1.   Although Quigley said the appeal has gone unanswered, the church has benefited from the recent relaxation of official hostility toward religious activities.

2.   Despite some recent relaxations, North Korea still bars them from many areas.

3.   Samgis praised a recent relaxation of rules that had allowed women to sing, even if only before an all-female audience.

4.   This follows the recent relaxation in age restrictions for one-way permit applicants by the mainland authorities.

5.   Analysts said B-share sentiment had recently been boosted by several minor policy changes, including the recent relaxation of restrictions on bank transactions denominated in US dollars.