globalresearch--2019-08-08--Is the Federal Reserve Losing Control of the Gold Price Rigging the Currency Market

Is the Federal Reserve Losing Control of the Gold Price? Rigging the Currency Market

After years of being kept in the doldrums by orchestrated short selling described on this website by Roberts and Kranzler, gold has lately moved up sharply reaching $1,510 this morning.  The gold price has continued to rise despite the continuing practice of dumping large volumes of naked contracts in the futures market.  The gold price is driven down but quickly recovers and moves on up.  I haven’t an explanation at this time for the new force that is more powerful than the short-selling that has been used to control the price of gold.  Various central banks have been converting their dollar reserves into gold, which reduces the demand for dollars and increases the demand for gold.  Existing stocks of gold available to fill orders are being drawn down, and new mining output is not keeping pace with the rise in demand.  Perhaps this is the explanation for the rise in the price of gold.  During the many years of Quantitative Easing the exchange value of the dollar was protected by the Japanese, British, and EU central banks also printing money to insure that their currencies did not rise in value relative to the dollar. The Federal Reserve needs to protect the dollar’s exchange value so that it continues in its role as the world’s reserve currency in which international transactions are conducted.  If the dollar loses this role, the US will lose the ability to pay its bills by printing dollars.  A dollar declining in value relative to other countries would cause flight from the dollar to the rising currencies.  Catastrophe quickly occurs from increasing the supply of a currency that central banks are unwilling to hold.  One problem remained. The dollar was depreciating relative to gold.  Rigging the currency market was necessary but not sufficient to stabilize the dollar’s value. The gold market also had to be rigged. To stop the dollar’s depreciation, naked short selling has been used to artificially increase the supply of paper gold in order to suppress the price.  Unlike equities, gold shorts don’t have to be covered. This turns the price-setting gold futures market into a paper market where contracts are settled primarily in cash and not by taking delivery of gold.  Therefore, participants can increase the supply of the paper gold traded in the futures market by printing new contracts. When large numbers of contracts are suddenly dumped in the market, the sudden increase in paper gold supply drives down the price. This has worked until now.  If flight from the dollar is beginning, it will make it difficult for the Federal Reserve to accommodate the growing US budget deficit and continue its policy of lowering interest rates. With central banks moving their reserves from dollars (US Treasury bonds and bills) to gold, the demand for US government debt is not keeping up with supply.  The supply will be increasing due to the $1.5 trillion US budget deficit.  The Federal Reserve will have to take up the gap between the amount of new debt that has to be issued and the amount that can be sold by purchasing the difference.  In other words, the Fed will print more money with which to purchase the unsold portion of the new debt.  The creation of more dollars when the dollar is experiencing pressure puts more downward pressure on the dollar.  To protect the dollar, that is, to make it again attractive to investors and central banks, the Federal Reserve would have to raise interest rates substantially.  If the US economy is in recession or moving toward recession, the cost of rising interest rates would be high in terms of unemployment.  With a rising price of gold, who would want to hold debt denominated in a rapidly depreciating currency when interest rates are low, zero, or negative?  The Federal Reserve might have no awareness of the pending crisis that it has set up for itself.  On the other hand, the Federal Reserve is responsive to the elite who want to rid themselves of Trump.  Collapsing the economy on Trump’s head is one way to prevent his reelection.  Note to readers: please click the share buttons above or below. Forward this article to your email lists. Crosspost on your blog site, internet forums. etc.  Dr. Paul Craig Roberts writes on his blog, Paul Craig Roberts Institute for Political Economy, where this article was originally published. He is a frequent contributor to Global Research.


lewrockwell--2019-07-27--We Have All the Elements of a Gold Bull Market

Gold has pushed much higher in recent weeks, breaking through the $1,400 level and holding. Silver has also rallied and has started to close the gap with the yellow metal. In a recent podcast, Peter Schiff said we are seeing signs that the investment world is starting to catch on. The psychology has shifted and investors are started to realize that the gold bull-run is for real. A lot of it has to do with the anticipation of more easy money from the Federal Reserve. Fed-speak continues to boost anticipation of an interest rate cut. The only thing dampening expectations is the possibility of higher inflation. Peter said that doesn’t matter. Inflation or not, the Fed is cutting rates. Last week, Fed Vice Chair Richard Clarida said, “You don’t want to wait until data turns decisively,” before cutting rates.  Meanwhile, New York Federal Reserve President John Williams said the central bank shouldn’t leave a lot of dry powder in the keg. It should fire its bullets at the first sign of trouble. As Peter noted, the Fed used to claim to be “data-dependent.” Why is the Fed so anxious to cut rates now? How an Economy Grows a... Peter D. Schiff, Andre... Best Price: $1.78 Buy New $5.95 (as of 04:55 EDT - Details) Obviously, the reason is the Fed is so afraid of the next recession that they just want to do whatever they can to try to postpone that recession from happening. It’s not like they can stop it, but they want to postpone it. And the reason is because the Fed knows there’s nothing they can do, that basically, their chamber is empty anyway. So, you might as well shoot what you’ve got left because there’s no way they have enough firepower to deal with this recession the way they have been doing it. They can’t blow up a bigger bubble. They don’t have enough room between where rates are now and zero. And the amount of quantitative easing that would be required to monetize the enormity of the coming national debt is going to produce the overdose. So, all these clowns can think of is we’ve got to postpone this no matter what.” But as Peter pointed out, every day the central bankers manage to put off the day of reckoning only exacerbates the problems. If the recession is when the mistakes of the boom are corrected, why should we postpone that day? The sooner we correct these mistakes the better.” Gold sold off a bit of its gain earlier in the week after the consumer sentiment numbers showed a bigger expectation for inflation. Peter said this led to the same old “brainless trade” we’ve seen over and over based on the notion that inflation is bad for gold and good for the dollar. The mainstream believes the Fed will adjust its policy if inflation starts to rear its head and that will put the kibosh on rate cuts. Peter said this isn’t the case. The consumer is right to expect more inflation. In fact, Peter thinks we’ll get a lot more than they expect. But the traders are wrong to expect the Fed to do anything about it. They’re not going to do anything about it. They’re going to cut rates no matter how high inflation goes because they can’t stop it. But if they raise rates, they’re going to create in their minds a problem that is worse than inflation. So, they would rather have inflation than the opposite, or what would be required to stop inflation, which would be a massive financial crisis because they have to raise interest rates and let this entire house of cards economy that they built on a foundation of cheap money  – watch the entire thing implode.” Inflation is going to win this battle. The Fed is going to surrender. This is why investors should be buying gold. Higher inflation is not going to be seen as bad for gold. In fact, higher inflation is why people should be buying gold. The more inflation, the more gold you need to buy. So ultimately, higher inflation numbers, higher inflation expectations are going to be bought when it comes to gold, not sold.” The opposite is true for the dollar. The mainstream only thinks inflation is good for the dollar right now because it believes the Fed will rush in and defend it. Peter said that’s not going to happen. That means the dollar will be losing value. The Real Crash: Americ... Peter D. Schiff Best Price: $2.54 Buy New $7.99 (as of 04:25 EDT - Details) If the dollar is losing value, you want to get rid of dollars before it loses even more value. But the markets haven’t figured this out yet.” Peter noted that even as the price of gold dips with the daily market ebb and flow, investors are still buying gold stocks. And as he noted last week, silver is starting to play catch up. Now we have all the elements that we need of a gold bull market. Before, the problem was gold was going up by no one believed it. That’s why silver was still going down. That’s why nobody was buying gold stocks, because everybody expected gold to fall. People were just so conditioned to believe that the rallies would be sold that they couldn’t believe the breakout, so there was a lot of skepticism. We were climbing this little wall of worry. But now we’re breaking down that wall. Now we have silver outperforming gold and we have gold stocks outperforming the metal. That’s what happens in every bull market. Silver leads gold and stocks lead the metal. That’s what we’ve got all three firing on all three cylinders. That’s it. The market is going higher. People need to get in. They need to buy physical gold and silver.”


sottnet--2019-01-04--Gold posts back-to-back gains as stock market declines

Gold futures on Thursday climbed a second straight session to their highest finish in more than six months as U.S. stocks saw a sharp pullback and the dollar softened.A bearish revenue outlook from iPhone-maker Apple Inc. AAPL, +3.65% rattled markets, with investors pushing the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite IndexCOMP, +4.09% sharply lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +3.11%and the S&P 500 index SPX, +3.20% also declined as gold futures settled.Apple shares headed lower after the tech giant announced a rare cut to its sales forecast, citing sluggish economic growth in China, which could also be exacerbated by the longstanding tariff dispute between Beijing and Washington.February gold on Comex GCG9, -0.59% gained $10.70, or 0.8%, to settle at $1,294.80 an ounce, after the commodity closed 0.2% higher in the prior session. Prices marked another finish at the highest since the middle of June, according to FactSet data.Supporting bullion prices recently are equity-market jitters to start 2019, and growing expectations of a pause in coming rate increases by the Federal Reserve, which has become more cognizant of the market's tailspin lower.Also buoying gold is a softer dollar, with a measure of the buck, the ICE U.S. Dollar DXY, -0.16% off 0.6% at 96.26.March silver SIH9, +0.05% added 14.8 cents, or 1%, to settle at $15.797, after trading lower earlier Thursday. Silver closed up 0.7% Wednesday.Automatic Data Processing Inc. ADP, +3.63% showed that 271,000 private-sector jobs were added in December, compared with a previous monthly reading of 179,000.However, some of an important economic gauge, the Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index, produced a reading of 54.1 in December, down from 59.3 in November and below the 57 anticipated by economists surveyed by MarketWatch, adding to downbeat market sentiment and sending investors into the perceived safety of gold and silver.On Friday, market participants will watch a closely followed nonfarm-payroll report, with 184,000 jobs expected in December and an unemployment rate falling to 3.6%.On Comex, April platinum PLJ9, +3.30% traded at $799.30 an ounce, down 0.6%, while March palladium PAH9, +3.60% added 0.2% to $1,200.30 an ounce-the highest since Dec. 19. March copper HGH9, +2.75% fell by 2.1% to $2.568 a pound.


