31.   Security has since been reinforced around the U.S. Embassy in Niamey, with surrounding streets and nearby diplomatic residences now blocked off to public traffic.

32.   Roman Catholic Archbishop Juan Luis Cipriani, who has served as a mediator in the crisis, entered the Japanese diplomatic residence earlier Friday to celebrate Mass.

33.   The diplomatic residence in Lima is considered Japanese territory, and Japan would have to give the go-ahead for any military raid to liberate the captives.

34.   The government said Thursday that foreign ambassadors will henceforth be considered visitors in their own homes, giving a strange new twist to their fight to keep diplomatic residences.

35.   The government has shut off water, electricity and telephone service to the diplomatic residence, which is surrounded night and day by heavily armed police.

36.   The hundreds of Peruvian and foreign officials and businessmen were taken captive Tuesday night by rebels who struck during a gala reception at the diplomatic residence.

37.   The nearby Nigerian Embassy and Algerian diplomatic residence were damaged.

38.   The U.S. and Peruvian soldiers would arrive the night of a full moon by helicopter, plant explosives at six points around the diplomatic residence and drop in paratroopers.

39.   The U.S. and Peruvian paratroopers would plunge into the compound from whirring helicopters, plant explosives at six points around the diplomatic residence and storm the building.

40.   They met the six diplomats for dinner at a Canadian diplomatic residence.