce that i ve picked @kamalaharris — a fearless whilst kamala said she‘s honored to join joe biden as our party‘s nominee for vice president, and do what it takes to make him our commander—in—chief. president trump on the other hand taking no time to criticise the choice — he took to twitter minutes after the annoucement with a new video denoucing kamala harris and joe biden... voters rejected harris. they smartly spotted a phony. but notjoe biden, he‘s not that smart. biden calls himself a transition candidate. he is handing over the reins to kamala while they jointly embrace the radical left. slowjoe and phoney kamala long, perfect together. wrong for america.

just a sense there of how heated this campaign is set to get over the coming weeks and months. lets go straight to our north america correspondent david willis who has the latest. she‘s from your neck of the words so they must be great excitement there. despite all that excitement was she the safest choice forjoe biden? just in terms of her back ground and career do you think david?” just in terms of her back ground and career do you think david? i think so, she‘s long been seen at the front runner in this race. joe biden have a declared months ago that he would be naming a woman as a running mate and he has gone through this process quite arduously. and with quite a lot of detail. he‘s interviewed opposite of a dozen people some online, some face—to—face including witmer the mission or governorjust a couple of days ago. and slowly but surely, he‘s whittled it down and now he has

arrived at kamala harris. as you would as you said the first african—american and indian woman to be named, who is the first african and indian—american woman to be named as a major party us presidential, vice president. and there is a feeling that this is quite an historic moment because this is really if you like, the passing of the torch perhaps to an extent as far as the democratic party is concerned. joe biden himself will be 78 if he is elected president on inauguration day. a lot of speculation that whoever is his running mate would have to be able to be up and running if you like, from day one. while in kamala harris the democrats have someone who is genuinely seen as a person who fits that description. she was close wasn‘t she to his deceased son both? they work together. he does know her has known her for quite they work together. he does know her

has known herfor quite a period of time. as of course has the trump family. i‘ve noticed that donald trump gave to her attorney general campaign and donated 6000 dollars in 20 ii and started a vodka. that will make for some interesting questions for the president. can she unite the party do you think, david?|j for the president. can she unite the party do you think, david? i think with very important as far as that is for her to bring the african—american vote to the polls onjoe biden african—american vote to the polls on joe biden his african—american vote to the polls onjoe biden his behalf. he has a lot of appeal amongst people of color. but kamala harris will add to that at a time when of course racial politics are very much the fore here in the united states. you‘re absolutely right, joe biden said son bo who died of a brain haemorrhage just for years ago, and kamala harris struck up quite a relationship. they were both attorney general at the same time. although in different parts of the country. it was through that that

joe biden got to know kamala harris. there was that testy exchange of course, at the democratic primary, the first debate. they appear to have buried the hatchet as far as thatis have buried the hatchet as far as that is concerned. i was going to come to that, actually, i think we got a click. of that where she was standing as a candidate. because she laid into him quite strongly, dingy? let‘s watch that now. it was hurtful. to hear you talk about the reputations of two united states senators who built their reputations and career on segregation of race in this country. everything i've done in my career, i ran because of civil rights, continue to think we have to make fundamental changes in civil rights and those civil rights by the way, include notjust only african—american but the lg bt 0 community. you also worked with them to oppose busing. and you know, there was a little girl in california who was part of the second class

to integrate her public schools. and she was bused to school every day. and that little girl with me. it's a mischaracterisation across the board. i did not praise racist. that was quite an exchange. it that debate, didn‘t it. they must have buried the hatchet on that one. i thinkjoe biden was photographed a few weeks ago with some notes of his speech he was going to give and on top of the list was kamala. yes, joe biden was known to be angry and hurt by that exchange. clearly they have managed to patch it up. pragmatism, this is the sort of thing that goes on in politics. people can say things that can be quite tough and ha rd things that can be quite tough and hard on the campaign trail. and these two clearly believe certainly joe biden believes that this is somebody he can work with in the

way. of course that he worked as vice president himself with the then president barack 0bama. they developed a considerable teamwork relationship over the course of eight years. and joe biden even though he didn‘t always agree with things barack 0bama did in regards perhaps to foreign policy, nonetheless, he learned to keep his own counsel and to support barack 0bama for the indy that was a very successful relationship. he‘s clearly looking to replicate that magic, if you like. that may be why he took so long to make this pick. in actualfact, he he took so long to make this pick. in actual fact, he was almost running out of time. because the democratic national convention takes place next week. it was to have taken place in milwaukee, wisconsin it is now to be a largely online affair because of the effects of the coronavirus. we are told that a week from tomorrow kamala harris will make a speech which will be watched

