Republicans light fire under Obama’s gas prices tour

President Barack Obama set off Wednesday on a four-state, campaign-style defense of his energy policies, a trip that painfully high gas prices have made a political necessity for the embattled incumbent.

But even before Obama had left Washington, Republicans launched preemptive strikes on what House Speaker John Boehner's office mocked as a "tour de farce" fueled by political expediency.

And the Karl Rove-connected Crossroads GPS group announced it was launching a $650,000 advertising blitz at three of the four states the president is due to visit—Nevada, New Mexico and Ohio (the fourth state, Oklahoma, is not expected to be up for grabs in November).

The ad charges that Obama's policies are directly to blame for high gas prices—a claim the White House counters by pointing to factors like unrest across the Middle East, tensions with Iran and rocketing demand from booming economies in China, India and Brazil, while noting that U.S. oil production is at an eight-year high.

"The president believes we must continue to take a sustained, all-of-the-above approach to American energy—a strategy aimed at reducing our reliance on foreign oil, saving families and businesses money at the pump, and positioning the United States as the global leader in clean energy," the White House said Wednesday in a "fact sheet" about his trip.

Boehner's office, meanwhile, delivered a point-by-point argument that the president's approach has left the national gas tank on "E.""The trip offers a perfect opportunity to remind the American people how this administration's policies are making our energy challenges worse," charged Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck. "So here we go."

Obama's first stop is Boulder City, Nev., home to the Copper Mountain Solar One facility—the country's largest solar plant, which powers some 17,000 homes. Senior administration officials said Tuesday that the president would push for doubling down on solar and other alternatives to fossil fuels. The officials spoke at a briefing organized by the White House on condition that they not be be named and not be directly quoted. One of the officials expressed confidence that the controversy over the failed Solyndra firm—which left taxpayers on the hook for a $535-million loan guarantee—had not soured the U.S. public on solar power.

A Republican-led investigation into Solyndra has yet to turn up hard evidence of wrongdoing, but has focused on political ties between the bankrupt firm's private sector investors and Obama's 2008 campaign, leading some critics, notably Mitt Romney, to accuse the president of "crony capitalism."

Buck called the Solyndra fiasco "the administration's most embarrassing energy investment' flop" and said "regulatory roadblocks and burdensome lawsuits" were more to blame than a lack of innovation or government help.

Obama's second stop on the two-day trip will be an oil and gas production field on federal lands outside of Maljamar, N.M. He plans to underscore his support for expanding oil and natural gas drilling on American soil in a spot the White House noted houses some 70 oil rigs.

But Buck charged that "leasing and permitting delays" had slowed output from federal lands.

Of Obama's final two stops, his appearance in Cushing, Okla., will surely generate the most headlines—and the fiercest criticisms. The president will highlight his support for the southern part of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline that he blocked amid an outcry from environmentalists. CNN reported Tuesday that he would announce he was fast-tracking the permit process for the section set to run from Cushing to the Gulf of Mexico.

Obama will give his final speech at a state-of-the-art research facility at Ohio State University in Columbus, emphasizing the need for scientific inquiry into high-tech new energy sources.

Correction, 6:13 p.m. EST: This post has been corrected to add the dropped word "State" in "Ohio State University."

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Police chief under fire for handling of Trayvon Martin case

As tensions between community leaders and residents in Sanford, Fla., reach a boiling point, the man leading the investigation into the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin is being asked to step down.

During a heated special meeting regarding the death of the unarmed teen, who was allegedly shot and killed by self-appointed neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman, Sanford city commissioners conducted a vote of "no confidence" against embattled Police Chief Billy Lee. Three of five commissioners voted against the chief.

One commissioner demanded that Lee resign. It is now up to the city manager to decide whether or not to let Lee go.

"The unknown in a tragedy will make the heart do crazy things, and we haven't done a good job of getting out in front of that," said Sanford Mayor Jeff Triplett after the vote. "I have confidence in him in a lot of ways, and don't have confidence in him in some ways."

The vote of "no confidence" came after Triplett was forced to answer some tough questions from neighborhood residents and the media, during an NAACP meeting aimed at addressing allegations of police misconduct in the community.

"If there were mistakes made we are going to act accordingly," Triplett said in response to a question from ABC News about the investigation into Martin's death.

Some believe local authorities botched the investigation from the start.

Martin, who was black, was carrying only a bag of skittles, ice tea and his cell phone, when Zimmerman allegedly killed him on Feb. 26. While Martin's family has repeatedly called for his arrest, Sanford Police accepted and stand by Zimmerman's claim of self-defense.

But it's not just the mayor, or the conduct of the police officers, that is being questioned.

Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law gives enormous leeway to people like Zimmerman to use deadly force if they feel threatened. Since the law was enacted seven years ago, justified homicides in Florida have jumped threefold, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Twenty states have similar laws, but Florida's is widely viewed as having the broadest application. Courts across the state have been trying to figure out how to grapple with the legislation and the Martin incident is one of several examples that have stirred controversy.

In another ongoing trial, lawyers for Trevor Dooley are using the law to defend him in the death of his neighbor David James. In 2010, Dooley shot James in front of his 8-year-old daughter after witnesses say the two men got into an altercation on a basketball court in Valrico, Fla., when James tried to prevent Dooley from shooing away a teenage skateboarder using the court to practice tricks.

