poker game download free President of Argentina Javier Milei announced Wednesday that his administration is preparing a structural tax reform that will eliminate 90 percent of existing taxes in 2025. Milei announced the plan, alongside other policies he seeks to implement in his second year in office, while marking the end of his first. Among them was a plan to negotiate a trade deal with President-elect Donald Trump’s administration once he takes office in January. Tuesday marked one year since Milei took office on December 10, 2023, and became Argentina’s first libertarian president, succeeding socialist former President Alberto Fernández. At the time he took office, Argentina faced a severe economic crisis that dramatically worsened as a result of Fernández’s disastrous socialist policies. Milei implemented a series of drastic “shock therapy” measures to avert the collapse of the country’s economy and avoid a hyperinflation spiral. Milei’s policies successfully reduced the inflation rate in Argentina, dropping it from 25.5 percent in December 2023 to 2.7 percent in October 2024 while also allowing the nation to experience ten months of continued trade surplus as of November. Additionally, Milei spearheaded a dramatic overhaul of the Argentine government during his first year, reducing the number of ministries from 18 to nine on his first day and outright replacing other institutions — such as Argentina’s bloated AFIP revenue service, which was dissolved and substituted with a much smaller agency in November . The Argentine president also introduced a series of sweeping reforms that Congress passed in late June. Milei marked his first year in office by delivering a speech in the evening hours of Tuesday in the company of his ministers and members of his administration. He reviewed the results of his policies and announced a series of upcoming measures. In his roughly 35-minute speech, Milei thanked Argentines for electing him and for “having endured, as you did, the hard months we had at the beginning of our administration,” assuring that their sacrifice “will not be in vain.” “There is a saying that says ‘good times create weak men, weak men create hard times, hard times create strong men, and it is strong men who create good times.’ This year, we Argentines have proven to be strong men and women, forged in the heat of difficult times,” Milei said. “We have shown that, when a people touches the bottom of the abyss, its urgency to undertake a deep and irreversible change becomes a true force of nature,” he continued. Milei stressed that his administration will continue with his economic reforms throughout 2025 and to that end, he stated that his administration is currently finalizing a “structural tax reform” that will reduce the amount of national taxes by 90 percent while restoring tax autonomy to Argentina’s provinces. “Thus, next year we will see a real tax competition among the Argentine provinces to see who will attract the most investment,” Milei said. The Argentine president ensured that his administration will also eliminate existing currency control measures inherited by his government next year and stated that there would be a “free competition of currencies” which, Milei explained, will allow “all Argentines will be able to use the currency they want in their daily transactions.” “This means that from now on every Argentinean will be able to buy, sell and invoice in dollars or the currency they consider, except for the payment of taxes, which for now will continue to be in pesos,” Milei said. The Argentine president posited that it is also essential to “break the foreign trade chains that are currently suffocating us” to accelerate the country’s economic recovery. Argentina is a member of the regional Mercosur trade bloc, a group that Milei has fiercely criticized in the past and which he now holds its pro-tempore presidency as of last week . Milei proposed the elimination of tariff barriers among Mercosur members and added that one of his administration’s goals in Mercosur is to “increase the autonomy of the members of the organization vis-à-vis the rest of the world, so that each country can trade freely with whomever it wants as it suits them.” One of those trade deals, he said, would hopefully be a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States next year — something that, Milei said, “should have been signed 19 years ago.” “Imagine how much we would have grown in these two decades if we had traded with the world’s leading power. All that growth was taken away from us with the simple signature of a group of bureaucrats, who refused to accept the benefits of free trade,” Milei said. “In this way, Argentina will stop turning its back on the world and will once again be a protagonist of world trade, because there is no prosperity without trade and there