no doubt, across the united states was not basically introducing herself. as the running mate tojoe biden. the two will appear tomorrow together at wilmington delaware at a fund raising event. that will also be very well watch here. 0k, david for now. thank you. thank you. we can now speak to stephanie schriock — democrat and president of emily‘s list which aims to put more democrat women in office the right choice for you? absolutely. we are thrilled. emily‘s list has been working for 35 years and successfully change how many women are in us congress. but we have yet to break the glass ceiling of the white house and either the vp oi’ of the white house and either the vp or presidential slot. and senator harris is an excellent choice. a leader, a strategist, someone who‘s been holding the trump administration accountable. it‘s that kind of fight that i thinkjoe

biden liked the most about her. i think it is a winning ticket. what has she has over all the others, elizabeth warren, susan harris? i've got to tell you, i would not want to have been in vice president biden is used to have to pick among these women. because they all were extraordinarily talent, experience, brought a lot of ambition to save this country. and so everybody brought a little bit of a different thing. i think for senator harris, you‘ve got someone who served as attorney general of california. but keepin attorney general of california. but keep in mind, is the second—largest justice system the entire united states. only behind the us justice system. and so she‘s held big banks accountable, obviously was close to the family and close to bo biden. but also served in the united states senate. remember vice president biden came from the senate. she

serves onjudiciary biden came from the senate. she serves on judiciary where biden came from the senate. she serves onjudiciary where she has questions the trump administration. it is she serves on intelligence. i think all of those pieces with her general, personal story was a perfect fit for him. and i‘m sure as all choices are, and joe biden knows better than anybody what it takes to better than anybody what it takes to be vice president at a good partner. i think they probably hit it all. and figured out that they can really get this country back on track. and boy, we have a lot a work to do here. she is smart she is tough she faced up quite a lot of criticism especially in the press because of her campaign when she was a contender. bad decisions, backbiting, when you look at a record as attorney general she defended the death penalty despite being personally against it in california. 0pposed a bill that would require her office to investigate police shootings. she‘s got a full political chest, hasn‘t

she? well, if you're going to be vice president of the united states president are going to have two serve the people for years typically on the way. i think when you really look at kamala harris his record, her record as attorney general. when she fought the big banks and got a $20 billion settlement for homeowners in the state of california, what she has done in the judiciary committee. to hold people likejeff sessions judiciary committee. to hold people like jeff sessions accountable when he was on the stand. and cavanaugh. that‘s the type of leader that we wa nt that‘s the type of leader that we want and need desperately. that‘s the kind of leader she is going to be as our well first female vice president of the united states. and if they were to win, would she turn looking ahead to her own presidential run? that is the criticism within the democratic party in some courses.|j criticism within the democratic party in some courses. i actually have the honour of knowing kamala harris personally. she, they are

going to win this race because they have a vision for fixing this country. and we are in big trouble here. between not handling covid—i9 pandemic correctly and also the economy around it. plus the systemic racial issues that are just tearing us racial issues that are just tearing us apart. acco two is a kind of person, she is going to roll up her sleeves and she‘s going to get to work side by side withjoe biden to move us work side by side withjoe biden to move us forward and built us back better. because that‘s what has to happen. i have no doubts about that. she focuses on the job in front of her and that‘s exactly what she‘s going to do. thank you forjoining us going to do. thank you forjoining us here on bbc news. the opposition candidate in belarus‘s presidential election has fled the country, after she disputed an election result she claimed was rigged. svetlana tikhanovskaya said she went to lithuania for her children, amid angry protests from her supporters in the capital minsk. the former soviet republic

is often referred to as europe‘s last dictatorship. 0ur moscow correspondent sarah rainsford reports. she‘s been the face of change in belarus, but today, svetla na tikhanovskaya released a tearful video announcing she had fled the country. translation: i know many will understand me, many will condemn, and many will hate me. but god forbid you have to face the choice i had. this was the last time the opposition candidate had been seen, heading to hand in an official complaint that the elections were rigged. we now know she was detained here for seven hours, and she made another recording, clearly under pressure. it was a call to supporters to recognise alexander lukashenko as the people‘s choice for president, and to clear the streets to avoid bloodshed.

