A terminally ill British baby still has a chance at life thanks to attention from U.S. President Donald Trump and Pope Francis, his mother said Monday.

NBC News reports that Connie Yates, mom to 11-month-old Charlie Gard, feels the interventions have "saved his life so far. She said so on BBC Radio 4 early Monday, ahead of a court hearing to keep the baby on life support.

Charlie has a rare genetic condition that left him unable to move his limbs or breathe on his own, and while courts have said continued treatment would hurt the child, his parents have raised nearly $2 million to help bring him the United States for an experimental treatment.

"If we can help little #CharlieGard, as per our friends in the U.K. and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so," Trump tweeted last week.

A kiteboarder struck a humpback whale in the San Francisco Bay while a camera was rolling.

Andrei Grigoriev crashed into the massive marine mammal off Crissy Field Beach on June 18. The stunned man told Australia’s 9News that the encounter was “completely accidental.”

Grigoriev captured the incident on video and posted it on Facebook, writing that the humpback whale frightened him by first passing under his board and then doubling back 15 seconds later at a “high speed, splashing fountains and rolling.”

The video doesn’t show whether the humpback whale was injured.

In recent months, whales have frequently been spotted in Northern California waters. Some have frolicked, delighting onlookers, but others have washed ashore, dead, after being struck by vessels in the ocean.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration advises people to maintain at least a 100-yard distance from all marine mammals, Hoodline reported.

The federal Marine Mammal Protection Act is in place to safeguard whales, dolphins, seals, manatees, sea otters, sea lions and more. So feeding, capturing, killing or harassing the animals is illegal, according to the Marine Mammal Center.

A 3-year-old baseball fanatic from San Marcos may have found his calling as a sports announcer: the toddler can name each player on the San Diego Padres roster, with major zeal, to boot.

Kameron Brummer’s impressive knowledge of the current Padres roster was captured on video by his mom, Sonja Brummer, at a July 1 game at Petco Park when the Padres took on the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Sonja posted the video online and told NBC 7 that, while Kameron doesn’t know the names of dinosaurs or U.S. presidents yet, he sure knows his baseball players.

In the 2-minute-long YouTube video, Sonja can be heard asking Kameron – clad in a mini Padres jersey and hat – to name the athletes.

In his best announcer voice, the boy names several of the players – even those with tough-to-pronounce last names like outfielders Matt Szczur (No. 23) and Travis Jankowski (No. 16).

“Who’s No. 10?” Sonja asks her son.

“Hunter! Reh-fen-rrroh!” Kameron says with glee, referring to the outfielder.

He goes on to name pitcher Clayton Richard (No. 3) as well as Ryan Schimpf, Allen Cordoba (No. 17) and Manuel Margot (No. 7).

“Who’s No. 4?” his mom asks.

“No. 4 – Wil Myers!” the toddler shouts.

Sonja told NBC 7 that, while Kameron loves every single Padres player, Myers might be his favorite.

About a minute into Kameron’s roster announcements, he gets stumped – but only for a second.

When his mom asks him who No. 8 is on the Padres, the tot says Justin Upton – a former Padre who is now No. 8 for the Detroit Tigers.

“He doesn’t play for the Padres,” Sonja reminds Kameron.

“Justin Upton is…Justin Upton,” the toddler reasons.

“But, he doesn’t play for the Padres,” Sonja tells him.

Kameron takes a second, thinks about it, and moves on, not skipping a beat.

“No. 8,” he corrects himself. “Erick Aybar!”

What a comeback.

Sonja told NBC 7 her family is Padres season ticket-holders, so she and her husband take Kameron and his brother, Kyson, 5, to home games frequently.

When they’re not watching the games live at Petco Park, the boys watch them on TV and play baseball at home. A couple of bulbs missing from the chandelier at their house are proof of this.

Sonja said Kameron likes to “get into character” and pretend to be each player. His favorite to depict is, of course, Myers.

“This is all self-taught. The boys recognize each player by uniform, name, and face,” Sonja said. “They even know their positions.”

When the family goes to a ballgame at Petco Park, Kameron is always ready to announce the roster from his seat. He announces the list at home, too.

“It’s nonstop,” Sonja said with a laugh. “At every game; in the bathroom; in the shower – everywhere.”

Sonja said that, while Kameron is great with names, Kyson brings his A-game when it comes to statistics.

