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Jim Alexander: They talk about “winning the press conference” – shorthand for an acquisition or coaching hire that’s more splash than substance. Given Bill Belichick’s historic reticence with the media, I’m not sure that’s what the University of North Carolina did Wednesday. But win the announcement? No doubt. Hiring the 72-year-old Belichick , winner of six Super Bowls in New England and also famously reluctant to share decision-making duties, to his first college coaching job seems weird at first glance, and also at second and third. Asking a guy who referred to America’s favorite photo sharing app as “Instaface” a while back – which is actually, I believe, a Belichick running joke – to try to connect with young people for whom social media is almost more important than eating? Good luck with that. But this isn’t as nutty as it appears, in my mind, for one reason: College football is becoming more professionalized by the day. NIL agreements, the transfer portal, players represented by agents, a future where schools themselves will pay the players, and maybe even unionization down the road? Guys whose whole careers have been spent in college football are starting to wonder if they can handle these changes. So why not bring in an NFL coach to help with this transition? Especially one with the résumé of Belichick? It’s a risk, but who’s to say he can’t handle the transition to coaching 18- to 22-year-olds better than college football lifers can when it comes to dealing with agents, rustling up NIL money, etc.? And yes, I realize there’s a slight flaw in that logic, because Chip Kelly was both a college and a pro head coach, and we saw how little energy he directed toward NIL matters and how far back it set UCLA’s program. Will Belichick lean into it with more energy? We’ll see. What do you think, Mirjam? They’re already putting up betting propositions – in this case, at BetOnline.ag – on not only North Carolina’s record under Belichick this coming season but how many power conference transfers will come to UNC (the over/under is four), how many years he’ll stay (21⁄2, or half his contract), and – get this one – What will happen first with Bill Belichick’s 20-something girlfriend? Enroll in classes at UNC or date a UNC football player? Yeesh! Mirjam: Wait, are there really odds on that last one? Oh boy. You mentioned Chip Kelly, and I’ve also been thinking about his up-and-down track record, in college and the pros, since he caught lightning in a bottle at Oregon. Also about Deion Sanders, who has been anything but traditional in how he’s approached his job at Colorado – making recruits come to him, being up front about treating the transfer portal as free agency – and how that has transformed the Buffs from doormat to contender in two short years. And how before that, he was at Jackson State from 2020 to 2022. But Belichick doesn’t have the charisma Coach Prime does. Sure, he’s got his own aura as the NFL’s greatest modern coach, and if he wants control – which is a large piece of why he hasn’t been invited to coach another NFL team – he’d have it as a college coach, where reports are that UNC will increase its NIL package for football to $20 million from $4 million. But will he be too blunt for today’s college player, who isn’t contractually obligated to stay anywhere longer than a year? Too honest and critical in his assessments? Will he simply pass on the fanfare and glad-handing that’s supposed to be required of college coaches? We’re gonna find out. But if I were betting, I wouldn’t bet on North Carolina becoming a powerhouse under Belichick. Or even on Belichick loving the gig, because you can take the amateurism out of college football, but still it’s not the NFL. Jim: I’d take the under on the 21⁄2 years, and that has nothing to do with age or energy. Trust me, I’m the last guy who would call someone too old to do whatever. But college football is different, especially in that region of the country. I saw something a while back in the Washington Post which suggested that the hatred for rivals in college football is a feature and not a bug. And that intensity of emotion extends to everything involving the sport, which is why alumni and boosters play such a large role. Let Belichick start out, say, 2-4, and see what the reaction is. Yeah, NFL fans can be rabid, but it’s nothing compared to the way emotions seesaw in college football nation. All of that said, I stand on the premise that the changes in college football – in all of college sports – require an adjustment in the way coaches and athletic departments do business, and I’m not sure the old idea of the program as the coach’s fiefdom applies any longer. More programs in football and basketball are hiring “general managers,” which are positions to oversee NIL payments and the groups that make them – and, ultimately, the disbursements from the schools themselves – and probably also will have a role in player personnel matters. As an aside, the one guy I’m sure – positive, actually – could handle this transition seamlessly has been teaching classes at USC this fall. Pete Carroll made the switch from pro to college the first time and built a dynasty, made the switch from college back to the NFL and built a Super Bowl champ in Seattle, and if he wanted to and felt up to it I’m sure he could handle the new era of college football. (And let’s hear no talk about extra benefits or