COLU @ CONCEPTS

  The Latest: Trump says Mexico, Canada opposed NAFTA pull-out WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump's activities (all times local): 7:10 a.m. President Donald Trump says the leaders of Canada and Mexico called him asking the United States to remain a partner in the North American Free Trade Agreement and that he agreed. But in a post Thursday morning on his verified Twitter account, the president said his positive response was "subject to the fact that if we do not reach a fair deal for all, we will then terminate NAFTA." He said relationships between the U.S. and Mexico and Canada are "very good — deal very possible." The White House had released a statement late Tuesday saying only that Trump assured the two leaders the U.S. wouldn't bolt NAFTA at this time. Campaigning for the presidency last year, Trump repeatedly assailed NAFTA, saying it was a bad deal for America. He also pledged that if elected, he would dump i...

   Pope faces balancing act in Egypt amid security fears VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is facing a religious and diplomatic balancing act as he heads to Egypt this weekend, hoping to comfort its Christian community after a spate of Islamic attacks while seeking to improve relations with Egypt's Muslim leaders. Security has been tightened, with shops ordered closed and police conducting door-to-door checks in the upscale Cairo neighborhood where Francis will stay Friday night. His only public Mass is being held at a military-run stadium. Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said Francis wasn't overly concerned and wouldn't use an armored car, as his predecessors did on foreign trips. Francis insisted on going ahead with the trip even after twin Palm Sunday church bombings killed at least 45 people and a subsequent attack at the famed St. Catherine's monastery in Sinai. "We're in the world of 'new normal,'" Burke said. "But we go forwar...

Rumors rife as gas restrictions in N. Korean capital drag on PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — An acute shortage of gasoline in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang that has sparked price hikes and hoarding is raising fears of potentially crippling pain at the pumps if things don't get better soon — and driving rumors that China is to blame. The shortage, which is extremely unusual if not unprecedented, began last week when signs went up at gas stations around the city informing customers that restrictions on sales would be put in place until further notice. With no indication as of Wednesday night of when the restrictions might be lifted — or why they have been imposed — drivers continue to scramble to fill up their tanks and whatever other containers they can find. Prices, meanwhile, have shot up. They had been fairly stable, typically at about 70-80 cents a kilogram, but on Wednesday at least one station was charging $1.40. Gasoline is sold by the kilogram in North Kore...

    Coulter's Berkeley speech canceled, police prep for violence BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Ann Coulter said Wednesday that she was forced to cancel her speaking event Thursday at the University of California, Berkeley amid concerns of violence but might still "swing by to say hello" to all her supporters. Police and university officials said they were bracing for possible trouble whether Coulter comes to campus or not, citing intelligence and online chatter by groups threatening to instigate violence. In emails to The Associated Press, Coulter confirmed Wednesday that her planned speech on illegal immigration, followed by a question-answer session, was canceled. But she remained coy about what she might do instead. "I'm not speaking. But I'm going to be near there, so I might swing by to say hello to my supporters who have flown in from all around the country," Coulter said in an email. "I thought I might stroll around the graveyard of...

           Observers: Large explosion rocks Syrian capital BEIRUT (AP) — A large explosion rocked the Syrian capital early Thursday, followed by a fire near the Damascus airport, Syrian opposition activists and a monitor said. The explosion was heard across the capital, jolting residents awake, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Rami Abdurrahman said. He said the explosion was reported to have happened near the Damascus airport road. The dawn explosion was also reported by other activists' networks but the source was unclear. Activist-operated Diary of a Mortar, which reports from Damascus, said the explosion near the airport road was followed by flames rising above the area. A pro-government site Damascus Now said the explosion was near the city's Seventh Bridge, which leads to the airport road. Syria is in the sixth year of a bloody civil war pitting the government of President Bashar Assad and his allies against opposition ...

   United raising limit on payments to bumped flyers to $10,000 DALLAS (AP) — United Airlines says it will raise the limit — to $10,000 — on payments to customers who give up seats on oversold flights and will increase training for employees as it deals with fallout from the video of a passenger being violently dragged from his seat. United is also vowing to reduce, but not eliminate, overbooking — the selling of more tickets than there are seats on the plane. The airline made the promises Thursday as it released a report detailing mistakes that led to the April 9 incident on a United Express plane in Chicago. United isn't saying whether ticket sales have dropped since the removal of a 69-year-old passenger by three airport security officers, but the airline's CEO admits it could be damaging. "I breached public trust with this event and how we responded," Oscar Munoz told The Associated Press. "People are upset, and I suspect that there are a lot ...

Trump team softens war talk, vows other pressure on NKorea WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration told lawmakers Wednesday it will apply economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, as an extraordinary White House briefing served to tamp down talk of military action against an unpredictable and increasingly dangerous U.S. adversary. President Donald Trump welcomed Republican and Democratic senators before his secretary of state, defense secretary, top general and national intelligence director conducted a classified briefing. The same team also met with House members in the Capitol to outline the North's escalating nuclear capabilities and U.S. response options to what they called an "urgent national security threat." The Trump administration hosted senators for an extraordinary White House briefing Wednesday on North Korea. Walking out, Sen. Chris Coons called the meeting "sobering," but said the ...

White House backs off as lawmakers work to avert shutdown WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are nearing agreement on sweeping spending legislation to keep the lights on in government, after the White House backed off a threat to withhold payments that help lower-income Americans pay their medical bills. It was the latest concession by the White House, which had earlier dropped a demand for money for President Donald Trump's border wall. Even with Republicans in control of both chambers of Congress and the White House, the Trump administration is learning that Democrats retain significant leverage when their votes are needed on must-pass legislation. House Speaker Paul Ryan said Wednesday the Republican Congress is working with the White House on President Donald Trump's proposed tax plan. (April 26) A temporary funding bill expires Friday at midnight, and GOP leaders late Wednesday unveiled another short-term spending bill to prevent a government shutdown this w...

As Trump calls for wall, a look at the world's barriers As President Donald Trump marks 100 days in office, he is vowing to keep his campaign promise to build a wall along the border with Mexico. Despite widespread skepticism and Mexico's refusal to pay for the wall, as Trump has demanded, the U.S. government has been soliciting bids and test sections could be built as soon as this summer. Physical barriers are as old as humanity and have proven to be effective over the centuries at protecting borders. But fences can also have unwanted consequences, like destroying city neighborhoods, harming the environment and preventing innocent victims from reaching safety. Here is a look at some of the world's barriers. Some are rather simple, while others are massive enterprises that cost billions. Generally they have been paid for through standard budgeting procedures, with none sparking a funding dispute of the kind that has emerged with Mexico. For more video, im...

  White House says Trump won't immediately pull out of NAFTA WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has told the leaders of Mexico and Canada that he will not pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement at this time, just hours after administration officials said he was considering a draft executive order to do just that. The White House made the surprise announcement Wednesday in a read-out of calls involving Trump, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "President Trump agreed not to terminate NAFTA at this time and the leaders agreed to proceed swiftly, according to their required internal procedures, to enable the renegotiation of the NAFTA deal to the benefit of all three countries," said the White House. Trump said he believes "the end result will make all three countries stronger and better." The Mexican government confirmed the conversation in a statement issued late Wednesday. "T...