Tinder unveiled a new personal security feature Wednesday aimed at protecting LGBTQ users when they visit countries where same-sex relationships are outlawed or criminalized, NBC News reported. 

Upon opening the popular dating app in one of these nearly 70 countries, users will receive a “Traveler Alert” that notifies them that they appear to “be in a place where the LGBTQ community may be penalized,” according to a press release from Tinder. 

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer users will also no longer automatically appear on Tinder when they open the app in these locations. Instead, users can choose whether to remain hidden on Tinder or make their profile public while they are traveling. If they choose the latter option, the app will still hide their gender identity and sexual orientation from their profile, so this information can’t be weaponized by others.

“We fundamentally believe that everyone should be able to love,” Elie Seidman, CEO of Tinder, said in a statement. “We serve all communities — no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation — and we are proud to offer features that help keep them safe.”

“The Dangerfields,” an independent film based on a true story, has been filming in Connecticut all month and production was in Woodbridge Wednesday.

The story is set in the 1960s and Woodbridge’s “Amity Bowling Alley” offered the perfect retro-look producers were seeking.

Not only is the movie being filmed here, it also features a nearly complete Connecticut cast.

“I just thought I’m gonna do a casting call here (in CT) and see what I got and I was blown away by the amount of talent,” says director, Reno Venturi.

Venturi is from Hamden and is proud to tell the story of four Connecticut musicians who gained local popularity in the 1960s.

“The four young lead (actors) that are in this, they all sing all their own music, play all their own instruments, they are phenomenal. The talent is great and all local. Home grown,” he says.

Among the local talent involved is actor Brandon Oliveras, a student at New Haven’s Wilbur Cross High School. Oliveras plays a character named “Mike” who, much like himself, is making his way through high school.

“Mike wants respect. Respect from everybody else in the school because, freshman in the 1960’s, you’re kind of treated like crap,” says Oliveras, describing what his character is dealing with.

Wednesday’s filming took place in Woodbridge, but locations have taken the production crew throughout the state.

“I don’t think there’s any place we haven’t been,” said Venturi with a big Laugh. “It would just be easier to say the places we haven’t been.”

The setting of the movie is Terrytown but production has been done predominantly in the New Haven area.

Writer and Producer, Doug Lumpkin was an original member of the “Dangerfields.” He also comes from a long line of family members who are military veterans, so when it came time to decide where the proceeds of this film would go, the decision was easy. Lumpkin says all proceeds will benefit Veteran’s Charities.

The movie will go into post-production next month. No release date has been established yet.

As cleanup continues on Cape Cod Tuesday from a powerful storm, the National Weather Service determined that two separate tornadoes had touched down, one of which began as a waterspout.

Both "high end EF-1 tornadoes" had a maximum wind speed of 110 mph, according to the NWS' damage summary.

One of the tornadoes began as a waterspout that moved onshore near Kalmus in Barnstable and traveled about 5.5 miles to South Yarmouth.

The other tornado touched down near Harwich and lifted about 2.75 miles away in East Harwich, though wind damage was still seen in nearby Chatham.

No injuries were reported with either storm, but thousands remain without power — likely for days — and the town of Harwich remains in a state of emergency as disaster cleanup crews battle to open roads closed by downed trees and power lines.

Hundreds of utility trucks were on hand doing disaster removal work, Gov. Charlie Baker said.

"It's very hard at this point to calculate how much debris and how much damage has been caused by this," Baker said after taking a tour of the damage Wednesday.

He and other officials said that, while the severe damage was largely limited to a roughly two-square-mile area, the severity had prevented emergency responders from reaching all of it.

The storm caused significant damage to wires, trees, homes and commercial properties across eight communities in Barnstable County, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency said in a statement.

Crews are working to clear roads of debris, secure downed power lines and support residents, MEMA said. Recovery operations are expected to last multiple days.

One fallen tree landed on Richard Bassett's cars at his home in Harwich. "Two Grand Marquees and they both have damage," he said.

Baker is considering declaring an emergency, but his office is still assessing the federal rules around it.