Dooley's attorneys argue that he is protected by Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law and that he shot James in self defense. They argue that mundane neighbor disputes can turn violent.

Cases like this and Martin's have led Florida State Representative Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, one of the original sponsors of the law, to say that it has been misused.

"There was nothing in this statute ever intended to protect somebody who was pursuing or confronting other people," said Baxley.

The U.S. Attorney in Central Florida and officials from the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division will be meeting Thursday with Martin family as they investigate the case.

Attorneys in the justice department are likely looking into whether or not Martin's rights were deprived by Zimmerman during the altercation that led to the teen's death. They are also looking into whether he was the victim of a hate crime.

Their inquiry continues as the Martin case continues to transfix the nation. Social media exploded this week with over the case, catapulting the incident into the national spot light. A single petition calling for his killer's arrest had around 800,000 signatures and was the fastest growing petition in Internet history, according to Change.org.

For nearly three weeks, the story had languished, as did the Change.org petition set up for Martin's parents Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin. It sat with just a few thousand signatures, but towards the end of last week, as ABC News and other media began intensifying their coverage, and celebrities tweeted about the story, interest soared.

A host of celebrities from hip hop icon and entrepreneur Russell Simmons to new age leader Deepak Chopra to director Spike Lee have written and tweeted, calling for justice for Martin. Black radio and television hosts have also buoyed the story, calling on authorities to act.

The Martin family took their fight to the streets of New York City Wednesday night as they linked with around 2,000 protestors who marched through Manhattan, demanding justice for the slain 17-year-old.

"We will not go politely in the night," said the teen's father Tracy Martin. "We will tell people in Florida that we are not alone."

ABC News' Pierre Thomas, Carlos Boettcher and Jason Ryan contributed to this report

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Better prepared: 7.4 Mexico quake causes damage, but no deaths

By the time the powerful 7.4 earthquake rumbled in Mexico City Tuesday, the 56 students ages 6 months to 6 years attending the Montessori Kid's Place in Mexico City were already evacuated, gathered in the front lobby of the school, a location city engineers had earlier indicated as the safest spot.

“For a few seconds, nothing happened, and we thought it might be a false alarm,” says Claudia Yañez, the school director. She had purchased two alarms last year, each the size of a book, which warns them of seismic activity in Guerrero state. If an earthquake over the magnitude of 5 strikes, an alarm sounds and a voice warns “earthquake,” as it did Tuesday, giving them a minute of time to implement the drills they practice monthly. The minute represents the time between the triggering of the radio alert at the remote sensor and the arrival of the seismic shocks to Mexico City. “This minute is very valuable,” Ms. Yañez says. 

Tuesday's earthquake was one of the strongest that residents have felt in the capital since the 1985 quake that killed some 10,000, and still haunts many. Nearly 30 years later, yesterday's quake caused damage but killed no one, according to public authorities.

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The country was spared, in part, by the lesser energy of the quake and the way it hit. Stricter building codes have also ensured that homes and office spaces can withstand seismic activity better than in the past. But the city's preparedness, in the form of evacuation drills in schools, hospitals, offices, gas stations, and even in private homes has also evolved as a powerful preventive tool.

“The Mexican populace knows what to do when confronted with an earthquake,” says Mexico City's Civil Protection Secretary Elias Moreno Brizuela.“That was clearly demonstrated yesterday.”

Mexico City has professionalized its disaster response since the 1985 quake, and planning gotten even more attention under Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard. He raised the profile of the city’s “civil protection” department by making it a cabinet-level ministry in 2007. The ministry then created a detailed, six-point disaster-response program that spells out how each arm of government – in conjunction with private companies, including construction outfits that participate in reviewing damaged structures and hotels in the event that displaced residents need shelter – should react during a disaster.

Within seconds of Tuesday’s earthquake, the city set into motion its six-point plan. Six Condor helicopters took to the skies, one heading to pick up the mayor while the other five flew to their respective zones to immediately begin surveying damage across the immense metropolis of 20 million. Mayor Ebrard and Mr. Moreno Brizuela met at the city’s control center, where information was gathered and filtered from the city’s boroughs, various offices, and federal and state governments.

The earthquake struck at 12:02 p.m.. Sixteen minutes later, Ebrard tweeted that he was exiting the helicopter and within another 10 minutes had already communicated about the state of strategic services, the metro, water, electricity, and schools.

“As a government, we have advanced enormously,” Moreno Brizuela says.

Mexico City, which was built on a lakebed that amplifies the waves that radiate out from an earthquake’s center, has suffered worse fates during lesser or equally powerful earthquakes decades ago. In 1957, a 7.7 quake brought down buildings and the city’s iconic Angel of Independence monument. Seven hundred people died. In 1979, buildings crumbled during a powerful 7.9 tremor that also caused numerous deaths. In the 1985 quake, 400 buildings were damaged.

The damage of yesterday's quake is estimated at $100 million, according to risk-modeling firm Eqecat. But there have been no fatalities. It helped that the epicenter was situated in a sparsely populated region in southern Guerrero state. There, about 800 homes were damaged, officials say, including 60 that collapsed.

In Mexico City, subway lines were bent and a pedestrian bridge collapsed onto a bus that was empty of passengers. In the neighborhood of Condesa, one of the most vulnerable to seismic activity, and where the Montessori Kid's Place is located, plaster fell off of walls and windows were broken.

