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: Breaking his silence a day after the Maharashtra Assembly election results, NCP founder Sharad Pawar on Sunday indicated that he would not retire from active politics. He also said that the results were not as per his party’s expectations and they will analyse the election data to figure out what went wrong. He said it was possible that the “Batenge toh Karenge” slogan of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath polarised the voters and participation of women voters helped the ruling parties. Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) was contesting Maharashtra Assembly election in Maha Vikas Aghai along with Congress and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). Mr. Pawar’s party won only 10 out of 87 Assembly seats contested, while the Congress and the Sena (UBT) had bagged 16 seats and 20 seats respectively. Speaking with the reporters for the first time after the results, Mr. Pawar accepted the defeat and called the Maharashtra mandate people’s decision. “We will have to study the results and work for people with renewed energy,” the 83 year-old leader said. The NCP founder also pointed out that the people of Maharashtra had supported the MVA in the Lok Sabha election, so the opposition parties were more confident about the Assembly election. “It appears that we were overconfident (on the people’s support). We need to work more for the state poll during the campaign,” he said. Mr. Pawar noted that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s slogan “Batenge toh Katenge” had polarised the people in the Assembly election. BJP’s star campaigner Yogi Adityanath had continuously raised the slogan, which intended to consolidate the Hindutva voters. Mr. Pawar also said that ruling parties also campaigned that if the MVA would be elected to power, the Ladki Behin scheme would be revoked. “It appears that because of the BJP campaign, the women had sided with the Mahayuti,” he said. In a response to a query over his retirement from politics, Mr. Pawar said that it would be decided by him and his party colleagues. On the questions raised by Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress on the credibility of EVMs, the veteran politician said that he did not want to comment on the issue unless he gets some authentic information about the EVMs.
EUAN MCCOLM: Most Scots don't think it's Right-wing to ban male-bodied people from women's spaces. They just think it's right Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport By EUAN MCCOLM FOR THE SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL Published: 14:42 EST, 26 November 2024 | Updated: 14:44 EST, 26 November 2024 e-mail 3 View comments If you want to know how deeply John Swinney regrets the impact of incoherent gender ideology on Scotland’s government, consider the First Minister’s silence on the matter of an ongoing court hearing in London . Judges at the Supreme Court have been asked by feminist campaign group For Women Scotland to rule, definitively, on the definition of ‘woman’ in the context of the law. Should, the organisation wants to know, a male-bodied trans woman be allowed access to single-sex spaces and services if they are in possession of a gender recognition certificate? The judges’ ruling – regardless of their view – will have huge repercussions for Mr Swinney. Yet we’ve heard not a peep from him on the matter. How times have changed in the SNP . It was former leader Nicola Sturgeon who led the capture by trans activists of her party’s policy machine. Under Ms Sturgeon, the SNP made reform of the Gender Recognition Act its political priority. But despite cross-party support for allowing trans people to self-identify into the legally-recognised sex of their preference, a change in the law was blocked last year by then Scottish Secretary Alister Jack on the grounds that it was incompatible with the UK-wide Equality Act. Of course, there was much outrage from Nationalist Towers about a Conservative minister intervening in a matter of Scottish democracy but, privately, many senior SNP figures were rather relieved. Harry Potter author JK Rowling has been vocal on the court case and its implications Women's Rights supporters protest outside the hearing at the Supreme Court in London First Minister John Swinney has been quiet on the court case in London, writes Euan McColm Ms Sturgeon’s obsession with gender ideology had set the Scottish Government at odds with the majority of Scots who, while very much believing in the principle of live-and-let-live, did not share her laissez faire attitude to the prospect of male-bodied people being allowed entry into domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centres. In private, some senior Nationalists said Mr Jack had helped them ‘dodge a bullet’. The judges’ ruling on the question of what is a woman stands – at the very least – to impact on the delivery of services across the public sector. There is every reason for the First Minister to be explaining his government’s position to us all. Despite this, Mr Swinney has decided on a ‘nothing to see here’ approach. The problem for the First Minister is that voters, quite understandably, think there is quite a lot to see. Not for the first time in his career, Mr Swinney is playing the role of a hapless cop failing to wave onlookers away from a burning fireworks factory. From the intolerably reckless stupidity of housing male-bodied sex offenders in women’s prisons to the scandal of rape crisis centres refusing to guarantee female-only counselling services, a number of high-profile cases have made Ms Sturgeon’s wild-eyed adherence to incoherent gender ideology all the more foolish. Read More Sex is an 'immutable biological state', Supreme Court hears as women's rights campaign group challenges Scottish government over the definition of a woman The former First Minister, gripped by the moral certainty of the zealot, saw to it that the activist mantra ‘trans women are women’ became SNP dogma. Almost two