“If he has to go to bed before a Padres game is over on TV, he asks me all about all of the stats the next morning. What’s the score? Who did what? I have to know all of it,” she added.

Sonja said baseball brings her family together. For her boys, baseball is life.

“I can’t imagine baseball not being in their lives,” she said.

And when the daily grind gets hectic, those nine sweet innings at Petco Park just seem to slow everything down.

“Nothing else matters when we’re at the game,” she added.

So, is Kameron the next Jerry Coleman or Dick Enberg?

“Maybe,” Sonja said. "Although, he would tell you he wants to be Wil Myers first and the Padres announcer later." 

Oh, doctor. He’s going to need to coin a catchphrase.

A serious crash closed Route 9 in Old Saybrook Monday morning.

The crash happened in the northbound lanes near Exit 3, according to state police.

Life Star was called to the scene for a person with a serious injury, police said.

The crash involved a vehicle and a motorcycle, according to the Department of Transportation.

Both lanes of the highway reopened around 9:50 a.m.

Amazon's annual Prime Day kicks off Monday night, but the online superstore isn't the only retailer hoping to capture your business during a regularly sleepy month for retail.

Stores such as Toys"R"Us, Target, Sur La Table and more are jumping on the bandwagon, hoping to take a swing at Amazon by staging their own versions of this summer twist on Black Friday, which for Amazon runs from 9 p.m. July 10 to the early hours of July 12.

Unlike Amazon's sales event, these retailers are opening their deals to anyone, not just subscribers. It will pay to comparison shop; keep multiple tabs open to find the best deal.

"July is not a traditional shopping window," said Mark Cohen, director of retail studies at Columbia Business School. But, he said, Amazon has "called the party and invited all sorts of people who might not otherwise be interested in shopping in July."

Amazon gave shoppers a window into most of its Prime Day deals starting Sunday, and Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us followed a similar strategy. Customers can receive 20 percent off their entire purchase online for 36-hours starting Monday at 6 p.m., said Joseph Contrino, spokesperson for Toys"R"Us, via email on Monday.

Best Buy waited until Monday to announce it will mark down prices on technology such as Apple Watches, iPads and select computers starting Tuesday, said Boua Xiong, Best Buy spokesperson, via email. Some deals will be available all week in stores and online.

"That's a strategic move on the retailer's part," said Henry Fonvielle, president of Rappaport, a retail leasing managing and acquisition company focused on the D.C.-area market. "If they announce what they're doing ahead of time, Amazon will out price them before they go live. It's also creating a sense of discovery, that sense of 'ah ha, I've found this.'"

Sears is promoting a Summer Splash event, boasting deals online only on Monday and Tuesday -- the same time span as Prime Day -- all with free shipping, said Brian Hanover, spokesperson for Sears, via email. The store is also discounting clothes, mattresses, tools and bikes Monday through Saturday.

Kitchenware store Sur La Table will introduce a one-day shopping event called Lime Day, launching July 10. The tagline: Get primed for Lime Day. The day will feature more than 300 items on sale for up to 75 percent off, according to its Facebook advertisement.

Others are jumping in on the action:

• Target is offering "season-long low prices" on back-to-school items, with specifics available in their circular, said Target spokesperson Shandra Tollefson. The deals began Sunday.
• Newegg, an online tech retailer, will launch the Fantastech sale beginning Tuesday at 12 a.m. PDT.
• Macy’s is promoting up to 60 percent off clearance items online. They promoted up to 70 percent off clearance items with a one-day sale last Friday and Saturday.
  

With Prime Day, Amazon is "going to take all the legacy retailers down the rabbit hole with them, who will have to compete in price," Cohen said.

Consumer interest might drive sales for retailers trying to compete with Prime Day, but the added volume may not translate into profit, Cohen said. Brick-and-mortar stores can offer high-quality value, service, convenience and quality to keep customers loyal, Fonvielle said.

"The reason why there's the gold rush is because the people that get the largest market share are going to ultimately going to lead the next evolution of retail sales," Fonvielle said.

Amazon, however, benefits twofold from Prime Day, Cohen said. They sell both product and subscriptions, generating loyal customers who are likely to return to Amazon to use their Prime memberships in the future -- including during the holiday season.

"Amazon is doing this and everyone is paying attention because they're not used to it," Cohen said. "This is a new toy to play with."

Norwalk police are investigating the shooting of an 18-year-old on Sunday.