sottnet--2019-08-05--Global markets are in panic mode sparking a wave of investment into gold bonds and currencies

Global markets are in panic mode — sparking a wave of investment into gold, bonds and currencies

, while the Japanese yen and core government bonds also rallied.It comes at a time of heightened volatility in financial markets, with the pan-European Stoxx 600 falling almost 2%. That's on top of the 2.5% it lost on Friday — its worst day so far in 2019.The panic is seen spreading across to Wall Street too , with the Dow Jones Industrial Average expected to fall more than 380 points lower at the open."The nervousness in financial markets over the falling renminbi ( yuan ) in recent weeks has reached panic levels, " Tom Elliott, international investment strategist at deVere Group, said in a research note published Monday."Just as in July and August 2015, when China engineered a small devaluation to support growth, global stock markets have panicked," Elliott said.The CBOE volatility index — known commonly as the VIX or Wall Street's "fear gauge" — climbed to its highest level since mid-May, while Europe's equivalent reached its highest since early January.At times of market turbulence, investors tend to flee to assets expected to either retain or increase in value — such as gold, the Japanese yen and government bonds. Spot gold rose 1.4% to trade at $1,460.11 per ounce at around 8:15 a.m. ET. It marked the yellow metal's highest level since May 2013.Philippe Gijsels, chief strategy officer at BNP Paribas Fortis, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Monday.When asked whether he had a preference among the perceived safe-haven assets, Gijsels replied: "I prefer gold.""It is hard to argue that in the bond market you get a very nice price at the moment so, therefore, I think gold and silver look more compelling," he added.The onshore Chinese yuan changed hands at 7.0304 against the dollar on Monday, while the offshore yuan traded at 7.0807 against the greenback., according to Reuters.The sharp weakening in the Chinese currency came after Trump unexpectedly announced fresh tariffs on Beijing last week. The new charges are set to take effect from Sept. 1."I think in this environment, right now, today, it would be foolhardy to go into risky assets," Duncan Wrigley, chief strategist at Everbright Sun Hung Kai, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Monday."I think there is going to be a little bit more of a market adjustment, and probably an over-adjustment, in response to the trade action and the yuan," he added.to its highest since a January flash crash. The currency was last up 0.5% at 106.04, after hitting 105.78 earlier in the session.to 1.0864 francs against the euro.At around 8:15 a.m. ET, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note , which moves inversely to price, was lower at around 1.7616%, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was also lower at around 2.3034%.The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield, which influences mortgages and other loans, fell almost 10 basis points on Monday, hovering close to a nearly three-year low.Some government bonds are viewed as safer assets by investors. The bond yields hitting multi-year lows shows there is a rising demand for the 10-year paper due to the ongoing uncertainty in the global economy.Trump's latest tariff threat on the roughly $300 billion of Chinese goods not currently targeted by American levies may force the U.S. central bank to cut interest rates more than it hoped was necessary to protect the economy from trade policy risks.


sputnik--2019-01-09--The Message in Gold a New Secular Bull Market

The Message in Gold: a New Secular Bull Market

As financial markets begin the year with huge volatile swings and job numbers surprise to the upside, Double Down talks to Mish Shedlock of MishTalk.com about what the Federal Reserve will do now that investors had priced in a rate cut in March: can the Fed do that in face of booming employment numbers and rising wages? And what about Warren Buffett, who seems to have poured 25% of his legendary portfolio into Apple shares right at the top.  Those shares are down over $450 billion in market capitalization since AAPL's all-time high: is the market right? And the greatest value investor of all time wrong? Mish thinks that Warren Buffett may, indeed, be wrong and that Apple had already saturated the market in an even more saturated market filled with competitors. The only thing holding steady in the jittery markets of the past few weeks is gold. Is that in a new bull market? Mish believes we could be back in a secular bull. Tune in to hear more.


sputnik--2019-09-02--Investors Bet on Gold Over Fears of Market Volatility Amid US-China Trade War Reports

Investors Bet on Gold Over Fears of Market Volatility Amid US-China Trade War – Reports

Investors rushed to gold-baked funds with holdings of precious metal reaching 2,453.4 tonnes last week, amid the US-China trade war and stock market volatility, Bloomberg analyst reported on Monday.  Deposits into exchange-traded funds that are backed by bullion exceeded 100 tonnes in August hitting the highest point since February 2013, according to Bloomberg, with holdings of the metal rising to 101.9 tonnes in the last week of August. With overall gold assets now reaching almost 2,500 tonnes, August was the third straight month in a row where gold stocks have dramatically increased.  Gold gained 19% value this year with the price per ounce, starting at $1522.68 on the morning of Monday, 2 September. The metal reached $1,555 on 26 August, which was the highest price since 2013, while its current value is also likely to advance further, according to Goldman Sachs Group.  The increased investments into the precious metal and its rising prices are likely to be connected to the fresh escalations in the trade war between the US and China, as well as the reluctance of the US Federal Reserve to significantly cut interest rates, boosting demand for gold as a store of value due to its advantages over other volatile global equities.  On 23 August US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to announce a pledge to respond to Beijing’s imposition of tariffs on $75 billion worth of US imports, including the most traded corn, crude oil and wheat. Trump also said that he intends to shut down the operation of US businesses in China.  After the New York Stock Exchange closed on 23 August, Trump declared a new hike on existing tariffs on Chinese imported goods worth 250 billion from 25% to 30% on 1 October. He also raised the planned 10% tariff to 15% on another $300 billion of China’s exports to the US.  The world stock indices failure only contributed to the existing fears of a  forthcoming recession in the US, as the presence of the so-called inversion of the US bond yield curve signalled coming economic troubles to experts.  In the meantime, China and Russia became the most eager countries to invest in safe-haven golden assets following the market volatility, with Russia becoming the world’s largest buyer of gold in the first quarter of 2019 with 55.3 tonnes purchased, followed by China increasing its golden reserves by 33 tonnes at the start of 2019. This trend is believed to be a part of the de-dollarization strategy pursued by both states, with Russia also drastically reducing its US Treasury holdings from $160 billion in early 2013 to $10.8 billion in June 2019.


theguardianuk--2019-01-02--UK housing market is a goldmine for wealthy foreign buyers

UK housing market is a ‘goldmine’ for wealthy foreign buyers

The global super-rich have taken advantage of the Brexit-induced decline in the value of sterling to buy up three times as many £10m-plus luxury homes as before the referendum vote.  Some 300 homes sold for more than £10m each in the tax year to April 2017 (the latest for which figures are available), an increase from the 100 sold during the preceding 12 months. The figures, released by HM Revenue and Customs on Wednesday following a freedom of information request, were rounded to the nearest 10 by HMRC.  Jonathan Samuels, the chief executive of property lender Octane Capital, said the 13% drop in the value of the pound compared with the dollar since the June 2016 referendum had turned the UK into “a goldmine for foreign investors seeking a bargain”.  “The mainstream property market saw transaction levels tail off considerably following the EU referendum vote,” said Samuels, who submitted the FoI request. “But at the very top end of the market activity levels soared as ultra-wealthy opportunist buyers cashed in on rapidly softening prices.  “The weakness of sterling means a fair percentage of these buyers were almost certainly based overseas, as some of Britain’s wealthiest cities became a goldmine for foreign investors seeking a bargain.  “While many homeowners sit on their hands during times of political and economic volatility, the ultra-wealthy often use these periods to acquire assets at a significant discount.”  Samuels said the fall in the pound, which has declined from $1.46 on 23 June 2016 to $1.26 on Wednesday, had “more than compensated” for the 3% second homes stamp duty surcharge the government introduced in 2016. The pound was worth $1.59 in June 2015.  Stamp duty on properties selling for more than £1.5m is 12%, rising to 15% for second homes. In the 2016-2017 tax year, stamp duty raised £7.3bn for the government – £3.4bn of it in London. The Treasury raised £4.1bn in stamp duty on second-home sales in the 2017-18 tax year, a 21% increase on the previous year.  Samuels said the highest levels of property spending had been in London. “Brexit had a particular impact on super-prime properties in the capital so for many very-high-net-worth individuals the fallout from the EU referendum vote was an investment opportunity,” he said.  However, Henry Pryor, an independent luxury property buying agent, said the ultra-prime market had become much more fragile recently as buyers waited for the final Brexit deal to be agreed, and said potential purchasers were demanding significant discounts.  “Best in class still sells, but through 2018 the top end of the market would have made a thrilling David Attenborough film with predators waiting for the weakest to stumble before they pounced,” Pryor said.  “Demand for the best homes remains and the ability of the richest to pay for the best homes still exists, but my experience is that wealthy people are usually rich because they are careful with their money not despite it – and they want to be confident that they are not overpaying.”  Recent high-end sales include a Grade I-listed mansion on Belgrave Square that went for £60m. The five-storey stucco-fronted property, which was once the London home of William Cavendish, the seventh Duke of Devonshire, had been on the market for almost a decade and was first listed for £100m.  Other properties that have sold recently for more than £10m include a seven-bedroom property at the top of Primrose Hill in north London, which had been home to the same family for 45 years and went for £17.4m. A six-bedroom townhouse overlooking a private cricket pitch in Chelsea sold for £13.7m.  Outside the capital, a nine-bedroom mansion in a private estate near Ascot sold for £15m. A seven-bedroom Oxford property designed by architect Frederick Codd and once home to social reformer and novelist Mary Arnold Ward sold for £10.5m.