no one bought that. protesters have come out for a third straight night, shouting for mr lukashenko to go. this is how similar scenes ended last night. police using stun grenades, rubber bullets and brute force against the growing demand for change. and yet, alexander lukashenko spent today talking food processing with officials. he‘s vowed there will be no revolution and blamed outside forces forfementing unrest. that‘s why, when these russians were detained, state television paraded them as provocateurs. we know two of them were just observing the elections. across the country, desperate families are now hunting for the thousands who‘ve been detained, mothers clamouring at prison gates. this crisis has already claimed one

protester‘s life and increased the anger and upset. the woman these people voted for has fled, but what svetlana tikhanovskaya has started now has its own powerful momentum. sarah rainsford, bbc news, moscow. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: the democratic ticket is official, we‘ll bring you more from washington asjoe biden selects california senator kamala harris as his running mate in the november presidential election. which isjust 80 which is just 80 for days away. —— 84. -- 84. in the seven days and she got her downgraded results

hello you are watching bbc news. his main stories. making history.

sentor kamala harris is chosen as the running mate for the us democratic presidential candidate, joe biden lets stay with that story — and kamala harris has become the first black woman on a major presidential ticket in us history. barack 0bama ba rack 0bama has barack 0bama has tweeted saying i‘ve known kamala harris for a long time. she is more than prepared for the job. she spent her career defending our constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake. while bill clinton said this, this is a terrific choice. kamala harris will bea terrific choice. kamala harris will be a great partner and she and joe biden make a strong team. president trump has been reacting in the white house as well. so what do we know about joe biden‘s new running mate? senator kamala harris has a resume that includes time in the us senate and as california‘s attorney general, as well as san francisco‘s district attorney. she‘s at least been somewhat vetted by the national media, given that she ran for president

last year and was considered, for a time, as a top—tier candidate. she did have a dust—up with biden in the first primary debate last june, where she suggested his past views against desegregating schools through mandatory busing was hurtful. let‘s take a look at that exchange. we don‘t have that for you now but we showed it to you earlier. let‘s pick up on that and a few issues with anthony who joins us mount from the states. anthony, she‘s been the front runnerfor quite the states. anthony, she‘s been the front runner for quite a long time. why the delay? well, yes she was a front runner and sometimes for a reason because she seemed like an obvious bet. i think the delay suggests the importance of this pic forjoe biden. and really for democrats. this isn‘tjust another

running mate. usually running mates don‘t affect the ticket that much. but because joe biden don‘t affect the ticket that much. but becausejoe biden is 77 years old then there‘s the question that he might even declined to run in for yea rs if he might even declined to run in for years if he wins the presidency. this peck essentially was crowning the democratic party. because kamala harris clearly has presidential ambitions now. she has a leg up over the rest of the field. but if you saw from all the sniping and all the other candidates be in advance, all the questions going on the past weeks and months. i think everyone realise how important this decision would be. given joe realise how important this decision would be. givenjoe biden is age. and given the fact that this is a stepping stone to the presidency. and it has been in modern american history. donald trump contributed to her campaign in 2013 as did of uncle. he‘s commenting about the announcement at a press conference today. i think we can just bring that in now. i was so surprised at

the pic. iwas that in now. i was so surprised at the pic. i was more surprised than anything else because she did so poorly. many people did much better than herand the poorly. many people did much better than her and the primaries. she did very poorly in the primaries. that's like a pole. that's like a pole. like a pole. president trump doesn‘t a lwa ys like a pole. president trump doesn‘t always listen to the polls does he? in terms of uniting the party though anthony, can she do that with a more progressive wing perhaps?” anthony, can she do that with a more progressive wing perhaps? i think the progressive wing certainly has their doubts about her. she kind of their doubts about her. she kind of the left on her presidential campaign but they never really trusted her. ithink campaign but they never really trusted her. i think they refer to her is moderate. she‘s one of those candidates that got caught in between the progressives who had bernie sanders, elizabeth warren and the moderates who were rallying joe biden pretty much throughout. that‘s probably why she didn‘t do as well in the race as people thought she might. but when i talk to democratic activists, politicians right now