But the fact that Tuesday’s quake caused no deaths at all is a testament to strengthened building codes and preparedness, says Don Blakeman, a geophysicist with the Colorado-based US Geological Survey. “Since the big quake that occurred in ‘85, a lot of buildings that weren’t built too well came down in that disaster,” he says. “The building codes were strengthened and the city was better prepared.”

There are still challenges. An editorial in the daily El Universal praised the country's preparedness, from alarms activating to civil protection agents mobilizing, but warned that Mexico should not let its guard down (link in Spanish). "In Japan, last year, and in Chile in 2010, for example, with earthquakes of 9 and 8.8 respectively, the consequences were catastrophic. And these are countries that  are very well prepared, more than Mexico probably," it reads.

RELATED: Think you know Latin America? Take our geography quiz.

Moreno Brizuela indicated that while many government entities now have earthquake alarms, the city is still working to implement a more comprehensive and effective alert system. The alarm purchased by the Montessori was a private decision, not part of a government standard.

But there is definitely more professionalization in the protection sector, says Yañez. She pulls out a stuffed white binder with all of the school's inspection obligations, from building codes to gas to electricity, and the trainings completed by each staff member. Before, she says, paperwork was scant and inspectors may have given a building a pass with a bribe.

That has evolved with a greater social consciousness about disaster preparedness. “Before we didn't talk about civil protection. We weren't prepared,” says Rodolfo Ramos Mendez, a doctor of the Montessori Kid's Place. “There is a consciousness today that we have to have a plan.”

The school carries out monthly drills for all emergency situations, from fires to structural damage, each adult wearing a whistle and knowing exactly who shepherds which classroom. For example, the school secretary is in charge of the babies.

After the quake Tuesday, the lights went out and cellphone service was down. But within 20 minutes, all parents had received an email from the president of the parents's association that their children were fine, that school was continuing, but that they could come by to pick up their children if they desired.

It's not just in schools where standards have improved and drills taken more seriously, though. Abner García Benitez was at his desk on the 21st floor of a global bank on Reforma Avenue when the skyscraper began to pitch and sway. An alarm sounded, and a voice over a loudspeaker began to instruct employees in what to do.

He had been through this once before, in September – but that was an earthquake drill. This was the real thing. “It felt so strong, like the building was dancing,” he says. “We all gathered against the wall near the stairs, far away from the windows.”

In practice, “there was a little bit of disorder,” he says. “Some people let panic get hold of them and they rushed down early.”

But there was also a sense that the drills helped, and the evacuation went as planned. Then they were back to work, business as usual.

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GM to invest $1 billion in Australia operations

CANBERRA (Reuters) - U.S. car maker General Motors (NYS:GM - News) on Thursday committed to invest A$1 billion (US$1.04 billion) in its Australian operations over the next decade after securing Australian government support to help it keep its car plant open until at least 2022.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the national and two state governments would inject A$275 million into GM Holden in the latest hand out to the country's struggling auto makers to protect manufacturing jobs.

Australia's three car makers - GM Holden and the Australian arms of Toyota Motor Corp (TYO:7203) and Ford Motor (NYS:F) - have all cut jobs due to falling sales and exports, blamed on the global downturn and a record high Australian dollar, which has traded above parity with the U.S. dollar.

"It is a strategic investment that will boost our economy," Gillard told reporters, adding that GM Holden's future was secure for the next 10 years.

"It will be making cars and competing in economic circumstances where we expect the Australian dollar to be around about parity with the U.S. dollar," she said.

The funding will secure the jobs of 12,000 people employed by GM Holden's Adelaide car plant and engine manufacturing plant in Victoria, and shore up thousands more manufacturing jobs in the components sector.

GM Holden cut 140 jobs from its Adelaide car plant in February, while Toyota said in January it was cutting 350 jobs at its Australian manufacturing operations.

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The latest government figures show Australia produced nearly 250,000 cars in 2010, falling steadily from about 320,000 in 2008 and more than 400,000 in 2004.

The industry employs about 55,000 people and supports 200,000 other manufacturing jobs.

The government has been determined to keep the industry afloat and protect jobs after Japan's Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TYO:7211) closed its Australian car plants in 2008.

The funding for GM Holden comes from the national government's 12 year car industry support package, announced in 2008 and budgeted at A$5.4 billion to 2020, which commits the government to co-invest with car makers to support manufacturing jobs.

"Co-investment of this kind is critical for our industry," GM Holden's managing director Mike Devereux told reporters.

The Australian dollar has traded at record highs above parity with the U.S. dollar over the past year and around 40 percent above its long term average, putting a strain on manufacturing and export industries.

(A$1=$1.04)

(Reporting By Maggie Lu YueYang; Editing by Edmund Klamann)

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Major supermarket chains to stop selling 'pink slime' beef

Safeway, SUPERVALU and Food Lion announced today that they will no longer carry what the meat industry calls "lean finely textured beef," something the public has come to know as "pink slime."

All three companies site customer concerns as one of the primary reasons for the change.

"While the USDA and food industry experts agree that lean, finely textured beef is safe and wholesome, recent news stories have caused considerable consumer concern about this product. Safeway will no longer purchase ground beef containing lean, finely textured beef," the company said in a statement.

Click here to find out where you can get 'pink-slime'-free beef.

Safeway is the second largest supermarket chain in the US. SUPERVALU, which operates Acme, Albertsons, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher's, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaw's/Star Market, Shop 'n Save and Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, is the third largest chain.

