The Irish and British news media regularly report imminent breakthroughs, though none have materialized.

Charles Bofferding, the executive director of the union, said that he expected to meet with federal mediators today but did not expect an imminent breakthrough in the dispute.

Tactical reserves to halt any imminent breakthrough.

The new development on the talks was seen as significant but far short of anything indicating an imminent breakthrough on substance.

Noam Chomsky's new work in grammar was streamlining the translation process and there were "many predictions of imminent 'breakthroughs'".

The meeting did not appear to portend an imminent breakthrough to negotiations.

Officials and diplomats who have read the recommendations said tonight that they did not represent a dramatic or imminent breakthrough.

Still, officials sought to play down the chance of an imminent breakthrough.

The police called their investigation aggressive, but no progress was reported yesterday and there appeared to be no imminent breakthroughs.

But Qatar's Oil Minister denied today that a deal was in the making, calling reports of an imminent breakthrough "unrealistic and based on illogical assumption."