the like during Carroll’s USC run. You really don’t think stuff was happening elsewhere? The beauty of today’s system is that everything everywhere is above the table now.) Next subject: Is the transfer portal out of control? Is it approaching, or has it already gotten to, the point where there’s too much movement and requires some additional limitations? Old friend Lane Kiffin came out and said what I’m sure lots of other people in the game are thinking: The timing – the combination of the transfer portal opening and early signing day right around the time teams are preparing for bowl or playoff games – is “dumb.” He’s right, but it’s another consequence of a sport that has no leadership and thus has become pure chaos. How do we solve this? I say the first step would be to make Kiffin college football’s first commissioner, but that’s just me. Mirjam: It’s a whirlwind, for sure. Utter chaos. And that free agency is happening on the eve of bowl games tells you everything you need to know about how little college football values bowl games anymore. There’s something to be said for giving athletes agency in a game where coaches come and go all the time. There’s something to their being categorized as employees and given rights as employees, free to give notice and change jobs when they find a better one. Shoot, the non-athletic regular people studying on college campus known as students are free to transfer schools whenever they like, too. But there’s also something to be said about the grass not always being greener. We’ve heard stories about programs allegedly reneging on payment promises, for one. And despite whatever tampering abounds, athletes have to be careful before jumping into the portal with both feet – and it’s doubtful most of them are, considering how incredibly many are transferring. Like, will starting from scratch – or maybe not scratch, but as a player whose last situation didn’t work out – be for the best? Will they really end up in a better situation when the music stops and everyone’s fighting for a seat? Maybe, every case will be its own. It’s hard to know in a scene so chaotic. So, yes, Lane Kiffin, or a conference commission – as Chip Kelly suggested – or some entity helping create and enforce transfer guidelines would sure help everyone. Jim: My suggestion, beyond having someone – anyone – fully in charge of all of the sport’s various stakeholders? Employment, and contracts. This is something the NCAA is resisting with all of its might, while hoping for Congress to hand out an antitrust exemption. But it might be the only way to restore sanity to the process. Make players employees, with signed contracts – could be one year, could be two, could be four years for true stars, could include option years. The system would allow players free agency but would also give programs a certain amount of certainty from year to year, as opposed to a coach walking into the locker room after the final regular-season game and wondering how many of these guys will opt to stay. Another advantage: Those contracts would include bowl games, and there would be no more sitting out just because. That’s something that drives college football people crazy. And we have to understand: College football is a different beast from every other sport on campus. Other sports may come up with different rules. Other levels – Group of Five, mid-major basketball schools, etc. – will have different needs and require different rules as well. But again, a leadership vacuum at the top helps nobody, aside from FOX and ESPN. Before we go, however, we must note that 2024, the first year without the Pac-12 as we knew it, turns out to have been a statement on behalf of college football in the West. Oregon – your alma mater, Mirjam – is the top seed in the College Football Playoff. Fellow Pac-12 refugee Arizona State is in the mix as champion of the Big 12 and the Sun Devils’ coach, Kenny Dillingham, is a former Oregon guy. Boise State will represent the Mountain West (and future reconstituted Pac-12) in the field. Meanwhile, three of the four Heisman Trophy finalists are from the West – Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty. Makes me miss the old Pac-12 a little more. Mirjam: Right?! How ’bout them Ducks? Both top-ranked/seeded Oregon and Dillingham. Season’s not over yet, but what a showing by the westerners ... and what that tells me is, yes, it’s a shame the Pac-12 is no more. But also, Oregon – with its 14 transfers in starting roles and a reported $23 million in NIL money – is good at playing the modern game. And so too is Dillingham, who has used a few of his postgame press conferences as marketing opportunities, making direct pitches to Arizona businesses to funnel money into the program: “If you had fun watching [Cam Skattebo] play and make those plays, it was there all night ... because it’s a different day and age in college football. And if that was something that we want to continue to do, then what’s that saying? Pay the man his money, right? Isn’t that a saying? Pay the man his money. Pay these guys what they deserve to be paid because right now our team is underpaid. We’re doing more with guys who just got it out the mud, but eventually you should get what you deserve. Our guys deserve more ...” Now imagine Belichick making that kind of pitch.AP News Summary at 3:17 p.m. EST

