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'Will celebrate next birthday at the White House', says Biden as Harris turns 56

WHILE greeting Kamala Harris on her 56th birthday, US presidential candidate Joe Biden said that they would celebrate her next birthday at the White House.

Harris, who was picked by Biden in August as his running mate, turned 56 on Tuesday(20).


Biden took to Twitter to post a photograph showing their hands clasped together.

"Happy Birthday, Kamala Harris. Next year, let's celebrate with some ice cream at the White House," tweeted Biden.

Biden will celebrate his 78th birthday next month.

Harris in a tweet said her birthday wish is that everybody should go out and vote. "My birthday wish this year? For everyone to go vote," she said.

October 20 also happens to be the birthday of her niece, Meena Harris.

"I couldn't let the day go by without wishing my niece, Meena, a happy birthday too!” she said.

"In two weeks, we could call this birthday girl madam vice president," said former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

"Happy birthday, @KamalaHarris! Hope you're showered with love on your special day," tweeted former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a biologist whose work on the progesterone receptor gene stimulated work in breast cancer research, had arrived in the US from India in 1958.

Her father, Donald J Harris, is a Stanford University professor emeritus of economics, who arrived in the US from British Jamaica.

Harris graduated from Howard University and the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She was elected attorney general of California in 2010 and re-elected in 2014.

In 2016, Harris became the second African American woman and the first South Asian American to serve in the US senate.

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2.7 per cent of private rented properties in England are affordable for people receiving housing benefit.

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Nearly 300,000 families face worst forms of homelessness in England, research shows

Highlights

  • 299,100 households experienced acute homelessness in 2024, up 21 per cent since 2022.
  • Rough sleeping and unsuitable temporary accommodation cases increased by 150 per cent since 2020.
  • Councils spent £732 m on unsuitable emergency accommodation in 2023/24.


Almost 300,000 families and individuals across England are now experiencing the worst forms of homelessness, including rough sleeping, unsuitable temporary accommodation and living in tents, according to new research from Crisis.

The landmark study, led by Heriot-Watt University, shows that 299,100 households in England experienced acute homelessness in 2024. This represents a 21 per cent increase since 2022, when there were 246,900 households, and a 45 per cent increase since 2012.

More than 15,000 people slept rough last year, while the number of households in unsuitable temporary accommodation rose from 19,200 in 2020 to 46,700 in 2024. An additional 18,600 households are living in unconventional accommodation such as cars, sheds and tents.

A national survey found 70 per cent of councils have seen increased numbers approaching them for homelessness assistance in the last year. Local authorities in London and Northern England reported the biggest increase.

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