Police release video of suspect in Manhattan shooting

View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com. By Jonathan Dienst, Shimon Prokupecz and Brynn Gingras, NBCNewYork.com Police have released surveillance video of the suspect wanted in the execution-style slaying of a man near Columbus Circle in New York City at the height of the holiday shopping season Monday afternoon. Police said Tuesday they were still searching for the gunman who walked up behind Brandon Woodard as he walked through busy midtown Manhattan and shot him in the back of the head outside a Catholic school just before 2 p.m. Authorities have said they believe the shooting was planned in advance. The surveillance video shows the suspect 10 minutes before the shooting. He was seen getting out of a late model Lincoln sedan, shooting Woodard from behind and then getting back into the vehicle. The car, driven by someone else, sped away, police said. Police also released a still photograph of the suspect walking up behind Woodard moments before he pulled the trigger. Woodard, 31, was pronounced dead at the hospital. Shell casings for the silver semi-automatic weapon were found at the scene. People on the street who heard the gunshot and saw the man fall ran to the firehouse on the block to get help. "We all flinched because it was so close," said Benny Harris. A native of Los Angeles, Woodard was most recently living in Chicago, according to public records. He lived in Yucca Valley and Playa Vista in California before that. It's not clear why he was in New York City. Police said Woodard had prior arrests in Los Angeles but had no other details. Woodard's father told the Daily News he has a young daughter and was enrolled in law school. View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com.

NYPD identify man shot in broad daylight

View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com. By Jonathan Dienst, Shimon Prokupecz and Brynn Gingras, NBCNewYork.com Police are looking for the suspect who shot and killed a man in busy midtown Manhattan near Columbus Circle on Monday afternoon at the height of the holiday shopping season. Police say the gunman approached the 31-year-old victim from behind as he walked westbound on 58th Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue, shooting him in the back of the head outside a Catholic school just before 2 p.m. The suspect, wearing a dark jacket with a khaki hood, then got into a parked gray or silver Lincoln MKZ. The car, driven by someone else, sped away, police said. The victim, identified as Brandon Lincoln Woodard of Los Angeles, was pronounced dead at the hospital. Shell casings for the silver semi-automatic weapon were found at the scene. Law enforcement sources tell NBC 4 New York that the entire shooting was caught on surveillance video. Authorities believed the shooting was planned in advance.  Read more news on NBCNewYork.com People on the street who heard the gunshot and saw the man fall ran to the firehouse on the block to get help."We all flinched because it was so close," said Benny Harris. A native of Los Angeles, Woodard was most recently living in Chicago, according to public records. He lived in Yucca Valley and Playa Vista in California before that. It's not clear why he was in New York City. Police said Woodard had prior arrests in Los Angeles but had no other details. Woodard's father told the Daily News he has a young daughter and was enrolled in law school.

9 injured in predawn attack in Egypt

NEW: Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy limits voters to their electoral districts Unrest precedes Saturday vote on a new, controversial constitution In early protests in Cairo on Tuesday, nine people were injured, four critically Protester says assailants fired bird shot at demonstrators and threw Molotov cocktails Cairo (CNN) -- Competing protests for and against Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy were planned for Tuesday evening, as a controversial vote neared. Tensions have run high since the president announced a controversial decree in late November expanding his decision-making powers beyond judicial review. Morsy has since partially dropped the decree, but opponents remain on edge ahead of a Saturday referendum on a divisive draft constitution. Evidence of the tensions surrounding the vote could be seen in measures that the government has announced days before the vote. On Tuesday, Morsy amended a law so that voters cannot cast their ballots outside their electoral districts, as they had in the past. Being able to vote anywhere had been a convenience, a presidential statement said, but it creates a burden on electoral officials. Egyptian referendum boycott uncertain Egypt: Political delay 'not possible' The purpose of limiting voting to one's own district avoids "concerns about the fairness of the electoral process," the statement said. Earlier, the government granted the military the power to make arrests during the electoral period, a power previously limited to police. The move is designed to secure the voting process and will be rolled back once the election results are published, presidential spokesman Yasser Ali said. The government is also allowing Egyptians living abroad to vote at 150 Egyptian embassies and 11 consulates worldwide, officials said. As many as 586,000 expats are registered to vote in the referendum. Islamists formulated and voted to approve the national charter before handing it off to the general public to vote on, as representatives of other political and religious backgrounds quit the process in protest. Before the separate but competing rallies Tuesday, attackers injured nine protesters with bird shot pellets in an assault on Tahrir Square in central Cairo before dawn, a Health Ministry official said. Four were hospitalized with critical injuries, Dr. Mohamed Sultan said. Dozens of assailants stormed the roundabout from three directions at 1:30 a.m., throwing Molotov cocktails and firing bird shot at protesters, said Mohamed Harbia, an activist who spent the night at the square. Two protesters were wounded in the chest and one in the groin, said Harbia, who complained that ambulances took half an hour to arrive. CNN's Ben Brumfield and Saad Abedine contributed to this report.

