The calm will now be shattered, they fear, by the construction of a ring road intended to draw traffic away from the chaotic city and speed goods to and from Santos, Brazil's biggest port.

ECONOMIST: Ancestral claims and modern interests

Thus far, negotiations suggest that the fight for the middle class in the fiscal cliff ring may in fact be a draw.

FORBES: How Will The Middle Class Fare In The Battle Over The Fiscal Cliff?

To do this, Britain's bank managers are attempting to draw a line under the scandals by reviewing strategies, ring-fencing their operations and disposing or unwinding of assets deemed as risky and loss-making.

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Treasury mandarins are now seeking to draw a distinction between charges for a specific service (the revenues of which can be ring-fenced), and general tax revenues that must remain sacrosanct.

ECONOMIST: Taxation