11.   The latest mediation mission by Egyptian envoy Osama el-Baz to Israel and the Palestinians this week proved fruitless.

12.   The two spoke as U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell pursued his mediation mission in the Middle East.

13.   The U.S. administration, which has announced a new Mideast mediation mission, demanded Friday that Israel immediately halt the strikes.

14.   The upsurge in violence comes in the runup to a mediation mission to Burundi by former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere, who is to arrive in the country Thursday.

15.   The violence raised questions about the effectiveness of the U.S. mediation mission.

16.   This week, the U.S. and Canadian ambassadors began a mediation mission to persuade the government and the opposition to resolve the stalemate.

17.   U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell phoned Sharon and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Friday, ahead of the renewed mediation mission by U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni.

18.   Zinni, meanwhile, flew home to report on his mediation mission to Secretary of State Colin Powell.

19.   International pressure mounted Saturday on the Bangladesh government and opposition to end a bitter dispute, with Commonwealth envoy Sir Ninian Stephen likely to end a mediation mission soon.

20.   A high-level Syrian delegation visited Riyadh on a mediation mission Saturday after a stay in Sanaa.