Walmart and Sam's Club also announced they would start offering beef that does not contain lean finely textured beef.

"Recently some customers have expressed concerns with lean finely textured beef (LFTB) and, while the USDA and experts agree that it is safe and nutritious, Walmart and Sam's Club will begin offering fresh ground beef that does not contain LFTB," the company said.

Walmart and Sam's Club were not alone in changing their practices. Kroger, the nation's number one grocery store, which carries beef both with and without it, said it provided a list of which beef does not contain the product to its meat departments so they can answer any questions.

"Meat departments have the list and we shared it widely on our Facebook page," the company said.

Public pressure from shoppers asking their butchers about what was in their beef and from Bettina Siegel, a mother of two, who started an online petition, which now has more than a quarter million signatures, helped spur the supermarkets to change.

Siegel commended the stores that have taken action, but is still concerned.

"It disturbs me that USDA made a decision that this filler, up to 15 percent doesn't have to be disclosed," she told ABC News. "Therefore the consumer is at the mercy of each retailer's decision."

The low-grade trimmings come from the parts of the cow most susceptible to contamination, often close to the hide, which is highly exposed to fecal matter. But because of the treatment of the trimmings — simmering them in low heat, separating fat and tissue using a centrifuge, and spraying them with ammonia gas to kill germs — the United States Department of Agriculture says it's safe to eat.

In response to our coverage, ABC News has been flooded with questions from concerned viewers about pink slime.

Many wanted to know whether it was in ground turkey or chicken, it is not. Pink slime is only being added to beef products, primarily ground beef, but it is also in some processed meats.

Viewer, Miles Herbert, wanted to know, "Is there any evidence that organic meat contains this pink slime?" It turns out there isn't. If your meat is stamped USDA Organic, it's pure meat with no filler.

Otherwise, you can't know from the packaging because pink slime does not have to appear on the label. And the USDA is giving no indication it will force meat packers to lift the veil of secrecy any time soon.

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Romney rivals pounce on 'Etch a Sketch' comment

Courtesy of TalkingPointsMemo.com

CHICAGO—Mitt Romney has said for weeks that his campaign will be able to hit a "reset button" if he receives the party's nomination, but his opponents pounced on the idea Wednesday when a campaign spokesman reiterated the theme, saying the general election "is like an Etch A Sketch, we shake it up and start all over again."

When asked during an interview on CNN if  the conservative positions Romney has taken during the Republican primary season "would hurt him with moderate voters in the general election," campaign spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom suggested Romney would receive a fresh start against President Barack Obama.

"Well, I think you hit a reset button for the fall campaign," Fehrnstrom said. "Everything changes. It's almost like an Etch A Sketch. You can kind of shake it up and restart all over again."

Romney's chief Republican rival, Rick Santorum, seized on Fehrnstrom's comments, accusing Romney of planning to pander to moderate audiences in the general election.

"We all knew Mitt Romney didn't have any core convictions, but we appreciate his staff going on national television to affirm that point for anyone who had any doubts," Santorum spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement. "With the two-year anniversary of the signing of ObamaCare upon us, can voters really believe that the man who urged the president to use his healthcare plan in Massachusetts as a model would really repeal ObamaCare? Or is that promise just something they would 'shake up and restart' with when Romney hits the general election?"

The comments come the day after Romney won another major primary state with a victory in Illinois, further increasing his lead against Santorum.

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Afghan shooting suspect did not pay fraud judgment

NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The U.S. soldier accused of killing 16 civilians in Afghanistan left for war without paying a $1.5 million judgment for defrauding an elderly client in a stock scheme, and remains shielded from the obligation as long as he remains in the military, legal experts said.

Before beginning his military career in November, 2001, Robert Bales worked almost five-and-a-half years at a series of largely intertwined brokerages that received repeated regulatory censures, according to regulatory records.

Bales joined the Army 18 months after an Ohio investor filed an arbitration complaint alleging unauthorized trading, breach of contract and other abuses against him, his securities firm and the firm's owner. In 2003, the arbitration panel ordered them to pay the investor $1.2 million, including $637,000 in punitive damages for willful or malicious conduct and $216,500 in attorneys' fees.

Bales never appeared before the panel and did not hire a lawyer to represent him.

Earle Frost, a lawyer for the victim, Gary Liebschner, said his client never received any of the payment ordered by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) panel.

He said Liebschner could have taken Bales to court to enforce the award, but "we couldn't find him."

By that time, Bales had embarked on an Army career that included three tours of duty in Iraq and a fourth in Afghanistan.

Even if Bales's victim had pressed the claim, Bales had protection under laws that shield members of the military from some financial obligations.

Any active-duty member of the military can apply for relief from outstanding financial obligations as long as he or she makes less in the service than before, said John Odom, a retired Air Force colonel and a partner at the law firm of Jones & Odom in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Bales, a staff sergeant, is expected to be charged this week in the March 11 killings of nine children and seven other civilians, who were gunned down in a late-night rampage.

His financial troubles add to the complex portrait of the man accused of the massacre.

His lawyer, John Henry Browne, did not respond to a request for comment on the NASD arbitration ruling. He has said Bales joined the army to defend the United States after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

His service in Afghanistan was complicated by mounting financial pressures back home, his lawyer has acknowledged. His home in Washington state had been listed for sale shortly before the alleged massacre.