zerohedge--2019-12-04--Gold Has Outperformed The Stock Market Over The Last Year

For more than a year, I’ve been strongly encouraging readers to consider buying gold.  In fact, almost exactly one year ago to the day, I wrote that gold was cheap relative to just about every other asset class in the world.  Since then, gold has been one of the best performing investments in the world.  Over the last 12 months, the price of gold is up 18.8%, handily outperforming everything from the S&P 500 index in the US to stock markets in China, Europe, and Canada, plus bonds, real estate, and even major commodities like oil.  Gold has even outpaced the stock prices many of the world’s most popular tech investments like Netflix, Tesla, Amazon, etc.  But while gold’s investment performance has been great, I want to tell you today why that doesn’t matter one bit to me.  According to data published by the World Gold Council (WGC), in the last quarter alone, both retail investors and a number of large hedge funds have been piling into gold.  That’s certainly been one factor driving prices higher. But to be frank, that sort of demand is extremely fickle.  The WGC data show that most small investors are buying into gold ETFs (which as I’ve explained previously is probably the dumbest way to own gold.)  Gold ETF buyers are NOT long-term investors. They’ll most likely sell the minute gold prices start to fall.  Hedge fund managers won’t hesitate to sell either, especially if they need to boost their quarterly returns.  So, long-term, gold prices won’t be driven higher by fickle investor demand.  The real demand that’s worth watching comes from foreign governments and central banks– institutions with such a heavy appetite that they buy gold by the metric ton.  In the third quarter of this year, Turkey bought 71 metric tons of gold. Serbia bought 9 metric tons of gold in the month of October alone.  Poland doubled its gold reserves last year. And China has been gobbling up not only gold, but gold miners too.  It’s critical to understand that foreign governments and central banks tend to be buyers of gold. They’re rarely sellers.  In fact up until very recently, there was even an agreement among some of the world’s largest central banks to sell their gold in order to ensure price stability.  And according to freshly-minted international banking regulations, gold is now considered to be a “zero-risk asset” for central banks and large financial institutions.  This is important– because a number of central banks and foreign governments are really looking for alternatives to diversify away from the US dollars.  Right now the US dollar is still the world’s most popular ‘reserve’ asset… meaning that just about every foreign government, central bank, and large commercial bank on the planet holds US dollars.  China alone has TRILLIONS of US dollars in reserve.  But for the past 20 years or so, the US government has increasingly used its currency, economy, and financial system as a weapon to threaten foreign countries.  If you cross the US government, you’re threatened with sanctions, tariffs, and all sorts of financial penalties.  Think about it– with so many problems and disputes looming, why would a country like China continue accumulating US dollar reserves? It doesn’t make any sense.  And that’s why so many countries are starting to stockpile gold instead. It’s the best alternative to US dollars, and they’re buying up as much as they can.  These foreign governments and central banks do tend to report their gold purchases. But it would be remarkably naive for us to assume they’re giving us the full story.  Why would China willingly tell the world precisely how much gold they’re accumulating? There is absolutely no benefit for them to be transparent. So the real numbers could be far, far greater than what the official statistics say.  This is ultimately what’s going to keep driving long-term gold demand.  Individual investors and even big hedge funds will come and go. But foreign governments and central banks are very likely to continue hedging against the US dollar… and gold is literally the ONLY sensible alternative right now.  This is definitely going to have a positive impact on the gold price. But it doesn’t guarantee higher gold prices over the next year or two.  Roughly half of all gold demand comes from industry (primarily tech manufacturing) and jewelry. And both of these will take a big hit in the next global recession… which could cause the gold price to fall.  And that’s the point I want to convey today. Yes, it’s possible to make money with gold. But frankly there are far more lucrative potential speculations out there, including gold miners.  If you bought gold today and the price soared to $3,000, you’d double your money.  But if you bought shares in a gold exploration company that discovers a huge gold deposit, your shares could increase in value by 2,000%.  The decision to own gold should never be about the investment gain. Gold is a hedge against uncertainties and risks. And there are a lot of those in the world.  We gladly buy insurance policies to protect our homes, cars, boats, and businesses against various risks.  Plus we buy life insurance insurance, liability insurance, and disability insurance to protect our families against the unknowns.  This is a great way to think about gold – it’s like a private, fully redeemable insurance policy with steady cash value and zero counterparty risk.  And when combined with a properly structured retirement plan, it can be very tax efficient.


zerohedge--2019-12-16--What Will The Market Care About In 2020? Here Is Goldman's Answer

Now that two of the market's greatest unknowns - Brexit/the UK election, and the "Phase One" part of the US-China trade war (with the Phase Two supposedly on the "to do" list after the Nov 2020 elections) - appear to have found an interim, if not fully satisfactory, resolution, a recurring question among the trader community is what will the market care about in the coming year.  Conveniently, an answer to that question is the topic of a Goldman report published over the weekend, and which points out that despite the immediate newsflow vacuum now that stocks will no longer rally on "optimism" of an imminent deal announcement, there is still quite a bit to occupy traders. Starting with the Treasury-market, Goldman notes that activity here will depend crucially on the Fed’s reaction function and the current pace of growth (among other things).  As shown in the chart below, sensitivity to inflation surprises picked up sharply in late 2017 and 2018 as the Fed hiked, as realized inflation moved towards the target, and as the risk of overheating entered the mainstream policy debate.  However, 2019 saw a reversal of all three trends, and inflation sensitivity declined arguably as a result.  Following the sharp tightening in financial conditions at the turn of the year, the combination of renewed growth fears, declining core inflation, and the dovish Fed pivot resulted in a roughly 50% decline in inflation sensitivity. Equity-market inflation sensitivity also declined, albeit more modestly.  In contrast, sensitivity to growth data picked up sharply in 2019, reflecting slowing growth and the return of recession fears. In fact, growth sensitivity in the bond market is already back to its level during the shale bust and capex-driven growth scare of 2016-17.  Looking ahead to 2020, Goldman expects another signal reversal, as its forecast of improving growth and diminished trade risks suggests scope for a modest pullback in sensitivity to growth data. Treasury-market sensitivity has already overshot relative to the bank's predictions (see blue and red line in the left panel of Exhibit 6), and the end of the mid-cycle adjustment coupled with its expectation of firming US growth argues for more a normal degree of data sensitivity in early 2020.  Similarly, equity-market reactions to growth data could also wane a bit early next year if growth picks up.  It is also worth recalling that 2020 will be the year of the presidential election. As a result, Goldman analyzes the impact of elections on data sensitivity since 2000. Adding election dummy variables to the models shown in Exhibit 6, the bank finds a negative and significant “election effect” on growth sensitivity—with reactions to growth surprises attenuating in the quarter of presidential elections. Goldman analysts also find tentative evidence of attenuation in the quarter preceding the election (statistical power may be limited by the short sample).  The implications for 2020 are shown by the dotted lines above (i.e., a short-lived lull in data reactions in the coming fall 2020).  In contrast, the bank finds no such effects for inflation sensitivity. This may suggest that market participants view elections as more important for the growth outlook than for the near-term trajectory of core inflation (such that inflation news continues to be an important driver of price action, even if growth surprises are faded). In conclusion, Goldman expects inflation reactions to pick up gradually in 2020 as inflation rebounds towards the target and the Fed begins to contemplate its next move. All of that, of course, assumes that inflation will rebound next year as most on Wall Street now openly expect. However, if there is anything that 2019 once again vividly demonstrated, it is that when everyone expects something, the opposite happens.


activistpost--2019-04-30--Silver Market Alert Powerful Bullish Setup Takes Shape

Silver Market Alert: Powerful Bullish Setup Takes Shape

The silver market appears to be setting up for a big move.  After spending this spring stair-stepping lower in a narrowing range, silver prices have formed a falling wedge pattern. That pattern usually resolves in a powerful directional breakout. The good news for bulls is that falling wedges usually break out to the upside.  Commercial hedgers and bullion banks (i.e., “smart money”) in the silver futures market have significantly trimmed their short positions over the past couple weeks – a bullish development. While their net positioning isn’t yet at an extreme, it is more favorable than not for a price rally to commence in the near future.  Of course, neither futures traders nor chart patterns are 100% reliable. Nor do they have any particular implications for where prices may be headed years from now.  Long-term investors can benefit from identifying opportune entry points on the charts. But if a big multi-year bull market is to come, it will be driven by fundamentals – supply, demand, relative valuations, inflation rates, and investor sentiment.  Let’s therefore drill down into silver’s fundamentals.  The Silver Institute is widely considered to be an authoritative source. The Institute released its annual World Silver Survey in April, which showed global silver demand rose by 4% in 2018 to more than 1 billion ounces. At the same time, supply from mine production fell 2% last year to 855.7 million ounces.  At first glance, these numbers present a compelling case for higher silver prices. Demand appears to be outstripping supply.  However, there is no actual physical shortage. The mining supply deficit is (for now) being made up by scrap recycling and other secondary above-ground sources of physical silver.  There ultimately will be a physical shortage if demand continues to rise while mining production falls. The market’s way of averting such a shortage is through higher prices to incentivize more output and encourage thrifting by industrial users.  Silver is a difficult market to forecast in part because there are few primary silver miners in existence. Most silver production comes from gold and base metals mining operations.  The gold mining industry is shrinking as reserves get depleted without being replaced by new discoveries and small companies get gobbled up by larger ones.  Some industry insiders believe “peak gold” has arrived, which would imply annual global gold mining output heads down in the years to come.  Silver can be viewed as a leveraged play on gold. Silver is the more volatile of the two monetary metals.  And right now it happens to be extremely cheap versus gold. Silver currently trades at about 1/86th the price of gold, just off a 25-year low hit earlier in April.  A mean reversion toward a more typical silver:gold ratio would imply massive silver outperformance going forward. At silver’s last major cyclical peak in 2011 above $49/oz, the white metal traded at 1/30th the gold price. Going back further in history, there is precedent for further narrowing in the gold:silver gap.  The wild card is investment demand, which often actually rises during periods of rising prices. It’s human nature to want to join a trend in motion – and over the past few years, U.S. retail investment demand has been soft amidst a trendless silver market.  Only the most farsighted, hardy, and patient investors buy aggressively while the market isn’t going anywhere. They stand to reap the biggest gains, though, when prices finally do take off.  Weak sales figures over the past couple years on popular bullion products such as Silver Eagles suggest investors remain largely disinterested in silver. However, digging deeper into World Silver Survey data, we find that global investment demand for bars shot up by 53% in 2018. Much of that demand came from India and China, where evidently more people of wealth are deciding to stack silver bars. Gold has long been a powerful status symbol in Asia. But silver represents a more practical, more affordable way for the masses to hold wealth and conduct barter and trade transactions. While central banks around the world (including China’s) accumulate gold at an accelerating pace, individuals accumulating their own monetary reserves in the form of silver bullion appears to be an emerging trend in the emerging world. The bottom line is that the underlying fundamentals of the silver market are turning more and more favorable, even though the headlines aren’t – yet. Stefan Gleason is President of Money Metals Exchange, a precious metals dealer recently named “Best in the USA” by an independent global ratings group. A graduate of the University of Florida, Gleason is a seasoned business leader, investor, political strategist, and grassroots activist. Gleason has frequently appeared on national television networks such as CNN, FoxNews, and CNBC and in hundreds of publications such as the Wall Street Journal, TheStreet.com, and Seeking Alpha. Provide, protect and profit from what is coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2019-11-13--Congressman Prods Attorney General on Gold, Silver Trading Questions Ignored by CFTC

