The University of Mississippi removed the state flag from its campus Monday, the latest move in a nationwide backlash against the Confederate banner and its imagery, NBC News reported. 

Mississippi is the only state that incorporates the Confederate battle emblem — a blue "X," with white stars and a red background — into its official flag. Voters backed it overwhelmingly in a 2001 referendum.

But the debate was rekindled in June after a white gunman killed nine people at an historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina. The alleged killer had published photos of himself online with the Confederate battle flag — a revelation that led to retailers, manufacturers and local governments to curtail its use.

A 10-year-old child was killed and seven other people hurt, including five children, in a crash near a high school in New Jersey Monday, authorities said.

The 10-year-old and five other children were riding in a minivan that was hit by a sedan at West Ninth Street and Arlington Avenue in Plainfield at about 7:30 a.m., police said. 

Chopper 4 footage from the scene, near Plainfield High School, showed the minivan rolled over on its side with debris scattered about. The other vehicle sat crashed in the intersection.

One woman who ran to help said she tried to turn the minivan upright and heard the children screaming. One child was able to get out of the vehicle on his own, she said, but she and other bystanders helped the rest of the children out. 

Authorities said the 10-year-old died shortly after the crash. The other five children, whose ages weren't immediately available, were taken to the hospital with unknown injuries. The drivers of both of the vehicles were also taken to the hospital with varying injuries.

Witnesses said the driver of the minivan was picking up children in the area to take them to school.

No arrests have been made in the crash, which remains under investigation. 

The 2-year-old who was killed when a driver crashed into a crowd of people at Oklahoma State University's homecoming parade is being remembered by those who loved him as a boy who was full of life, NBC News reported. 

"Nash was the symbol for love and joy," the toddler's father, Josh Lucas, told NBC News on Monday. "I lived for him and I'll never stop loving my son."

Nash's teacher, Mercedes Kling, said she is heartbroken about the death of the boy who "was always funny."

"Nash was the type of kid where you never knew what he was going to say," Kling said. "I was always smiling at the things that he said."
 

The construction of a new freeway connector aims to lower the average wait time at one of the nation’s busiest commercial border crossings to 20 minutes. Currently, trucks transporting goods into the U.S. can wait as long as two to four hours. 

Leaders from the United States and Mexico will break ground Monday on the State Route 11/Otay Mesa East Port of Entry Project. The project is designed to reduce traffic at a border port of entry known to be responsible for more than 7 percent of the total U.S. - Mexico trade.

The new connector will link State Route 905 and the nearly complete state Route 11 with State Route 125.

Truck drivers currently have to carry goods through congested local roads to get to the freeway.

This is supposed to accommodate the growing number of trucks carrying goods between the US and Mexico.

More than 90 percent of total trade between California and Mexico is via trucks, according to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG).

The entire project – including improvements made on both sides of the border and a new Bluetooth border wait time monitoring system to alert travelers on tolls rates and congestion – is expected to cost $800 million.

Tolls collected on the roads leading up to the Otay Mesa Port of Entry will finance the project, according to SANDAG’s website.

The project is expected to be completed in early 2017.

The woman who crashed into a crowd at Oklahoma State University's homecoming parade, killing four and injuring dozens, had her bond set at $1 million Monday — as her father acknowledged that "she might have underlying (mental health) problems", NBC News reported.

Adacia Chambers, 25, is being held on four counts of second-degree murder and a count of driving under the influence after she plowed her car into spectators at the Stillwater event Saturday.

Chambers has not been formally charged on the second-degree murder counts, but a prosecutor argued that she "intentionally drove her car into a crowd."

The prosecutor said that Chambers was a "flight risk" because she faces the possibility of four life terms.

Chambers' lawyer said at a news conference after her video arraignment that her father, Floyd Chambers, expressed there's "no way" he would be able to post her $1 million bond.
 

Smoke appeared from behind San Diego High School Sunday morning coming from a trash fire in what San Diego Fire referred to as a ‘luxurious’ homeless encampment.

Crews had the fire out quickly, but according to San Diego Fire many people have been living in the encampment.

A CHP trooper said they didn’t know how the homeless were getting down to the area, as it is not easily accessed, but possibly they are jumping 30 feet after walking along a ledge of the highway.

Crews found a junction box and power lines used to steal power at the encampment underneath a ramp near the 163 and I-5.

CHP has a special team coming to clean up the encampment and figure out how to shut it down permanently. CalTransit will also be patching fences cut by the people living there.

According to fire officials the fire caused traffic issues both on the 163 and the 5.
 

Rescuers have helped free a humpback whale that got tangled in a lobster trap line off the coast of San Diego.

The Coast Guard said a fishing boat reported seeing the distressed whale about 7 miles northwest of La Jolla Sunday morning, and that the line appeared to be hindering its ability to swim and dive.