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Cornerback Riley Moss is “good to go” for the Denver Broncos' crucial game at Cincinnati on Saturday. “He's doing good,” coach Sean Payton said Thursday. “He'll be ready to go.” The Broncos (9-6), who would end their eight-year playoff drought with a win or a tie against the Bengals (7-8), have sorely missed the second-year pro from Iowa since he sprained an MCL against Las Vegas in Week 12. The Broncos allowed 26.3 points per game during his absence. With Moss in the lineup opposite superstar Patrick Surtain II, Denver gave up just 16.8 points per game. Aside from allowing defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to go back to employing more man coverage, Riley's return is expected to give the Broncos defense back its bite. “I think he's got an awfully competitive juice, yeah, I would say you definitely felt his absence, not just physically as a player but also his presence," Payton said. Earlier this week, Surtain said, “it’s great to have him back” at practice. “I mean, you talk about a guy who was playing lights-out before the injury, but to see him back out there with confidence, out there practicing, getting his mojo back, it brings a lot of confidence to the team.” Moss has enjoyed a breakout season in Denver with 71 tackles, eight pass breakups and an interception. He played in 14 games as a rotation player his rookie season after recovering from core muscle surgery that relegated him to special teams and spot duty in 2023. Moss wasn't available for comment Thursday as he was receiving treatment during the locker room access period. Moss has been the perfect complement to Surtain because of the physical play, bravado and the production he provides as opposing offenses shy away from Surtain. “It's going to be really good” having him back on the field, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto said. “I mean, I know the work that he's been putting in to get back and just knowing the type of season that he's had I'm just happy that he's going to be able to come back against an opponent like this.” Denver's defense hasn't been the same without Moss. The Broncos when former teammate Jerry Jeudy caught nine passes for a career-best 235 yards. as he was about to score a 41-yard touchdown and give Indianapolis a 20-3 lead saved the Broncos in Week 15 and allowed Denver to seize momentum and get the victory. And Denver , who led the Los Angeles Chargers back from a double-digit third-quarter deficit for a 34-27 win last week. AP NFL:ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Army football turned down an offer to join the American Athletic Conference several years ago, deciding that operating as an independent made more sense for the program. Given a second opportunity to become a football-only member of the American last year, amidst the changing landscape of college football with super conferences making scheduling very difficult for an independent and because the AAC offered a pathway to the expanded College Football Playoff, the West Point leadership did an about face and accepted. Army (11-1) introduced itself to the American Athletic Conference in impressive fashion by going unbeaten, steamrolling nine league opponents by an average score of 35-13. Quarterback Bryson Daily and company put a nice bow on their debut season by blowing out Tulane, 35-14, in the conference championship game. Coach Jeff Monken gave his troops 24 hours to celebrate then told them to refocus for the most important game of the season. “Obviously that was a big game Friday night and a great victory for our team. Winning a championship is certainly a source of pride for our program. But there is no bigger game in the world than this next one,” Monken said. “It’s been a good season. It doesn’t become a great season unless we win this game Saturday, which really is the measure of success for a service academy.” Monken looks back at 2021 when his Army team that had lost just three games was beaten by a Navy club that finished 4-8. “This rivalry is at the forefront of our focus for 365 days a year and this game is almost like a season of its own,” he said. “That’s the reality about the magnitude of this game. Even after 11 wins and a conference championship, this game is more important than any of that.” Army has 11 wins for only the second time in program history and can reach 13 by beating Navy, then Marshall in the Independence Bowl. The Black Knights are defined by a powerful rushing attack featuring Daily and fullback Kanye Udoh that leads the nation with 314.4 yards per game. Daily has run for 1,480 yards and 29 touchdowns, while Udoh has contributed 1,064 yards and 10 scores. The Black Knights do most of their damage between the tackles behind an offensive line consisting of five first or second team All-American Athletic Conference picks. “I can’t say enough about those guys. I knew coming in it was going to be a very special unit and they’ve been incredible all season,” Daily said of the Army offensive line. “They’re tough, they’re rugged and they’re aggressive.” Rules changes that eliminated cut blocking anywhere outside the tackle box have forced option offenses to reinvent themselves. Last season, Monken scrapped Army’s traditional triple-option in favor of putting the quarterback in shotgun formation and utilizing zone blocking schemes. After ranking 115th nationally in total offense, Monken reinstalled Cody Worley as offensive coordinator and reverted back to power option football. “Last year, we probably went too