Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers clinched their first play-off birth since 2008 on Sunday. Streeter Lecka / Getty Images/ AFP
Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers clinched their first play-off birth since 2008 on Sunday. Streeter Lecka / Getty Images/ AFP

‘As a team we stuck together ... and had faith in each other’ says Cam Newton as Panthers clinch play-off spot



CHARLOTTE, United States // There is a message stitched inside the collar of every Carolina Panthers jersey. Two powerful words.

Keep Pounding.

They were spoken by late linebacker Sam Mills during his fight with intestinal cancer, and served as a reminder to teammates and friends to never give up, no matter how dire the situation.

Cam Newton and the Panthers took them to heart on Sunday.

Newton, who had struggled all afternoon, threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Domenik Hixon with 23 seconds left to lift the Panthers to a 17-13 win over the New Orleans Saints and clinch the team’s first play-off berth since 2008 before more than 70,000 rain-drenched fans.

Carolina (11-4) can wrap up the NFC South and a first-round bye in the play-offs with a win next Sunday at Atlanta.

Linebacker Thomas Davis addressed Mills’ message before the game, and Newton said it was never more applicable than Sunday.

“That’s about the best words you can put for the type of game we had,” Newton said. “You know we just kept fighting, kept pounding, kept getting after it. We really knew we were one drive away. We were one play away.”

Newton had been limited to 116 yards passing in the game’s 59 minutes. But the defence, which had been dominant all day, gave him one last chance to win the game by forcing Drew Brees to go three-and-out.

Newton took over at the Carolina 35 trailing 13-10 with 55 seconds left in the game, no timeouts, a sore ankle and his best receiver Steve Smith on the sideline with a knee injury.

He dug in and completed a 37-yard pass to Ted Ginn Jr on a dig route to quickly get the Panthers in field goal range. Then he connected with Greg Olsen for a 14-yard completion.

After Newton spiked the ball to stop the clock, Hixon made a diving catch in the left side of the end zone cradling the ball in his chest after beating cornerback Corey White. The catch set off a huge celebration that left the stadium shaking.

“I was 99 percent sure it was a catch,” Hixon said with a grin.

The seldom-used Hixon came into the game with just three catches for 21 yards on the season.

“Cam was very resilient,” coach Ron Rivera said. “He struggled all day and he knows that. But he came through when we needed him.”

Newton said there isn’t much time to celebrate with the focus on beating the Falcons next week to secure the division title and a first-round bye.

“When we were 1-3 there was a lot of what-ifs, a lot of people that were jumping off the bandwagon,” Newton said. “It was a lot of finger-pointing and saying, ‘I told you so.’ But as a team we stuck together and didn’t veer off and had faith in each other.”

Carolina’s defence kept the team in the game while the offence struggled, intercepting Brees twice and sacking him six times to avenge a 31-13 loss two weeks ago.

Middle linebacker Luke Kuechly had 24 tackles – tying an NFL record, according to STATS – and an interception while building his case for Defensive Player of the Year. Greg Hardy had three sacks going up against rookie left tackle Terron Armstead.

It was a rough day all around for the Saints (10-5). The resilient Arizona Cardinals won at Seattle 17-10, so the Saints still are not play-off bound yet.

“They’re a good pass rushing team,” Brees said of Carolina. “They did a good job of applying the pressure at times. They did a good job of covering some things down field when we were trying to push the ball downfield. Maybe the result of that ended up being having to hold the ball a little bit longer and take sacks.”

New Orleans took the lead with 6:37 left after Brees drove his team 97 yards in 11 plays, connecting on a 5-yard pass to tight end Jimmy Graham on a jump ball in the end zone. Graham was huge on the drive, catching three passes for 62 yards, including a 46-yard reception.

The Panthers failed to move the ball on the next possession, and Rivera decided to punt on fourth-and-7 with two minutes left.

Some fans booed the move, but “Riverboat Ron” said he had faith in his defence.