HSBC to pay $1.9 billion in money-laundering case

2 hrs. NBC News staff and wire services British banking giant HSBC has agreed to pay more than $1.9 billion to U.S. authorities -- the largest penalty ever paid by a bank -- after failing to abide by anti-money laundering and sanctions laws, it said on Tuesday. The investigation of the bank -- Europe's largest by market value -- has focused on the transfer of funds through the U.S. financial system from Mexican drug cartels and on behalf of nations like Iran that are under international sanctions.  The bank said in a statement  that it had also "clawed back" bonuses from a number of senior staff, spent more than $290 million on "remedial measures" and taken steps to limit business in "countries that pose a high financial crime risk." The statement added that the bank was also expected to finalize an agreement with the U.K. Financial Services Authority "shortly." Stuart Gulliver, chief executive of HSBC Group, said in the statement that the bank was a "fundamentally different organization" now. "We accept responsibility for our past mistakes. We have said we are profoundly sorry for them, and we do so again," he said. Related content: HSBC's group compliance chief to quit amid scandal  Banks' bad behavior may be scaring away investors Chase, HSBC among 7 banks subpoenaed over rate fixing NYT: HSBC said to near $1.9 billion settlement over money laundering "While we welcome the clarity that these agreements bring, ensuring the highest standards wherever we do business is an ongoing process," Gulliver added. "We are committed to protecting the integrity of the global financial system. To this end we will continue to work closely with governments and regulators around the world." The statement, which included a string of measures taken by the bank to address the problems, also said that an independent monitor would assess HSBC's progress over the five-year term of the agreement with the Justice Department. The agreement with the Justice Department noted that HSBC Bank USA and HSBC Group had "provided valuable assistance to law enforcement," according to the bank's statement. U.S. and European banks have now agreed to settlements with U.S. regulators totaling some $5 billion in recent years on charges they violated U.S. sanctions and failed to police illicit transactions, Reuters reported. No bank or bank executives, however, have been indicted as prosecutors have instead utilized deferred prosecutions, the wire service said. Analyst Jim Antos, of Mizuho Securities, said the statement on Tuesday indicates an extra $420 million for the settlement costs, calling it a "trivial" figure in terms of the company's book value, Reuters reported. "But in terms of real cash terms, that's a huge fine to pay," Antos added, who rates HSBC a "buy." U.S. justice department officials are expected to detail the settlement later Tuesday, according to Reuters. HSBC's settlement comes a day after rival British bank Standard Chartered agreed to a $327 million settlement with U.S. law enforcement agencies for sanctions violations, a pact that follows a $340 million settlement the bank reached with the New York bank regulator in August. Medicare fraud case Such settlements have become commonplace. In what had been the largest settlement until this week, ING Bank NV in June agreed to pay $619 million to settle U.S. government allegations it violated sanctions against countries including Cuba and Iran. Other banks that have reached settlements over sanctions violations are Credit Suisse Group, Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays and ABN Amro Holding NV. In the United States, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Wachovia Corp. and Citigroup Inc. have been cited for anti-money laundering lapses or sanctions violations. HSBC's failings date to 2003, when the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and New York state regulators ordered the bank to better monitor suspicious money flows. In 2010, a consent order from the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) ordered HSBC to review suspicious transactions moving through the bank, Reuters reported. At the time, the OCC called HSBC's compliance program "ineffective." In 2008, the U.S. Attorney in Wheeling, West Virginia, began investigating HSBC and how a local pain doctor allegedly used the bank to launder Medicare fraud. Ultimately, that prosecutor's office came to believe the case was "the tip of the iceberg" in terms of the suspicious transactions conducted through HSBC, according to documents reviewed by Reuters and reported earlier this year. Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report. More content from NBCNews.com: More graves found at notorious Florida reform school for boys Pentagon identifies SEAL killed during hostage rescue Fewer homeless vets expected; 'alarming' trend in young Aurora shooting suspect James Holmes' notebook at center of hearing Video:Troubling signs in paradise Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook Tags: World Business , hsbc , prosecution , money-laundering , fine , record , bank

