Free Republic

A new and potentially significant source of demand is that of demand from Iran. Iran imported a massive $1.2 billion worth of precious metals from Turkey in April alone. Turkish exports of gold, precious metals, pearls and coins to Iran rose to $1.2 billion in April from a tiny $7,500 a year earlier, according to figures released by the state statistics institute in Ankara yesterday. This is a massive increase in demand and suggests that there may be official involvement in the imports from the Central Bank of Iran. This trend continued in May when Turkish gold imports leapt by...

Former FBI Director James Comey confessed in a strange video Sunday that Taylor Swift has been his family’s soundtrack — and a source of life advice on handling bullies. He also took swipes at President Donald Trump while bragging about a family "Swiftie" group chat and talking about how he blasts "Tay Tay" while mowing the lawn. Comey opened by accusing Trump of humiliating America alongside Vladimir Putin, calling it "a bad dream you can’t wake up from." "I’m in a family’s Switie group chat. I know all her music and I listen to it in my headphones when I...

It was quite possibly Taylor Swift’s most intimate and organic interview—and it all happened on a sports podcast. Swift was the guest Aug. 13 on “New Heights,” hosted by Jason Kelce and his brother, Travis, who is, of course, Swift’s boyfriend. Attracting 13 million YouTube views within a day and another 400 million views from social media clips, the episode marked a milestone for video podcasting and showed the platform has transcended its conventional space. It was a power move from one of America’s most powerful celebrity couples. The rarely interviewed Swift broke major news about herself—from her upcoming album,...

In a clip of the “New Heights” show posted Wednesday morning, Swift made light of the one-way bad blood between herself and face-painting, jersey-wearing haters. “As we all know, you guys have a lot of male sports fans that listen to your podcast,” she said. “And we all know that if there’s one thing that male sports fans want to see in their spaces and on their screens, it’s more of me.” Her appearance on the football-centric podcast was hyped by a screaming Jason Kelce, calling Swift “the most requested guest in the history of shows!” Swift, of course, has...

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, amid fielding questions about former President Joe Biden’s cancer announcement and the economy on Monday morning, had another question to answer: “What does President Trump mean when he says that Taylor Swift is no longer ‘hot?'” The question, from Fox News reporter Peter Doocy, drew a few audible chuckles from those inside the press briefing room, including from Leavitt. But Leavitt said the president’s comment only applies to her political views, not whether she is attractive or not. “Look, he is speaking about Taylor Swift’s political views and how perhaps it has impacted the...

Has anyone noticed that, since I said “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,” she’s no longer “HOT?”

The BRICS+ coalition is finalizing their plans for a financial system independent of the U.S. dollar.These plans will become clear during their scheduled summit this July in Rio de Janeiro, which people have nicknamed the “Rio Reset.”5-6 July 2025This move represents what may be the most significant challenge to U.S. financial dominance since the 1944 Bretton Woods Agreement established the dollar as the world’s reserve currency.What Is the Rio Reset?The Rio Reset marks the culmination of a decade-long effort by BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa). These nations, now joined by Iran, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, and...

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated on March 26 that the possibility of allowing Russian banks to rejoin the SWIFT international payment messaging system could be on the table, as negotiations continue regarding an end to the war in Ukraine. However, he emphasised that the White House would require backing from Europe to reintegrate Russia into the system. “There would be a long discussion about many things in terms of the proper way to bring Russia back into the international system,” Bessent told Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum. “But I think this is premature to discuss the terms of a...

From my seat at Super Bowl LIX, the crowd’s disparate reactions to Swift and Trump felt like a chilling microcosm of our culture. …It was just a football game, people might say. Or Swift—who is famously dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce—got heckled by some rowdy Eagles fans excited to be at the biggest sporting event of the year. So? Don’t take it so seriously. …Perhaps the moment would have felt less visceral if not for the fact that less than an hour earlier the crowd had exploded—this time with applause—to see Trump on that same screen. As...

Taylor Swift and President Donald Trump will both be in attendance at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Sunday, marking the first time they have been in the same place at the same time. Newsweek has reached out to Swift's representatives for comment. Why It Matters Swift and Trump are arguably the two most famous Americans in the world and have been publicly critical of each other. As the president of the United States, Trump is one of the most influential people in the world, while Swift has star power that has taken her beyond the conventional comprehension of...

