Reuters US Domestic News Summary

09/15/2016 19:54

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Deutsche Bank says U.S. DoJ asks it to pay $14 billion to settle mortgages case

The U.S. Department of Justice is asking Deutsche Bank to pay $14 billion to settle an investigation into its selling of mortgage-backed securities, Germany's flagship lender said on Friday. The claim against Deutsche, which is likely to be negotiated in several months of talks, far outstrips the bank's and investors' expectations for such costs.

New York City police officer struck with meat cleaver

An assailant wielding a meat cleaver or other sharp metal object injured a New York City police officer on Thursday in midtown Manhattan, and a second officer was also hurt during the incident, police said. The attack occurred just before 5 p.m. local time near Madison Square Garden, NYPD spokeswoman Sophia Mason said.

'Heartless' U.S. mortgage modification scheme leads to 16-year prison term

A California man was sentenced on Thursday to 16 years in prison for his role in what prosecutors said was the largest mortgage modification scheme ever prosecuted, involving more than 30,000 homeowners defrauded out of $31 million. Dionysius Fiumano, a former sales manager at Irvine, California-based Vortex Financial Management Inc, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John Keenan in Manhattan, who said the harm to victims had been "enormous financially and emotionally."

Suspended USC football player charged with rape in Utah

A University of Southern California football player was charged in Utah on Thursday with raping a 19-year-old woman in July, according to court documents. The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office also charged Osa Masina, 19, with two counts of forcible sodomy in connection with an alleged sexual assault in the town of Cottonwood Heights on July 25.

Two arrested in Georgia for false clown-sighting reports: police

Two people were in jail in Georgia on Thursday for calling 911 with fake reports of clowns trying to lure children into a van, according to police and local media, as claims of such sightings spread to a third Southern state. Police in South Carolina, North Carolina and now Georgia have been on alert in recent weeks, chasing reports of people dressed as clowns and exhibiting creepy behavior. Most cases have not been substantiated, but accounts of costumed characters trying to tempt children with candy or cash rattled residents and prompted increased patrols.

Police arrest 13 at U.S. Interior Dept. oil, gas lease protest

Police arrested 13 activists on Thursday who were protesting oil and natural gas leasing on federal lands at the U.S. Department of the Interior, the agency responsible for auctioning rights to drill. The protesters from groups including Friends of the Earth, Rainforest Action Network and Native American communities are part of a wide ranging "Keep It in the Ground" network.

Virginia governor's bid to restore felon voting rights advances

The Virginia Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a Republican bid to have Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe held in contempt for his continued effort to restore voting rights to about 206,000 felons. The high court said it would not require McAuliffe to prove that he is complying with its July 22 ruling that struck down his initial blanket attempt to restore felons' voting rights.

White Ohio policeman kills black boy, 13, armed with BB gun

A white Ohio policeman responding to reports of an armed robbery fatally shot a 13-year-old black boy after he pulled out what appeared to be a weapon that was later determined to be a BB gun, police said on Thursday. Tire King was shot multiple times in an alley when he drew what appeared to be a handgun from his waistband during a confrontation with officers on Wednesday in Columbus, the state capital, police said.

Poll shows 66 percent of California voters favor drug price initiative

An initiative on California's November ballot aimed at reining in prescription drug prices is favored by 66 percent of state voters, according to a new poll released on Thursday. The California Drug Price Relief Act, also known as Proposition 61, seeks to restrict state-run health programs from paying more for medications than prices paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which is billed about 25 percent less for drugs than other government agencies.

U.S. House panel slams former NSA contractor Snowden

A U.S congressional intelligence committee on Thursday issued a scathing report accusing former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden of leaking information that "caused tremendous damage" to U.S. national security, lying about his background and feuding with co-workers. In a report endorsed by both its Republican and Democratic leaders, the House intelligence committee said Snowden was "not a whistleblower" as he has claimed.

09/15/2016 19:54