far away from what we had traditionally done. We just had to do a reset and find what fits our personnel and personality,” Monken said. “There’s elements of both worlds; some of what we did last season was a good investment. We’ve been able to use a number of things we did a year ago in our schemes this season.” Army does still operate out of shotgun and employ zone blocking at times, but the schemes as a whole fit the straight-ahead running style of Daly and Udoh. “This senior class had a lot of banked reps running this old-school, under-center triple-option offense. Running a whole new offense last season meant some adjustments,” Daily said. “I think having those reps in the gun last season has helped and complimented what we’re doing now.” Army boasts a highly efficient offense that does a remarkable job of staying on schedule and routinely setting up third-short situations. The Black Knights rank fifth nationally in fewest penalties and second in tackles for loss allowed (2.8 per game). No opponent traditionally defends Army better than Navy, which is intimately familiar with the option. The Midshipmen are giving up 159.8 yards per game on the ground. “This will be the biggest test for our offense. It always is because Navy makes it really challenging to execute with how well they know what we do,” Monken said. “Navy has a really good defense with a lot of talented players that are well coached. To be able to block them and execute offensively is going to be very difficult.” While the Army offense gets a lot of credit for the team’s success, the defense has held up its end of the bargain. Inside linebackers Andon Thomas (team-high 88 tackles) and Kalib Fortner (66 tackles, team-high 8 1/2 for loss) along with safety Max DiDomenico (52) lead a unit that ranks 11th nationally in rushing defense with just 104 yards per game allowed. This marks the first time Army’s defense will go against Navy’s new Wing-T offense installed by first-year coordinator Drew Cronic. Count Monken among the admirers of the attack that incorporates triple-option, run-pass option and pro-style elements. “Drew has steadily developed this offense and it’s very unique and different — a real break from what traditionally has been done at the academies,” Monken said. “You watch the film and guys are running wide-open on pass plays and ballcarriers are running untouched through huge holes. They’ve done a great job of spreading teams out, using misdirection, hiding guys and spreading the ball sideline to sideline, vertically as well. It’s just great play design.” This will be the 11th Army-Navy Game for Monken as head coach at Army and 17th overall since he spent six seasons as an assistant at Navy under Paul Johnson. He still gets goose bumps whenever he walks into the NFL stadium that is sold out and electric in terms of atmosphere. “This game is played on a worldwide stage and millions of people will be watching on TV. It’s a view into the U.S. Military Academy and our Corps of Cadets,” Monken said. We represent all the men and women that serve in the United States Army and that is a great sense of responsibility and obligation.” Monken said the Army-Navy Game is always a slugfest and that it’s like watching both sides take turns hitting each other with a sledgehammer. “This game is an absolute brawl from start to finish. The intensity displayed on every single play is indescribable,” he said. “I’m anticipating this will be another one that is blow-for-blow and at the end one team will be left standing.” 125th Army-Navy Game Saturday, 3 p.m. at Northwest Stadium, Landover TV: CBS Line: Army by 6 1/2 (c)2024 The Capital (Annapolis, Md.) Visit The Capital (Annapolis, Md.) at www.hometownannapolis.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

CHARLESTON, S.C. , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the leading provider of software for powering social impact, today filed a Form 8-K with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) stating that the Company concluded a material pre-tax noncash impairment charge, which may be up to approximately $415 million , is required for its EVERFI asset group and will be recorded during the fourth quarter of 2024. As previously disclosed, due to EVERFI performing below expectations, Blackbaud is considering a range of alternatives for EVERFI, one of which includes a potential divestiture of the business. The impairment charge was determined to be necessary as part of this process. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Unwrap the latest AI features with Amazon Fire Tablets

Dartmouth Health to expand access for behavioral health trainingRidgeline High School senior Cyerra Spencer recently earned a $1,000 scholarship for organizing a successful blood drive through the Leaders Save Lives Program. The American Red Cross of Utah celebrated Cyerra’s efforts in a press release, calling her efforts to bring lifesaving donations to patients in critical need “extraordinary.” Cyerra said she started donating blood her sophomore year of high school and found it to be a rewarding experience. Since then, she donates regularly and considers it a passion. “Hosting the blood drive was my way of making a meaningful impact,” Cyerra said. “I wanted to reach more people and inspire them to join this lifesaving effort. My hope was to ignite that same passion in others and show them how powerful giving can be.” Cyerra hosted her blood drive on July 24, Pioneer