Apart from the fact that no shield is foolproof, Israel can never afford enough interceptors to deal with the 300 or so Scud-type missiles that Syria could unleash.

ECONOMIST: Rockets overhead

And finally, after the Commonwealth Games, competitors will no longer be allowed to shield the ball from their opponents when they serve.

BBC: Table tennis plays by the rules

We feel he acted like a shield for people with no power.

CNN: South Koreans pay respects to former leader

But the rapid shift in the balance of forces in Europe defeated her and she could no longer use Sarkozy as a human shield.

BBC: Europe: Back from the brink

The plan also offers no "safe harbor" provision to shield mortgage servicers from lawsuits by investors holding the securities backed by a loan being modified.

MSN: Housing plan details which borrowers get help

Agricultural-product disparagement statutes, which were dreamt up by a congressman after alarms over the use of Alar, an agro-chemical, damaged his apple business in 1989, shield farmers from criticism in a way no other industry can claim.

ECONOMIST: Food-disparagement laws

"If the Europeans say no, then you will inevitably build just the national shield, and it will contribute to the transatlantic divide and that's something what we do not want, " he says.

NPR: Europeans Cool to U.S. Missile Defense Plan

It is not the Fed's job to shield financial actors from risk, and Mr Bernanke no doubt realises that his credibility is at stake.

ECONOMIST: And Ben Bernanke keeps his cool