Bales began his financial industry career in 1996 at Hamilton-Shea Group, a brokerage in Florida that was expelled from NASD in 2001 and fined $1.4 million over several issues, according to records from NASD and its successor organization, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Hamilton-Shea was "the kind of place where you learn to cold call, to 'pump and dump,'" said Joseph Dehner, a lawyer in Cincinnati, Ohio, who specializes in cases involving rogue brokers and firms.

Pump and dump refers to a practice in which firms artificially raise the prices of stocks they hold by aggressively selling shares to clients and then selling their own shares.

At least three Hamilton-Shea brokers who worked briefly with Bales pleaded guilty to violations of securities law after he left Florida to work in Ohio at Quantum Capital Corp., according to records from FINRA. Quantum also owned Hamilton-Shea.

Bales left Quantum in early 1998 to join Michael Patterson Inc., or MPI, whose eponymous owner had worked with him at both Hamilton-Shea and Quantum. Bales remained there until late 1999, then worked for two other Ohio brokerages until December 2000.

Patterson, whose firm was shuttered one month after Bales joined the Army, could not be reached for comment.

Neither FINRA nor the Ohio Divison of Securities ever suspended Bales, who simply let his securities license lapse, according to regulators. If an arbitration award is not paid within 30 days, FINRA can suspend a broker and would not allow him or her to join another firm during the suspension.

(Reporting By Nick Carey, Jed Horowitz and Peter Henderson.; Editing by Marilyn W. Thompson, David Brunnstrom and Paul Simao)

(The story was refiled to add missing first name of soldier in paragraph two)

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McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner announces retirement

By Lisa Baertlein

(Reuters) - McDonald's Corp (NYS:MCD - News) Chief Executive Jim Skinner, who took the top post at the world's biggest hamburger chain following the abrupt departures of two CEOs, is retiring after more than seven years as a stabilizing force at the helm.

In what analysts expected to be a smooth transition, Chief Operating Officer Don Thompson, 48, will succeed Skinner, effective July 1, becoming one of the most prominent African-American CEOs in the United States.

Skinner, 67, has led McDonald's since November 2004 and is widely credited with executing the turn-around of the ubiquitous fast-food chain, whose shares more than tripled while he was CEO.

He also will resign from the board of McDonald's.

The company did not give a reason for Skinner's departure, but analysts said the move, while not entirely a surprise, came earlier than expected.

"My suspicion is that he thinks the company is in a really good spot ... and that with Don, the company is in good hands. He's done what he set out to do," said RBC Capital Markets analyst Larry Miller.

"Jim's not going to hang around. That's his style," Miller said, referring to him as a no-nonsense CEO.

Analysts said Thompson - who previously oversaw the company's U.S. operation and is credited with its widely successful domestic roll-outs of lattes, frappes and other beverages - should be up to the task.

"Don Thompson has proven himself to be an excellent operator and a strong manager, which should help assuage investor concerns," Bernstein Research analyst Sara Senatore said.

"Everything Don's done has been a home run," RBC Capital Markets' Miller said. "I don't see McDonald's missing a beat."

Shares in the company barely budged in extended trading following the news, slipping 0.1 percent to $96.60.

TOUGH START AT THE TOP

Skinner began his career as a restaurant manager trainee in Illinois and quickly worked his way up the ranks of the company's U.S. unit.

He joined the McDonald's international management team in 1992 and was vice chairman in charge of McDonald's operations in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America when he was promoted to CEO - the company's third in one year.

McDonald's Chief Executive Jim Cantalupo died of a heart attack in April 2004, shortly before he was to speak to thousands of McDonald's owners and operators. His successor Charlie Bell was diagnosed with colorectal cancer just weeks into his tenure and stepped down in November that same year.

Skinner wasn't in the post long when "Super Size Me", a scathing documentary about McDonald's and the fast-food industry, hit theaters.

The company ended the practice of super-sizing after a public outcry. It also expanded its menu with low-priced and "premium" food, extended operating hours and remodeled units, moves that contributed to a nearly nine-year run of rising sales at established restaurants.

Thompson, a Purdue University alumnus, takes the No. 1 job at a time when the company, valued at close to $100 billion, is outpacing competitors and its stock is trading near record highs.

The Chicago native joined McDonald's in 1990 as an electrical engineer. He climbed the ranks to become the company's U.S. president before his elevation to COO in 2010, after which he oversaw overall strategy and operations for more than 30,000 restaurants across the globe.

When Thompson - who is often hailed as an African-American role model - was appointed COO, some on Wall Street saw him as a clear front runner to one day run the company.

(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Matt Daily in New York, Brad Dorfman in Chicago, Edwin Chan in San Francisco and Ankur Banerjee in Bangalore; Editing by Edmund Klamann)

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White Miss. teen gets life sentence in black man's death

STARKVILLE, Mississippi (Reuters) - A white Mississippi teenager pleaded guilty on Wednesday to fatally running over a man with a truck because he was black, and received a life prison sentence for a crime the presiding judge said left "a great stain" on the southern state.

Deryl Dedmon, 19, received two concurrent life sentences for the racially motivated murder of 49-year-old James Craig Anderson, who died after being beaten and mowed down in a motel parking lot last year.

Dedmon's admission that he killed Anderson because of his race doubled the teen's penalty under the state's hate crime statute.

