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Dead Babies Were Medical Specimens

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Two newborn babies found dead in a trash-strewn North Philadelphia lot Sunday are "medical specimens" that had been preserved in some fashion, a city health department spokesman told NBC10 on Monday.

The infants, a baby boy and girl, likely came from a hospital or academic facility of some kind, Health Department spokesman Jeff Moran said. The babies' bodies had been preserved — presumably in formaldehyde — but it's unclear who preserved them, Moran said.

Investigators said Sunday the babies had cuts on their bodies that appeared to indicate they had previously undergone autopsies.

Police continue to investigate and are searching for a black pickup truck seen dumping trash in the area where the babies were found prior to their discovery. Detectives have been canvassing the neighborhood since Sunday in search of surveillance video.

Police said 9-year-old Kasime Crawford and another child found the dead infants Saturday night lying in a patch of grass next to a used-car lot on Mutter Street near Montgomery Avenue. Crawford told NBC10 he thought they were toys at first.

"Both of their faces were blue," Crawford said. "There's a doll baby. That's when it started stinking and that's when we checked and there was a baby. I went home and told my dad." 

Residents returned to the lot Sunday morning and found the bodies, then called police. Police said medics pronounced the babies dead at the lot at 10:31 a.m. Both infants had cuts on them, while one had a clamp attached to the umbilical cord, police said.

"They were just thrown away like trash," said Stephanie Farrell, who lives near where the babies were found.

The medical examiner discovered that the bodies had possibly undergone autopsies at some point. Investigators have not yet determined how or when the babies died. They also have not yet determined how long they had been in the lot before they were found.

"You shouldn't throw little kids away," said Ronnie Jackson, Kasime's father. "You could've left them in the hospital, gave them to a charity, gave them to the fire department or knocked on my door and gave them to me." 



Photo Credit: NBC10 - Pete Kane
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Paris Attacks: What We Know About Suspects, Fugitives

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More details emerged Monday about the seven attackers responsible for the Paris massacre, as well as their suspected accomplice and a reported mastermind — both of whom remain on the run.

Authorities say that three teams of attackers participated in the bloody assault. Seven men were killed in the attacks, and at least one suspected participant remains at large. 

The alleged mastermind was already notorious and many of his alleged foot soldiers had crossed authorities' radars.



Photo Credit: Greek Alternate Ministry of Immigration Policy and DABIQ/ISIS Propaganda

High Winds, Rain Arrive in San Diego County

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Blustery conditions and rain arrived Sunday afternoon along San Diego County's coastline and inland.

The National Weather Service had earlier issued a statement, saying wind gusts will arrive late Sunday morning and persist into Monday morning along the beaches and in the county's mountains and deserts.

The wind advisory is in effect along San Diego’s coastline from 6 p.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Monday.

Forecasters predict winds between 15 and 25 mph, with occasional gusts reaching 40 mph on the beaches.

Winds could reach 55 mph in the deserts, according to the National Weather Service. Expect the strongest gusts on Sunday night and early Monday morning.

Late Sunday afternoon, many residents were seeing rain showers in parts of San Diego County.

Radar was showing a band of showers passing over San Diego off the coast.

Many residents reported rain in Poway, Escondido, Mission Valley, Carmel Valley and Mira Mesa among other spots.

Unusually Strong Winds Sweep Through San Diego County

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San Diegans should grab their coats and bundle up before stepping outside Monday.

Gusts in the 40 mph range were recorded in Mission Beach, San Diego, Del Mar and Point Loma early Monday.

Through 10 a.m., more gusts between 30 and 40 mph are possible under a wind advisory issued by the National Weather Service.

San Diego Police responded to several downed trees in the UC San Diego area and a downed street light.

Driving may be difficult, due to sudden gusts.

“We’re seeing a lot of debris on the roads,” said NBC 7 Meteorologist Jodi Kodesh.

The City of Coronado reported several boats washed ashore Monday morning due to the high winds.

A twister Sunday swept through the town of Denair near Modesto, toppling trees and fences, breaking windows and ripping off part of a church roof. Meteorologists planned to survey the scene and rate the level of damage on Monday. There were no reports of injuries.

Strong Winds Fuel South Park House Fire

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A South Park home undergoing renovations was damaged by an early morning fire fueled by strong winds Monday.

San Diego Fire Rescue officials say the fire started in a third floor bedroom and in the attic areas of the home on Grove Street between Ash and Beech streets.

Windows on the third floor of the house were open when the fire broke out, blowing the wind straight through and feeding that fire, officials said.

