And so they're just going to keep going until they get to a specific point to call a halt for another phase of the operation.

CNN: Grange: Troops 'on a high'

Annan's six-point peace plan also calls for a halt in violence by both sides and a Syrian-led political process to end the crisis.

CNN: SHARE THIS

Romney also made a point in both speeches of calling for a halt of all nuclear enrichment by Iran, aligning himself with Israel's insistence that Iran must have no nuclear capability.

CNN: Romney talks tough but differs little from Obama on Iran

The outcome of more than five hours of meetings in Moscow involving President Vladimir Putin, Kerry and Lavrov essentially bring diplomatic efforts to halt Syria's violence to a point they were about a year ago.

NPR: US, Russia Seek To Revive Peace Plan For Syria

Output growth slowed to a halt in the second quarter, business surveys point to further weakening during the second half of this year, and the labour market has softened.

BBC: Central banks' official statements

The halt in the fighting was part of a six-point plan devised by Kofi Annan, the UN and Arab League special envoy for Syria.

ECONOMIST: A peace plan comes into wobbly effect

Finally, a point is reached where the slightest nudge can bring the whole system grinding to a halt.

FORBES: Connect

In 1994, when Mr Savimbi was on the point of possible capture, the politicians signed a peace agreement and ordered the soldiers to halt their advance.

ECONOMIST: Angola

Analysts also point out that the markets have other safeguards to keep them from falling too sharply, with circuit breakers that halt trading on the Dow Jones industrials after falls of 850, 1, 750 and 2, 600 points.

BBC: Economy in the balance