Only days earlier Charles Prince, boss of Citigroup, had paid a fence-mending visit to Carlo Ciampi, Italy's president.

ECONOMIST: Parmalat

He has taken to fence-mending as well, initiating a rapprochement with his former police chief, William Bratton, who is now running the L.A.P.

NEWYORKER: Mayberry Man

Now, business owners have to hope these organizations can accomplish some record-speed fence-mending in time to get lawmakers to lessen their 2013 tax burden.

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As fence-mending exercises go, Mr Powell's trip to Turkey went well.

ECONOMIST: Mending fences | The