Day. The Leaders Save Lives program empowers high school and college students to organize blood drives during school breaks. “This unique initiative not only gives students a chance to save lives but also helps them develop leadership skills and earn scholarships,” stated the press release. “Cyerra’s achievement highlights how young leaders can inspire change and make an impact.” Leaders Save Lives encourages students to host blood drives during key collection periods, such as school holidays, when blood donations are often critically needed. Participants earn volunteer hours and leadership experience. They are also eligible for gift cards and scholarship opportunities if they collect at least 25 pints of blood. “Cyerra’s commitment demonstrates the power of young people to rally their communities for a lifesaving cause,” said Benjamin Donner, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Central and Southern Utah Chapter. “We hope her story inspires other students to host blood drives and the community to support these students’ efforts by donating blood. Your generosity can save lives this holiday season.” Cyerra said organizing the blood drive was easy, and she didn’t do a lot of work, she just set the date, time and place, and coordinated things with the Red Cross and a representative from her church, which is where they held the blood drive. But her mother, Michelle Spencer, gave her more credit. Michelle said her daughter also made and distributed flyers, advertised on social media, supplied chairs and tables and got volunteers to man the different stations. Cyerra said a lot of her friends didn’t feel comfortable donating blood, but they helped check people in. Michelle said she is always in awe of her daughter, and she is so proud of her. “She is so compassionate. She is always looking out for other people. She is a leader,” Michelle said. Cyerra plans to attend Utah State University next fall after she graduates from Ridgeline. Learn more about hosting a blood drive at redcrossblood.org/LeadersSaveLives . The Red Cross is offering special rewards for those who give blood this season. Between Dec. 16 and Jan. 3, 2025, donors will receive an exclusive Red Cross long-sleeved T-shirt, while supplies last. Additionally, donors contributing between Jan. 1 and Jan. 26, 2025, will be automatically entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. For more details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/Gifts and RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl .

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Transgender Miss Nevada Suggests Capitol Hill Restroom Battle Is About Protecting Trans People from 'Trans-Attracted' Republicans

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Washington — President-elect Donald Trump said Republicans will try to end the decades-long ritual of changing the clocks twice a year, saying the GOP will push to eliminate daylight saving time. "The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn't! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday. Though Trump in the past has supported making daylight saving time permanent — that is, keeping clocks shifted one hour ahead, which happens in the spring — his latest comment called for daylight saving time to be eliminated. Daylight saving time ends in the fall when clocks turn back one hour. CBS News has reached out to his spokesperson for clarification. Congress enacted daylight saving time in 1918 to add additional daylight hours and help conserve energy during World War I. It was implemented again during World War II. In 1973, Congress briefly made daylight saving time permanent, but reversed course just months later after public opinion soured on the experiment. The current practice of starting daylight saving time on the second Sunday in March and ending it on the first Sunday in April was enacted under President George W. Bush. Ending the biannual ritual would require congressional approval. The Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act in March 2022 that would have made daylight saving time permanent the next year. But the bill was never taken up in the House. In October, Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who is Trump's pick to lead the State Department, and Sen. Edward Markey, an Oregon Democrat, called on Congress to pass the legislation. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who Trump has tapped to lead the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, also recently commented on the clock changes, with Musk calling it "annoying" and Ramaswamy saying it's "inefficient." Daylight Saving Time Donald Trump Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s attorney general has ordered police to open an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife on suspicion of harassing political opponents and witnesses in the Israeli leader’s corruption trial. The Israeli Justice Ministry made the announcement in a terse message late Thursday, saying the investigation would focus on the findings of a recent report by the “Uvda” investigative program into Sara Netanyahu. The program uncovered a trove of WhatsApp messages in which Mrs. Netanyahu appears to instruct a former aid to organize protests against political opponents and to intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in the trial. The announcement did not mention Mrs. Netanyahu by name, and the Justice Ministry declined further comment. But in a video released earlier Thursday, Netanyahu listed what he said were the many kind and charitable acts by his wife and blasted the Uvda report as “lies.” It was the latest in a long line of legal troubles for the Netanyahus — highlighted by the prime minister's ongoing corruption trial . Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of cases alleging he exchanged favors with powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. Netanyahu denies the charges and says he is the victim of a “witch hunt” by overzealous prosecutors, police and the media.KIIT-KISS founder Achyuta Samanta felicitates Sunelita Toppo with cash award for winning Gold at Asian Champions Trophy 2024