Officers responded to Plymouth Avenue just before 11 a.m. Sunday and found the victim near the sidewalk suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

The teen was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, according to police.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call police at 203-854-3011.

Anonymous tips can be left at 203-854-3111.

At least 99 bills in 31 states have been introduced to try and crack down on voter fraud this year, in the wake of President Donald Trump's unfounded claim that millions of fraudulent votes cost him the popular vote in the 2016 election, NBC News reported.

The numbers, which more than double last year's count, were compiled by the Brennan Center. The most common types of restriction would require voters to present photo identification in order to cast their ballots or change the voter registration process.

"Voter impersonation does occur. Does it occur on a large scale? No," said Arkansas state Sen. Bryan King, a Republican who wrote the state's 2013 voter ID law, which was later ruled unconstitutional. "These type of situations can be very small, but they can be very impactful. It can affect elections."

While proponents of these laws hope they can crack down on impersonation at the polls, critics fear that they will adversely affect minorities, young voters, and low-income Americans, disproportionately lowering turnout among these demographics.

Day passes and season passes have increased for duBois Beach on Water Street in Stonington.

A day pass to the small private beach, was $10 for a family last year. A day pass is now $10 per adult, children 12 and under are free.

Season passes are as follows:

• $100 - Young Professional (under the age of 30), dependent children 12 and under free.
• $125 – 1 Adult, dependent children 12 and under are free.
• $200 – 2 Adults, dependent children 21 and under are free.

All season passes include six adult day passes per season. Additional guest passes can be purchased for $5 each.

duBois Beach is a private beach that is not funded by taxpayers. The Stonington Village Improvement Association owns the beach and it is managed by the Stonington Community Center (COMO), a non-profit group.

Some community members were not happy about the changes in pricing, but COMO administrators said it was necessary.

“There has not been an increase in many years and our expenses have certainly increased as you can imagine managing high quality certified lifeguards, equipment and such,” said Beth-Ann Stewart, the executive director for the Stonington Community Center.

Stewart encourages any community members upset by the pricing to reach out to her directly.

There are only a few “classic” northeastern U.S. tornado outbreaks that jump out in your mind. The 1985 Pennsylvania outbreak is one, the 1998 Pennsylvania/New York outbreak is another, and so is the 1989 northeast outbreak. The epicenter of that outbreak was right here in Connecticut with an F4 tornado touchdown in Hamden and New Haven.

The atmosphere couldn’t have been more primed for a big tornado event. Here’s the morning weather balloon launch and sounding from Albany.

A classic elevated mixed layer with a dry adiabatic layer from 625mb through 750mb is present. What is most striking, however, is the exceptional wind shear in the atmosphere. Winds at 500mb are out of the northwest at 80 knots while in the boundary layer winds are out of the south-southeast at 10 knots! That’s about as strong as it gets.

The presence of the “EML” allowed for significant instability to develop during the heating of the day. Prior to the tornado in Connecticut temperatures reached the low and middle 80s with dew points in excess of 70F. A quick and dirty modification of that sounding for 30/22 shows just how explosively unstable the atmosphere was.

The first tornado touched down in upstate New York west of Albany and was on the ground for an incredible 42 miles. That same supercell went on to produce a series of tornadoes in Connecticut. The first tornado touched down near Route 4 in Cornwall and continued south into Bantam. The second tornado touched down in Watertown and Waterbury. The most violent of the tornadoes touched down in Hamden and continued south into New Haven.

The weather charts during the event were just incredible for a northeastern U.S. tornado outbreak with a strong disturbance moving out of southern Quebec into northern New England.

Through the day 500mb heights actually rise over southern New England with the best QG forcing displaced far to the north. Still, after the initial convective initiation in the morning those storms were able to propagate southeast into our area. The elevated mixed layer not only allowed strong instability to develop – it likely also helped keep convection relatively discrete. The atmosphere in many locations was “capped” – just enough CIN to prevent widespread convective initiation – but not capped enough to prevent all convection. The best QG forcing to the north also helped convection remain relatively scattered.

The damage in Connecticut was substantial with hundreds and hundreds of homes and businesses destroyed. Many people in the New Haven suburbs – including North Haven and North Branford were caught in the hail core of the storm with golf ball size hail or larger. Southeast of where the tornado lifted in Newhallville substantial wind damage occurred with many of the pine trees near Lake Saltonstall on the Branford/East Haven line snapped in half.