Obama 'willing to compromise a little' on fiscal cliff

NEW: President Obama reiterates his call for the wealthy to pay more taxes Obama, House Speaker John Boehner have three weeks to reach a deal Automatic tax hikes and spending cuts are set to take effect on January 1 The two sides are talking to each other, but revealing little Washington (CNN) -- It's crunch time for avoiding the fiscal cliff as President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner and their aides hold private talks on issues that will impact every American. Three weeks remain to cut a deal before the automatic tax hikes and spending cuts of the fiscal cliff go into effect on January 1. Obama and Boehner met face-to-face on Sunday for the first time since November 16. It also was their first one-on-one meeting in more than a year, when talks broke down on a comprehensive agreement to reduce the nation's chronic federal deficits and debt. In a rare display of bipartisan concurrence, both sides issued identical statements after the meeting that said no details would be forthcoming. Staff on both sides also have been talking, but few details were available. How will the 'fiscal cliff' affect you? Visualize the fiscal cliff iReporters sound off on the fiscal cliff What if we go off the fiscal cliff? "I'm willing to compromise a little bit," Obama said Monday in a campaign-style speech to a Michigan diesel engine plant. However, he continued to insist on higher tax rates on the wealthiest Americans, saying "that's a principle I'm not going to compromise on." Boehner's spokesman, meanwhile, said the latest Republican offer -- which rejects Obama's call for rates to rise on the highest tax brackets -- remained the GOP position. The outline for a deal has become clear in recent weeks. Both sides agree that more revenue from taxes should be part of the equation, with Obama seeking $1.6 trillion and Republicans offering $800 billion. However, Boehner's side wants additional revenue to come from tax reform, such as eliminating some deductions and loopholes, while Obama demands the higher tax rates on income over $250,000 for families as part of the equation. Boehner and Republicans also seek savings from entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid totaling another $800 billion or so, while Obama has proposed $400 billion in reduced entitlement costs. Social Security would not be included. Another sticky issue -- whether the need to raise the federal debt ceiling early next year should be part of the discussion -- also appears unresolved. Obama says absolutely not, while Boehner says that any increase in the federal borrowing limit must be offset by spending cuts. It remains unclear if a deal will happen before the end of the year or if the negotiations will carry over into 2013, after the fiscal cliff takes effect. Read more: Americans already making big decisions over cliff While economists warn that going over the fiscal cliff could lead to recession, the administration has signaled it can delay some of the effects to allow time to work out an agreement. Without action now, the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center estimates that middle-class families would pay about $2,000 a year more in taxes. Even with a deal, revisions in the tax code and other changes would mean everyone pays a bit more starting next year. All signs point toward a two-step approach sought by the newly re-elected Obama. Fiscal cliff and cost of doing nothing The fiscal cliff and food safety Gross: U.S. needs $16T deficit plan An initial agreement reached now would extend current tax rates for most people while letting rates return to higher levels of the Clinton era on the two highest income brackets. Republicans oppose any tax rate hike, so a possible compromise would increase the income threshold for the higher rates to kick in above the $250,000 figure sought by Obama. Such an agreement would put off the main worry of the fiscal cliff -- expiration of Bush-era tax cuts that would result in higher rates for everyone. Obama and Democrats say they would then be ready to negotiate significant savings from entitlement programs, while Republicans say they need to first see commitment on entitlement reforms before accepting any higher tax rates. "The Republican offer made last week remains the Republican offer, and we continue to wait for the president to identify the spending cuts he's willing to make as part of the 'balanced' approach he promised the American people," said Boehner spokesman Michael Steel. Meanwhile, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters that Republicans have failed to fully explain their proposal to increase revenue by $800 billion. "The president is the only party to put forward a plan with specificity on both the spending and revenue side," Carney said, describing the Republican plan so far as "unnamed closures in loopholes and unnamed caps in deductions." To move forward, he continued, "Republicans have to recognize that we cannot afford, the public does not support, and it is economically a bad idea to extend tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires and those making over $250,000." Pressure for some kind of agreement now increases daily. Some in Congress warn that the legislative process will need two weeks to work through potentially complex measures from any proposed deal, meaning a de facto deadline of Friday may exist for negotiators. At the same time, voices from inside and outside the process say something must happen now. On Sunday, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde echoed numerous economic experts in predicting a sharp drop in confidence and "zero" U.S. economic growth if there's no agreement. The tax issue was a main November election campaign topic, with Obama saying the wealthiest Americans must pay more and Republicans opposing any tax rate increase. Four polls in the past two weeks, including a new one released Monday, show that more Americans support Obama's proposal. From my home to the House: How to fix the fiscal cliff The Senate has passed a measure that holds down tax rates on income below $250,000 for families, as sought by Obama, while letting rates go up to 1990s levels for higher earners. Obama and Democrats say House passage of that proposal would clear the way for a broader deal. However, House Republicans refuse to bring it up for a vote amid cracks in the GOP facade against a rate hike. Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee said Sunday that he would support raising taxes on the top 2% of income earners, arguing that it will better position Republicans to negotiate for larger spending cuts to Social Security and Medicare despite opposition from many Democrats. "A lot of people are putting forth a theory, and I actually think it has merit, where you go ahead and give the president ... the rate increase on the top 2%, and all of a sudden the shift goes back to entitlements," Corker said on "Fox News Sunday." Fellow Republican Sens. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine also have said they could vote for such a limited tax hike. On the House side, Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma reiterated Sunday that he could go along with higher rates on the wealthy. "You have to do something, and doing something requires the cooperation of the Senate, which the Democrats run, and the signature of the president," he said on CNN's "State of the Union." Meanwhile, conservative colleague Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee refused to budge from GOP orthodoxy against higher tax rates. Even though Obama won re-election and Democrats increased their Senate majority while narrowing the Republican majority in the House, she insisted that the November vote showed that voters "clearly said we don't want our taxes to go up." Opinion: Congress' fiscal moment of truth CNN's Jessica Yellin and Greg Botelho contributed to this report.