Firefighters were able to cover the surrounding homes to make sure embers didn’t start any other fires.

Surrounding homes were evacuated temporarily but crews were able to contain the fire.

Smoke damage was reported in the first and second floors. No one was injured.

Investigators will try and determine what caused the fire.

Neighbors told NBC 7 the owners had been remodeling the property recently.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Obama on Paris Attacks: 'ISIS is the Face of Evil'

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President Obama on Monday stressed unity with the French people following the deadly terror attacks in Paris.

"ISIS is the face of evil," Obama said at the conclusion of the G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey. "Our goal is to destroy this barbaric organization."

Obama underscored that the wave of terror attacks in Paris and the fight against ISIS necessitate that the two nations work more closely together to share intelligence — efforts that are currently underway. But he said it would be a mistake to send U.S. troops into a ground war in Syria.

The president also pushed back against calls for U.S. to reject Syrian refugees. Over the weekend the governors of several states said they would work to bar Syrian refugees from entering their states.

"Slamming the doors in their faces would be a betrayal of our values," Obama said. Syrian "refugees are the victims of terrorism."



Photo Credit: AP

Obama: Troops Against ISIS 'a Mistake'

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President Barack Obama says putting large numbers of U.S. troops on the ground to combat the threat from the Islamic State would be "a mistake."

He says that's not just his view, but the view of some of his closest military and civilian advisers.

“Given the fact that there are enormous sacrifices involved in any military action it’s best that we don’t shoot first and aim later,” Obama said. “It’s important for us to get the strategy right.”

Obama spoke Monday at a news conference in Antalya, Turkey, at the close of a summit of 20 nations. The talks have been overshadowed by Friday's attacks in Paris that killed at least 129 people.

The president says the fight against the Islamic State terrorist threat requires participation of the people in Iraq and Syria to push back against ideological extremes.

San Diego is home to more than one third of the U.S. Marine Corps combat troops.


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Belgian Jihadi ID'd as Mastermind of Paris Attacks

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A leading Belgian jihadist who is one of the most active ISIS operators in Syria is the suspected mastermind behind the Paris massacre, according to reports. 

 

Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who once boasted about evading Western intelligence, is also said to be linked to the thwarted attacks on a Paris-bound high-speed train and a church near the French capital earlier this year.

"He appears to be the brains behind several planned attacks in Europe," a source told Reuters, adding that the 27-year-old was investigators' best lead as the person likely behind the killing of at least 129 people in Paris on Friday. NBC News could not independently confirm the reports.

The child of Moroccan immigrants who grew up in the Belgian capital's scruffy and multiethnic Molenbeek-Saint-Jean neighborhood, the fugitive, in his late 20s, was identified by French authorities on Monday as the presumed mastermind of the attacks last Friday in Paris that killed 129 people and injured hundreds.



Photo Credit: AP

Agents Arrest Previously Deported Convicted Sex Offender

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 A previously deported convicted sex offender was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents near the Calexico port of entry Sunday, BP agents said. 

The 40-year-old man, identified as Mexican citizen Jacinto Mendoza-Jimenez, was arrested approximately 18 miles east of the Calexico port of entry, agents said. Agents said they caught him illegally trying to enter the U.S. 

Mendoza was convicted of statutory sodomy and child molestation in St. Louis on May 4, 2004, agents said. After serving a six year term, he was removed from the U.S.

He is currently in custody and will be presented for criminal prosecution for re-entry into the U.S. after being previously removed.  

Border Patrol agents ask residents to report any suspicious activity to the Border Community Threat Hotline at 1-(800) 901-2003.



Photo Credit: Toronto Star via Getty Images/File

3-Year-Old South Carolina Boy Shoots Himself

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A boy in South Carolina, 3, shot and killed himself in his mother's bedroom over the weekend, police said on Monday.

Savion Barrow fired the semi-automatic handgun at himself, Rock Hill Police Department told NBC News.

Barrow's mother told police she was in the bedroom watching television when she heard the gunshot.

"She turned around, and there he was on the bed with the gun," police said.



Photo Credit: WCNC

SDPD ID's Officer Who Shot Double Homicide Suspect

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San Diego police have identified the officer who shot a man accused of killing a brother and sister in the city's Mountain View area.

Following a high-speed chase and two-hour police standoff, officials say Officer Christopher Luth, an 11-year veteran of the SDPD, shot Felipe Vega, 39, sending him to the hospital.

Last week, officers were on the lookout for Vega, who is suspected of shooting Arline Iribe and Alexis Velarde to death in his driveway on Nov. 8.