Carolina led 7-6 at halftime despite being limited to 97 yards on offence. During one stretch, the Panthers had four straight three-and-outs, combining for 1 yard.

But Davis, who had 14 tackles, helped turn the momentum with Carolina trailing 6-0 later in the first half.

Davis, who became the first active player selected to hit the “Keep Pounding” drum before the game, made a leaping interception of Brees on a third-down pass.

On the following play, DeAngelo Williams broke free up the middle for a 43-yard touchdown to give the Panthers a 7-6 lead with 1:54 left in the half.

“I talked about ‘Keep Pounding’ before the game and whole meaning of it and what it stands for,” Davis said. “It showed up today. I reminded them what it said. I’ve embraced it and I understand what it means.”

OTHER SUNDAY RESULTS

Broncos 37, Texans 13

Peyton Manning passed for 400 yards and set an NFL single-season mark for touchdown passes as the Denver Broncos clinched the AFC West crown with a crushing road win over the Houston Texans.

With his 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Julius Thomas at the 4:28 mark of the fourth quarter, Manning recorded his 51st scoring pass this season and eclipsed the mark set by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in 2007.

Manning will enter the season finale 266 yards shy of Drew Brees’ single-season record of 5,476 passing yards set in 2011 with New Orleans.

Denver (12-3) sent the Texans (2-13) to their 13th consecutive loss.

Bengals 42, Vikings 14

The Cincinnati Bengals topped the 40-point mark for a fourth consecutive home game and earned their third consecutive post-season berth with an emphatic win against the Minnesota Vikings (4-10-1).

Cincinnati improved to 7-0 at home this season as quarterback Andy Dalton finished 27-of-38 for 366 yards.

Colts 23, Chiefs 7

Donald Brown scored touchdowns as a rusher and receiver and the Indianapolis defence forced four turnovers by the normally sure-handed Kansas City Chiefs in bone-chilling cold weather.

After falling behind on a quick Kansas City touchdown, Indianapolis ran off 23 unanswered points.

The Colts earned their 10th victory of the season and will host a first-round game in the AFC play-offs in two weeks.

Kansas City’s defeat and Denver’s victory over Houston eliminated any chance the 11-4 Chiefs had of winning the AFC West and locked them into the fifth seed in the AFC.

Cowboys 24, Redskins 23

Quarterback Tony Romo rallied the desperate Dallas Cowboys from a nine-point deficit with less than seven minutes left to edge the Washington Redskins and stay alive in the NFC East race.

After running back DeMarco Murray lost nine yards on third-and-goal from the Washington 1-yard line, Romo had all the time in the world to find him for the game-winning 10-yard touchdown pass with 1:08 left.

The Cowboys (8-7) can win the division by beating the Philadelphia Eagles at home next Sunday. The Redskins sank to 3-12 with their seventh straight defeat, the second in a row by a point.

Bills 19, Dolphins 0

The Buffalo Bills dealt a devastating blow to Miami’s post-season hopes as they kept the Dolphins scoreless.

The Bills improved to 6-9, while the Dolphins, who had won three straight, dropped to 8-7 and limp home to face the New York Jets with quarterback Ryan Tannehill nursing a knee injury.

Jets 24, Browns 13

Quarterback Geno Smith threw a pair of touchdown passes to wide receiver David Nelson and rushed 17 yards for a third score as the New York Jets stormed back from a 10-point deficit to beat the Cleveland Browns in front of a sparse home crowd.

Rams 23, Buccaneers 13

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie quarterback Mike Glennon was sacked seven times and lost a key fumble as the St Louis Rams overcame a handful of mistakes offensively to win at home.

Titans 20, Jaguars 16

Playing for nothing but pride at this point in the season, the Tennessee Titans wrapped up their road schedule with a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne was intercepted by safety George Wilson on Jacksonville’s potentially game-winning drive in the final minutes.

