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THE Central Banks of Barbados and the Bahamas have successfully processed a cross-border payment using their respective currencies without the need for an intermediary currency.Speaking to Express Business, key stakeholders hailed this as a significant breakthrough, emphasising its potential to help Caribbean Community (Caricom) nations trade with less reliance on the US dollar and other third-party currencies.They noted that this development paves the way for greater financial independence in regional trade.A representative from Trinidad and Tobago’s Central Bank was present to witness the real-time transactions in local currencies within Caricom,...

DeSantis wants repeal of red flag laws and supports open carryDeSantis wants repeal of red flag laws and other restrictions on Second Amendment RightsFlorida Governor Ron DeSantis has proposed a plan to eliminate the state's portion of property taxes for homeowners.DeSantis argues that tourists and non-residents should bear a larger share of the tax burden.The Florida Legislature is currently in session and must reach an agreement on the state budget before adjourning on May 2.Could Florida property taxes be a thing of the past soon? Gov. Ron DeSantis thinks so.At...

Intercontinental Exchange Inc., parent of the New York Stock Exchange, is joining with Circle Internet Financial Ltd. to explore the use of the crypto firm’s USDC stablecoin, as well as tokenized money market funds, to develop new products.“We believe Circle’s regulated stablecoins and tokenized digital currencies can play a larger role in capital markets as digital currencies become more trusted by market participants as an acceptable equivalent to the US dollar,” Lynn Martin, president of the NYSE, said in a statement Thursday. Circle and ICE will explore using Circle’s stablecoins...

"Louisiana wins again," was the headline as Gov. Jeff Landry and Louisiana Economic Development trumpeted the official announcement of the $5.8 billion Hyundai steel plant planned for the Donaldsonville area of Ascension Parish.President Donald Trump hosted Landry and several elected officials in the Roosevelt Room of the White House to deliver the monumental news for the state and region, which had not been seen at such a magnitude since the governor and Facebook's parent company, Meta, announced a large artificial intelligence data center in northeastern Louisiana.The first-of-its-kind Hyundai project was...

Michael Stinziano  |  Guest ColumnistSouth Side homeowner Bonnie Mitchell sees 500% tax hikeSouth Side homeowner Bonnie Mitchell sees 500% tax hike, seeks relief through Legal Aid Society; is able to keep houseMichael Stinziano is Franklin County auditor.Re: "Will Ohio homeowners get property tax relief? Why lawmakers can’t agree on a fix," Feb. 24: Ohio does not have a property value problem; it has a property tax problem.Increasing home values are not the cause of unaffordable property tax bills in Franklin County. A byzantine, unconstitutional property tax system that forces underfunded schools...

Bigger homes have been driving property price growth in the West Midlands over the past year, according to analysis by the bank.The trend could make it easier for first-time buyers to take their first step on the property ladder – but harder for them to move up to a property with more space.The average price of a house in the West Midlands is now  £258,617,  That is a rise of almost £10,000 on last year - a jump of 4%.Halifax says prices are risingThe Halifax has also looked at the...

The custom home had been on and off the market since 2021.More than 20 planes have violated airspace near Mar-a-Lago with the latest incidentsTwo civilian aircraft flew over restricted airspace near President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago recently forcing NORAD to respond.Straight Arrow NewsThe house at 153 Kings Road was built in 2009 as a custom home by the sellers, Michael and Lori Bernstein.The propery measures a little more than quarter of an acre on the second street north of Mar-a-Lago. The area closes to through traffic when Trump is in residence...

U.S. stocks are drifting higher Wednesday as Wall Street waits to hear what the Federal Reserve will say in the afternoon about where interest rates may be heading. The S&P 500 was up 0.3% in early trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 129 points, or 0.3%, as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.5% higher. The modest moves are a respite following weeks of sharp and scary swings for the U.S. stock market. Uncertainty is high about how much pain President Donald Trump will allow the economy to endure in order to remake the system as...

The real-estate frenzy sparked by the arrival of coronavirus pandemic in 2020 has had lasting effects on Palm Beach real estate. Here are some highlights.Video: Morning traffic enters Palm Beach over Flagler Memorial BridgeVideo: Early morning drivers enter Palm Beach across the Flagler Memorial Bridge February 13, 2025.Five years after the coronavirus pandemic arrived in Palm Beach, its boom-time effects on local real estate continue to resonate.Although the real estate frenzy has cooled a bit over the past two years, home prices in Palm Beach remain higher and the number...

Seattle named 9th most expensive city in U.S.According to a report from Oxford Economics, it takes a household income of $200,000 to afford a new home in Seattle, including property taxes and insurance costs.Fox - SeattleProperty taxes are a thorn in the side of homeowners. While many of us wish we didn't have to pay them, we don't have a choice. Just how much you pay depends on where you live, as taxes fluctuate from state to state and from town to town.In New Jersey, property taxes are significantly higher...