Here is some of our coverage from the 6 p.m. news on July 11, 1989.

There were other tornadoes that day – some in northern Massachusetts, others just west of Danbury in Putnam County, and another swarm in northern New Jersey. If we were able to look at radar data (which sadly, we cannot) we’d probably see a line of supercells across the region.

On a personal note, the 1989 tornado event is my first weather memory as a kid. At the time I was living in Branford but on vacation with my family on Cape Cod. When I heard about the tornado back home I was devastated! I couldn’t believe that I missed “the big one” back home. I guess I’ve been a weather weenie for 25 full years now!

A person was found dead in a car on the Yale campus in New Haven Monday morning.

The body was discovered in a car in a parking lot at 199 Park Street around 8 a.m., according to a Yale spokesperson.

Foul play is not suspected, the spokesperson said.

The person's identity has not been released.

Both Yale police and New Haven police are investigating.

Milford police arrested a man Saturday after they say he left three children in a car while he went into the Connecticut Post Mall.

Officers responded to the mall at 1201 Boston Post Road and found the three children, ages 10, 6 and 22 months inside a locked, running vehicle.

Devon Brown, 33, of Trumbull, left the kids in the car for about 20 minutes, police said.

He was charged with leaving a child under 12 unsupervised. Police also determined Brown had two active arrest warrants related to failure to appear in court in relation to two motor vehicle arrests.

Besito has abruptly closed its doors at Blue Back Square in West Hartford.

There was some information about the closing on the restaurant's website on Monday.

"After nearly a decade and with a heavy heart, we are sad to announce that we were unable to re-negotiate our lease at Blue Back Square and are closing our doors in our beloved West Hartford location," the website read.

The Mexican restaurant has been a popular spot in Blue Back for the past nine years.

According to Besito, 45 employees are affected by the closing.

"Thank you for 9 years of great conversation and memories that will last a lifetime," the website read.

Besito has other locations in New York and Massachusetts, but West Hartford was its only spot in Connecticut.

The Massachusetts father accused of kidnapping his 21-month-old son and sparking an Amber Alert on Sunday is scheduled to appear in court in Connecticut today.

Joshua Calcorzi, stabbed the baby's mother and kidnapped the child from a home located at 509 Springfield Street in Chicopee, Massachusetts early Sunday morning, according to police.

The boy, Jandel Calcorzi, was not injured in the incident. 

Police used GPS to ping the suspect's phone and that led police to the White Swan Motel off the Berlin Turnpike in Newington. The suspect and the 21-month-old baby were found in one of the motel's rooms.

Police said 12 hotels in the area were searched in an attempt to find the boy and his father.

Calcorzi was taken into custody around 8:15 a.m. at the motel. 

Calcorzi faces charges that include armed assault in a dwelling, assault to murder and kidnapping a minor by a relative.

He is scheduled to be in New Britain Superior Court on Monday.

The boy's mother underwent surgery and was listed in serious but stable condition. 

NBC Connecticut Meteorologists have issued a First Alert ahead of Tuesday's severe weather threat. 

We're forecasting the storms to come in two parts. The first chance for storms is Tuesday morning between 7 a.m. and 12 p.m. Morning storms will be scattered in nature with gusty winds, downpours, frequent lightning, and small hail all a possibility. While a storm or two could be strong to severe in the morning the severe weather threat really increases as we head into the afternoon.

The second round of storms will arrive Tuesday afternoon and linger into the evening. Storms are forecasted to arrive in the state between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. A few of the storms could be severe with damaging winds and frequent lightning. 

Take a look at the storm risk for Tuesday, the highest risk is damaging winds a slight chance of a brief tornado or isolated flooding. 

Stay with the NBC Connecticut First Alert Weather Team for the latest on Tuesday's severe weather threat. 

Guilford police have identified a person accused of painting anti-Asian graffiti on two different occasions this summer, police said Monday.

Police did not publicly name the person, but said it does not appear that the offender is connected to any racist group or movement.

The initial incident happed on June 20, when someone painted graffiti on a home near the town green. Guilford residents who spoke to NBC Connecticut at the time said the incident was not a representation of the community as a whole.

"Well, it’s very friendly, open, comfortable place to live," said Judy Cordes, who has lived in Guilford for over 40 years.

On July 9, police received another report of similar vandalism at a home on Old Whitfield Street. Through investigation police determined the same person was responsible in both incidents.