Crews from the Coast Guard and Sea World worked together for several hours to disentangle the whale.

The effort was overseen by the National Marine Fisheries Service.
 

A magnitude-7.5 earthquake hit northeastern Afghanistan on Monday, killing hundreds there and in neighboring Pakistan, NBC News reported. 

"More [deaths] are expected," the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Chief Minister Pervez Khattak told state TV about three hours after the quake hit. 

Pakistan suffered the worst casualties, with more than 200 dead and another 1,000 or so reported injured, officials said.

In Afghanistan, 73 people were reported dead, and more than 300 injured.

The toll included around 12 girls who died while trying to flee their school in Afghanistan, an official told NBC News — with some of them crushed in a stampede.

San Diego Police arrested one person Monday after a high-speed pursuit ended with a Lexus wedged between a condo and a stone wall.

The chase began as California Highway Patrol officers were running a traffic break on the northbound I-15 Freeway near Aero Drive.

The driver of the Lexus didn't stop when the CHP patrol car drove a serpentine to slow down highway traffic.

Despite CHP's order to stop, the driver continued and a San Diego Police patrol car nearby helped pursue the vehicle.

The suspect drove south on Daley Center Dr. and crashed through a gate to a fire road. From there he drove north on W. Canyon Road.

The Lexus faced a dead end at the Stonecrest Condo complex so the suspect drove into the Saratoga condominium complex nearby.

This was where the suspect tried to drive into a green area and through a narrow walkway.

Condo owner Marlene Ricci heard sirens and police officers yell, “Get out of the car and get down on the ground” just before 7 a.m.

Ricci looked outside and saw a vehicle wedged in the walkway in front of her condo on W Canyon Avenue.

The driver ran into a home. When he finally came out he was taken into custody, police.

The suspect was identified as a 49 year old male driving his parents' vehicle.

An NBC 7 news crew is on the scene preparing to report for NBC 7 News Midday at 11 a.m. Check back for updates on this developing story.

The FBI will investigate the circumstances surrounding the arrest of an African-American South Carolina high school student after cell phone video showed a white police officer appearing to body slam her and drag her across a classroom on Monday, NBC News reported.

"The FBI will collect all available facts and evidence in order to determine whether a federal law was violated," a Justice Department spokesperson said after Richland County's sheriff said he asked the probe. 

The confrontation at Spring Valley High School in Columbia has been called "egregious" by the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina and drawn intense criticism on social media.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott told NBC affiliate WIS that the girl was arrested "for disturbing school" and the video shows "the student resisting and being arrested."

"I’m as upset as anybody and I’m very disturbed by what I saw." Lott told WIS.

The officer, identified as Ben Fields, is now on administrative leave pending an investigation.

Fields is named as a defendant in a 2013 federal lawsuit that claims he "unfairly and recklessly targets African-American students with allegations of gang membership and criminal gang activity."

Getting a driver’s license is a big milestone for teenagers and their families. But along with that is the worry of rocketing insurance premiums.

Consumer Reports’ exhaustive study of insurance rates found just how high they go up when you add a teen driver. Researchers checked premiums for a sample family— a 55-year-old couple who add a 16-year-old driver to their policy. The average increase was 90 percent more than what they were already paying. But the size of the increase really depends on where you live and which insurer you use.

The biggest increase for adding a teen driver was in North Carolina—159 percent—more than $1,600 extra per year. The smallest was in Hawaii—16 percent, an additional $312 per year.

Before you add a teen driver to your policy, it pays to shop around rather than just accept whatever increase your insurer charges. Consumer Reports found that prices can vary significantly depending on the insurance company.

For instance, in California that sample family would see an increase of around $3,400 per year with Allstate Indemnity, but only $905 per year if they switched to Auto Club insurance.

And there’s another way to save. Most insurers in most states offer a discount to families with students who can show proof of good academic performance. Be sure to check with your insurer to see whether your teen qualifies for that discount. For Consumer Reports’ sample family, the good-student discount averaged $263 per year.

What about having your teen take a driver’s education course? Consumer Reports found for its sample family that the average savings were only $63 per year.

We asked Allstate to Comment on the Consumer Reports research on higher rates and received this response by email:

"Lost in general comparisons of auto premiums is the level of professional knowledge and personal service that customers receive from their Allstate agency owner and in their claims experience in a time of loss. With Allstate, California customers and families with teen drivers have resources such as their agency owner who knows them, individualized price and coverage options including teen driver virtual training, and round-the-clock availability which we believe provide the best overall insurance value and experience."

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's office has identified the woman who was hit and killed by a driver near a Vista elementary school last week.

Nancy Saravia, a 33-year-old Hispanic woman, was crossing E. Bobier Drive, heading south, when she was struck by an oncoming truck pulling a trailer Friday evening.

