But she did so also to show she was an ordinary woman, suffering and labouring against the elements like any farmer's or merchant's wife.

ECONOMIST: Princess Juliana of the Netherlands

AMERICA'S loudest protectionist argues, in what amounts to a highly personal political manifesto, that America has always been protectionist, but that ordinary Americans are suffering and the country's sovereignty is being sacrificed to modern free-trade doctrines.

ECONOMIST: Disputes in economics

Ordinary folks like us would want to believe that the suffering that ascetics undergo in order to toughen themselves up will in fact have deleterious effects on their wellbeing and health.

BBC: Kumbh Mela festival

Italian banks are suffering and are less willing to lend, making it harder for ordinary businesses to borrow money.

BBC: Italy faces stark choices ahead of election