No deaths or injuries from the tornadoes have been reported so far, and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito told NBC10 Boston it was "a miracle there were no personal injuries."

She added that there was a lot of injury to property, and asked "that people on the Cape be respectful of the utility crews that have literally swarmed roads and the communities most impacted so that they can clear the debris, clear the downed limbs, clear the wires, bring safety to the communities and then get to the restoration needed to restore power," Polito said.

Countless trees were felled, causing traffic nightmares with road blockages and damages to local houses.

"It's like a giant came and stepped on them all," said Harwich resident Debbie Denton.

Power lines were snapped in half on Oak Street in Harwich, causing blackouts. Power has yet to be restored to all areas affected, with over 24,000 customers still without electricity Wednesday evening.

Harwich officials said 63% of the town is still without power — it's expected to be fully restored by 6 p.m. Friday — and Lorthrop Avenue, South Street and part of Pleasant Lake Avenue remain closed. Earle Road Beach, Cranberry Valley Golf Course and all town cemeteries are also closed.

Baker said that he is working to get more resources on the ground. 

The tornadoes struck during the peak of summer vacation season, forcing many people to hide out in rented homes or hotels, waiting for the intense storm to pass, which it did in about an hour.

The roof of one hotel, the Cape Sands Inn in West Yarmouth, peeled off during the storm. The motel was condemned by building inspectors, and guests were relocated to other hotels.

"This is the heart of our tourism season. Most of our communities, we make our lives out of people coming and spending their time," said the area's state senator, Julian Cyr.

And while he said this was the worst storm damage since Hurricane Bob, which hit the Cape in 1991, he stressed that the damage was confined to a small area.

"Broadly, the Cape is open for business," Cyr said, noting that most communities have not been impacted.

He said that anyone with plans in Yarmouth, Dennis, Harwich and Chatham should check in, but that other areas were likely still able to accommodate tourists.

The tornado was the fourth confirmed event on Cape Cod, the second in as many years following a tornado in Woods Hole on Oct. 29, 2018. Prior to that event, a tornado hadn't been confirmed on the Cape since 1977.

The USS Hartford is back home in New London after six months at sea.

Families traveled from all over the country to New London to welcome home the 157 sailors Wednesday.

“I’m not used to him being away so long, so I’m just anxious for him to come,” said 11-year-old Lillian Cool.

It was hard for the Cool kids to stay cool, not just because of the heat and the long wait for the submarine to dock, but they’ve missed their hero, their dad.

“He protects all the people in the Navy and other people around the world,” said 9-year-old Ashley Cool.

These families can tell you, a lot can happen in six months.

“It’s been crazy. It’s been a mix of emotions,” said Amber Cool. “I’ve missed him so much it’s nice to have him home today.”

Lt. Benjamin Hankin was allowed to disembark first.

After hugs from his daughters, the dad was meeting his newborn son Ian for the first time.

“It’s a bit surreal that he’s home. Grateful and appreciative and happy he’s back,” said his wife Anna Hankin.

“It’s hard to get pictures with the bandwidth we have, but I have two pictures from the hospital,” said Lt. Hankin. “This is much better. I’ll take this any day of the week super excited.”

Four-month-old Remy has only met her dad briefly. “He has not seen her at all since she was two weeks old, so it’s going to be a big, big surprise,” said mother and wife Dakota Lovett.

One mother came all the way from California to see her now big kid. They’re looking forward to celebrating the sailor’s 28th birthday this week after a lot of time under water.

“It’s definitely something, especially being on a tube in the middle of the ocean, not really being about to talk about where you are or knowing where you are most of the time,” said sailor Ross Sanders.

Each and every sailor today had a separation story share after committing themselves to protecting our country, leaving their families, and inspiring the future generation of leaders.

“It must be cool, you can see everything like sharks and fish,” said Lilliam Cool about the sailors on the submarine.

All the while their loved ones tried to stay afloat with a part of their heart at sea.

Making Wednesday’s welcome back well worth the wait.

“Oh it’s amazing. It’s been a longtime coming,” said Lillian and Ashley’s dad upon his return.

Homeowners and renters are beginning clean-up efforts just one day after two tornadoes barreled through Cape Cod.