On Nov. 12, an SDPD officer spotted a 1998 green Oldsmobile Cutlass, the same car Vega was last seen driving.

When the officer tried to pull the car over on S. 43rd Street, Vega refused, and a pursuit ensued.

Officers chased Vega across multiple San Diego freeways and watched as he threw a handgun out the window, police say.

Finally, Vega pulled into a City Heights apartment complex on Van Dyke Avenue, refusing to get out of his vehicle.

Police negotiators soon arrived, and a SWAT team used pepper spray and a police K-9 in an effort to force him from the vehicle.

After two hours, Vega emerged. Police say he reached for his waistband area while turning toward officers, so Officer Luth fired one round at Vega. The shot struck him in the upper torso.

Vega was handcuffed and taken to the hospital. He is now in stable condition, officials say.

The bodies of Velarde and Iribe were found on the driveway at Vega's home in Mountain View.

Family of the victims described Vega was a close family friend. Police said Velarde tried to shield his sister from the gunfire before he died. Both siblings succumbed to their wounds.

Investigators have not yet released any details about a possible motive for the killings, but family members say they believe the siblings confronted Vega about his feelings for their cousin before they died– feelings the cousin did not reciprocate.

Daily Pills Protect People Against HIV: Study

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People who took a daily pill to protect against HIV were protected aganist the virus but caught other sexually transmitted diseases through unprotected sex, researchers reported on Monday. 

Over a four-year study, only two out of about 500 participants, all at high risk for getting the virus, got infected with HIV, the team reported to the Journal of the American Medical Association. 

Each volunteer was given a free supply of Truvada, the pill that's been shown in other studies to protect uninfected people from the virus. It's called pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP. 

Out of the 437 participants who stuck with the study over four years, most did not stop their high-risk behaviors like anal sex without condoms.



Photo Credit: AP

Protests Spark in Minneapolis After Black Man is Shot By Police

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A man is on life support after he was allegedly shot, witnesses say while handcuffed, by Minneapolis police early Sunday morning. Police said their preliminary investigation shows the man was not handcuffed, but the investigation is ongoing.

After a large, agitated crowd gathered at the scene and demonstrations endured throughout the day, Minneapolis Mayor Besty Hodges announced Monday that she had asked the Justice Department to "review" the shooting and open a civil rights investigation.

During the protests, witnesses claimed that police used a chemical irritant to subdue them, and about 10 protesters spent a rainy and windy Sunday night outside a police precinct station not far from the scene of the shooting. They vowed to stay until the officer was arrested or indicted.

Jason Sole, chair of the Minneapolis NAACP's criminal justice committee, said Sunday that many black residents of north Minneapolis are upset. 



Photo Credit: AP

Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Lying to Banks

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A San Diego judge sentenced a man who lied to banks on a series of business loan applications to 57 months in custody Monday.

Soloman Gordon Raymond, also known as Paul Anthony Raymond, got nearly $500,000 from bank loans.

A jury convicted Raymond of lying on several loan applications he submitted to Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and the Bank of Escondido. Each application contained numerous false statements and omissions regarding his financial and business affairs, criminal history, and other aspects of his creditworthiness.

He frequently used a second social security number that hid his bad credit history and multiple prior bankruptcy filings.

Evidence at trial showed he claimed that his income ranged from $308,841 to $543,933 when in reality it was only a fraction of that. To support his false claims he submitted fraudulent tax returns that appeared to have been filed with the IRS.

At the trial the government proved that the file stamps on the tax returns were completely fabricated, and that the returns had never been submitted to the IRS.

Three days after collecting the last payment from his loans Raymond filed for bankruptcy in an attempt to avoid paying the loans back. This left the banks and the U.S. Small Business Administration with hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses.

“Mr. Raymond’s string of lies and deceptions not only defrauded these banks – they also victimized the taxpayers whose funds are used to support business loans to deserving small businesses,” Attorney Laura Duffy said. “We are pleased that they jury saw through the additional lies he told at trial, and that he was appropriately punished for his misconduct.”

Judge Benitez described Raymond as “one of the worst conmen I have ever seen.” The judge increased his sentence for lies he told during his trial last May.

He also ordered Raymond to repay the victims $729,192 in restitution.

Following sentencing, Raymond was immediately taken into custody.
 

Proposed Mira Mesa Development Could Add 15K Residents

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A proposed development that would add 15,000 new residents to Mira Mesa was the topic of the neighborhood's planning subcommittee Monday evening. 