A U.S. representative who has been pressing the Treasury Department, Federal Reserve, and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) with questions about the gold and silver markets has asked Attorney General William P. Barr to try intervene and get answers from the commission.  In a letter dated November 1 and made public today, the U.S. representative, Alex W. Mooney, Republican of West Virginia, commends Barr for the Justice Department’s recent criminal prosecution of manipulation in the monetary metals futures markets.  But Mooney calls attention to the explosion in use of a mechanism called “exchange for physicals” for settling metals futures contracts in the United States, a mechanism that, Mooney contends, may pose “some danger of a systemic issue” if, as seems to be the case, those settlements are being transferred to European markets.  Further, Mooney complains to the attorney general that the CFTC is “apparently unwilling to answer a few straightfoward questions which I and others have repeatedly posed, including questions about unusual activity” in the exchange for physicals mechanism.  Mooney questioned the CFTC in a letter sent February 5, echoing questions already posed by GATA and ignored by the commission.  The commission has not replied to him despite repeated inquiries.  “Given the CFTC’s delays in answering questions about these notable developments,” Mooney writes in his letter to the attorney general, “I would like the Department of Justice to examine the matter and provide me with the scope and purpose of EFP use, its legality, and whether full disclosure of EFP activity is (or should be) required.”  “Additionally, please let me know whether the CFTC’s jurisdiction extends to trading by the U.S. government and/or its agents or if such activity is exempt from oversight.  “With the recent explosion in EFPs,” Mooney concludes, “the CFTC’s failure to detect and/or prosecute criminal manipulation by participants in the precious metals markets is disturbing and needs to be addressed.”  Like GATA’s, Mooney’s inquiries seek to determine if the U.S. government or its agents are trading in the monetary metals markets for currency market rigging purposes and if such trading is subject to ordinary antitrust and commodity trading law and CFTC jurisdiction or is exempt under the Gold Reserve Act of 1934 as amended since then.  Mooney’s letter to the attorney general is reproduced in full here.


aljazeera--2019-10-14--World Beach Games: Qatar stages first-ever edition

The first-ever World Beach Games are underway in Qatar.  The games are a multisport event featuring beach classics such as volleyball and wakeboarding.


aljazeera--2019-12-08--Gulf Cup: Bahrain stun Saudi Arabia 1-0 to lift first title

Doha, Qatar - Bahrain have beaten Saudi Arabia 1-0 to lift their first-ever regional title at the Arabian Gulf Cup, in a matchup of two countries blockading the host nation, Qatar.  Saudi captain Salman Mohammed Alfaraj had a chance to put his side in the lead with an 11th-minute penalty kick but misfired, hitting the top edge of the post during the first half of Sunday's final in the capital, Doha. • At Gulf Cup in Qatar, a showdown of 'football, not politics'  Neither team was able to score in the opening 45 minutes of the championship game, a rematch of the two sides' Group B fixture, which Saudi Arabia won 2-0.  But, 24 minutes into the second half, Bahraini forward Mohamed Saad al-Romaihi scored for the Reds assisted by a nifty cross from midfielder Sayed Redha Isa Hashim.  That was the only goal of the final attended by Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who later crowned the winners.  Saudi Arabia, ranked 33 places higher than their opponents, according to FIFA's latest rankings, were seeking their fourth title at the biennial regional tournament. They had narrowly defeated hosts Qatar 1-0 to reach their fifth final in front of a partisan home crowd.  Bahrain, who were runners-up in 2004, were finally able to breakthrough after finishing second four times.  "We've been waiting for Bahrain to take a championship for so many years," Maryam Hasan, a 21-year-old Bahraini supporter, told Al Jazeera.  "We always reach the finals, but we never actually got a championship. This makes it history," Hasan, who arrived in Doha earlier in the day along with thousands of other supporters from Bahrain.  Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, along with the United Arab Emirates were late entrants into the draw, after they reversed their decision to boycott the tournament over a two-year-old diplomatic dispute with the hosts, Qatar.  The final, originally scheduled to be held at the 40,000-capacity Khalifa International Stadium, was moved to the 12,000-seater Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium, one of the smaller venues used over the course of the event.  Despite a land, air, and sea blockade imposed on Qatar since June 2017, the Saudi and Bahraini football squads flew in directly to Doha.  Bahraini fans dressed in their national red and white colours outnumbered those wearing Saudi colours on Sunday, occupying six sections of the stadium.  Eleven Gulf Air jets carrying Bahraini fans flew to Qatar from Bahrain passing through Kuwait, in line with airspace restrictions. The longer journey took 1 hour and 50 minutes, Bahraini spectators told Al Jazeera.  "We came here especially for the match," Hasan, the 21-year-old student from the capital, Manama, said.  "It was a direct flight, but we passed through Kuwait and then came to Qatar. We didn't transit or stop, we just went through the air," she told Al Jazeera.  Another group of Bahraini men were in high spirits before the match. They hoped the blockade would end soon.  "It will be better for all," 31-year-old Ahmed Hassan Ali, said.  As the tournament came to an end without much drama on the field, there have also been signs of a possible thaw in relations on the diplomatic front.  Qatar's foreign minister said on Friday that the Gulf diplomatic crisis had "moved from a stalemate to some progress", following talks with Saudi Arabia.  On Sunday night, Qatar's emir, who was also present at the opening ceremony, arrived just before the two teams' national anthems and kick-off.  But, Andreas Krieg, a UK-based Middle East analyst, told Al Jazeera Sheikh Tamim's presence at the final was in "no way a political message" but one about "fair play and sportsmanship".  "Qatar is aspiring to be a global venue for world-leading sport events and the Qataris have understood early on that sport must not be politicised," he said.


bbc--2019-02-28--European Indoor Athletics Steve Crams British athletes to watch in Glasgow

European Indoor Athletics: Steve Cram's British athletes to watch in Glasgow

Former 1500m world champion Steve Cram has picked his British athletes to watch at the European Indoor Championships, which begin on Friday in Glasgow.  Cram, who will again be part of BBC's commentary team, expects the team to shine on home soil over the three days of competition.  He said: "I think we want to be top of the medal table here.  "I'll be surprised if there are many stronger teams. We're not competing against Russia, who still remain banned from athletics competitions.  "We'll have successes and win a lot of medals - hopefully a lot of golds."  Oskan-Clarke took silver two years ago in Belgrade. Mari Smith and Adelle Tracey make up the British trio.  "Shelayna has a great chance to go one better from 2017 and win gold. She controls races indoors and rarely gets it wrong tactically.  "It's a pretty open event, but on home soil she's probably the favourite. Switzerland's Selina Buchel, the reigning champion, will provide stiff competition and has been in good form recently.  "I suspect when Shelayna lines up in the final there will be names familiar to her. However, she'll have the opportunity to control the race and the rest will have to try to wrench it from her."  Philip and Kilty are the defending champions. Kilty, who had Achilles surgery last summer, was originally excluded from the squad having failed to record the qualifying mark of sub-6.60 seconds. However, he will now race following an invitation from the European Athletics Council.  "The women's event will be interesting, but the men's will be pretty poor.  "Regarding reigning champion Richard Kilty, there was some controversy over his selection because of the initial decision to leave him out. I wasn't surprised by that, nor by the subsequent invitation.  "I thought he ran reasonably well at the Birmingham Grand Prix where he finished fifth. Let's hope Richard takes advantage of the invite. Some of our guys managed the qualifying time [CJ Ujah and Reece Prescod] but this event wasn't in their plans.  "Kilty has to find that little bit extra, but I think he will - he's had a couple of weeks to train since Birmingham. The standard is average in the men's event - so he might not have to do what he has done in previous years.  "The women's sprint event is better. Asha is up against Poland's Ewa Swoboda, who took bronze in 2017 and will provide a stiff test but the Briton looks in great nick and looks well-conditioned. I'll be stunned if she doesn't win another medal."  The World and European Indoors champion was unable to compete at the British Athletics Indoor Championships earlier this month and had his place confirmed for Glasgow earlier this week after proving his fitness.  "Andrew won the world title last year but has lot to live up to. He will be there or thereabouts, although he won't be running as quick as he did last year.  "As for his rivals, the Cypriot Milan Trajkovic ran well at the Birmingham Grand Prix, by finishing third. Andrew knows what he's up against and is pretty familiar with the guys.  "What I will say about him is if he didn't think he could win a medal here then he wouldn't come."  The 27-year-old beat some of the world's best at the recent Birmingham Grand Prix.  "Holly's not been in this sort of form since 2012. She's attempting the heights she was back then.  "Russian athlete Anzhelika Sidorova, who won European outdoor gold in 2014 and is competing as a neutral, is vaulting well.  "Holly has said in big championships she has to convert good performances into major performances. On European level she has to win a medal, but if she wins this it'll be a massive, massive boost for her for the rest of the year."  The Scot is hoping to defend her double crowns.  "Britain haven't got too many at the top of the world in their event.  "I really wouldn't want to put anybody up against Laura indoors - she's a brilliant indoors runner. She knows the track in Glasgow incredibly well and does a lot of laps around there in the winter.  "She's set herself a difficult target by doing the double because Friday evening (the first day of the competition) is going to be busy - running a 1500m heat followed by the 3,000m final about one-and-a half-hour later.  "Her only genuine rival is German Konstanze Klosterhalfen. She's also entered both events, but we're not clear if she'll actually line up for both.  "Compared to 2017, both events contain stronger rivals. If Laura gets a tough 1500m heat it would make the task of winning the 3,000m harder.  "Melissa Courtney and Eilish McColgan will also take part in the 3,000m. Melissa is in fantastic form (having run the second fastest 3,000m this year) and will have eye on a medal."  The 26-year-old enjoyed her most successful season in 2018 when she won world pentathlon gold before taking the Commonwealth heptathlon title.  "We're all disappointed reigning, world and Olympic champion and Nafi Thiam won't be there but that enhances KJT's chances dramatically.  "This will be a big two years for her with the World Championships in Doha and then the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. At this event she will want to continue the winning habit.  The multi-sport events are not about one big performance but about being good throughout the competition - she's getting better at putting a competition together.  "For British youngster Niamh Emerson, who received an invitation from European Athletics, this is a massive opportunity.  "She won bronze at the Commonwealths, which were a massive learning curve. I'll be gobsmacked if she doesn't produce a personal best."


