JPMorgan buys First Republic:Â The second largest bank failure in U.S. history took place this morning when The federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) took control of First Republic Bank and then turned around and sold the bank’s deposits and virtually all of its assets to JPMorgan Chase for $10.6 billion. First Republic is based in San Francisco. The FDIC said that First Republic’s depositors will have full access to their accounts and that former First Republic branches are reopening today as branches of Chase.
Mississippi River flooding easing:Â The National Weather Service said this morning that the Mississippi River has already crested in some areas after hitting its highest level since 2001. Parts of Iowa and Illinois have experienced heavy flooding. The Weather Service said in some places the river rose to its third- or fourth-highest level in history.
More Russian missiles:Â Russia this morning launched another round of missile attacks on Ukraine. Ukrainian officials said that the Russians fired 18 missiles at civilian targets and that at least 34 people were injured. On Friday, the Russian missile attacks killed at least 23 Ukrainian civilians.
Vatican’s secret mission:Â Pope Francis says that the Vatican is involved in a secret mission to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. The Pope did not give specifics, saying only that what the Vatican is doing will be made public at the proper time.
Epstein’s calendar:Â The Wall Street Journal reports that documents, including a calendar, show that Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who committed suicide in jail, had previously unknown meetings scheduled with a number of prominent people including a president of Bard College, a well-known author, a deputy Secretary of State and a former White House counsel. It’s not clear whether the scheduled meetings actually took place or just what Epstein’s relationship with the people listed in his calendar might have been.
Manhunt for Texas shooter:Â The manhunt continued this morning for 38-year-old Francisco Oropesa, wanted for killing five of his neighbors after he was asked to stop shooting his automatic rifle in his front yard in Cleveland, Texas. James Smith, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Houston Office, said Oropesa is considered armed and dangerous. He asked for the public to report any information that might help determine the fugitive’s whereabouts to the FBI.
Cover photo courtesy Catholic Church of England and Wales / Flickr Creative Commons