"I was young, I was dumb, I was ignorant," Dedmon said during his court hearing in Jackson. "I was full of hatred."

The sentencing came as the shooting death of a black teenager by a neighborhood watch captain in Florida has again put a national spotlight on the issue of members of minority groups being targeted due to the color of their skin.

Anderson, a Nissan auto worker, was alone and returning to his car before dawn on June 26 when he was confronted by a group of white teenagers in a motel parking lot.

The teens had been drinking at a birthday party and drove to Jackson specifically to harass and assault African-Americans, whom they referred to by a derogatory name, Hinds County Assistant District Attorney Scott Rogillio said.

Dedmon and others had gone to Jackson in previous weeks with the same intent, the prosecutor said.

Dedmon and at least one other person in the group punched Anderson before Dedmon deliberately ran over him with the teen's Ford F-250 truck, Rogillio said. Anderson died at the scene.

Dedmon yelled "white power" during the attack, Rogillio said. A hotel security camera captured video of the incident.

"You have admitted killing a man simply because of his race," Circuit Court Judge Jeff Weill Sr. said. "Your prejudice has brought shame upon you and placed a great stain on the state of Mississippi."

Mississippi has a long legacy of racial discrimination and was a focal point of civil rights activity during the 1960s and since. The racist Ku Klux Klan was prominent in the state for decades and remnants of the group remain.

"Know that this craven act isn't who we are," the judge said, addressing those in the courtroom. "We can say this now. Maybe there was a time when we couldn't."

Dedmon apologized to Anderson's family members, who have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the group of white teens over the attack but asked prosecutors not to seek the death penalty for Dedmon because they oppose capital punishment.

Another teen, John Aaron Rice, has been charged with simple assault, and the investigation into the case continues on the state and federal levels, Rogillio told Reuters.

"We expect more charges coming in the near future," Rogillio said, declining to offer further details.

Rogillio said a news conference related to the investigation would be held on Thursday at the federal courthouse in Jackson. The Justice Department declined to comment.

(Additional reporting by Jeremy Pelofsky; Writing by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Paul Thomasch and Cynthia Johnston)

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2 U.S. men arrested on gay cruise in Caribbean

ROSEAU, Dominica (AP) — Two California men on a gay cruise of the Caribbean were arrested Wednesday in Dominica, where sex between two men is illegal.

Police Constable John George said police boarded the cruise ship and arrested the two men on suspicion of indecent exposure and "buggery," a term equivalent to sodomy on the island. He identified the men as John Robert Hart, 41, and Dennis Jay Mayer, 43, but did not provide their hometowns.

George said the men were seen having sex on the Celebrity Summit cruise ship by someone on the dock.

The two were later charged with indecent exposure and are scheduled to appear before a magistrate Thursday morning. If found guilty, they could be fined $370 each and face up to six months in jail.

The ship carrying about 2,000 passengers departed Puerto Rico on Saturday and arrived in Dominica on Wednesday. It departed for St. Barts without the men, who are being held in a cell at police headquarters in the capital of Roseau.

The cruise was organized by Atlantis Events, a Southern California company that specializes in gay travel.

President Rich Campbell, who is aboard the cruise, said in a phone interview earlier that he thought the two men would be released. He later said in an email that the company has organized many trips to Dominica and would "happily return."

"Many countries and municipalities that gay men visit and live in have antiquated laws on their books," he said. "These statutes don't pose a concern to us in planning a tourist visit."

Campbell said he expects the two men to be released on Thursday and that they only face misdemeanor charges.

"The guests actions were unfortunate but minor in this case and have no bearing on our overall guest experience," he said via email.

The pastor of Dominica's Trinity Baptist Church, Randy Rodney, praised the police for their intervention.

"I am very pleased that the police were called in and have arrested the people in question. I have warned about gay tourism and its implications for Dominica," said Rodney, who is a vocal critic of homosexuality and lesbianism.

The presence of gay cruises in the Caribbean has riled several conservative islands including Jamaica and Grenada, where anti-sodomy laws are enforced with strong backing from religious groups.

According to Cruisemates.com, no gay cruise lines sail to Jamaica or Barbados for fear of homophobia and possible violence. It said other places like the U.S. Virgin Islands welcome gay cruises.

In 2010, the Cayman Islands rejected the arrival of an Atlantis gay cruise amid protests from religious groups even though homosexuality is legal on the archipelago.

Don Weiner, a spokesman for Atlantic Events, referred all questions to Campbell, including why the company organized a trip to Dominica and whether it knew about the island's anti-sodomy laws.

Elizabeth Jakeway, a spokeswoman for Celebrity Cruises, referred all questions to Atlantis.

The last time authorities in the Caribbean intervened on a gay cruise was in February 2011, when agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested a California man aboard the Allure of the Seas, which had docked in St. Thomas. The man, Steven Barry Krumholz of West Hollywood, pleaded guilty to selling ecstasy, methamphetamine and ketamine to fellow passengers.

___

Associated Press writers Danica Coto and Ben Fox in San Juan, Puerto Rico contributed.