The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene, which was right by Bobier Elementary School.

The driver stayed at the site of the crash to answer officials' questions.

Sheriff's investigators say alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

An aggressive, non-native mosquito that has spread throughout San Diego County has both County officials and residents concerned.

According to the County the Asian tiger mosquito, which has been found most frequently in Barrio Logan, can transmit diseases rarely seen in San Diego.

Named for the white tiger-looking stripes on its body, the mosquito can carry disease such as chikungunya, dengue or yellow fever.

Janet Martinez, of Barrio Logan, has found numerous bites on her legs and she’s worried what type of mosquito is harassing her.

“Oh my god, are those the ones that are biting me and my son? What should I do? I go crazy,” Martinez explained her worry over the bites. “It’s like I’m traumatized now.”

Thought to have been killed off years ago, Vector Control said Asian tiger mosquitos were detected in San Diego County again last September.

“We’re really trying to keep tabs on it and eliminate them,” Greg Slawson of Vector Control told NBC7. “The weather could be absolutely part of the problem but really it’s people moving around transporting stuff.

Vector Control believes the mosquitos may have come from larvae in bamboo shipments from Asia.

Officials are also concerned the mosquito could spread other diseases.

“If someone were to say travel here from a foreign country where they got infected and didn’t realize they were infected and went about their business around the county and then got bit by an Asian tiger mosquito, then it could potentially then bite another human and start a little mini outbreak,” Slawson explained.

According to County officials as of yet none of the diseases the mosquito can potentially carry have been found in San Diego County. Tiger mosquitoes are most active during the day and usually sleep at night.

The San Diego Blood Bank and KGB Radio are celebrating Halloween in true vampire fashion – by asking for blood.

Thursday, October 29 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. people can stop by the San Diego Blood Bank, give blood and rock out to Bob Buchmann and the KGB Rock and Roll Patrol who will be on-site from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

The first 50 donors will receive their choice of two tickets to the Birch Aquarium or two tickets to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s all new show, The Ghost of Christmas Eve on Friday, December 4th at Valley View Casino Center.

The radio drive also kicks off a three-day costume contest. To enter the contest, a blood donor must take a picture of themselves in costume at a mobile drive or donor center between October 29 and 31 and must be post the photo on the blood bank’s website by 5 p.m. on Halloween. First place will receive a $50 Amazon gift card.

Anyone in good health over 17 may be eligible to donate blood; 15 and 16-year-olds can donate with parental consent. Appointments can be made on the website or by calling 1-800-4MY-SDBB (800-469-7322).

Founded in 1950 with the support of the San Diego County Medical Society, the blood bank currently operates six local donor centers and 10 blood mobiles.
 

Hundreds of people were killed after a magnitude-7.5 earthquake hit northeastern Afghanistan on Monday.

Casualties were reported in Afghanistan and in neighboring Pakistan, NBC News reported.

"More [deaths] are expected," the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's chief minister, Pervez Khattak, told state TV about three hours after the quake hit.

More than 200 people were reported dead in Pakistan and 1,000 more injured, official said.

In Afghanistan, 73 people were reported dead and more than 300 were injured. That number included about 12 girls who died as they tried to flee their school in Afghanistan, with some of them crushed in a stampede, an official told NBC News.

This Friday – Halloween Eve – Little Italy will be taken over by little ghosts, witches and goblins as their ninth annual Trick-or-Treat on India Street gets underway.

A safe, fun Halloween event made for downtown kids, costumed kiddos can tromp from business to business collecting candied loot.

The event kicks off at Piazza Basilone, which will be decorated in Spooky style. The Little Italy Association will be passing out candy and giving out maps of participating businesses.

The event runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
 

A U.S. ship was trailed by Chinese vessels with no resistance after it sailed close to a disputed area on the South China Sea on Tuesday, NBC News reported.

The mission was meant as an open challenge to China’s claims over a group of at least a half dozen dredged islands. China says virtually all of the South China Sea belongs to it, despite overlapping water claims from neighboring countries.

The area, which includes the Spratly Islands, are in an area rich in oil and gas reserves.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi issued a warning, saying the U.S. should not “take rash moves and stir up troubles,” NBC News reported.

Remnants of Hurricane Patricia have strengthened storms that have already hit the Gulf Coast, and now torrential rain and possible floods could hit the Midwest to the Northeast beginning Tuesday, NBC News reported.

The Weather Channel said it expects between one and two inches of rain from the Tennessee Valley into the Ohio Valley and lower Great Lakes.

Lighter rain is still expected in parts of the South, Mid-Atlantic and Mississippi Valley, according to National Weather Service predictions.

Parts of Louisiana were under water Monday after heavy thunderstorms moved into the Gulf Coast after hitting Texas over the weekend.