California exodus as thousands quit state

View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com. By Olga Spilewsky and Conan Nolan, NBCLosAngeles.com About 100,000 more people moved away from California in 2011 than relocated to the Golden State, according to the latest report from the U.S. Census Bureau. In recent years, unemployment in the state has skyrocketed, while the cost of living has increased. So, where are these Californians going? The Census Bureau calculated that the most popular destination is Texas, with 58,992 residents relocating there along with a number of California companies. Arizona was next on the list, with 49,635 people moving, then Nevada, Washington, and Oregon. Although in smaller numbers, others are still relocating to the Golden State. Texans make up the largest number of new California residents with 37,387 people, according to the report. That is followed by people from Washington (36,481), Nevada (36,159), Arizona (35,650), and New York (25,269). More news from NBCLosAngeles.com In total, 468,428 people have moved to California from other states, and 269,772 have moved to the state from other countries, according to the Census Bureau. Economic experts are optimistic that California's economy has started picking up steam, and may halt the movement of residents out of the state. "We expect over the next couple of years that we will add jobs," said Robert Kleinhenz, chief economist with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. "This year, we've added jobs in California at a faster pace than in the nation as a whole. So, we are moving in right direction. As that happens, we'll see the migration numbers turn around some," he added. The agriculture industry, one of the state's largest, has been particularly affected by fewer undocumented immigrants crossing the border, deterred from coming to the U.S. because of high unemployment and a developing middle class in Mexico.

Tow-truck driver dies helping SUV on train tracks

View more videos at: http://nbcsandiego.com. By By R. Stickney and Monica Garske, NBCSanDiego.com Video has emerged of a horrific crash in which a tow-truck driver was killed by an oncoming train as he was working to clear a stranded vehicle near the tracks in Southern California. Shaun William Riddle, 27, was struck by a southbound Amtrak train in Cardiff at about 2:35 p.m. PT (5:35 a.m. ET) Saturday while he tried to hook up the vehicle to his truck.  The father of two children had been called to the area to help a disabled SUV that had stalled just west of the tracks.  The county medical examiner reported that Riddle got back into his truck and tried to move it out of the train's path. He could not move the truck in time and the train struck the truck at a high rate of speed, officials said. More news from NBCSanDiego.com A witness who caught the incident on video said the train crossing arm dropped on the SUV and a moment later, the train slammed into the tow truck. The video shows the truck driver's door closing and then the truck turning away from the train just moments before the collision. Horrific sound It's unclear how fast the train was traveling at impact, but it came to a stop about half a mile away from the crossing. The crash is under investigation. The sound of the fatal crash was horrific, witness Thomas Neely, who works across the street from the train tracks, told NBCSanDiego.com. "It's somewhere between an explosion and thunder. You know, when metal hits metal it makes a noise unto itself," Neely said. Another witness said the driver was ejected from his tow truck and thrown some 100 yards from the crash site. Pieces of the truck were strewn around the train tracks for hundreds of yards, including the flatbed, a wheel and even the massive engine block. which landed about 200 yards away.