On Friday’s “Alex Marlow Show,” host and Breitbart Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow talked about the NFL playoffs.Marlow said, “You guys know the NFL just rigs it for the Chiefs, right? Because they need to have Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl. … [T]hat does seem real, right? … I don’t follow sportsball that close. I haven’t watched any football this year, I don’t think. … I’ve seen some of the calls.”

As Taylor Swift sings in her famed fan anthem “Long Live,” “Remember this moment.” For her loyal fans, there have been many of those moments since the "Eras Tour" kicked off in March 2023. Sunday night’s show was the last of that marathon tour, which has spanned nearly two years, five continents, 50 cities and a remarkable 149 shows — each of which has featured Swift singing, dancing and glittering for more than three hours. Swift said in June that the tour, which at the time seemed to be everlasting, would conclude in Vancouver in December. The tour, which featured...

VIDEOThe Good News for the Liberal Pink Hat Lady is that she seems to have completely gotten over her utter grief and despair over the election loss of her Beloved Kamala. The Very Weird News is that the Liberal Pink Hat Lady went into a state of utter joy in anticipation of the release of the Taylor Swift Eras Tour Book on Black Friday. Here we see Liberal Pink Hat Lady (okay she does not wear a Pink Hat in every scene so sue me for misinformation) make highly detailed plans to arrive in the early morning (2:21 A.M.) at...

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking heat this weekend for being seen partying at a Taylor Swift concert while pro-Palestinian protesters were coursing through downtown Montreal and burning and looting as they went. Trudeau, who, along with being Labor Party Leader and the nation’s PM, also represents Papineau, a portion of Montreal, in the nation’s Parliament, but critics are blasting him for being about 330 miles away in Toronto for the Swift concert as his hometown burned. buildings and cars, and holding pro-Palestinian flags and banners. Montreal Police spokesperson Véronique Dubuc said at least three people were arrested for...

A judge in Louisiana has temporarily blocked further efforts by state officials to clear homeless encampments in New Orleans — stalling a push that came ahead of three Taylor Swift concerts in the city this weekend. The effort to relocate about 75 people living in tents beneath an overpass near the Superdome began in the days leading up to pop star’s shows, which could draw 150,000 visitors to the stadium. Judge Lori Jupiter granted a temporary restraining order on Friday, directing state law enforcement officials to not “destroy or dispose of the property of unhoused people without judicial process” and...

Be like Taylor Swift. Cultivate friendships with people outside of your ideological circle — and keep them. Last week she wrote self-professed Swiftie Dave Portnoy a thank-you note for always having her back. And it was hand-delivered by her brother to the Barstool Sports honcho at her Miami concert. Nice gesture, right? Nope. As with anything in the Swift universe, it’s caused an earthquake: spawning think pieces, social media reactions and tons of coverage.

LOL!!! Someone flew a banner over Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour in Miami that said: “TRUMP 2024 - READY FOR IT, CAT LADY? MAGA!” Absolutely incredible 🤣🔥🔥🔥

Taylor Swift was a no-show at her NFL star boyfriend’s past two games. But we’re told her absence isn’t a sign that she’s on the outs with Kansas City Chief’s tight end Travis Kelce. The no-shows come amid ongoing criticism of her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s performance on the field this season — which some analysts have blamed on his busy private life.

Taylor Swift has been at the top of the pop music charts for over 15 years. That's an eternity in show business. It's no accident. Swift's rise to superstardom was as carefully planned as a military campaign. Her studio recordings, her songwriting, her tours, her public appearances, and her advocacy have all been carefully structured to give her maximum exposure with minimum risk. Until she endorsed Kamala Harris for president. Swift transcended pop music to become an American icon. Her Harris endorsement has now squandered that precious admiration and goodwill and, for the first time in her hugely successful career,...

There’s bad blood between them. Former President Donald Trump lashed out at pop star Taylor Swift Sunday, declaring his disdain — days after she endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” Trump, 78, wrote on Truth Social in all caps, without elaborating further. Swift, 34, posted her endorsement of Harris just after the high-stakes ABC News debate between Trump and Harris last Tuesday. She previously backed President Biden in the 2020 election. “I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,” the billionaire singer wrote on Instagram...