Cardinals 17, Seahawks 10

The Arizona Cardinals (10-5) halted the coronation of the NFC’s top team and kept their own post-season hopes alive while ending the Seattle Seahawks’ home winning streak at 14 games as they knocked off the team that had the NFL’s best record.

Wide receiver Michael Floyd’s diving, 31-yard touchdown reception with 2:13 remaining and the ensuing two-point conversion proved to be the final scoring play.

Seattle had a chance to make a heroic drive of their own.

Quarterback Russell Wilson’s pass on the first play of the drive was intercepted by Arizona linebacker Karlos Dansby after bouncing off the arm of outstretched Seattle wide receiver Doug Baldwin with 1:56 remaining. A replay review upheld the call on the field and the Seahawks fell to 12-3.

Chargers 26, Raiders 13

The San Diego Chargers’ quest for the play-offs is alive after their third consecutive victory.

Quarterback Philip Rivers threw a go-ahead, 4-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Keenan Allen and the Chargers overcame three turnovers to beat the Oakland Raiders.

Giants 23, Lions 20 (OT)

Josh Brown kicked a 45-yard field goal in overtime, and the New York Giants handed reeling Detroit their third consecutive loss as the Lions were eliminated from play-off contention.

New York forced overtime when safety Will Hill intercepted a deflected pass from Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown with less than five minutes left in regulation.

Patriots 41, Ravens 7

Quarterback Tom Brady passed for 172 yards and a touchdown, running back LeGarrette Blount rushed for two scores, and the Patriots’ defence dominated throughout as New England thrashed the Baltimore Ravens.

New England (11-4) clinched their fifth consecutive AFC East title before kickoff thanks to the Miami Dolphins’ loss to Buffalo earlier in the day.

Steelers 38, Packers 31

The Pittsburgh Steelers held off Green Bay’s last throw into the end zone to deal the Packers’ play-off hopes a blow with a wild win.

The Packers had two major penalties in the final two minutes – an offside and a false start – that were costly. They had the ball inside the 5 with 1:03 left on the clock, but couldn’t score to tie the game.

Huddersfield Town permanent signings:

  • Steve Mounie (striker): signed from Montpellier for £11 million
  • Tom Ince (winger): signed from Derby County for £7.7m
  • Aaron Mooy (midfielder): signed from Manchester City for £7.7m
  • Laurent Depoitre (striker): signed from Porto for £3.4m
  • Scott Malone (defender): signed from Fulham for £3.3m
  • Zanka (defender): signed from Copenhagen for £2.3m
  • Elias Kachunga (winger): signed for Ingolstadt for £1.1m
  • Danny WIlliams (midfielder): signed from Reading on a free transfer
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)

Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits

Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

Storage: 128/256/512GB

Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4

Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps

Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID

Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight

In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter

Price: From Dh2,099

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

World record transfers

1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m

Know before you go
  • Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
  • If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
  • By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
  • Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
  • Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.

 

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

Ibrahim's play list

Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute

Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc

Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar

His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach

Also enjoys listening to Mozart

Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz

Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica 

Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil

RIVER%20SPIRIT
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Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

The specs

Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors

Transmission: two-speed

Power: 671hp

Torque: 849Nm

Range: 456km

Price: from Dh437,900 

On sale: now

Ticket prices

General admission Dh295 (under-three free)

Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free

Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets

THREE
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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Coffee: black death or elixir of life?

It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?

Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.

The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.

The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.

Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver. 

The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.

But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.

Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.

It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.

So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.

Rory Reynolds

Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

Company%20profile
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Company profile

Name: Infinite8

Based: Dubai

Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor

Gulf Under 19s

Pools

A – Dubai College, Deira International School, Al Ain Amblers, Warriors
B – Dubai English Speaking College, Repton Royals, Jumeirah College, Gems World Academy
C – British School Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Yasmina Academy
D – Dubai Exiles, Jumeirah English Speaking School, English College, Bahrain Colts

Recent winners

2018 – Dubai College
2017 – British School Al Khubairat
2016 – Dubai English Speaking School
2015 – Al Ain Amblers
2014 – Dubai College