BEIRUT (AP) - Syrian forces continue to hold off on attacking opposition strongholds, hours after a U.N.-brokered truce went into effect at midnight. But activists say the regime is defying demands by international envoy Kofi Annan to pull troops back to their barracks. The regime says it does reserve the right to respond to any aggression. 

     KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai says he's considering calling presidential elections a year early. He says that would lessen the strain on Afghanistan that could be caused when foreign combat troops pull out the same time as a national ballot in 2014.    

     GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) - After years of investigation and numerous delays, jury selection is set to begin today in the trial of former presidential candidate John Edwards. Prosecutors accused Edwards of knowing about secret payments his campaign made to his pregnant mistress as he competed for the White House in 2008. Edwards denies having known about the money, which paid for private jets, luxury hotels and Rielle (ree-EHL') Hunter's medical care.    

     MEXICO CITY (AP) - Residents near the Gulf of California were awakened this morning by a strong earthquake off the coast of Mexico. It came hours after a separate tremor swayed tall buildings in Mexico City. Authorities say neither quake left major damage.   

     BANGKOK (AP) - KFC in Thailand is apologizing for urging people to rush home during Wednesday's tsunami scare and order a bucket of KFC chicken. The company posted: "Let's hurry home and follow the earthquake news. And don't forget to order your favorite KFC menu." That prompted hundreds of angry comments.

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) - George Zimmerman is set to appear before a judge in the shooting of Trayvon Martin. He turned himself in to authorities on Wednesday and is jailed in Sanford, the site of the February shooting. Zimmerman's attorney says his client plans to plead not guilty.

     STARKE, Fla. (AP) - David Alan Gore is set to be executed nearly 29 years after murdering 17-year-old Lynn Elliott. In all, Gore killed four teenage girls and two women. Elliott's murder is the only one for which he's condemned. He's scheduled to die by lethal injection at 6 p.m.

     ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Officials will discuss rule changes after more than a dozen fans returned to a legitimately permitted parking lot to find their vehicles had been towed after a Tampa Bay Rays game. Fourteen people had to pay about $100 to get their vehicles back.

     LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) - Lakeland Police officers say a K-9 named Quanto did what he was supposed to when he saw a suspect struggling with his handler during an arrest. He bit the suspect. A police review shows the suspect accidentally pressed a car door opener on the belt of a police officer who was searching him, releasing the dog.