Leftover debris and several tree branches filled many streets including Deerfield Road in Yarmouth.

No injuries were reported after the two EF-1 tornadoes, but thousands remain without power — likely for days — and the town of Harwich remains in a state of emergency as disaster cleanup crews battle to open roads closed by downed trees and power lines.

The tornadoes left behind uprooted trees, downed power lines and piles of leftover debris throughout many streets.

Angela Damico owns a home on Cape Cod and is still coming to grips with the damages left behind from Tuesday’s powerful tornado.

“There’s actually no words to describe all this damage,” said Damico. “It’s very sad to see all of this destruction, the main thing is that no one was hurt, nobody was injured and everything can be rebuilt,” said Damico.

Damico arrived on Wednesday afternoon to take a tour of what was left behind.

“We never expected it to be this devastating when we got here,” said Damico. "It's really hard to describe the damages unless you come down here and witness it for yourself.”

Kim Gagne and her family were witnessing the tornado from her basement.

“It was the heaviest rainfall that I've ever heard in my life and it lasted about seven minutes,” said Gagne. “The top of the trees started to move in a circular motion.”

Ten minutes after the storms cleared, Gagne and her family began touring the neighborhood.

"There were trees down and the street we were was impassable because there was a tree in the middle of the street,” said Gagne.

While the damages are massive, both families say they are keeping their eyes on the bigger picture.

“It’s an unfortunate situation but I’m glad there are no reports of injuries,” said Damico. “This community is resilience and we will get through this.”

Hundreds of utility trucks were on hand doing disaster removal work.

The storm caused significant damage to wires, trees, homes and commercial properties across eight communities in Barnstable County.

Countless trees were felled, causing traffic nightmares with road blockages and damages to local houses.

The tornadoes struck during the peak of summer vacation season, forcing many people to hide out in rented homes or hotels, waiting for the intense storm to pass, which it did in about an hour.

Power is expected to be fully restored by 6 p.m. Friday in Harwich and Yarmouth, Eversource said. Full restoration is expected by 4 p.m. Thursday in Orleans and Brewster, 8 p.m. Thursday in Mashpee and Dennis and 4 p.m. Friday in Barnstable and Chatham.

The tornado was the fourth confirmed event on Cape Cod, the second in as many years following a tornado in Woods Hole on Oct. 29, 2018. Prior to that event, a tornado hadn't been confirmed on the Cape since 1977.

North Korea fired at least two short-range missiles early Thursday morning local time, according to two U.S. officials.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the projectiles were launched from an area near Wonsan, on North Korea's eastern coast, and flew about 267 miles, NBC News reported.

The U.S. officials said the missiles landed in the water.

It has been two months since New Canaan mother Jennifer Dulos vanished and on Wednesday attorneys for her estranged husband Fotis Dulos filed a motion to dismiss the charges against him.

Jennifer Dulos was last seen dropping her children off at School on May 24. When she missed several appointments that day, friends reported her missing.

Court documents in the case say investigators who responded to the missing person report in May found blood splatter and evidence of cleanup attempts at

Fotis Dulos, and his girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, have been charged with tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution in connection with the case. Both are free on bond.

In the motion filed Wednesday, Fotis Dulos' attorneys claim there is "insufficient evidence to warrant further proceedings." 

The filing argued that a 'media firestorm" was affecting the handling of the case and hurting the defendant.

"The State’s willingness to sacrifice the defendant’s constitutional liberties in hopes of acquiring some evidence against him in the future simply cannot stand," the filing read.

For weeks, the search for her has spanned the state and authorities have spent days sifting through trash at a facility Hartford after bags containing Dulos’ blood were found. Law enforcement officials said surveillance video captured two people resembling her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos and his girlfriend, Michelle Traconis, throwing out bags that ended up in the trash plant.

Also on Wednesday, Carrie Luft, a spokesperson for Jennifer Dulos' friends and family, released a new statement:

"Today marks two months since Jennifer, beloved mother, daughter, sister, cousin, and friend, disappeared. We miss her beyond words. Please know that the five children are doing well, surrounded by love and support.