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Tebow finally traded to Jets after contract snag

Tim Tebow will have to face Vince Wilfork twice next year -- but in what capacity? (Getty Images)

Now that we know the New York Jets don't actually read contract language (which might explain why they extended Mark Sanchez the way they did), their proposed trade for Tim Tebow was negated, and Mr. Tebow was traded back to the Jets after things were worked out. Initial reports indicated that Tebow had a hand in the process, but our own Kristian Dyer reports that in his Wednesday evening media conference call, Tebow said that he had no say. The simple terms of the trade send Tebow and a 2012 seventh-round pick to New York, with a 2012 fourth-and sixth-round pick going back to the Broncos from the Jets.

Broncos VP of Operations John Elway had this to say about Tebow in a statement that made the trade all but official.

"Tim Tebow deserves an enormous amount of credit for what he accomplished and how he carried himself during his time with the Broncos. From taking over a 1-4 team and leading it to the playoffs to energizing our fans and this community, Tim left an extraordinary mark on this organization. His time in Denver will always hold a special place in Broncos history

"As a former player, I know the last two weeks were not easy for Tim. He was put in a difficult situation, and I commend him for how he handled it with the same first-class manner he displayed throughout his career in Denver. Our goal was to do the best thing for Tim and the Broncos, and I believe the opportunity that presented itself with the New York Jets accomplishes that objective. Tim made a lot of strides last year and has a very promising career ahead of him. If anyone is willing to put the work in to be great, it's Tim Tebow.

"I have a great deal of respect for Tim and the positive impact he makes both on the field and in the community. He has a bright future in this league, and I'm hopeful he will enjoy continued success with the Jets."

The original trade to New York hit a major snag when it was discovered that the Broncos had paid just $1.2 million of a $6.2 million salary advance in his rookie contract. Thus, the Broncos wanted the Jets to pay the remaining $5 million, and the Jets think that responsibility should fall on John Elway's shoulders. In the end, they won the battle for Tebow by agreeing to pay half the $5 million.

(Note to Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum: For future reference, when you trade for a player, you assume his contract and all the trap doors, unless he's willing to re-structure. That's NFL 101, my friend. Learn it, know it, live it.)

[ Related: What kind of fantasy value does Tim Tebow have with the Jets? ]

With that first offer out of the way, the Broncos negotiated with the Jets and Jaguars to see who would give up the highest cash payment.

With Peyton Manning in the fold, it was best for all concerned that Tebow go elsewhere -- but that doesn't mean that his contributions weren't appreciated. Broncos head coach John Fox echoed Elway's sentiments in his own statement.

"Tim Tebow brought an incredible spirit and spark to our team that helped us turn the season around. Along the way, he earned the trust of his teammates and coaches while inspiring our fans. His competitiveness, clutch performances and will to win played an instrumental role in our team earning a division title and advancing in the playoffs.

"Tim works as hard as any player I've ever coached, and that work ethic will continue to serve him well with the Jets. He goes out to practice early, stays late and comes in on his day off. Tim does everything in his power to get better. He's not afraid to work, and we saw the results of his commitment last season.

"For good reason, Tim has always had a great following. He handled that aspect exceptionally during the amazing run we had. The poise and focus Tim displayed were remarkable and speak volumes for the strength of his character. A player and person like Tim don't come around very often. He is real and he walks the walk.  I'm looking forward to watching him continue his career with the Jets, and I wish him the very best."

The Jets, who just extended quarterback Mark Sanchez's contract in a way that set them up with enormous cap hits in 2013 and 2014 whether Sanchez was their starter or not, evidently see Tebow as a change-of-pace player who could come in for certain plays and downs to run the read-option, Wildcat, and other strains of the spread offense. That's what Tebow did very well at Florida, and that's what Denver offensive coordinator Mike McCoy adapted to when Tebow became the team's starting quarterback in 2011. But there's no question -- as the Broncos learned -- that if you have anyone but Tebow in that spot, he'd better be great.

In essence, the Jets have put themselves in a situation where they either play a decent quarterback in Sanchez because it's financial insanity not to, or they bench Sanchez, make him an expensive luxury, and set Tebow on the path.

The third option, which is to have Sanchez as the starter and Tebow as the occasional option for gimmick plays, has disaster written all over it. In the NFL, option plays only work when the defense doesn't know who's getting the ball. That's why the Miami Dolphins had so much success with the Wildcat in 2008 -- running back Ronnie Brown was the shotgun quarterback, and defenses didn't know whether they were coming or going. When the Dolphins tried option quarterbacks like Pat White in specific circumstances only, advanced defense sniffed those tactics out, and the Wildcat died a quick death at the professional level.

NFL option quarterbacks like Tebow and Cam Newton have succeeded because they're on the field for every offensive play, which sets up the element of surprise, no matter how limited. If Jets offensive coordinator Tony Sparano (the Dolphins' head coach at the apex of the Wildcat craze) chooses to simply trot Tebow out on third-and-whatever, he might as well hold up a sign that says, "HERE COMES STUDENT BODY RIGHT!!! 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF A PASS!!!"

Then again, maybe the Jets do have a plan that integrates Tebow and Sanchez without making the offense go "splat." But if their coaches process playbooks like their executives dissect contracts, it could be a very long season for Rex Ryan's guys.

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Study: Internet access more important than sex, alcohol

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Americans are more connected than ever -- at least to the Internet.

A new survey by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) attempts to quantify just how much we value access to the World Wide Web and its findings are somewhat surprising.

Asked what they would give up for a year in order to maintain access to the Internet, 77 percent of Americans said they'd forgo chocolate, 73 percent alcohol, 69 percent coffee and 21 percent said they would go a whole year without sex.