years after Ms Sturgeon resigned as First Minister, the gender question continues to be a problem for the SNP. Mr Swinney may, as some party sources tell me, not share Ms Sturgeon’s fashionable views about the existence of multiple, ever-shifting genders, but he’s timid indeed about raising his voice on the subject. The First Minister considers himself a man of the centre-Left (though those of us who’ve followed Mr Swinney’s career for decades might argue the soubriquet ‘Tartan Tory’ was made for him) and, like others of his ilk, he finds himself confronted with an ideology that – for no reason other than the say-so of activists – is seen as being avowedly of the Left. It’s no surprise this version of the ‘truth’ has caught on. It nestles perfectly in the current political landscape where no party is more fully captured by gender gibberish than the far-Left Greens while, at both Holyrood and Westminster, it’s the Conservative Party that’s spoken out most loudly against allowing the frequently contradictory tenets of gender ideology to impact on policy-making. Perhaps the most effective achievement of the trans activist movement has been not only to have made the world believe their cause is inherently Left-wing but to have convinced a substantial part of it that disagreement with their objectives is a ‘hard-Right’ position. This is hysterical rhetoric not only on social media but within the political bubble. A generation of senior politicians such as Mr Swinney is paralysed with fear when it comes to discussing gender ideology because they know that to dissent from the position that someone is whatever sex they say they are is to risk the wrath of their own activists. The effect of this is that politicians of the Left such as Mr Swinney, Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar, and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton are currently failing to address – or even consider – the perfectly moderate, and widely held, view that biology matters when it comes to providing single sex spaces and services. Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport Advertisement One only has to look at some of those accused of being ‘far-Right’ for refusing to accept the demands of trans activists to see how laughable a charge it is. Are we really to accept that the feminist writer and activist Julie Bindel, who has campaigned for four decades against male violence against women, is a Right-winger? Are we truly supposed to entertain the notion that novelist JK Rowling has abandoned decades of Left-wing principles because she thinks rape victims shouldn’t have to share safe spaces with those born male? There is, of course, nothing Right (or, for that matter, Left) wing about having concerns over the implications of gender ideology. It is not Right-wing to think that there are very good reasons for the exclusion of anybody born male – no matter how they may identify – from places such as women’s refuges, nor is it Right-wing to be concerned about the impact of powerful puberty-blocking drugs on confused young children. Until politicians who lead for the Left begin to accept these facts, they risk losing voters. Why would a lifelong feminist of the Left stand by Labour if the party decides her years of activism and her principles mean nothing? Why should a committed Nationalist give their vote to the SNP if they’re told their concerns about rapists in female prisons make them a Nazi? The First Minister, in common with Mr Sarwar, seems to think that if he ignores the impact of gender ideology, it will cease to be important. If this truly is what both men believe, then they are sorely mistaken. The question of whether male-bodied people should be allowed into single-sex spaces such as rape crisis centres is not some fringe issue. If it were, then the Scottish Government would not have devoted so much time to trying to introduce self-ID, would it? Regardless of how the Supreme Court ultimately rules on the question of what a woman is, trans rights activists will continue to insist that their critics are Right-wingers. No matter how much John Swinney might wish it would, this issue is not going to go away. Most people don’t think it Right-wing to exclude male-bodied people from female spaces. They just think it’s right. London SNP John Swinney Share or comment on this article: EUAN MCCOLM: Most Scots don't think it's Right-wing to ban male-bodied people from women's spaces. They just think it's right e-mail Add commentVANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 9, 2024-- Thunderbird Entertainment Group Inc. (TSXV: TBRD, OTCQX: THBRF) (“Thunderbird” or the “Company”) wishes to provide an update to shareholders on the impact of the strike by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers on the Company’s ability to comply with its obligations to deliver to shareholders its financial statements and related disclosure and proxy-related materials in respect of the Company’s annual general and special meeting of shareholders scheduled to be held virtually on December 12, 2024 at 9:00 am PST (the “Meeting”). As a result of the strike, and pursuant to CSA Coordinated Blanket Order 51-931 Temporary Exemption from requirements in National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Requirements and National Instrument 54-101 Communication with Beneficial Owners of Securities of a Reporting Issuer to send certain proxy-related materials during a postal strike (the “Blanket Order”), the Company is advising shareholders that: For information on Thunderbird and to subscribe to the Company’s investor list for news updates, go to www.thunderbird.tv . ABOUT THUNDERBIRD ENTERTAINMENT GROUP Thunderbird Entertainment Group is a global award-winning, full-service multiplatform production, distribution and rights management company, headquartered in Vancouver, with additional offices in Los Angeles and Ottawa. Thunderbird creates award-winning scripted, unscripted, and animated programming for the world’s leading digital platforms, as well as Canadian and international broadcasters. The Company develops, produces, and distributes animated, factual, and scripted content through its various content arms, including Thunderbird Kids and Family (Atomic Cartoons), Thunderbird Unscripted (Great Pacific Media) and Thunderbird Scripted. Productions under the Thunderbird umbrella include Mermicorno: Starfall, Super Team Canada, Molly of Denali, Highway Thru Hell, Kim’s Convenience, Boot Camp, and Sidelined: The QB and Me . Thunderbird Distribution and Thunderbird Brands manage global media and consumer products rights, respectively, for the Company and select third parties. Thunderbird is on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @tbirdent. For more information, visit: www.thunderbird.tv . Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information Thunderbird’s public communications may include written, or oral “forward-looking statements” and “forward-looking information” as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements or information may be identified by words such as “anticipate”, “continue”, “estimate”, “expect”, “forecast”, “may”, “will”, “plan”, “project”, “should”, “believe”, “intend”, or similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the ongoing Canada Post strike, the upcoming annual general and special meeting of shareholders of the Company, items to be voted upon by the shareholders attending such meeting, and delivery of materials to shareholders following resumption of regular postal service. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic and social uncertainties; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; product capability and acceptance; and other factors set out in the “Risk and Uncertainty” section of the Company’s MD&A dated June 30, 2024. The foregoing is not an exhaustive list. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to Thunderbird or that management believes to be less significant may also adversely affect the Company. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this document represent the Company’s views as of the date hereof, and therefore such information should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this document. The Company’s actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive therefrom. Readers are therefore cautioned that the foregoing lists of important factors are not exhaustive, and they should not unduly rely on the forward-looking statements included in this news release. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Thunderbird has no intention, and undertakes no obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209645003/en/ CONTACT: Investor Relations Contacts: Glen Akselrod, Bristol Capital +1 905 326 1888 ext 1 glen@bristolir.comMedia Relations Contact: Lana Castleman, Director, Marketing & Communications 416-219-3769 lcastleman@thunderbird.tvCorporate Communications Julia Smith, Finch Media Julia@finchmedia.net KEYWORD: NORTH AMERICA CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: LICENSING (ENTERTAINMENT) COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA ENTERTAINMENT TV AND RADIO SOURCE: Thunderbird Entertainment Group Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/09/2024 05:00 PM/DISC: 12/09/2024 05:03 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209645003/en
Police hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street NEW YORK (AP) — A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on Wednesday in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the fleeing assailant hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting nearby. Brian Thompson, 50, was shot around 6:45 a.m. as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel, police said. The shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said, adding that the shooting "does not appear to be a random act of violence.” Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows someone emerging from behind a parked car, pointing a gun at Thompson’s back, then firing multiple times from several feet away. The gunman continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. He then walks past Thompson and out of the frame. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. Hegseth fights to save Pentagon nomination as sources say Trump considers DeSantis WASHINGTON (AP) — A defiant Pete Hegseth fought to save his nomination to be Donald Trump's defense secretary Wednesday as the president-elect considered possible replacements in the face of growing questions about the former Fox News host's personal conduct and ability to win Senate confirmation. Hegseth met with legislators on Capitol Hill, conducted a radio interview and released an opinion article denying allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking. He insisted he was “not backing down one bit," that Trump was still supporting him and he planned to return Thursday for more meetings with lawmakers. But the president-elect's team was looking at alternatives including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump himself remained quiet about Hegseth while issuing a flurry of statements on social media Wednesday about other nominees and his news coverage. Hegeth, asked if he'd meet with Trump on Thursday, said he'd meet with him “anytime he'd like." Hegseth is the latest nominee-designate to be imperiled by personal baggage after the recent withdrawal of Trump’s initial pick for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose vulnerabilities were well-documented. But Hegseth’s past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies, was not widely known. Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on medical treatments for transgender minors WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people, showcasing the uneasy intersection between law, politics and individual rights. The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism of arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban. Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser WASHINGTON (AP) — Former White House adviser Peter Navarro, who served prison time related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, will return to serve in Donald Trump’s second administration, the president-elect announced Wednesday. Navarro, a trade adviser during Trump’s first term, will be a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, Trump said on Truth Social. The position, Trump wrote, “leverages Peter’s broad range of White House experience, while harnessing his extensive Policy analytic and Media skills.” The appointment was only the first in a flurry of announcements that Trump made on Wednesday as his presidential transition faced controversy over Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice for Pentagon chief. Hegseth faces allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement, and Trump has considered replacing him with another potential nominee. As he works to fill out his team, Trump said he wanted Paul Atkins, a financial industry veteran and an advocate for cryptocurrency, to serve as the next chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He wrote on Truth Social that Atkins “recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before.” Trump also said he was changing course on his choice for White House counsel. He said his original pick, William McGinley, will work with the Department of Government Efficiency, which will be run by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy with the goal of cutting federal spending. Now David Warrington, who has worked as Trump’s personal lawyer and a lawyer for his campaign, will serve as White House counsel. Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes tore through a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza on Wednesday, sparking fires and killing at least 21 people, according to the head of a nearby hospital, in the latest assault on a sprawling tent city that Israel designated a humanitarian safe zone but has repeatedly targeted. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants “involved in terrorist activities” in the area, without providing additional details, and said it took precautions to minimize harm to civilians. The strike on the Muwasi tent camp was one of several deadly assaults across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. An Israeli attack in central Gaza killed at least 10 more people, including four children, according to Palestinian medics. Israel’s devastating war in Gaza, launched after Hamas’ October 2023 attack, shows no signs of ending after nearly 14 months. Hamas is still holding dozens of Israeli hostages, and most of Gaza’s population has been displaced and is reliant on international food aid to survive. Israel is also pressing a major offensive in the isolated north, where experts say Palestinians might be experiencing famine. The Biden administration has pledged to make a new push for a Gaza ceasefire now that there's a truce in Lebanon between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah, ending more than a year of cross-border fighting. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump demanded this week the release of hostages held by Hamas before he is sworn into office in January. South Korean President Yoon's martial law declaration raises questions over his political future SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term and whether he will abide by democratic principles. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Here's a look at the political firestorm caused by the martial law declaration, the first of its kind in more than 40 years. Yoon's declaration of emergency martial law on Tuesday night was accompanied by a pledge to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces at a single stroke.” He vowed to protect the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” Yoon, a conservative, cited repeated attempts by his liberal rivals in control of parliament to impeach his top officials and curtail key parts of his budget bill for next year. French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962 PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined together Wednesday in a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet members to resign, a first since 1962. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. A conservative appointed in September, Barnier becomes the shortest-serving prime minister in France’s modern Republic. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. The U.S. believes that the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. Harris found success with women who have cats, but Trump got the dog owner vote: AP VoteCast WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead-up to the 2024 election was all about cat owners. But in the end, the dogs had their day. President-elect Donald Trump won slightly more than half of voters who own either cats or dogs, with a big assist from dog owners, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. Dog owners were much more likely to support the Republican over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. Cat owners were split between the two candidates. About two-thirds of voters said they own a dog or cat, but pet owners don't usually get much attention from politicians. This year, however, past comments by Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies” briefly became a campaign issue — and Taylor Swift signed her Instagram endorsement of Harris in September as “Taylor Swift Childless Cat Lady.” Harris did end up decisively winning support from women who owned a cat but not a dog. Still, those voters were a relatively small slice of the electorate, and pet owners as a whole did not seem to hold Vance's remarks against the GOP ticket. Childless or not, women who only owned a cat were more likely to support Harris than were dog owners, or voters who had a cat and a dog. About 6 in 10 women who owned a cat but not a dog supported Harris, according to AP VoteCast. She did similarly well among women who did not own either kind of pet.