is no trade without freedom,” he continued. Milei said that his administration will continue with the deregularization and reduction of public spending throughout his second year through a “ruthless audit” that will see the elimination of unnecessary agencies, secretariats, public companies, and state institutions. Other upcoming policies announced by Milei include proposing an “anti-mafia” law inspired by the United States’ Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act to fight against organized crime, federal police reforms, the creation of an “anti-narcoterrorism” unit in cooperation with Mercosur to combat drug trafficking in the tri-border area that Argentina shares with Brazil and Paraguay, and the “imminent presentation of a plan to build new nuclear reactors and research small or modular reactor technologies,” among others. Milei observed that 2025 will see Argentina hold midterm legislative elections and stressed that “unlike what politicians usually do, who in election years spend their time squandering the money of all Argentines” his administration would “do something different” and continue implementing his economic reforms. “It is unique in the history of modern democracies that a government begins the election year without an expansionary fiscal and monetary policy, because that is precisely the logic of the past that has sunk us,” Milei said. “We are not going to fall into this temptation that seduced the caste, because we are the future and the prosperity.” “We are going to continue our adjustment program to be able to lower taxes and return money to the private sector, and we are going to put on the table an agenda of profound reforms, developed on the pillars that I told you about today, so that society can legally choose which country it wants,” he continued. The Argentine president concluded by stating that Argentina is heading towards a “future of prosperity” and said 2024 will be remembered as the “first year of the new Argentina.” Milei further stressed that, unlike other moments in the nation’s history where hope was based “on empty words, we have brought results.” “You can see them, you can feel them. That future of prosperity is within our reach. There is nothing you can do to prevent it: you can get on the train of progress or you can be run over by it,” Milei said. Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here .

DALLAS (AP) — Juan Soto gets free use of a luxury suite and up to four premium tickets behind home plate for regular-season and postseason New York Mets home games as part of his record $765 million, 15-year contract that was finalized Wednesday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * DALLAS (AP) — Juan Soto gets free use of a luxury suite and up to four premium tickets behind home plate for regular-season and postseason New York Mets home games as part of his record $765 million, 15-year contract that was finalized Wednesday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? DALLAS (AP) — Juan Soto gets free use of a luxury suite and up to four premium tickets behind home plate for regular-season and postseason New York Mets home games as part of his record $765 million, 15-year contract that was finalized Wednesday. The Mets also agreed to provide personal team security for the All-Star outfielder and his family at the team’s expense for all spring training and regular-season home and road games, according to details of the agreement obtained by The Associated Press. Major League Baseball teams usually provide security for player families in seating areas at ballparks. New York also agreed to assist Soto’s family for in-season travel arrangements, guaranteed Soto will have uniform No. 22 and included eight types of award bonuses. Soto wore No. 22 with all his previous major league teams: the Nationals, Padres and Yankees. Young third baseman Brett Baty wore No. 22 with the Mets the past three seasons. The Mets will formally introduce Soto in a news conference Thursday afternoon at Citi Field. “This is a seminal moment in franchise history,” owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. “Juan Soto is a generational talent. He is not only bringing staggering historical statistics with him but also a championship pedigree.” Soto’s suite will be valued at the Mets’ prevailing prices, presumably for tax purposes, and after 2025 he can by each Jan. 15 modify or give up his suite selection for the upcoming season. He can request the premium tickets, to be used by family members, no later than 72 hours before the scheduled game time. The Yankees had refused to offer Soto a free suite. “Some high-end players that make a lot of money for us, if they want suites they buy them ... whether it’s CC (Sabathia), whether it’s (Aaron) Judge, whether it’s (Gerrit) Cole, whether it’s any of these