even those on the left, beating donald trump is so important to them. winning this election is so essential that even though she may not be a progressive enough that some people in the party. at this point they just want to get donald trump out of the white house. they will paper over their differences and pole together. i think she has echoing in her favor. and pole together. i think she has echoing in herfavor. but in for yea rs echoing in herfavor. but in for years when you can see she‘s running for the nomination or in eight years i think all of that will resurface again and people on the left see her asa cop, again and people on the left see her as a cop, is essentially law enforcement. back with somebody with a prosecutorial background. all of that will come up again. thou shall be the heir apparent for the moderates. it will be interesting to see that dynamic play out going forward. it's going to be a fascinating few weeks and months. thank you very much indeed. thank you very much indeed. ceremonies have been held in the lebanese capital tonight, as beirut marks the moment a week ago when the city was hit by a devastating blast.

from there — tom bateman reports. here, there is faith in god... ..but none in their country‘s leaders. the living paid tribute. they believe the dead paid for lebanon‘s problems with their lives. i want to pay a tribute to all the victims. i would not call them martyrs, never, they are not martyrs. a martyr chooses to die. we did not choose to die. a week ago, the moment when nothing would be the same. explosion. a city shattered, a country brought closer to collapse.

scenes she‘ll never forget. her husband comforts her. their home was destroyed, their neighbours below, killed. but she vows to rebuild — her home and their country. we will raise our kids here and no—one is going anywhere, and we‘re going to be stronger than ever. and nothing like this will ever happen again. nothing! nothing should ever happen again because no one should live what we lived and what we witnessed. these sisters have stuck together for a lifetime in beirut. they‘ve seen disasters and war, but now they‘re leaving. lebanon was already on its knees.

now, some warn it may never recover from this. beirut is a broken city. people want change but they know with the system in place here, they‘ve got to do it for themselves. and they continue to remember their dead. for yara, a sign of theirfaith in each other in a crumbling country, where the future seems more uncertain than ever. tom bateman, bbc news, beirut. they route a week after that devastating blast. you are watching bbc news. main story this hour is kamala harris has become the first black woman to be named to a major political party in the us. she will be standing as the vice president onjoe bidens ticket. the safest choice perhaps vice president onjoe bidens ticket. the safest choice perhaszoe biden could have made. a national profile,

experience with elected office, vetted and tested and presidential primaries. 0f vetted and tested and presidential primaries. of course she had that very public clash withjoe biden. she probably making a joint statement tomorrow. plenty of that on the website. hello again, our remarkable run of hot weather is set to continue for a while. that means temperatures once again for wednesday pushing well into the 30s, it will feel hot, it will feel humid in the sunshine but we will also get some very big thundery downpours, some of these bringing some torrential rain and there will be a few communities that could see some localised flash flooding over the next few days from those really heavy downpours. now we are seeing storms through this afternoon across northern france, have to keep an eye on them, could get quite close to kent overnight tonight and a few showers as well to watch across cornwall, across wales and also through much of the day we have had a line of storms affecting eastern scotland. they will continue overnight bringing some localised, very heavy falls of rain.

so another area to keep a close eye on. a couple storms also, a lot of thunder and lightning with these downpours. and the other thing we are getting used to enduring now is those high temperatures through the night. 11 o‘clock still 27 degrees in london, 2a in birmingham so another uncomfortable night‘s sleep ahead. for wednesday, the first batch will be moving across scotland. still quite murky around the coast. thunderstorms for england and wales break out, they become much more widespread and it‘s going to be another hot and humid day for sure with temperatures pushing well into the 30s with the highest temperature across east anglia and south east england, but the storms could bring localised flooding. there will be further storms on thursday. a ridge of high pressure keeping the showers trap across england and wales and away from scotland and northern ireland. starts to turn just a little bit fresher for a few of you, but otherwise it‘s another humid

one. on friday, absolute highest temperature is come down a few degrees. the main reason is the extent of the cloud. still a few down pours around and for scotland and northern ireland, you‘re looking at temperatures into the high teens and go 20s. that pattern continues into the weekend. all cloud around, still heavy downpours, still feeling humid in england and wales. 00:28:36,881 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 that‘s your weather.