bbc--2019-06-25--Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to cost 778m

Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to cost £778m

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will cost £778m, the government has announced.  Three-quarters of the public funding for the 11-day event will come from central government, with £184m having to be found by Birmingham City Council.  The budget is above initial estimates of £750m, but lower than the £967m spent on the 2018 Gold Coast Games.  It will be the most expensive sports event in the UK since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  "The Games will be the biggest sporting and cultural event ever held in the city," said sports minister Mims Davies.  "Watched by one and a half billion people worldwide, this is a massive opportunity to showcase the best that Birmingham, the West Midlands and the whole UK has to offer.  "The Games budget is a significant investment in Birmingham and the region that will deliver benefits to local people for years to come. It will increase participation and encourage more people to get active and stay active, and to volunteer to be part of this fantastic event 10 years on from London 2012."  Although most facilities for the event are already built, the central venue - the Alexander Stadium - is having a £70m upgrade, with a long-term tenant yet to be announced.  Council chiefs are in talks with Birmingham City University about a potential partnership that could see part of the university campus move to the site.  A £60m aquatics centre is being built in Sandwell, and £350m is being spent on the athletes' village in Perry Barr, which will then be turned into 1,500 homes.  Birmingham City Council's financial position was described as "immensely serious" by a government-commissioned independent panel earlier this year.  There have been £642m of cuts made since 2011 with a further £123m expected by 2021-22. The council is borrowing £50m to help pay for the event but insists it will not affect spending on local services.  "The level of investment coming into the city and the wider West Midlands as a result of our decision to successfully bid for the right to host the Commonwealth Games is huge," said council leader Ian Ward.  "The Games are undoubtedly a catalyst, bringing forward many regeneration and infrastructure schemes, so they are delivered much quicker than we could have done otherwise.  "The event also gives us a golden opportunity to reposition the city and region on a global stage and bring citizens together."  The 2022 Games were originally awarded to the South African city of Durban in 2015, but it was then stripped of the event because it did not meet key Commonwealth Games Federation criteria.  Birmingham was named as the replacement host 18 months ago, and now has just three years before staging one of the world's biggest multi-sport events.  This investment is expected to deliver significant benefits for Birmingham, the West Midlands and the UK long after the 11 days of sport are over.  Organisers say Birmingham 2022 will open up a wealth of opportunities, including business and trade, cultural engagement, volunteering, physical activity, jobs and skills, education and tourism. Over one million tickets will be made available for spectators from across the UK and around the world.  Additional commercial revenue will be raised by the Birmingham 2022 organising committee and Commonwealth Games Federation partnerships through ticket sales, sponsorship, merchandising and the sale of broadcast rights.  Regular financial updates on the budget will be provided in the lead-up to the Games, with the organising committee also laying its accounts before Parliament.  Commonwealth Games Federation president Dame Louise Martin: "An important element of the budget detail is the significant decrease in direct Games delivery costs compared to Gold Coast 2018."  Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street: "Investment in the region is already being unlocked thanks to the Games, with improvements to public transport and the regeneration of Perry Barr well under way. We expect the wider benefits of hosting the Games, including the economic and tourism boost, to last long into the future."  A spokesperson for the organisers: "Birmingham 2022 offers a unique opportunity to harness the power of sport and cultural activities to boost the West Midlands region and to promote global Britain across the Commonwealth as we leave the EU.  "The evidence from previous host cities demonstrates the significant benefits of staging the Games. Gold Coast 2018 is expected to have delivered a £1.3bn boost to the Queensland economy."


bipartisanreport--2019-11-03--Protesters Follow Trump To Weekend Event & Shower Him With Boos

This week the impeachment hearings have begun to roll out the testimony of the courageous career employees. As the Donald Trump epic unfolds, people have begun to realize just how bad of a guy the president really is. POTUS expected to find Ultimate Fight Championship (UFC) supporters at the Madison Square Garden bloodsport event. He was wrong.  Protesters stood outside where POTUS and his band of merry Republican politicians were expected to attend. The president did show up, but the people who greeted him were anti-Trump. The Associated Press (AP Sports) tweeted about the protesters:  Two dozen very unhappy protesters carrying stop-dead orange anti-Trump signs met the president, according to The New York Post. The UFC 244 match between welterweights Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz was set to begin.  Jorge Masvidal, an American mixed martial artist, competed in the UFC’s welterweight division. He was the first UFC BMF Champion and has won every year since 2003. This year he said that Trump was “a bad m*therfu*ker:”  New York City posted a heavy police force on the sidewalks around the area. The NYC protesters were outspoken. Their signs read “Trump/Pence OUT NOW!” and “Trump is the Lynch-Mob Leader-in-chief!.” The protesters waved their signs while they waited for Trump to appear. Other protesters’ signs read in English and Spanish “No More Terrorists!” and “Deport Omar!”  The NYPD posted a member of the police force every half-block around the entire arena. A wall of steel barricade enclosed parts of the arena. There was even a force of police helicopters circling overhead. Members of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the U.S. Secret Service (SS) mingled. They participated in screening people who went inside and others.  Around 100 protesters stood on the corner of 31st Street and 8th Avenue. The protesters divided themselves into two groups” Refuse Fascism and Rise and Resist. One of the groups’ members carried white poster boards with “a thick, black letter.” Standing together, the letters spelled “#OUTNOW!” In addition, a protester with a megaphone shouted:  At a later point in time, the lively protesters chanted:  Other protesters held orange signs that said “Trump/Pence ¡FUERA YA!”, Spanish for “out now.” Some of the outdoor protesters had signs that read:  When Trump’s motorcade sped along the street, he could see the protesters as they jeered at him. There was also a smaller group wearing red hats. Their signs read  President of the UFC Dana White said, according to The USA TODAY Newspaper  ‘Whoever you are … this is America. You believe what you want. If you want to boo, you boo. If you don’t, you don’t. As an American you can do whatever you want. You can choose whatever side you want to be on. I feel like these days, we live in a world where you can’t say, “I’m a Trump guy,” or “I’m a Hillary guy,” or whatever your deal is. This is America, you do what you want.’  The president traveled from Washington, D.C. with Representatives House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) Mark Meadows (R-NC). The event happened just days after Trump changed his residency from New York City’s Trump Tower to his resort Mar-a-Lago in Florida.  After POTUS came into the arena via an underground garage, he and his entourage took their seats in the VIP section on the floor near the cage. Trump’s advisers wanted him to take a box, but as usual, he disagreed. UFC president Dana White said the Secret Service wanted the president to watch from a suite. Then, he added\ Trump “never listens to them anyway.”  Representative Peter King (R-NY), Donald Trump Jr., and Eric Trump also attended with the POTUS. The president walked out immediately after the fight.  Trump had already been booed at the fifth Washington National’s World Series baseball game this week. His image was also booed at the seventh game when he posted a revenge ad via the stadium’s jumbotron.  The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.


aljazeera--2019-01-07--Qatar at Asian Cup No need to mix politics with football

Qatar at Asian Cup: 'No need to mix politics with football'