guys,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “We’ve gone through a process on previous negotiations where asks might have happened and this is what we did and we’re going to honor those, so no regrets there.” Cashman said the Yankees have a shared suite for player families and a family room with babysitting. Soto gets a $75 million signing bonus, payable within 60 days of the agreement’s approval by the commissioner’s office. The deal for the 26-year-old slugger, which tops Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers, was reached Sunday pending a physical that took place Tuesday. Soto receives salaries of $46,875,000 each in 2025 and 2026, $42.5 million in 2027, $46,875,000 apiece in 2028 and 2029 and $46 million in each of the final 10 seasons. Soto has a contingent right to opt out of the agreement within three days of the end of the 2029 World Series to become a free agent again, but the Mets have an option to negate the opt-out provision by increasing the yearly salaries for 2030-39 by $4 million annually to $50 million and raising the total value to $805 million. If the club exercises its option to negate the opt-out provision, Soto can make his opt-out decision by the fifth day after the World Series. He has a full no-trade provision and gets a hotel suite on road trips. “Today’s signing further solidifies our organizational commitment to consistent championship competitiveness,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “Not only does Juan provide historic levels of on field production, but his joy, intensity, and passion for the game mirror our budding culture. We are thrilled to add him to our team and look forward to watching his excellence for years to come.” Soto would receive a $500,000 bonus for winning his first Most Valuable Player award and $1 million for each MVP award. He would get $350,000 for finishing second in the voting and $150,000 for finishing third through fifth. Soto was third in AL voting this year. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. He would earn $100,000 for each All-Star selection and Gold Glove, $350,000 for World Series MVP and $150,000 for League Championship Series MVP. Soto would get $100,000 for selection to the All-MLB first or second team, $150,000 for a Silver Slugger award and $100,000 for the Hank Aaron Award. Award bonuses are to be paid by the Jan. 31 after the season in which the bonus is earned. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb Advertisement AdvertisementNone

Chelsea have announced a 20-man squad for Thursday’s Conference League clash against Astana with Enzo Maresca including several youngsters. As expected, a host of senior players have been spared the eight-hour flight to Kazakhstan for the penultimate first stage fixture, with the likes of Jadon Sancho, Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill and Nicolas Jackson all staying behind in London. Therefore a number of Cobham graduates have been selected to supplement Maresca’s usual cast of fringe players for this competition. Perhaps the most notable inclusion is that of young full-back Josh Acheampong, who is close to reaching an agreement on a new long-term contract with the Blues and is in line to make his first appearance in almost three months. “He’s in the squad,” Maresca said of Acheampong in the pre-match press conference. “And probably he’s going to play from the start. “With Josh it’s quite clear. We all love Josh. The club loves Josh. I love Josh. And we are trying to find an agreement with the players. We are close. We are almost there.” In addition to Acheampong, Samuel Rak-Sakyi and Tyrique George will be hoping to add to the senior minutes they have already been handed this season. Meanwhile, the senior figures in the squad are Filip Jorgensen, Axel Diasi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Renato Veiga, Carney Chukwuemeka, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Pedro Neto with Marc Guiu looking to add to his goal against FC Noah. Academy players Richard Olise, Kaiden Wilson and Ato Ampah are all involved with the Chelsea senior squad for the first time. Though Kiano Dyer, Shim Mhueka and Harrison Murray-Campbell are included once again. Goalkeepers: Filip Jorgensen, Lucas Bergstrom, Max Merrick Defenders: Axel Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Renato Veiga, Josh Acheampong, Harrison Murray-Campbell, Richard Olise, Kaiden Wilson Midfielders: Carney Chukwuemeka, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Kiano Dyer, Sam Rak-Sakyi, Harvey Vale Forwards: Pedro Neto, Ato Ampah, Tyrique George, Marc Guiu, Shumaira Mheuka In truth, the Blues can afford to rotate heavily given their 100 percent winning record in the Conference League so far as they find themselves on the verge of securing a place in the last-16 with a couple of games to spare.

