10 things you need to know today: October 20, 2013

1. JPMorgan nears $13B mortgage deal with U.S.

JPMorgan Chase and the Justice Department have reached a tentative $13 billion settlement over the bank’s questionable mortgage practices leading up to the financial crisis. It would be a record penalty that would cap weeks of heated negotiating and underscore the bank’s legal woes. The deal would resolve an array of investigations into the bank’s sale of subprime mortgage investments, which were at the heart of the financial crisis. [The New York Times]

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2. Lew defines shutdown as political crisis

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew is classifying this month's government shutdown and debt ceiling debate as a 'political crisis' rather than an economic one. Lew also praised both the House and Senate for reaching a deal late Wednesday, despite the long time it took, in an interview on NBC's Meet the Press Sunday. [Politico]

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3. Truck bomb in Syria kills 30

Thirty are dead after a suicide truck bomb attack on a government checkpoint on the edge of the central Syrian city of Hama on Sunday. The state news agency SANA said Syrian rebels drove the truck laden with over a ton of explosives into the post at the eastern entrance of the city. Al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra, or al-Nusra Front, reportedly carried out the attack. [USA TODAY]

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4. Wildfires prompt state of emergency in Australia

Australia has declared a state of emergency in New South Wales as firefighters battle bushfires that have already destroyed more than 200 homes. The announcement comes as temperatures soar and strong winds are expected in the coming days. The Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, is the worst-hit region with some fires still raging out of control. State officials say they are the most dangerous conditions in 40 years. [BBC News]

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5. Luxembourg votes for a new government

Luxembourgers are voting for a new government Sunday with a possibility of keeping Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker in power after a spying scandal forced early elections. Juncker is already the longest serving government leader in the European Union. The spying scandal centered on eavesdropping on politicians and corruption within the state security service, which happened under Juncker’s watch, though he was not implicated. [Washington Post]

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6. Police recapture Florida inmates who escaped with forged documents

Charles Walker and Joseph Jenkins, convicted killers serving life terms who walked out of a Florida prison using forged release papers, were recaptured Saturday. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the U.S. Marshall's Service arrested Walker and Jenkins at the Coconut Grove Motor Inn in Panama City, Fla. Jenkins, who was found guilty of first-degree murder in 1998, was released from the Franklin Correctional Institution in Carabelle, Fla., on Sept. 27. Walker, who was convicted of second-degree murder in 1999, was released from the same prison on Oct. 8. [NBC News]

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7. Tropical Storm Raymond forms off of Mexico

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Raymond is forming in the Pacific off southern Mexico. Raymond has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was centered about 180 miles south-southwest of Acapulco Sunday morning. It is moving northwest as forecasters warn of heavy rainfall and life-threatening flash floods and mudslides along the south-central Mexican coast. [Associated Press]

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8. Another oarfish washes up on Southern California beach

For the second time in less than a week, a sea serpent-like oarfish washed up on a Southern California beach. A representative from NOAA retrieved the nearly 14-foot-long carcass, which was cut into sections for later study. According to the Catalina Island Marine Institute, oarfish can grow to more than 50 feet, making them the longest bony fish in the world. [CBS News]

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9. Violin from Titanic sells for $1.7 million

A violin played by the Titanic's bandleader as the ship sank, a scene depicted in Titanic, sold at auction Saturday for more than $1.7 million. The price is by far the highest ever fetched for memorabilia tied to the sunken passenger ship, according to veteran collector Craig Sopin. [CNN]

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10. Red Sox, Cardinals to meet in World Series

The Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 5-2 at Fenway Park Saturday night, launching them into the 2013 World Series, starting Wednesday night at Fenway against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Red Sox are AL Champions for the 13th time since 1901, one year after enduring last-place humiliation and the worst season in 47 years. [Boston Globe]

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