Qatar's national team is hoping to keep the ongoing diplomatic dispute with some of its Gulf neighbours separate from the football field as they kick off their campaign at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates.  A 25-player Qatari squad, coaches and officials landed in the Emirati city of Al Ain in a private jet after travelling via Kuwait for the monthlong event on Saturday.  The tournament comes amid the Gulf crisis, now into its 20th month, which has seen Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain impose a land, air and sea blockade on Doha after accusing it of "supporting terrorism". Qatar has repeatedly and vehemently denied all the allegations.  Despite the political tensions off the field, the players are eager to start the competition with their first match against Lebanon on Wednesday, Ali al-Salat, Qatar Football Association's (QFA) media officer, told Al Jazeera.  "They are athletes, they are going to play football," he said in a telephonic interview." (There's) no need to mix political issues with sports."  "In the end, sport has a message of peace," Salat added.  "So, this is what we are going to do and we hope that we represent our country in a good way during the competition."  Qatar is placed in Group E alongside regional rival Saudi Arabia, North Korea, and Lebanon.  The highly-anticipated Qatari-Saudi match is scheduled to take place on January 17 at Abu Dhabi's Zayed Sports City Stadium.  In nine previous attempts, Qatar have never made it past the quarter-finals stage.  The Gulf crisis has already overshadowed the monthlong sporting event after Saoud al-Mohannadi, vice president of QFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), was denied entry into the UAE on Thursday, before eventually arriving on Friday.  "The airline mentioned that he was not allowed to get on the plane because he doesn't have permission from the Emirati authorities," Salat told Al Jazeera.  There were also reports of some Qatar-based journalists not being allowed to enter the Emirati nation to cover the event, after allegedly waiting at Dubai airport for 13 hours before returning to Doha.  "We have journalists from Al Kass and BeIN sports, but the reporters from the local newspapers didn't come," said Salat.  Qatar-based BeIN was temporarily blocked in the UAE in June 2017 after the diplomatic crisis started before its channels were restored.  BeIN is the exclusive broadcaster of the Asian Cup tournament which will run until February 1.  Meanwhile, on the field, Salat said the 24-nation Asian Cup offers Qatar a good opportunity to prepare as it looks forward to hosting its first World Cup in 2022 and competing in it.  "We have a young generation - the average age of our team is 24 years," he said. "So this Asian Cup is good for them to gain experience and to prepare themselves for the World Cup."  Qatar beat rivals Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States in 2010 to claim hosting rights for the World Cup, becoming the first Arab country to do so.  Preparations are currently under way in Qatar, but FIFA is considering expanding the 2022 event from 32 to 48 teams with the possibility of Doha sharing the tournament with some other Gulf nations.  Football's governing body is currently studying the feasibility of the expansion, with a final decision expected at the FIFA Council meeting in Miami in March.  Emirati official Aref al-Awani, who is the tournament director for the 17th edition of the Asian Cup, has said his country "would be willing to provide any help needed".


aljazeera--2019-01-17--Qatar vs Saudi Arabia Football blockade and piracy at Asian Cup

Qatar vs Saudi Arabia: Football, blockade and piracy at Asian Cup

Qatar and Saudi Arabia will face off in a highly anticipated football match - dubbed the Blockade Derby - at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup on Thursday, the first meeting between the two Gulf nations since the start of a major diplomatic crisis in June 2017.  Both teams are coming into the encounter at Abu Dhabi's Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium after convincing wins - the Saudis beat Lebanon 2-0 while Qatar registered a 6-0 thrashing of North Korea.  Play gets under way in the Emirati capital at 8pm local time (16:00 GMT).  The match, which will decide the top spot in Group E, will be played against the backdrop of a regional political dispute, which saw Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt cut all political, diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar.  The quartet accuses Qatar of supporting "terrorism" and destabilising the region, charges Doha has consistently denied.  "We want to win this match, not because of the political matters but to get to the top of the table," Ali Al Salat, Qatar Football Association's (QFA) media officer, told Al Jazeera while stressing that "[there] was no need to mix political issues with sports".  But the Gulf crisis has already overshadowed the 24-nation tournament, which kicked off on January 5 and will run until February 1.  A land, air and sea blockade on Qatar meant that the private jet carrying the 25-player Qatari squad took a longer route and had to fly to the UAE via Kuwait.  Qatari fans have also been unable to attend the games and support the national side from the stands in the UAE, where showing sympathy for Qatar remains punishable with up to 15 years in jail.  "It's unfortunate that politics has to interfere with sports," said Khalid Al Mohannadi, a Qatari citizen and Doha resident. "Due to these unpleasant circumstances, we can only support the team from a distance."  Qatar-based beIN Sports is the host and exclusive broadcaster of the tournament in the Middle East and North Africa region.  The broadcaster's crew of around 20 people is currently in the UAE covering the tournament, along with Qatari channel Al Kass. However, some Doha-based journalists were barred from entering the UAE despite holding valid accreditation.  A broadcasting row between Doha and Riyadh was also reignited after pirate company, beoutQ, which emerged in 2017 and is allegedly based in Saudi Arabia, aired the Asian Cup matches.  The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), joining a group of major sports federations and broadcasters in condemning the operation, vowed to take legal action in Saudi Arabia.  "What started out as a concerted and targeted campaign against beIN has now morphed into the largest commercial theft that's ever been seen in the world of sport and entertainment," Tom Keaveny, managing director of beIN MENA, said in a statement on Wednesday.  On the field, Qatar and Saudi Arabia will renew a sporting rivalry that dates back to the 1970s.  Saudi Arabia leads the head-to-head with 17 wins and six losses.  It is the highest-ranked Gulf side in the world at 69 and is hoping to avenge its 2014 loss to Qatar in Riyadh. Qatar won the match at the 2014 Gulf Cup 2-1 en route its third title.  According to the AFC, a high level of security is provided to all competing teams during the continental tournament.  "We expect all supporters, players and teams to be well behaved and any infringement of the rules will be dealt with under the AFC regulations," the Asian football body told Al Jazeera in an emailed statement.  Ali Galadari, former player for Qatar's Al Ahli football club, will be watching the match on TV with family and friends in Doha.  "Our heart is with them," he said. "We can only watch on the screens and support them from here."


aljazeera--2019-01-28--Blockade Derby Qatar UAE set for Asian Cup semi-final

Blockade Derby: Qatar, UAE set for Asian Cup semi-final

Hamad al-Mansouri was sitting at a shisha cafe in Beirut watching his national Qatari football team take on South Korea in the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup on TV.  The 37-year-old jumped off his chair when Abdelaziz Hatim scored the match-winning goal, sending Qatar to the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time.  Mansouri, like many other Qatari football fans, has been unable to attend the 24-nation tournament in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to a major diplomatic crisis.  The tournament has been played against the backdrop of a regional dispute, which saw Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut political, diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar and impose a land, air and sea blockade on the Gulf nation in June 2017.  And as Qatar gets ready to face the hosts and former finalists in front of a partisan home crowd in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for a spot in the final, there is both anger and frustration among Qatari fans.  "This is hurting us emotionally," Mansouri told Al Jazeera. "But even if they actually allowed us to go, I wouldn't go to the UAE because we are just so scared of being in that place. It's so dangerous for us."  Showing sympathy for Qatar is punishable in the UAE, with a jail term of up to 15 years.  Dubbed the Blockade Derby, the match is the first meeting between the two regional rivals since the start of the Gulf crisis.  Free tickets were distributed among "loyal" Emirati fans on Sunday by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, which bought all the remaining ones for Tuesday's semi-final.  Meanwhile, non-Emiratis attempting to avail the free entry were turned away, UAE news outlet, The National reported.  "The Emirati authorities are willing to do anything to get a win of any kind over Qatar," said Mansouri.  "The absence of fans from Qatar appears to mark a failure by the AFC to obtain sufficient assurance from the hosts that representatives from all participating nations will receive fair and equal treatment," said Kristian Ulrichsen, author of The United Arab Emirates: Power, Politics and Policy-Making.  Ali al-Salat, Qatar Football Association's media officer, said the national side was aware that it will have to compete without its fans in the stadium, adding that friendlies against Switzerland and Iceland helped the team prepare.  "They are athletes, they are going to play football," Salat said in a previous interview." [There's] no need to mix political issues with sports."  But, political tensions marred Qatar and UAE's last football encounter at the under-19 AFC Asian Cup in Indonesia in October, when the Emirati captain shrugged off a customary handshake with his Qatari counterpart at the start of the match.  "I think it's sadly inevitable that regional politics will tinge the match, though probably mostly in the media, and hopefully not down to the level of the individual players, who I am sure are professional both on and off the pitch," said Christopher Davidson, a UK-based expert on the Middle East.  The AFC said it expects "all supporters, players and teams to be well behaved" during the tournament.  "Any infringement of the rules will be dealt with under the AFC regulations," the Asian football body previously told Al Jazeera in an emailed statement.  Qatar, ranked 93 in the world, heads into the encounter with a superior head-to-head record: 12 wins and nine losses.  But the 79th-ranked UAE won its last professional match at 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia.  Mansouri, whose father was part of Qatar's first national team in the 1960s, will be watching the semi-final with friends and family at his local majlis, a traditional tent, at his parent's house in Qatar's capital, Doha.  "This is the most important game of all our lives," said Mansouri, adding that he was "too nervous" to make any special preparations or "think about food".  "Winning this game would mean everything. It would be such a symbolic win."  The winner will take on four-time champions Japan who beat Asia's top-ranked side Iran 3-0 on Monday.


aljazeera--2019-01-28--Qatar set for hostile crowd in Asian Cup semi-final against UAE


