21.   The talks are a resumption of a round begun here last week that made scant progress on one of the most divisive issues in the Israeli-Palestinian dialogue.

22.   Yang and Pak made scant progress in two sessions stretched out over four days last week in Beijing.

23.   In Liverpool, police were apparently making scant progress in their investigations into the murder of Robert Gee and Paul Barker.

24.   Yet despite the upbeat pronouncements of the organisers, there was scant progress to report.