“The flow of support from the New Canaan and Farmington/Avon communities, individuals as well as organizations, has helped keep us going during this ordeal. We are very grateful to all of you. And we express our deepest thanks to the New Canaan and Connecticut State police for their tireless efforts on the case.

“As July nears an end, we’re reminded of Jennifer’s love for the Fire Island beach she visited as a girl. Last summer she was so happy to be able to share her favorite childhood spot with her own children.

“We continue to urge anyone who has information about Jennifer’s disappearance from New Canaan on May 24, her whereabouts, or anything in between, to please email FindJenniferDulos@newcanaanct.gov or call the New Canaan Police Tip Line at (203) 594-3544. Thank you.”

New Canaan Police continue their investigation and say they have received over 1,200 tips.

Police urge everyone with information regarding Jennifer’s disappearance to contact them. In addition to the tip line, 203-594-3544, tips and information regarding Jennifer’s disappearance can be sent to FindJenniferDulos@newcanaanct.gov and submitted anonymously at www.FindJenniferDulos.com.

A person was found dead after a fire at a mobile home in Branford Wednesday, according to fire officials. 

Firefighters responded to the call for a fire at the home on Leets Island Road around 4 p.m.

No other details were immediately available.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

A Navy SEAL platoon stationed in Iraq to fight threats posed by the Islamic State was ordered back to San Diego early after reported misconduct, according to the U.S. Special Operations Command.

In a series of tweets, the command announced Wednesday that the commander of the Special Operations Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve had “lost confidence in team’s ability to accomplish the mission.”

The SEALs were accused of lacking discipline and order during their off time while deployed.

The U.S. Special Operations Command said SEALs must comply with all laws, regulations, and standards. Any alleged violations made during the platoon’s deployment will be investigated, the tweets said.

The command said authorities are working to lessen the impact of the platoon’s absence in Iraq.

To learn more about Operation Inherent Resolve's mission, visit its website.

Read the full release below:

“RELEASE: Operation Inherent Resolve Special Operations Commander orders early return of deployed SEAL platoon. The commander of the Special Operations Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve (in Iraq) ordered the early redeployment of a SEAL Team platoon to San Diego due to a perceived deterioration of good order and discipline within the team during non-operational periods. The Commander lost confidence in the team’s ability to accomplish the mission. Commanders have worked to mitigate the operational impact as this SEAL platoon follows a deliberate redeployment. All Department of Defense personnel are expected to uphold proven standards and to comply with laws and regulations. Alleged violations are thoroughly investigated.”

Accused pedophile and wealthy Manhattan financier Jeffrey Epstein was found injured and in a fetal position inside his cell at a New York City jail, according to sources close to the investigation.

Epstein, who is being held in Metropolitan Correctional Center during his trial for conspiracy and sex trafficking, was found semi-conscious with marks on his neck, two sources told News 4. Investigators are trying to piece together exactly what happened, saying details remain murky.

Two sources tell News 4 that Epstein may have tried to hang himself, while a third source cautioned that the injuries were not serious and questioned if Epstein might be using it as a way to get a transfer. 

A fourth source said an assault has not been ruled out, and that another inmate was questioned. The inmate who investigators have talked to in Lower Manhattan facility has been identified as Nicholas Tartaglione, according to two sources. Tartaglione is a former police officer in Westchester County who was arrested in December 2016 and accused of killing four men in an alleged cocaine distribution conspiracy, then burying their bodies in his yard in Otisville in Orange County, according to court records.

Sources told News 4 investigators questioned Tartaglione, and the former cop claimed not to have seen anything and insisted he did not touch Epstein, sources said.

The attorney for Tartaglione denied all the claims that his client attacked the financier, saying his client and Epstein get along well. The attorney added Epstein was seen today and appears to be fine.

"They are in the same unit and doing well," said Bruce Barket, an attorney for Tartaglione. He said any claim that Tartaglione might have assaulted Epstein "is absolutely not true." 

Barket said Tartaglione and Epstein have been complaining about conditions inside the MCC including flooding, rodents and bad food.

Epstein is now on suicide watch inside MCC, according to two sources. Attorneys for Epstein did not immediately return calls for comment.

A spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons did not return calls and spokesmen for the U.S. Marshals and U.S. Attorney's office declined to comment.

Most recently in the sex trafficking case against Epstein, the wealthy financier had been denied bail on July 18 following a bombshell search-warrant revelation that Epstein had a fake passport and piles of cash stashed in his safe.

U.S. District Judge Richard Berman cited risk of flight and danger to the community in his decision against Epstein, a registered sex offender and private-island owner who faces new federal charges of exploiting dozens of underage girls in New York and Florida in the early 2000s. That meant Epstein would remain behind bars pending trial (a date for the start of which has yet to be set).

Epstein attorneys filed their notice of appeal to the bail ruling on Monday.

Berman said prosecutors established a "preponderance" of evidence of Epstein being a flight risk, calling the fake Saudi passport "concerning,” and said the government also established community danger by "clear and convincing evidence" — which led to his decision to keep the financier behind bars.

Epstein's lawyers had wanted him released on house arrest with electronic monitoring at his $77 million Manhattan mansion. They said he wouldn't run and was willing to pledge a fortune of at least $559 million as collateral.

Berman described their proposed bail package as "irretrievably inadequate," saying, "I doubt any bail package can overcome his danger to the community."

Prosecutors, meanwhile, had argued evidence against Epstein was growing "stronger by the day" after several more women contacted them in recent days to say he abused them when they were underage.

Berman cited victims' testimony as having an impact on his decision, in addition to Epstein's alleged history of intimidating, threatening and paying off witnesses or other parties involved in the case.

One of the accusers he cited was Courtney Wild, who recently came forward and said Epstein started sexually abusing her when she was 14 in Palm Beach. She told reporters at a news conference in New York Tuesday that Epstein "will never stop sexually abusing children until he is in jail" and urged the judge to deny bail.

Berman also questioned whether Epstein has adhered to the requirements of being a registered sex offender, which he had to do as part of a plea deal with Florida prosecutors more than a decade ago.

Epstein has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and sex trafficking charges brought by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan. Wild's accusations are not part of that indictment. The financier's next court date is set for July 31.

Southwest Airlines is pulling out of Newark Liberty International Airport and consolidating its operations at LaGuardia due to the continued grounding of the Boeing 737 Max plane, which it has more of than any other carrier, the airline said in its second-quarter earnings release Thursday.

Effective Nov. 3, the budget airline will no longer fly out of Newark, citing limited growth opportunity. It will also decrease its capacity by as much as 2 percent, whereas it had previously forecasted growth of 5 percent, because of the "extensive delays" in getting the Max planes back in the air. 

"The financial results at Newark have been below expectations, despite the efforts of our excellent Team at Newark," the statement from CEO and Chairman of the Board Gary Kelly said. "I am grateful to our wonderful Newark Employees, who are a top priority, and will be given an opportunity to relocate to another station in our system, including LaGuardia Airport, where we are experiencing strong Customer demand. As part of this move, we will offer options and flexibility for Customers to recover planned travel from other area airports."

Southwest Airlines, which has 34 Max jets — more than any other carrier — has been canceling about 150 flights per day. The plane was grounded in March following two deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

Southwest said the most recent guidance from Boeing means the Max plane may not return to service until the fourth quarter of 2019, but the airline would still have to comply with federal directives regarding its return to service -- and "we offer no assurances that our current assumptions and timelines are correct." In the interest of mitigating damages and optimizing its aircraft and resources, Southwest said it had to rethink its operations. 

Shares were down more than 4 percent in premarket trading, CNBC reported. Southwest says it has had preliminary discussions with Boeing about compensation for damages connected to the Max plane grounding.

Police are investigating a stabbing in Windham. 

State Troopers from Troop K-Colchester responded to a home in the area of James Drive at 10:33 p.m. Wednesday to investigate a report of a disturbance and took a suspect into custody. 

No additional information has been released.

Did you catch the stellar sight that's been making rounds on social media?

Around 11 p.m. Wednesday night, a bright flash was spotted in the night sky from New England to Virginia.