BCG also tried to determine in dollar terms the worth of the Internet for most people living in the U.S. As it turns out, U.S. consumers would need to be paid roughly $2500 to live without the Internet for one year.

What do Americans value the most about the Internet? General search, e-mail and access to online banking and investing.

Dominic Field, partner at BCG and author of "The Connected World: The $4.2 Trillion Opportunity," joined The Daily Ticker to discuss the report, which aims to uncover the impact of the Internet economy on the U.S. and global economies.

As you might imagine, the size and scope of the web and its uses and users are multiplying fast. There are currently 1.6 billion global Internet users today and by 2016 the number is expected to nearly double to 3 billion, or half the world's population, says Field.

Today the Internet contributes $2.3 trillion to the global economy and is expected to grow to $4.2 trillion in about four years.

The Internet contributed $648 billion to the U.S. economy in 2010, or 4.7% of GDP; more than in any other country. To put that in perspective, the Internet economy is the eighth-largest sector in the U.S. and ahead of the Federal Government. Today, the Internet economy is growing at 6.5% a year in the U.S., one reason BCG believes this sector could eventually help propel the country out of recession.

In the past, amenities like alcohol, chocolate and (certainly) sex were considered 'recession-proof' -- but none of them had the power to boost the economy like the Internet. It really is a 'new era', after all.

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Assad forces shell Hama district after clashes

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian tanks shelled a large neighborhood in the city of Hama on Thursday following clashes between Free Syrian Army rebels and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, opposition sources said.

The shelling destroyed houses and left an unknown number of casualties in the Arbaeen neighborhood in the northeast of the city, which has been at the forefront of the year-long popular revolt against Assad, they said.
Opposition sources added at least 20 people have been killed in an army bombardment on the city and its countryside in the last two days.

"At least 70 ... tanks took positions around Hama a week ago, reinforcing armor already in the city. The shelling has been concentrating on the residential districts of Mashaa, Hamidiya and Arbeen," an opposition activist from Hama said.

A woman who fled the central Hamidiya district to just outside the city said the shelling killed 17 people in the district on Wednesday, including three women and four children.

The Syrian army stormed Hama with tanks in August to put down large demonstrations demanding Assad's removal from power. The city was the scene of an army massacre that killed up to 30,000 people in 1982 - the bloodiest event in Syrian modern history.

Reports from Syria cannot be verified independently because officials have barred access to rights groups and journalists.

(Editing by Maria Golovnina)


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Marine faces dismissal for criticizing Obama

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Marine Corps on Wednesday notified a sergeant who has been openly critical of President Barack Obama that he is violating Pentagon policy barring troops from political activities and that he faces dismissal.

Camp Pendleton Marine Sgt. Gary Stein started a Facebook page called Armed Forces Tea Party to encourage fellow service members to exercise their free speech rights. He declared a few weeks ago that he would not follow the unlawful orders of the commander in chief. Stein also criticized Defense Secretary Leon Panetta for his comments on Syria.

Stein, a nine-year member of the Corps, said he did nothing wrong and planned to fight the charges. He had applied to extend his service, which was set to expire in a few months.

"I'm completely shocked that this is happening," he said. "I've done nothing wrong. I've only stated what our oath states that I will defend the constitution and that I will not follow unlawful orders. If that's a crime, what is America coming to?"

The Marine Corps said in a statement Wednesday that Stein's commanding officer ordered a preliminary inquiry on March 8 after receiving allegations that Stein posted political statements about Obama on Facebook in violation of the Pentagon's directives.

"After reviewing the findings of the preliminary inquiry, the commander decided to address the allegations through administrative action," the Corps said.

Stein said in addition to being discharged, he would have his rank reduced to lance corporal if he is proven to be in violation of the rules. He said he was removed from his job at the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot in San Diego on Wednesday and given a desk job with no access to computers.

According to Pentagon directives, military personnel in uniform cannot sponsor a political club; participate in any TV or radio program or group discussion that advocates for or against a political party, candidate or cause; or speak at any event promoting a political movement. Commissioned officers also may not use contemptuous words against senior officials, including the defense secretary or the president.

In January, an Army reservist wearing camouflaged fatigues got into trouble for taking the stage during a rally in Iowa with Republican presidential candidate and Texas congressman Ron Paul.

Stein was first cautioned by his superiors at Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, in 2010, after he launched his Facebook page and criticized Obama's health care overhaul. Stein volunteered to take down the page while he reviewed the rules at the request of his superiors.

He said he determined he was not in violation and relaunched the page. Last week, he said his superiors told him he could not use social media sites on government computers after he posted the message stating he would not follow unlawful orders of the president.

Stein said his statement was part of an online debate about NATO allowing U.S. troops to be tried for the Quran burnings in Afghanistan.

In that context, he said, he was stating that he would not follow orders from the president if those orders included detaining U.S. citizens, disarming them or doing anything else that he believes would violate their constitutional rights.

Another Marine alerted his command about the statement, Stein said.

Stein said he respects the office of the president, but he does not agree with Obama's policies. He said he is within his rights to speak up.

The Marine Corps said Stein is allowed to express his personal opinions as long as they do not give the impression he is speaking in his official capacity as a Marine.

Spokesman Maj. Michael Armistead said earlier this month that the Corps was taking a closer look to determine whether Stein had crossed that line.

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