- England return to winning ways in Nations League, Austria thrash Norway
- UN chief says attacks on UNIFIL 'may constitute a war crime'
- Ravens outlast Commanders while Bucs batter Saints in NFL
- Dozens hurt in Israel as Hezbollah claims drone strike
- England deserve 'world class' coach: Carsley
- Burkina Faso win to become first qualifiers for 2025 AFCON
- AC Milan's Pulisic among five out for USA match in Mexico
- France's Amandine Henry retires from international football
- Centre-left set to win pro-Ukraine Lithuania's vote
- India's World Cup hopes in Pakistan hands after Australia defeat
- Zelensky says NKorea sending troops to Russian army
- England beat Finland to get back on track
- King and Lewis propel West Indies to T20 triumph over Sri Lanka
- Pre-Halloween 'Terrifier' lands atop North America box office
- 'I still plan to compete and play next season,' says Djokovic
- Harris, Trump seek advantage in knife-edge election battle
- Chepngetich shatters women's marathon world record in Chicago
- Kamindu and Asalanka power Sri Lanka to 179 against West Indies
- Chepngetich shatters women's marathon world record as Korir wins in Chicago
- Spain send injured Yamal home 'to prioritise player's health'
- In milestone, SpaceX 'catches' megarocket booster after test flight
- Iraq walks fine line with pro-Iran factions to avoid war
- Race four abandoned after New Zealand breeze into 3-0 lead in America's Cup
- West Indies win toss, put Sri Lanka in to bat in first T20
- Sudan rescuers say air strike killed 23 in Khartoum market
- Netanyahu tells UN to move Lebanon peacekeepers out of 'harm's way'
- Bangladeshi Hindus defy attack worries to celebrate festival
- Kiwis three up in America's Cup as Ineos pay for time penalty
- In a first, SpaceX 'catches' megarocket booster after test flight
- Dominant England crush Scotland at Women's T20 World Cup
- Dropped: The rise and fall of Pakistan batting maestro Babar Azam
- Israel fights Hezbollah on the ground, pounds Lebanon from the air
- Sabalenka outlasts local hero Zheng to win third Wuhan Open title
- Bangladeshi Hindus shrug off attack worries to celebrate festival
- Former Pakistan captain Azam dropped for second England Test
- 'Opportunist' Dupont dazzles on Toulouse return
- Australia replace injured Vlaeminck with Graham at Women's T20 World Cup
- Sinner wins Shanghai Masters to deny Djokovic 100th career title
- Ubisoft fears assassin's hit over falling sales
- Israel hits Lebanon from the air and fights Hezbollah on the ground
- China's Yin has 'goosebumps' as she romps to LPGA win in Shanghai
- Pakistan to re-use Multan pitch for second England Test
- Blair and King Charles hail Salmond's 'devotion' to Scotland
- Vietnam, China hold talks on calming South China Sea tensions
- SpaceX will try to 'catch' giant Starship rocket shortly before landing
- England captain Stokes in line for second Pakistan Test return
- Japan's former empress Michiko discharged after surgery: reports
- Japan's former empress Michiko discharged after surgey: reports
- Israel widens Lebanon strikes as troops fight Hezbollah along border
- Bowlers' graveyards: Pakistan's placid pitches under fresh fire
No jingle in Argentine pockets as economic grinch ruins Christmas
Cecilia Rojas has scoured shops across greater Buenos Aires to find an affordable gift for her children this Christmas, which is set to be a gloomy affair as the country grapples with its worst economic crisis in decades.
"Before I would buy from a well-known toy store chain, but now I look at smaller, neighborhood businesses to find a better price," the 47-year-old told AFP.
A psychologist, Rojas has a 17-year-old son as well as an eight-year-old who still believes in Santa Clause.
"He wrote him a long letter," she said.
This year her children will get one gift each, unlike in previous years when she tried to buy a few.
Festive frugality is the order of the holidays as Argentina ends the year with annual inflation at 160 percent.
Toy prices have gone up between 110 percent and 230 percent this year, according to industry figures.
Christmas shoppers have to be patient and wily.
"You walk a little and find the same product in different businesses with different prices," said Agustina Gago, 23, who has a four-year-old son.
"This year we are going to buy him a gift thanks to the help we get from our grandmothers and great-grandmothers, of which, luckily, there are several," she said with a smile.
- Milei's not-so-merry measures -
The country is also reeling from the headspinning start to President Javier Milei's new government, which has issued hundreds of decrees to de-regulate the ailing economy.
Milei, who campaigned with a chainsaw vowing to slash state spending, has also announced huge cuts in generous state subsidies of fuel and transport from January and devalued the strictly controlled peso by more than 50 percent.
His government has also done away with a program to control the prices of some goods, introduced by the previous government to try and ease the impact of inflation.
Milei has warned the country is on the brink of hyperinflation, and that things will get a lot worse before they improve.
"They are starving the people, they are using policies that we already lived through, that did not work and that all they do is pauperize the working class," said 49-year-old teacher Alexandra Mazzei, who joined a protest against the new measures on Wednesday night.
- 'Bit of a hard time' -
Shop owners have adapted to the yuletide belt-tightening.
"I don't even stock the most expensive stuff anymore because people don't buy it," said Ruben Gerszonowicz, 63, who owns a toy store in Buenos Aires and said price mark-ups are a daily occurrence.
He said this year was the first time in two decades he saw clients doing their Christmas shopping far in advance.
However, he believes it is necessary to "have a bit of a hard time" for the economy to get back on track, as Milei has promised.
A.Malone--AMWN