The Stone Creek project would build up a 300-acre piece of land in Carroll Canyon, about one half mile west of Camino Ruiz to Black Mountain Road. John Horst, chairman of the planning group, calls it the biggest development undertaken in Mira Mesa.

Though it is about 10 times the size of the controversial One Paseo project in Carmel Valley, few have heard of it. Alvin Walter, who lives adjacent to the site, is not in favor of the proposal.

“I don't want any more development. I see the way it is now, I expected it to maybe be developed into a natural park,” he said.

Vulcan Materials, which has a sand mining operation at the site now, proposed Stone Creek in 2006.

According to the plan, developers would build 4,445 apartments and condominiums, as well as 730,000 square-feet of commercial and industrial space.

Some neighbors envision natural space and more affordable housing options.

“I think it's a good idea to build on the community, but what comes to the community needs to serve the community,” said Joey Garcia, a Mira Mesa resident.

The first Stone Creek homes won't be built for at least a decade, as mining is expected to continue in the area.

Monday's is the last of five presentations the developer has made to the subcommittee.

Patty Schreibman, a representative for Stone Creek, sent NBC 7 this statement about the story:

“We are very excited to continue sharing this long-term vision for Stone Creek, a unique new neighborhood in Mira Mesa that will take shape over the next three decades.

“For several years we've been sharing with city officials and community leaders our proposal for transforming the mining operation into this new community of the future. Their feedback has been very helpful, resulting in many changes to the plan.

“With mining to continue for 20 more years, the first homes won't be built for another 10 to 20 years. They will provide housing for future generations of San Diegans - for our children and grandchildren.

“Once presentations to the Mira Mesa Community Planning Group Subcommittee are completed, Stone Creek will be part of a community Open House to showcase the project, as well as the many other exciting things that are planned for the vibrant community of Mira Mesa.”



Photo Credit: Mira Mesa Planning Group

Paris Attackers May Have Used Apps to Communicate

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In the aftermath of the Friday attacks on Paris, investigators are still trying to figure out exactly how ISIS terrorists were able to communicate. The focus will likely be on social media and a variety of private messaging apps.

Apps available now for download such as Silent Phone, What’sApp and Telegram are available to anyone.

Telegram comes with a self-destruct timer allowing users to set a time for an instant message to automatically delete.

Silent Phone is an encrypted phone app that lets the called speak securely without the possibility of a tap.

What’sApp uses end-to-end encryption, which is designed to keep messages private - even from the app company itself.

“As long as we're going to remain a free and open society, and that the Internet is going to be free and open as it should, it's going to be a challenge,” Steve Spano with the Center for Internet Security told NBC7.

There have already been cyber-terrorism cases in San Diego. In April, a local man was accused of having links to Islamic militants in Syria. He was caught after authorities found pictures posted on his Facebook page.

“The beauty of the internet is also an Achilles heel, that it’s open and it's global and those are the two things that terrorists can leverage for fundraising, for recruiting and propaganda,” Spano explained.

As victims of Friday's attacks were being mourned, a hacking group calling itself  'Anonymous' posted a video saying it will unleash a wave of cyber-attacks in retaliation against ISIS. The video, posted on YouTube, had a million views in just a few hours.

“There's no Geneva Convention for terrorists, that's the bottom line. There's no rules, no degree of morality we can expect,” Spano explained.

There is still no official word on how the Paris attackers communicated, but Spano said the problem is likely to get worse before it gets better. His focus is on education in the private and business sector to help protect against cyber-attacks on commerce and even infrastructure like electrical grids and phone systems.

Spano and hundreds of other Internet security experts are in San Diego this week focusing on how to prevent cyber-attacks.

In a world as vast and relatively uncontrolled as the Internet, security experts will have to keep up with technology as fast as terrorists learn how to harness it.
 



Photo Credit: NBC7

Holocaust Museum to Discuss Pre-WWII Years

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Representatives from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum will be in San Diego to discuss warning signs leading up to the Holocaust and how it could have been prevented.

On Dec. 1 at 7 p.m., the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla will host "Witnesses to History: Americans Abroad in Hitler’s Europe,” a discussion about American intellectuals living in Berlin in the 1920s and 30s -- years when the Holocaust could have been stopped. It will include writers such as Dorothy Thompson, W.E.B. Du Bois and Sinclair Lewis.

“When finally I walked into Adolf Hitler’s salon in the Kaiserhof Hotel, I was convinced that I was meeting the future dictator of Germany. In something less than 50 seconds, I was quite sure I was not,” writer Dorothy Thompson wrote in 1932.

