During a 2½ year period starting at the end of 2007, the Federal Reserve provided more than $16 trillion in secret bailouts to banks and other companies around the world, according to a government audit of some of the U.S. central bank’s operations.

A new report released by the United Nations blames the “herd” mentality of investors and poor regulation for volatile commodity prices, suggesting new global “transaction” taxes on trading and more international government involvement in controlling markets as possible solutions.

Gold and silver prices soared to record highs and commodities continued pushing upwards as investors seek safe havens amid growing fears about inflation and the debt crisis swamping Europe.

Complying with a court order, the Federal Reserve began releasing documents on March 31 related to one of its bailout and wealth-transfer schemes during the financial crisis. And it turns out that among the biggest beneficiaries were foreign firms, including a bank owned by Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi's central bank.

With Gov. Gary Herbert’s signature on March 25, the state of Utah became the first in recent times to officially accept gold and silver coins as legal tender at their true value, prompting praise from sound-money advocates warning about the future of the Federal Reserve System and its fiat money.

Before the economic meltdown was in full swing, a Florida real-estate developer named William Pitts correctly read the signs pointing toward tough times ahead. In an effort to preserve some of his savings, he bought financial products that would increase in value as real-estate and banking collapsed. It seemed like the sensible thing to do. But though his analysis was correct, his investments went bust — because the U.S. Federal Reserve made them go bust.

More than a dozen top American banks were involved in a conspiracy to swindle taxpayers by rigging auctions in the $2.8 trillion municipal bond market, according to an indictment filed by the Department of Justice and multiple lawsuits across the country.

The banking cartel’s manipulation of supposedly “free” markets is coming under increasing fire as a broad coalition of activists, legislators, and non-profit groups target the Federal Reserve System with lawsuits, investigations, criminal complaints, and federal transparency legislation. Now whistleblowers, and even some government officials, are also taking aim at “irregularities” in the precious-metals market being orchestrated by the banking cartel and its government allies.

A report published Tuesday by a British newspaper sent shockwaves across the world. The Independent story, entitled "The demise of the dollar," claimed that several key governments around the world were conspiring in secret meetings to stop trading oil in U.S. federal reserve notes.

Switzerland overtook the United States as the most competitive economy in the world, according to the global competitiveness index released this week by the World Economic Forum (WEF).