WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 1989 (UPI) -- The White House, in a 24-hour hardening of its suspicions, condemned a sudden rash of confrontations between U.S. and Panamanian troops Monday as a new ''pattern of indiscriminate violence'' by Gen. Manuel Noriega.

PANAMA CITY, Panama, Dec.18, 1989 (UPI) -- A U.S. soldier shot and wounded a Panamanian sentry Monday, the second shooting in less than 48 hours involving troops from the increasingly estranged nations. Panama's military termed the incident ''rash aggression'' by U.S. forces.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 1989 (UPI) -- President Bush said Monday the Panamanian situation is ''a tremendous concern'' but refused to say what actions the government might take in response to the weekend killing of an American soldier or to remove Manuel Noriega from power.

PANAMA CITY, Panama, Dec. 20, 1989 (UPI) -- The Panama Canal was closed to shipping Wednesday following the U.S. attack in Panama, the first combat-related halt in shipping between the world's two great oceans in the 75-year history of the canal.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 1989 (UPI) -- President Bush's decision to use military force in Panama won quick bipartisan support in Congress Wednesday, with most members saying the United States had run out of options for dealing with Gen. Manuel Noriega.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 1989 (UPI) -- During the last two years, the options available to oust Gen. Manuel Noriega as Panama's absolute ruler disappeared as the tenacious dictator clung on.

PANAMA CITY, Panama, Dec. 20, 1989 (UPI) -- The United States attacked Panamanian installations with some 24,000 troops Wednesday in a bid to oust Gen. Manuel Noriega and install an elected civilian government, but Noriega escaped and urged his supporters to continue fighting.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 1989 (UPI) - Here is the text of President Bush's 7:20 a.m. EST address to the nation on his actions concerning Panama:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 1989 (UPI) -- About 7,000 Army Rangers, paratroopers and other soldiers backed by light tanks and helicopter gunships were flown into Panama to join 13,000 American troops already there for Wednesday's attack, officials said.

PANAMA CITY, Panama, Dec. 20, 1989 (UPI) - While thousands of U.S. troops scoured Panama for Gen. Manuel Noriega, Victoria Rodriguez wanted only to find her little girl.

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 20, 1989 (UPI) - The United States told the U.N. Security Council Wednesday it had exercised its right of self-defense by sending troops to Panama to oust Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega and protect the Panama Canal.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 1989 (UPI) - When Manuel Antonio Noriega declared a state of war with the United States last week, he opened up the possibility of U.S. military action within the legal bounds of the Panana Canal Treaty.

Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega, chief of the Panamanian Defense Forces and the newly declared power behind his nation's civilian government, has been accused of drug-running, being a CIA agent and dealing secretly with the Soviet Union.

UPI White House Reporter