Participants will also get a glimpse of rare archival footage from the time. The footage from the museum’s collection shows warning signs of Hitler’s Europe.

“This program is a fascinating look at the mindset of Americans in Europe following the end of World War I and throughout the Roaring Twenties,” said Steven Klappholz, the Museum’s Western Regional Director. “With the onset of the Great Depression and global economic collapse of the 1930s, people’s attitudes were not focused on the political realities in Europe at that time.”

The presentation is free and people can register on the museum’s website. The registration deadline in November 27.

Located in Washington D.C., the Holocaust Museum has welcomed approximately 38 million guests in the 22 years it’s been open.
 



Photo Credit: U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

Aztecs Come Up Short in First Road Test

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Aztecs senior Winston Shepard tried to carry his team to a road win against #16 Utah but the Utes hung on Monday night 81-76 in Salt Lake City.

Shepard scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half to help his team erase a 6-point halftime deficit against their former Mountain West conference foes.

San Diego State fell behind again in the final minutes after Lorenzo Bonam nailed a triple to put the Utes up 59-56.  The closest they came after that bucket was 75-73 on a 3-ball by Shepard with 34 seconds to play. But the Utes sank 9 of their final 10 free throws to nail down the victory.

The Aztecs shot over 74 percent on free throws this game – better than what we’ve come to expect in recent years.

But allowing 81 points on defense is clearly where coach Steve Fisher and his staff will look when pointing out what went wrong in this early showdown.

Utah had all five starters finish in double figures. Jordan Loveridge led the way with 21 points and Austrian 7-foot center Jacob Poeltl (Pronounced YAH-Kub PURR-tul) collected 15 points and 12 rebounds to pace the Utes.

San Diego native Trey Kell also contributed 15 points and 7 rebounds and Dakari Allen had another strong outing with 15 points off the bench.

Allen made 3 treys in the 1st half and provided solid outside shooting for the second straight contest.

He led the Aztecs with 20 points in SDSU’s opening win over Cal State-San Marcos.

Next up for SDSU is a home date Wednesday, November 18 at 7 p.m. against San Diego Christian before Little Rock visits Montezuma Mesa this Saturday, November 21.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Biden Speaks Out on Paris Attacks

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In a visit to Los Angeles Monday, Vice President Joe Biden made his first public comments about Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris.

He expressed confidence in an ultimate outcome and concern over the reaction here and abroad.

"We will prevail," Biden said. “It will take a while to root this out in the Middle East, but we own the finish line."

Biden’s visit to LA was intended as a roundtable on clean technology with Mayor Eric Garcetti, but the terror attacks in Paris were on everyone’s minds.

"Not only because Nohemi Gonzalez was from Los Angeles and Cal State Long Beach, but that an attack on that city is an attack on all of us," Garcetti said.

Biden attempted to assure a nervous public, claiming the U.S. and its allies would ultimately be victorious against jihadist terrorists, such as the Islamic state.

"The moment we give in and change anything about the openness of our society is the moment they win," Biden said.

Biden did not speak directly to criticism coming from congressional Republicans, as well as a few high-ranking Democrats, who believe the Obama administration hasn't done enough to address the threat posed by ISIS.

He did however defend the administration's policy going forward.

"There has been progress," Biden said. “They have 25 percent of the geography than they earlier had and that will continue to dwindle."

Mayor Garcetti said he also visited with the French Consul General Monday to formally extend the city's condolences over what took place Friday.

A candlelight vigil to remember the victims of the attack was scheduled for Tuesday night outside LA City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 



Photo Credit: KNBC-TV

Cubs' Bryant Named NL's Top Rookie

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Chicago Cubs slugger Kris Bryant was named the unanimous National League Rookie of the Year Monday after hitting .275 with 26 homers,, 31 doubles and 99 RBI in his first season in the majors.

The former University of San Diego star helped the Cubs make the playoffs for the first time since 2008 as Joe Maddon’s club advanced to the NLCS before bowing out to the New York Mets.

“So many people are truly deserving of this award and it's definitely an honor for me to win it,” said Bryant.

“I've gotta thank my coaches and all my teammates and the fans and my family and my girlfriend. Everyone that's been a huge support system for me for this whole season. It's just been an incredible year for me."

As expected, the American League Rookie of the Year Award went to Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa.

Get used to seeing both young stars and their teams in the playoffs the next few seasons.

Expectations will be higher this coming spring after both squads broke into the playoffs and made the League Championship Series this past October.

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