aljazeera--2019-02-01--Latest updates Qatar v Japan a Asian Cup final

Latest updates: Qatar v Japan â€“ Asian Cup final

Qatar has defeated four-time winners Japan in the final of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup football tournament at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi.  Qatar's Spanish coach Felix Sanchez said the tournament win was a "huge result" for the team.  "Today we made history for our country, so we need to be very proud about our achievement," he said after the match.  "This is one step more towards being ready for 2022 and represent Qatar as a very competitive team at the World Cup."  Al Jazeera's sports correspondent Lee Wellings, speaking from London, said the fact that Qatar has a competitive team will be a really good factor for the host nation at the World Cup.  "To actually have a team to cheer for and get behind will give a positive feel to Qatar going into the 2022 tournament," he said.  "Our goal was to win the title, and so I'm disappointed and regretful we could not bring the Cup home to the Japanese people," Japan's coach Hajime Moriyasu said.  "We love our team, they are our heroes and they have kept our heads high.  "If there was no blockade, I would have gone to watch the match, but the fact that we won is all that matters."  "I am very happy and proud of the Qatari national team. It is a big thing for the country and a good sign before the World Cup comes here."  Celebrations are in full swing in Doha as Qatar are crowned Asian champions.  This is the Gulf nation's first major football tournament win.  Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup in 2022.  Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani congratulated his country's football team for an "historic victory".  "A tribute to our heroes who made this tournament an Arab achievement and... realised the dreams of millions of Qatari football fans across the great Arab world," Sheikh Tamim wrote on his personal Twitter account.  Qatar's national football team has defeated Japan 3-1 in the final to lift its first Asian Cup title.  Qatar's Akram Afif converts the penalty kick to put his side 3-1 ahead.  He receives a yellow card for taking his shirt off to celebrate.  Japan's Takumi Minamino scores the first goal for his side in the 69th minute.  Japan's Yoshinori Muto comes in for Genki Haraguchi.  Qatar's Boualem Khoukhi taken off the field on a stretcher. He is replaced by Salem Al Hajri  Abdelaziz Hatim scores the second goal for the Maroons in the 27th minute.  Qatar takes the lead with 22-year-old Almoez Ali scoring in the 12th minute.  This is Ali's ninth goal of the tournament, he has broken the record for the most goals scored in a single edition of the competition.  The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has dismissed the protest lodged by the United Arab Emirates Football Association over the eligibility of two of Qatar's players, the body said in a statement ahead of the final on Friday.  The complaint about Qatar's Almoez Ali, a 22-year-old striker born in Sudan, and Bassam Al Rawi, a 21-year-old defender born in Iraq, was reportedly filed within two hours of Qatar's 4-0 victory over the UAE on Wednesday.  Japan remain the clear favourites, ranked third in Asia and having put through a commendable performance in the 2018 World Cup.  They are ranked 43 places above Qatar.  But Qatar have scored 16 goals in this tournament without conceding any and have beaten teams ranked well above them.  An Al Jazeera English poll carried out on Twitter says fans are equally divided on who will win.  Big screens have been set up around Qatar for fans to watch the final as they were unable to travel to the match in person because of a regional blockade by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt.  Special TV screenings will take place at around the capital Doha, including Souq Waqif and Katara Cultural Village as well as restaurants, malls and hotels.  "There are no words to describe what playing in the final means to me," Qatar's captain Hassan al-Haydos told reporters on the eve of the game. "It is definitely very important to us as a team."  Qatar's coach Felix Sanchez believes his players are ready for one final push that can land them the title.  "The players are determined to get the victory we want by putting in one more huge effort against Japan so that we can make the Qatari people happy once again and make history," said Sanchez.  The air, land and sea blockade forced the team to take a circuitous route to reach Abu Dhabi from Qatar.  Qatari fans were not allowed to travel to the UAE to support the team. At some games, Omanis were in the stands, cheering on the Qatari players.  During the semi-final against the UAE team shoes and sandals were thrown at the Qatari players from the stands.  For the fans back home, Qatar are already winners. Read the match preview by Saba Aziz here.


aljazeera--2019-03-15--FIFA to explore expanding 2022 World Cup from 32 to 48 teams

FIFA's council has approved working with hosts Qatar to explore expanding the 2022 World Cup to 48 teams by adding at least one more country in the Gulf to host football matches.  Gianni Infantino, the president of football's governing body, wants to enlarge the tournament from 32 to 48 teams, which a FIFA feasibility study said would require at least one additional country to be used among five nations identified as possibilities.  The council approved further discussions with Qatar to produce a proposal for consideration in June when FIFA's congress meet in Paris ahead of the Women's World Cup.  "We have shown the council the feasibility study in which we conclude: yes, it is possible to expand the 2022 World Cup - provided that some conditions are met," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Friday following the council meeting in Miami, in the United States.  In 2017, the body decided that the 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams when it is co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.  The Associated Press on Monday revealed details of a FIFA feasibility study that said Qatar would not be forced to share games with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates unless those countries restore ties with Doha.  The three countries have imposed a land, sea and air embargo on the peninsula, in the Gulf's worst diplomatic crisis.  Because of their neutrality in the situation, Kuwait and Oman are indicated to be the current possible options to host games in 2022, but their stadium infrastructure is only briefly assessed in a FIFA report.  "Infantino did talk about the fact that sports is something that could bridge political gaps, that could repair damaged relationships," Al Jazeera's Andy Gallacher, reporting from Miami, said.  While Oman and Kuwait have good relations with Qatar, the two countries however don't have adequate facilities, he added.  But expanding the competition has advantages, most notably that it could raise an extra $400m, Gallacher said.  The FIFA council has also agreed to introduce a pilot tournament of an enlarged 24-team Club World Cup in 2021 despite European opposition.  A quadrennial version would launch in June-July 2021 to replace the current Club World Cup, a seven-team event played each December.  Ahead of the meeting, the European Club Association (ECA) wrote to FIFA saying none of its teams would participate in 2021.  The letter, viewed by AP, was signed by top executives from 14 leading European clubs, including ECA head Andrea Agnelli of Juventus.  The ECA executive board letter said it was "against any potential approval of a revised CWC at this point in time and confirm that no ECA Clubs would take part to such competition".  They urged FIFA "to postpone any decision relating to the CWC until such moment when the legitimate concerns and interests of the European Clubs have been properly addressed".  Those concerns centre on not wanting FIFA to add new competitions until there is an agreement on a new international match calendar from 2024.


aljazeera--2019-04-06--Footballer Mohamed Salah scores 50th goal for Liverpool

Egyptian footballer Mohamed Salah scored his 50th goal for Liverpool on Friday night, helping his English club team beat Southampton 3-1 and return to the top of the Premier League.  Southampton took the lead as striker Shane Long scored nine minutes into the game, but Naby Keita levelled the match before half-time with his first goal for Liverpool since joining last summer.  Salah then put the "Reds" ahead in the 80th minute with his 50th goal for the club and substitute Jordan Henderson sealed victory in the closing stages.  Liverpool now sit two points clear of defending champions Manchester City and will remain top for at least another week as Pep Guardiola's side take on Brighton and Hove Albion in the semi-finals of the FA Cup this weekend.  "We have 82 points now, that is massive in this crazy league and everyone is waiting for us," Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp told Sky Sports.  "I am really proud. It is incredible," he added. "We are in the race and that is nice."  Salah, who had not scored for eight matches - his worst run at Liverpool - said he was "very happy" to end the drought and help his side.  "I think that's goal number 50 for Liverpool in the Premier League, that's special," he told Sky Sports.  "After nine games [without scoring], I'm very happy to score a goal to help the team. That's the most important thing for us."  Salah is the eighth Liverpool player to score 50 Premier League goals, but his half-century arrived in only 69 games, three fewer than Fernando Torres, the previous quickest to the mark.  Only two other players in the Premier League era have reached the landmark quicker - Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy and Alan Shearer for Blackburn Rovers.  Last year, Salah was named Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year and the Football Writers' Association's Footballer of the Year after he scored 44 goals for Liverpool in all competitions.  In a breakout season, the Egyptian striker helped his club reach its first Champions League final in a decade.  Southampton remain just five points above the relegation zone in 16th place with six games left.


aljazeera--2019-05-01--Ajax beat Tottenham 1-0 in first leg of UCL semifinal

Ajax have won the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal against Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in London.  On Tuesday, Donny van de Beek gave the youthful Dutch side the win, taking Ajax to the first European Cup final in 23 years.  Depleted by injuries and suspension, Tottenham gifted the visitors too much space to string together slick passes early on, and the 22-year-old Van de Beek ghosted into the penalty area to receive a through ball from Hakim Ziyech before knocking a shot past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in the 15th minute.  Barcelona host Liverpool in the other semifinal on Wednesday evening.  Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen had to be helped off the field shortly after attempting to play on following a clash of heads, putting a fresh spotlight on the handling of potential concussions in football.  Vertonghen challenged for a header in the Ajax area but slammed his face into the back of teammate Toby Alderweireld's head, leaving him with blood pouring from a cut on his nose in the 32nd minute.  Vertonghen received treatment on the field and went to change his bloodied white jersey to enable a return to action.  The team doctor is required to perform assessments for concussion symptoms, including asking questions to check the player's awareness. Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino did not say if Vertonghen was concussed.  "I wasn't involved. It was the doctor's decision," Pochettino said. "I think it's so important things, the rules and the protocol are there and our medical staff follow the protocol."  Referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz was pointing at his head as he spoke to Vertonghen, before allowing him to return to action in the 38th minute.  "The decision was the doctor and the referee asked," Pochettino said. "He goes in. In the next action, we need to put him out because he didn't feel well."  Vertonghen lasted only 40 seconds before going across to the sideline, leaning over and struggling to stand. Pochettino had to grab Vertonghen to stop him from keeling over before the Belgian was helped down the tunnel by two medical officials.  Taylor Twellman, whose playing career in the United States ultimately ended because of the lingering effect of a concussion, tweeted that "under no circumstances" should Vertonghen have been allowed back on the field after the clash of heads.  That view was shared by Ajax coach Erik ten Hag.  "With a head injury it can be dangerous," ten Hag said on beIN Sports. "Take him off. Don't take risks with head injuries."  Vertonghen was seen walking through the media interview area after the semifinal first leg.  "He's OK, he is good, he was walking away," Pochettino said. "He was more relaxed. I hope it is not a big injury or a big issue. ... You know very well you need to keep eyes watching him and analysing him because it was a big knock. But I hope it is not a big issue."  FIFA has resisted introducing temporary substitutions to facilitate lengthier concussion checks. Three-minute breaks in play are allowed for on-field checks under protocols adopted in 2014.  Tottenham Hotspur forward Lucas Moura said these injuries are part of football.  "First of all, I hope everything is ok with Vertonghen and that it is nothing serious. And I hope he will be ready to play in the second leg because he is a very important player. These are incidents that can happen, there's nothing we can do, they are part of football."


aljazeera--2019-05-28--Arsenal Chelsea square off in all-English Europa League final