It’s likely this was a fireball, or very bright meteor, which is a space rock or debris entering Earth’s atmosphere.

Several viewers shared videos of the fireball streaking across the sky, including a dashcam video from Interstate 95 in Canton, Massachusetts. It shows a very clear, green flash as the meteor comes into view.

Another video, taken from a doorbell camera in Leominster, Massachusetts, shows the meteor lighting up the night for just a few seconds before fading again.

Meteors are what people often call "shooting stars."

Keep your eyes peeled for more of these in coming weeks. The Perseid Meteor Shower peaks in mid-August and is one of our best shows of the year.

Hartford police are investigating the city's 17th homicide of the year.

Yowsef Lopez, a 25-year-old East Hartford man, was sitting outside of a house at 337 Hillside Ave. in Hartford Wednesday night, hanging out with some people and eating pizza, when he was shot.

Hartford Police Lieutenant Paul Cicero said police received multiple 911 calls around 11:34 p.m. Wednesday after gunshots were heard in the 300 block of Hillside Avenue and officers found Lopez with at least one gunshot wound.

He was transported to Hartford Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police believe Lopez was the intended target.

The Hartford Police Major Crimes Division is investigating.

This is the 17th homicide in the city of Hartford this year and the sixth in July.

Anyone with information is asked to call police.

A motorcyclist is in serious condition after a crash on Newfield Street, near Westfield Street, in Middletown around 8:45 p.m. Wednesday. 

Police said a 77-year-old Middletown man was heading north on Newfield Street, toward the intersection of Westfield Street in a Toyota Sienna, and a 27-year-old Fort Myers, Florida man on a Harley Davidson motorcycle was traveling south on Newfield Street toward the intersection of Westfield Street when the motorcycle collided with the right rear side of the Toyota. 

Police identified the motorcyclist as 27-year-old Christopher Didone, of Fort Myers, Florida, and said he and his passenger, a 26-year-old Wallingford resident, were transported to Hartford Hospital for further treatment. 

Didone was listed in serious but stable condition and held at Hartford Hospital. The passenger was released. 

The other driver did not report being injured. 

Police are investigating and ask anyone with information to call the Officer Botsacos of the MPD Traffic Bureau at 860-638-4061.

Making saves is what firefighters do, whether the call is for a human victim or one of the feathered kind.

On Thursday, firefighters from Engine Company 5 assisted Stamford Animal Control Officers on Summer Street in Stamford in the rescue of nine ducklings from a catch basin, according to the Stamford Fire Department website and Facebook account.

The mother duck was nearby, watching her babies as they were lifted to safety.

The crew from Engine 5 then provided a safety escort for the ducks as they made their way back to the Mill River.

Breathing in air pollutants emitted by fossil fuels and wood burning incidents such as wildfires causes an increased risk of serious health effects like heart disease and stroke, studies suggest.

Researchers have known for years that air pollution is damaging to humans, causing up to 100,000 deaths here in the United States, NBC News reported. Air pollution has well-known links to respiratory issues such as asthma and difficulty breathing, and other heart issues such as an irregular heartbeat and nonfatal heart attacks, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. But the new study found that humans who are exposed to the two pollutants are more susceptible to developing cardiovascular illnesses, which doctors have thought to be mainly caused by high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The most recent study, done in Beijing, China, analyzed the past air pollution exposure of 8,867 patients at Fuwai Hospital who were suspected of having coronary heart disease. The patients, ages 25 to 92 years old, were among the entire Chinese population who were exposed to levels of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide 95% above the rate considered safe by the Chinese government.

In China, government regulations allow for 35 micrograms of particulate matter in the air and for 40 micrograms of nitrogen dioxide. The study said that exposure to 30 micrograms of particulate matter caused a 27.2% increase in the risk for cardiovascular issues and that 20 micrograms of nitrogen dioxide caused a 24.5% increased risk.

“In the study conducted in China, we found that long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution and traffic pollutants, specifically PM2.5 (particulate matter) and NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), was associated with coronary artery calcium, a strong predictor of total coronary heart disease,” said Meng Wang, an assistant professor in the department of epidemiology and environmental health at the University at Buffalo and lead author of the study.

Particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide are both substances in the air that come from natural and human-made causes. While the main source for the gases is from the use of fossil fuels, they can be released into the atmosphere by other methods. Common activities often not associated with environmental issues like wood burning is known to release particulate matter into the air, said Beth Gardiner, the author of the book “Choked: Life and Breath in the Age of Air Pollution.”

Exposure to pollutant levels higher then the national standard is not uncommon in China, where the average concentration of particulate matter is 80 micrograms and 42 micrograms of nitrogen dioxide, Wang said. In Beijing, as part of the country's Air Pollution Action Plan, particulate matter levels have dropped on average by 35% since 2013, from 85 micrograms to 58 micrograms. This was largely achieved by halting the use of coal for power and heat, according to ChinaDialogue.

In a similar study on ozone levels in the U.S. published last month, Wang said he found that Americans are also facing increased health risks as a result of air pollution. Testing 6,619 adults between the ages 45 to 84 in six cities across the country, the researchers found that long-term exposure to ozone causes an increased risk of stroke.

“Therefore, they (the studies) reflect that different air pollutants may have different effects on different beds of human artery, both of which are closely related to cardiovascular health in people,” Wang said.

Ozone, a gas produced from both natural and human-made sources, is helpful in the Earth’s upper-atmosphere where it reduces the amount of harmful UV radiation exposure to humans, according to the CDC. When ozone enters the lower-atmosphere, it is known to have adverse health effects on humans. The gases' link to respiratory problems such as asthma have been well-documented and is acknowledged by the EPA.

Although Wang's two studies do not draw any conclusions on the health effects of particulate matter in the U.S., it has been found by other researchers to have an effect. A study in 2016 said that a reduction of both particulate matter and ozone in the U.S. could save thousands of lives, NBC News reported.

And, air pollution trends in the U.S. have been getting worse since then. In both 2017 and 2018, the number of days with unhealthy air has increased by 15% compared to the number of unhealthy days between 2013 and 2016, NBC News reported.

Yet compared to the rest of the world, the U.S. has historically been considered somewhat of an environmental success story because of the passage of the Clean Air Act and creation of the EPA in 1970, Gardiner said.

“America has really been a story of sort of slow, steady progress, which was achieved through science based regulations and effective enforcement,” Gardiner said.

Not only do countries like India and China have exponentially higher levels of air pollution than the U.S., but much of Europe has higher pollutant levels as well, Gardiner said. The continent’s countries have not been enforcing the climate regulations they set on fossil fuel emissions, allowing pollutants to enter the air at higher and more damaging levels.

Besides air pollution's main source, fossil fuels, which comes from transportation methods such as cars and planes, power-plants run by both coal and natural gas, and industrial agriculture, Gardiner said wood burning and wildfires produces a lot of particulate matter.

A California wildfire in 2017 emitted the same amount of particulate matter in a week that the state's motorists emit in a year, NBC News reported.

“Even though it smells really nice and appealing, it is actually very bad for your health because it is those tiny chemicals that can penetrate and go all the way into your body,” Gardiner said.

Though Wang’s studies have only evaluated the cardiovascular risks, the same air pollutants he examined have also been found to increase the risk of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease, dementia and premature birth, Gardiner said.

Researchers at the Stockholm Environment Institute found in 2010 that particulate matter contributed to 18%, or about 2.7 million, of the 14.9 million total preterm births globally. The highest rate for a country was China, where more than 40% of preterm births were correlated with particulate matter.

The rate of preterm births is relatively low in the U.S., but is still impacted by air pollution, with 5 to 10% of preterm births correlated to air pollution exposure. According to the CDC, 1 in 10 births are finished prematurely overall and 17% of infant deaths are from preterm births.

"Air pollution (i.e. particulate matter and ozone) is still associated with human mortality in the U.S. even when the concentration is below the current U.S. standard for particulate matter and ozone," Wang said.

In fact, there is no safe amount of air pollution, noted Wang. There will be some level of impact on humans no matter the amount of ozone and particulate matter present.