It is unclear whether any charges have been filed.

Governor Dannel Malloy wants to do more to protect residents and businesses in Connecticut from cyber-attacks.

On Monday Malloy announced a new cyber security strategy, a seven-principle approach to safety on the web.

"Sixty-five percent of our work is spent dealing with cyber security issues," Malloy said.

The governor said hackers find the state appealing because of data-rich assets like aerospace, security and health businesses.

The strategy’s principles are leadership, literacy, preparation, response, recovery, communication, and verification. Details are laid out on the state’s Connecticut Cyber Security Resource Page, where users can find information to help protect themselves from online attacks. Some things, like email filtering and password-changing, are quick steps that can make a big difference. 

Just days ago, the town of West Hartford’s website went down after it was hacked when the web site’s provider, Granicus, was hit with a virus that affected communities across the country.

By following practices laid out in the new strategy, residents, organizations, government agencies and businesses can all better protect themselves and those who rely on their systems.

Some tips are as follows:

1. Patch devices regularly: Make sure computers, mobile device apps, and anything else connected to the internet are running the most up-to-date software/firmware security patches.

2. Use updated antivirus software: Installing antivirus software on devices is simply not enough. Ensure that the software regularly scans the devices and receives periodic updates for ongoing protection.

3. Backup important data: Cyberattacks like ransomware may even infect up-to-date systems, so it is essential to back up data on a regular basis into a separate device (or to the cloud) to ensure continues access to critical data.

4. Stay alert and informed: The most common method for malware dissemination is through phishing, which involves criminals emailing people with the intent of tricking them to either open an infected attachment or click on a link to a malicious website. If a suspicious email is received, delete it. Visit reputable cybersecurity websites to remain current on trends and alerts.

5. Notify IT provider: If any abnormal computer behavior is noticed, if a device becomes infected with ransomware, or if an individual calls offering to provide unsolicited technical assistance, call a local law enforcement agency. Be sure to dial the non-emergency number for the local police department and provide them with as many details as possible regarding the incident.

The state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and the state government are also working on an action plan to better improve security throughout the state.

The state Department of Consumer Protection has issued a suspension for Sexy Café on Maple Avenue in Hartford after a shooting at the bar over the weekend.

The Sexy Café, also known as Club Sext, is located at 880 Maple Avenue, and police said the night club has been a problem before this weekend’s incident.

On Saturday, officers responded to the bar around 1:38 a.m. for a reported disturbance. When they arrived they heard gunfire coming from inside. Officers detained two suspects and recovered a firearm on scene.

Later a victim suffering a gunshot wound to her finger arrived at Hartford Hospital.

The Hartford Police Major Crimes Detectives are investigating the incident, and Hartford police requested that DCP consider a summary suspension of the premises.

The business will remain closed until further notice.

Trumbull police have arrested a man accused in a violent sexual assault.

Richard Gray, 43, is accused of violently attacking a woman in his home sometime overnight Saturday into Sunday.

The victim told police that Gray was angry with her and had been drinking Saturday evening. Gray confronted her in the home and put her into a headlock. The victim said he held her down by the neck and threatened to hit her with a bottle.

The woman struggled and tried to call 911 but Gray threw her phone away and broke it, according to police. Gray then threw the woman into another room, held her down and sexually assaulted her.

The victim left the house once she was able and contacted police. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Gray was charged with unlawful restraint, strangulation, assault, sexual assault, threatening, interfering with a 911 call, and disorderly conduct. He was held on a $25,000 bond and appeared in court Monday.

Dozens of cats were killed and five rescued during a house fire at the home of a volunteer firefighter in West Haven Monday.

Chief Stephen Scafariello of the West Shore Fire Department said that when firefighters arrived at the home on Linden Street around 12:30 p.m. flames were coming out of the back of the home. Firefighters quickly knocked the fire down and attempted to save the animals inside the building.

“We found about 40 cats at this time, all overcome by smoke,” Scafariello said.

Firefighters were able to revive five of the cats, but the rest did not survive, Scafariello said.

All the human occupants escaped unharmed. Scafariello said a volunteer firefighter lived at the home.

“Unfortunately this is one of our own - he’s a volunteer with the West Shore Fire Department, so we know the whole family,” Scafariello said.

The house is unlivable and the American Red Cross responded to assist the residents.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.