Arsenal, Chelsea square off in all-English Europa League final

London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea will square off in an all-English UEFA Europa League final in Azerbaijan in what has turned out to be a landmark year for the footballing nation in Europe's top club competitions.  The match will kick off at the 70,000 capacity Baku Olympic stadium at 11pm local time (19:00 GMT) on Wednesday.  This is the first time in history that finals of the Champions League and Europa League will feature teams from the same country - Liverpool take on Tottenham Hostpur in Madrid on June 1 for the Champions League trophy.  Much of the focus ahead of the Europa League final was on Azerbaijan's fitness to host, with Arsenal midfielder and Armenian national Henrikh Mkhitaryan staying at home for political reasons and fans complaining of arduous travel.  Mkhitaryan's participation had been in doubt due to the ongoing conflict between Azerbaijan and his native country.  However, the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) said in a statement that it saw no reason for the decision.  "We very much regret this unwarranted decision taken, as we understand, collectively by Arsenal, the player and his family," the AFFA said.  The statement added that Azerbaijan had provided all the necessary guarantees required by UEFA to ensure Mkhitaryan's safety.  "It's the kind of game that doesn't come along very often for us players and I must admit, it hurts me a lot to miss it," Mkhitarya said last week.  Fans from London have been deterred by high travel costs and both Arsenal and Chelsea have reportedly failed to sell their full allocations of 6,000 tickets.  That number was already unusually low for a major final in a 68,000-seat stadium. Neither UEFA nor Azerbaijani authorities have said how many tickets have been sold.  On the field, Chelsea are looking to add another European trophy to the five it has won since 1971 and repeat its championship-winning run at the tournament in 2013.  Arsenal, which finished fifth in the Premier League this season, are seeking a maiden Europa League win to add to its two previous European trophies.  The two sides' only other European meeting came at the Champions League quarterfinals in 2004, when the Blues won 3-2 on aggregate.  Arsenal lead their overall head-to-head with 77 wins and 63 losses. The Gunners have lost just one of their last eight meetings.  "They [Arsenal] are very dangerous as a team in the offensive phase," said Maurizio Sarri, Chelsea coach.  "They are aggressive and able to press well in the opposition half, so it's not easy to play against them."  Eden Hazard has said that victory in the final would be a fitting way to bring the curtains down on his Chelsea career.  The Belgian international, who is a target for Real Madrid, will enter the final year of his Chelsea contract next season and has refused to sign an extension, meaning the London club could lose him for free if they do not sell him this year.  "That would be good, that would be a nice last trophy," Hazard told reporters on Monday. "If it is my last game, I hope to bring the trophy. When you play a final, it does not matter whether it is the Champions League, Europa League or League Cup, you just want to win, you just want to bring the trophy home and celebrate that."  For Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech, the aim is to add one final piece to a trophy case filled by years of success at Chelsea ... at the expense of his old club in the last game of his career.  Cech won 13 trophies - including the Europa League in 2013 - during 11 seasons at Chelsea in which he staked his claim as the top keeper in the world.  After moving to Arsenal in 2015 and adding another gong with the FA Cup, the 37-year-old is now set to hang up his gloves.       "It will be remarkable to end my career against Chelsea," Cech told BT Sport after Arsenal's semi-final win over Valencia.  "The last dream was to play this European final and it has come true. Now the dream is to win the trophy."


aljazeera--2019-06-01--Liverpool face Tottenham in all-English Champions League final

Liverpool will be looking to clinch their sixth Champions League title as they take on the first-time finalists Tottenham Hotspur in an all-English final - a first at the top tier European club competition since 2008 - in the Spanish capital.  Both sides will be backed by 17,000 supporters each, according to UEFA, when the match gets under way at 9pm local time (19:00 GMT) on Saturday in Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano stadium, while thousands more are expected to fill the 68,000 capacity venue.  Five-time champions Liverpool overcame a 3-0 first-leg deficit to defeat Spanish giant Barcelona 4-3 on aggregate in the semifinals and reach the championship match for the second consecutive year.  "This year we learned a lot," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said at a press conference on Friday. "We are a completely different side to last year, so the final was not too important for our improvement; the final was like a starting point again for the next steps. That's how we saw it, that's how we wanted to use it, and that's what we did.  Meanwhile, the Spurs' route to its maiden final also saw a dramatic comeback win over Dutch side Ajax 3-3 on away goals.  "The moment you get to the final, it's about winning the final," Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino said. "We trust in ourselves."  Madrid is hosting its fifth elite final with the previous four in the city held at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.  On the eve of the match, Spanish police said they detained four British citizens for alleged assault, including against officers.  Spanish authorities deployed unprecedented security measures after reports of major problems in the capital, with more than 4,700 security personnel from several security areas involved in the operation.  On the field, Liverpool will be boosted by the return of their ace forward Mohammed Salah, who missed the second leg of the semifinals because of a concussion.  The Egyptian forward had to leave last year's final against Real Madrid in the first half because of a shoulder injury.  "I am so happy that I have the chance to play another final," he told the Guardian newspaper. "I hope I can play the full game this time," he said.  "I hope we can right what happened last season, get a good result and win the competition," Salah added.  When asked if he dreamed of scoring the winning goal on Saturday, he replied: "Not just dream. I hope it becomes a reality and I score in the final, then win the African Cup of Nations [which kicks off in Egypt this month] too."  Klopp said Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino has regained his fitness and will be available but didn't say whether he will start.  The two English sides will renew their rivalry that dates back to the 1900s, with Liverpool leading their head-to-head with 82 wins against 48 losses.  The Reds have lost only once in their last 14 matches against the Spurs.  Their only European meeting to date was in 1973 in the semifinals of what is now called the UEFA Europa League.  The last all-English Champions League final took place in 2008 when Manchester United beat Chelsea on penalties in Moscow.  It has been a landmark year for English football in European competitions with all four finalists at the Champions League and the second tier Europa League featuring Premier League sides.  Al Jazeera's sports correspondent Lee Wellings said it has been a "memorable competition culminating in this final between two English rivals".  In a European club competition historically dominated by Spanish clubs, Wellings said, "English club football has eclipsed the Spanish giants in Europe this season, spectacularly, and that will hurt Barcelona and Real Madrid hugely."  "The Champions League final will be historic, fascinating, and has been eagerly anticipated," he added. "Five times champions of Europe against a club trying to lift this cup for the first time ever."


aljazeera--2019-06-03--Qatar to host next two FIFA Club World Cups

The next two Club World Cups, in December this year and in 2020, will be played in Qatar as preparation for the 2022 World Cup, global football governing body FIFA has said.  The seven-team club tournament, which will include European champion Liverpool this year, will be played in December and in December 2020, FIFA confirmed on Monday.  "It is an amazing test competition for us. We will try to use the Club World Cup as a test in as many ways as possible," Hassan al-Thawadi, chief of the local Qatari organising committee for 2022 said.  That includes coping with an influx of potentially thousands of fans who will want to drink alcohol, which is currently only available for foreigners in a limited number of bars in Qatar.  "Alcohol will be available in certain areas," al-Thawadi said. "The details of it operationally, how it's going to work out, all that stuff will be put in place and we will be announcing it in due course.  "We will have fan zones available so it will be a great opportunity for us to put in place some of the plans we have for the World Cup already to get lessons learned from it."  The decision to give Qatar the Club World Cup comes two weeks after FIFA settled on 32 countries for the 2022 World Cup rather than expanding to 48 teams.  The Club World Cup has recently been held in Japan and the United Arab Emirates with seven competing teams - six continental champions and a team from the host nation.  After Qatar hosts the final two editions of the tournament in its present format, FIFA will revamp it to include 24 teams, a move that has been opposed by the European Club Association (ECA) which has issued a boycott threat.  Tunisian club Esperance de Tunis qualified last week as African champion, New Caledonian club Hienghene Sport will represent Oceania, and CONCACAF's place was secured by Mexican club Monterrey. The Asian and South American teams will be determined in their continental finals in November.  The South American and European champions enter in the semifinals at the Club World Cup.  Liverpool, which beat Tottenham 2-0 in the Champions League final on Saturday, lost its only Club World Cup final in 2005 to Sao Paulo in Yokohama, Japan.  "It's a great opportunity, the time of the year that we have it, to test out their facilities," said Canadian FIFA Vice-President Victor Montagliani. "I think it will be good for Qatar to have the two events over the next years."


aljazeera--2019-06-26--Al Jazeera Wins Gold Silver at New York Festivals Radio Awards

Al Jazeera Wins Gold, Silver at New York Festivals Radio Awards

Flanked by industry peers on Monday in New York, Al Jazeera Digital received a Gold Radio award for its current affairs podcast The Take and a Silver Radio award for its sports and lifestyle podcast Game of Our Lives.  The trophies were conferred during the New York Festivals Radio Awards gala in Manhattan in recognition of a wide spectrum of radio content submitted from 35 countries across a variety of genres, including breaking news, podcasts, audiobooks, live events, audio dramas and documentaries.  The Gold Radio award marked a first industry recognition for The Take, which began its weekly production less than a year ago.  Hosted by Malika Bilal, The Take interviews journalists from Al Jazeera's international bureaus to take a deeper look at the events that are shaping our world.  Al Jazeera Digital's head of audio, Graelyn Brashear received the awards in front of a packed audience.  Fellow winners and nominees included industry peers from The Guardian, BBC, Vox and CBC.  "It's an honour to receive these awards on behalf of our talented, hard-working audio teams," Brashear said from the sidelines of the ceremony.  "The Gold award for The Take is also a win for Al Jazeera's correspondents and producers in TV and Digital, whose firsthand knowledge of the regions they're covering help us to produce a show that truly covers the globe."  "Podcasting is new for us at the Al Jazeera Media Network," said Carlos van Meek, Director of Digital Innovation and Programming, "so this win confirms there is a home for our content in audio and that our team is on the right track editorially."  "We're very proud of what we've accomplished in a short time and with the resources at our disposal. I'd ask discerning listeners to watch this space. More award-winning content is on the way."  Drawing upon the appeal of the world's most popular sport, Game of our Lives won the Silver Radio Award for its treatment of football as a metaphor for global living.  Weaving together interviews with athletes, cultural icons and commentators, Game of our Lives spans the interconnected worlds of sportsmanship, politics and cinema.  The podcast emerged ahead of competitors ESPN Films, BBC Radio 5 Live and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.