People who own a home in the US may live longer, research published Wednesday said. For American men in early adulthood who were born in the early twentieth century – from the first years of the 1900s – four months were added to their life expectancy. Oxford University said this was likely owing to positive factors tied to homeownership, including accumulation of wealth, stronger social ties, better living conditions, and mental health benefits. “My study finds homeownership has a meaningful positive impact on life expectancy,” Casey Breen, a senior postdoctoral research fellow at Oxford, said in a statement . “These results suggest that social policies that equitably expand homeownership opportunities for Black Americans may help narrow the gap between Black and white male life expectancy in the US.” Breen’s work was published Wednesday in the journal Demography . While physicians have said mortality rates between Black and white Americans have have narrowed in recent years, there are still discrepancies. “These varied outcomes in life expectancy raise significant questions. Why is life expectancy worse for some and better for others?” Dr. Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, said in a statement in 2022. He noted that systemic historical issues have played a role. There were even fewer opportunities for Black Americans to own their own homes in 1940. That year, fewer than 10 percent between the age of 18 and 25 were homeowners and only 40 percent over the age of 65 owned their homes. Whereas, white Americans were nearly twice as likely to own a house as Black Americans. Breen also found that owning a home was associated with 0.36 years of additional life expectancy for Black American men who were born during that time, and 0.42 years for white men. To reach these conclusions, he used data from 1920 and 1940 census records, including social security death records, and a sibling-based identification strategy. They looked at life expectancy outcomes for American men who were between the ages of 24 and 35 and owned a home. Controlling for factors like education, race, income, marital status, and family background, the study found that property value had very little impact on life expectancy. Although, Oxford noted that the data of people used was restricted in terms of gender, ethnicity, nationality, and historical context. “This study also shows that there is a meaningful, statistically significant difference in life expectancy between Americans owning their home and those who rent, with homeowners in early adulthood living approximately six months longer at age 65 than those who rent,” Breen added. The study said that, going forward, expanding homeownership opportunities for minorities could be helpful in mitigating racial disparities in mortality in the US. Although, there are multiple factors complicating home ownership these days, like the economy and climate change . Decades later, the gaps remain. The homeownership rate in the US is nearly 66 percent , according to financial services company Bankrate . Bankrate said that it increased by just over 10 million from 2010 to 2020: a smaller increase than in any other decade between 1950 and 2010. Among young adults, it said homeownership had declined from 45 percent in 1990 to 39 percent. Agency Simply Insurance said that while 74 percent of white Americans own their home, only 47 percent of Black Americans are homeowners. A National Association of Realtors report from last year said that the gap between Black and white Americans was the largest in a decade, and Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies found that Black, Hispanic, and Native American households were less likely to be homeowners in every US state but Hawaii. More single women own homes than men, but the Pew Research Center said in 2023 that the edge was narrowing. Single women owned 58 percent of the nearly 35.2 million homes owned by unmarried Americans, while single men owned 42 percent. Among households headed by an unmarried person ages 65 and older, about 6 million more were headed by women: which could be because women live longer than men. A LendingTree analysis of the latest U.S. Census Bureau data said single women own 2.71 million more homes than single men. Breen told The Independent that the data were limited to men because women often change their names during marriage, and he plans to investigate the link between homeownership on life expectancy for women in a follow-up study. “I anticipate I’ll find similar mortality benefits for women, but of course I won’t know until I have completed the follow-up study,” he said via email.
S.Africa's Breyten Breytenbach, writer and anti-apartheid activist