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Revolutionary Change: Your Gaming Rig Could Get SuperchargedWhatever 2025 holds for world markets, talk of an end to business cycle investing eerily reflects past periods of hubris and makes all the persistent bullishness seem slightly reckless. The years since 2020 have been extraordinary, with pandemic-distorted supply and demand patterns that are still playing out. Serial geopolitical shocks and mega trends in technology and green energy have followed. Amidst all that, inflation in Western economies recorded its biggest spike in 40 years, and central banks scrambled to snuff it out with the most brutal credit tightening in decades. But setting aside the deep but brief pandemic-induced economic contraction in early 2020, the United States has managed to avoid a recession. And few if any forecasters see one unfolding next year. For BlackRock, the world's biggest asset manager, it is simply different this time. "We've argued since 2020 that we are not in a business cycle," it said in its 2025 outlook. "Historical trends are being permanently broken in real time as mega forces, like the rise of artificial intelligence, transform economies." Ignoring the business cycle is a big call and certainly a brave one at this stage. Yet, looking at the United States over the past few years, it's hard to argue against it. Previously near foolproof bellwethers of cyclical downturns, such as the inverted yield curve or the 'Sahm Rule' on when rising joblessness presages a downturn -- have flashed bright red, but to no avail. US real GDP has expanded continuously since a one-quarter contraction in the first three months of 2022 and as 2024 comes to a close, growth rates are still well above trend at more than 3%. If anything, that looks set to be underscored by both lower interest rates and tax cuts next year. Even the most dogged bears on Wall Street have thrown in the towel, seemingly assured that the services-dominated US economy can sail on unfettered. Most of the big brokers expect further punchy gains for Wall Street stocks in 2025. The already expensive S&P 500, still led mostly by a narrow group of mega-cap tech giants, is set to record its second consecutive year of 25%-plus gains for the first time since 1998. RESONATING MILESTONES All the same, comparisons to the late 1990s should ring some alarm bells. The final years on the last century were certainly different to today but there are also uncanny parallels with the present, including mounting euphoria about a US-dominated technology, a turbulent world economy and seemingly Teflon US growth. The end of the Cold War had given rise to many hubristic books, most famously Francis Fukuyama's bestseller The End of History and the Last Man on the durable triumph of liberal democracy. By the end of the decade, the internet bubble gave vent to endless talk about business cycle being transcended in the face of transformative technology and US exceptionalism. What's more, there were also a few hesitant Federal Reserve interest rate cuts that kept the expansion going before eventually being reversed as the economy dodged turbulence abroad and the domestic bubble grew bigger. The upshot? A tech-led bubble burst in 2000, ushering in three years of consecutive S&P 500 losses -- the longest series of annual downturns since World War II. It took seven years to recover the peaks of 2000, just before the banking crash hit. To be sure, anyone who stuck with durable tech names that survived the dot.com bust made a fortune over the past 20 years. But the business and investment cycle was far from ending. TEFLON ECONOMY So what could go wrong now? Even if there is a cogent argument for continued US economic and market outperformance next year, it's hard to see how America remains entirely insulated if there is significant economic weakness overseas. Asset managers' 2025 outlooks all dwell heavily on the uncertainties surrounding the incoming administration of US president-elect Donald Trump. And they all acknowledge that some type of trade war is in the offing, with China, Europe and even US neighbours Canada and Mexico all in the crosshairs. A global economic hit from tit-for-tat tariff salvos and investment curbs could come back to haunt the United States if it stymies world demand or lifts US prices, causing the Fed to halt or reverse its policy easing. BlackRock's view, for the record, is that the US and global economies may well experience bouts of turbulence in the coming year. But their conclusion is that such moves would only impact tactical trades and that major investment decisions should stay focused on multi-year big themes, such as artificial intelligence and green energy. But even if the United States can remain an "oasis of prosperity", in the words of another famed phrase from the late 1990s, financial distortions could eventually sow the seeds of an eventual fall. Monetary easing around the world has already accelerated, potentially in response to trade fears. This is buoying the dollar and holding down US Treasury yields, too, as investors rotate into what's now become a high-yielding "safe asset". Some argue that inappropriately low US long-term borrowing rates could, by themselves, catalyse a downfall by overheating the economy and further inflating asset bubbles. That scenario suggests that any downturn likely wouldn't come next year. But the rumoured death of the business cycle may yet prove to be greatly exaggerated. Reuters Mike Dolan is Reuters editor-at-large for finance & markets.