"The research says that there is no safe level. And that sounds scary, but there is a more positive way to phrase it too. Which is the more that you can reduce pollution, the more people’s lives you can save and the more illnesses you will prevent," Gardiner said.

When President Donald Trump took the stage Tuesday at the Teen Action Summit in Washington, D.C., an image of what appeared to be the presidential seal was projected on the screen behind him. But, upon closer inspection, many noted that the bald eagle on the seal was doctored and bore a striking resemblance to the one on Russia's coat of arms.

The official presidential seal of the president of the United States features a bald eagle clutching an olive branch in its right talon, a symbol of peace, and holding 13 arrows in its right talon, representing the 13 original colonies. In its beak, the eagle holds a ribbon with the Latin words "E Pluribus Unum," which means "out of many, one."

But the crest that appeared behind Trump at the event hosted by the conservative youth group Turning Point USA featured a two-headed eagle, similar to the one on the official coat of arms of the Russian Federation. The eagle is clutching money with one talon and golf clubs with the other. The ribbon above the heads reads "45 Es Un Titere," Spanish for "45 Is a Puppet."

It was not immediately clear for how long the altered seal appeared on the screen during Trump's nearly 80-minute address to the crowd of mostly high school students at the Marriott Marquis.

The source of the photoshopped seal, first noted by The Washington Post, was also not known. The image, however, appears on several anti-Trump websites, including an e-commerce site selling merchandise with an identical seal.

Trump's critics have accused him of being a puppet of Russian President Vladimir Putin over his embrace of a long-time U.S. enemy while undermining the assessment of American intelligence agencies that Russia had interfered in the 2016 U.S. election.

And while Trump argued during the campaign that as president he would rarely leave Washington, since taking office on Jan. 20, 2017, Trump has gone golfing 227 times as of April 19, 2019, according to NBC News.

Turning Point USA did not respond to NBC's request for comment, but a spokesman for the group told the Post late Wednesday that he didn't know where the image came from, but that it was a "last-minute throw-up, and that's all it was." The spokesman added, "It was an A/V mistake . . . it certainly wasn’t our intention.”

Turning Point USA describes itself as a youth organization dedicated to educating and training and students "to promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government."

The White House did not immediately respond to an email request for comment.

Sixteen Marines were arrested during battalion formation at Camp Pendleton Thursday, accused of illegal activities ranging from drug-related offenses to human smuggling, officials said.

Officials with the 1st Marine Division of the U.S. Marine Corps. said representatives with Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) were also involved in what they called the “mass arrests.”

The Marines - all E-2 to E-4 in rank - were arrested based on information gained from a previous human smuggling investigation, military officials said. 

Earlier this month, two Camp Pendleton-based Marines were arrested and accused of transporting undocumented immigrants along the U.S.-Mexico border near Tecate.

U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Lance Corporals Byron Law II and David Salazar-Quintero on July 3 in east San Diego County. The agents reportedly saw three undocumented immigrants jump into the Marines’ car on Interstate 8, just north of the border.

According to a federal complaint, the undocumented immigrants told border agents they had agreed to pay the Marines $8,000 to take them north from the border to Los Angeles, eventually intending to head to New Jersey.

An additional 8 Marines were taken aside and questioned on alleged drug offenses but officials say that investigation is not related to today's arrests.

More than 42,000 active duty personnel work on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. 

The base, located on the coast near Oceanside, California, also hosts thousands of Marine reservists for annual training on its firing ranges, Urban Terrain facilities and training areas. 

No other information was available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

NBC Connecticut Meteorologists are forecasting another heat wave as we head toward the weekend.

The month of July has already been exceptionally hot. Average temperatures for this month are on track to be the warmest ever recorded in the month of July.

We're forecasting temperatures to surge into the upper 80s and low 90s from Saturday right through Tuesday. 

While temperatures certainly won't be as high as last weekend we are forecasting highs in the Hartford area around 90 both Saturday and Sunday.

Take a look at the Exclusive 10 Day Forecast for inland Connecticut and the shoreline. 

INLAND FORECAST

SHORELINE FORECAST

It appears we break the heat wave toward the middle part of next week as a cold front brings showers and thunderstorms to the region.