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — “My Driver and I” was supposed to be made in 2016, but was scuttled amid Saudi Arabia's decades-long cinema ban. Eight years later, the landscape for film in the kingdom looks much different — and the star of “My Driver and I” now has an award. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — “My Driver and I” was supposed to be made in 2016, but was scuttled amid Saudi Arabia's decades-long cinema ban. Eight years later, the landscape for film in the kingdom looks much different — and the star of “My Driver and I” now has an award. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — “My Driver and I” was supposed to be made in 2016, but was scuttled amid Saudi Arabia’s decades-long cinema ban. Eight years later, the landscape for film in the kingdom looks much different — and the star of “My Driver and I” now has an award. Roula Dakheelallah was named the winner of the Chopard Emerging Saudi Talent award at the Red Sea International Film Festival on Thursday. The award — and the glitzy festival itself — is a sign of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to shaping a new film industry. “My heart is attached to cinema and art; I have always dreamed of a moment like this,” Dakheelallah, who still works a 9-5 job, told The Associated Press before the awards ceremony. “I used to work in voluntary films and help my friends in the field, but this is my first big role in a film.” The reopening of cinemas in 2018 marked a cultural turning point for Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy that had instituted the ban 35 years before, under the influence of ultraconservative religious authorities. It has since invested heavily in a native film industry by building theaters and launching programs to support local filmmakers through grants and training. The Red Sea International Film Festival was launched just a year later, part of an attempt to expand Saudi influence into films, gaming, sports and other cultural fields. Activists have decried the investments as whitewashing the kingdom’s human rights record as it tightly controls speech and remains one of the world’s top executioners. With FIFA awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia this week, Lina al-Hathloul, a Saudi activist with the London-based rights group ALQST, said Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman “has really managed to create this bubble where people only see entertainment and they don’t see the reality on the ground.” These efforts are part of Vision 2030, an ambitious reform plan unveiled in 2016 to ease the economy’s dependence on oil. As part of it, Saudi Arabia plans to construct 350 cinemas with over 2,500 movie screens — by this past April, across 22 cities, it already had 66 cinemas showing movies from the local film industry, as well as Hollywood and Bollywood. (The Red Sea International Film Festival attracts a host of talent from the latter industries, with Viola Davis and Priyanka Chopra Jonas also picking up awards Thursday.) The country’s General Entertainment Authority last month opened Al Hisn Studios on the outskirts of Riyadh. As one of the largest such production hubs in the Middle East, it not only includes several film studios but also a production village with workshops for carpentry, blacksmithing and fashion tailoring. “These facilities, when they exist, will stimulate filmmakers,” said Saudi actor Mohammed Elshehri. “Today, no writer or director has an excuse to imagine and say, ‘I cannot implement my imagination.’” The facilities are one part of the equation — the content itself is another. One of the major players in transforming Saudi filmmaking has been Telfaz11, a media company founded in 2011 that began as a YouTube channel and quickly became a trailblazer. Producing high-quality digital content such as short films, comedy sketches and series, Telfaz11 offered fresh perspectives on Saudi and regional issues. In 2020, Telfaz11 signed a partnership with Netflix to produce original content for the streaming giant. The result has been movies that demonstrate an evolution on the storytelling level, tackling topics that were once off-limits and sensitive to the public like secret nightlife in “Mandoob” (“Night Courier”) and changing social norms in “Naga.” “I think we tell our stories in a very simple way, and that’s what reaches the world,” Elshehri says of the changing shift. “When you tell your story in a natural way without any affectation, it will reach every person.” But the films were not without their critics, drawing mixed reaction. Social media discoursed ranged from pleasure that Saudi film were tackling such topics to anger over how the films reflected conservative society. As Hana Al-Omair, a Saudi writer and director, points out, there are still many stories left untold. “We certainly have a long time ahead of us before we can tell the Saudi narrative as it should be,” she said, acknowledging that there are still barriers and rampant censorship. “The Goat Life,” a Malayalam-language movie about an Indian man forced to work without pay in Saudi Arabia, is not available on Netflix’s platform in the country. Movies that explore political topics or LGBTQ+ stories are essentially out of the question. Even “My Driver and I,” featured at the Red Sea festival alongside 11 other Saudi feature-length films, was initially too controversial. It centers on a Sudanese man in Jeddah, living away from his own daughter, who feels responsible for the girl he drives as her parents are absent. It was initially blocked from being made because of the relationship between the girl and the driver, filmmaker Ahd Kamel has said, even though it’s not a romantic relationship. Now in 2024, the film is a success story — a symbol of the Saudi film industry’s evolution as well as the growing role of women like Kamel behind the camera and Dakheelallah in front of it. “I see the change in Saudi cinema, a very beautiful change and it is moving at a wonderful speed. In my opinion, we do not need to rush,” Dakheelallah said. “We need to guide the truth of the artistic movement that is happening in Saudi Arabia.” Advertisement AdvertisementUnless you happen to be an average-size person with perfectly balanced proportions, the clothing you buy may or may not fit perfectly. A skilled tailor can make a wardrobe seem almost custom-made by taking up a hem, adjusting a cuff, or making a few nips and tucks here and there. The same applies to your investment portfolio. A standard asset-allocation mix (such as a model portfolio ) may work well for the “average” investor, but one size doesn’t always fit all. Here are some of the situations in which you might want to consider adjusting your portfolio for a better fit. The “bucket approach” is a great way to tailor your asset allocation to better fit your specific needs. The general idea is to keep one to two years’ worth of expenses in highly liquid securities to help meet short-term cash needs (plus an additional five years’ or more worth of living expenses in high-quality fixed-income securities to provide income and stability). That way you won’t have to scramble to sell securities to meet your ongoing expenses. In effect, this approach is a way of building a tailored asset allocation from the bottom up. Similarly, make sure your asset allocation accounts for both longer- and shorter-term goals. If you have upcoming events on the horizon such as a home purchase, college tuition, a wedding, or a big vacation, make sure you have enough of your portfolio in moderate-risk assets (such as high-quality short- or intermediate-term bond funds) to fund these goals. It’s far more likely for a single stock to have large losses than a diversified mutual fund, so it’s wise to prune any stock holdings so they make up less than 10% of your portfolio. If you’ve received significant equity awards as part of your total compensation, though, consider how to do so without realizing hefty capital gains. If your spouse is more than five years older or younger than you, your portfolios should probably look a bit different. The younger spouse can afford to have a higher equity weighting and a more aggressive risk profile, while the older one will want to dial back risk. If you hold assets jointly, consider using a blended approach based on the average of your two ages. If you’re fortunate enough to have relatives who lived into their 90s or beyond, it makes sense to plan for a longer-than-usual life expectancy. You can probably afford to take on more risk with more exposure to equities and high-risk assets. From an actuarial perspective, each year you live means your life expectancy gets longer. Some experts (such as Michael Kitces and Wade Pfau) even argue for a “reverse glide path,” which increases equity exposure as you get older instead of the reverse. On the flip side, if you’re dealing with a terminal illness, make sure to keep your portfolio conservative enough to meet higher-than-expected health care expenses and provide yourself with whatever you might need to make your remaining months and years a little more comfortable. You might want to leave a legacy to your children and grandchildren, but keep in mind that the gift of your time—not money—will probably be the most meaningful. So, don’t feel guilty about spending down your assets if you find yourself in a situation where you need to. If you weren’t able to save and invest early in your career, your portfolio balance might be relatively low. Taking a hard look at your spending is the most important step you can take in this situation. But while it might be tempting to ramp up your equity exposure to try to make up lost ground, it’s more prudent to take the opposite approach because a small portfolio has less room to absorb market losses. Because a pension is literally a fixed income, it functions like a bond position in a portfolio, so you can afford to increase the equity weighting with your other assets. Social Security works the same way: Your monthly benefits won’t grow beyond a small cost of living increase, but it’s effectively a bond-like income stream. Get local news delivered to your inbox!