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A bus driver rescued a barefoot toddler wandering in the freezing cold

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A Milwaukee bus driver went above the call of duty when she stopped to save an unlikely would-be passenger: a toddler.

Irena Ivic was driving on a freeway overpass when she spotted a barefoot toddler, Milwaukee County Transit System spokesman Matt Sliker said. The child, wearing a red onesie and a diaper, was quickly walking to an intersection.

"I'm just grateful I was in the right place at the right time," Ivic said at a commendation ceremony held in her honor on Thursday.

Ivic stopped the bus and ran out to scoop up the toddler, as seen in a video released by the transit system. She carried the child to the bus, where passengers gathered in disbelief.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. I am shaking," Ivic said in the video as she sat down in the driver's seat with the toddler.

A passenger on the bus took off her winter coat and draped it around the little girl, who was cold to the touch. The temperatures were freezing that day, on December 22, according to the transit system.

Ivic sat talking to the coat-swaddled child, stroking her hair. The little one soon fell asleep in her arms, as seen in the video.

The 19-month-old had been cold and scared but was otherwise unharmed, police said.

The child went missing after officials believe her mother had a mental health crisis, the transit system statement said. "Authorities eventually reunited the baby with its father," Sliker said.

This is the ninth time a lost or missing child has been found by a Milwaukee County Transit System driver in recent years, according to the statement.

"I absolutely love kids. I used to be a teacher and I have children of my own, so I'm so happy I was able to help this sweet, innocent baby," Ivic said.

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A bus driver rescued a barefoot toddler wandering in the freezing cold | CNN

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A Milwaukee bus driver went above the call of duty when she stopped to save an unlikely would-be passenger: a toddler. Irena Ivic was driving on a freeway overpass when she spotted a barefoot toddler, Milwaukee County Transit System spokesman Matt Sliker said.

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Kevin Hart steps down from Oscar hosting position due to backlash from his past

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Audrey Hepburn's granddaughter works to keep her grandmother's legacy alive as she helps with charity and even inherits her style.

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Emma Hepburn Ferrer is determined to keep the legacy of her grandmother, Audrey Hepburn, alive.

Closer Weekly recently reported the 24-year-old, who was born in Switzerland a year after the Hollywood icon passed away in 1993, is following in her footsteps with philanthropy work.

"I've started to realize how meaningful it is to me," Ferrer said in the magazine's latest issue. "I really do want to be of the people."

Before her death at age 63, Hepburn served as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) and traveled extensively to Africa and Latin America. She visited Ethiopia during its historic drought to raise awareness on the plight of starving children and it was shortly after her trip to Somalia that she was diagnosed with cancer.

During her final years, Hepburn focused more on raising money for UNICEF and less on acting. Her last screen role was in 1989's "Always," a Steven Spielberg film where she made a cameo as an angel.

Ferrer said her father, Sean Ferrer, always told her stories about the grandmother she never met.

"He taught me from early on that she was not just this celebrity - she was super self-less and generous and went out of her way to make a kind gesture," she said. "That's something in her life I try to keep alive."

And Ferrer has learned plenty of secrets about the glamorous screen siren who captivated audiences on the big screen during the '50s and '60s.

"She was really funny - everyone who knew her says she had a wicked sense of humor," said Ferrer. "That's not something I necessarily would've expected."

And Ferrer always has Hepburn in mind. In fact, Closer Weekly shared she cherishes the mementos she inherited from Hepburn, including a gold heart necklace, her signature turtlenecks and a teddy bear.

"If she's looking down, she'd be most proud of [my work with UNICEF]," said Ferrer. "We all have these celebrities associated with causes now, but that wasn't the case before her."

Despite having Hepburn for a grandmother, Ferrer lived her life away from Hollywood. The New York Post previously reported she grew up in relative anonymity in Los Angeles and Italy, where she studied art and learned to speak Italian, French and Spanish.

In 2014, she was discovered by Harper's Bazaar editor Glenda Bailey through a colleague and was put on the cover of her magazine's prestigious September issue. She soon was signed by Storm Agency,

Hepburn's willingness to help others in need may have stemmed from her childhood. In 2017, her son Luca Dotti told People magazine Hepburn survived starvation during World War II, which her family believed may have contributed to her thinness.

The movie star, who was the daughter of a Dutch baroness and a British father who left the family when she was just 6 years old, struggled to survive in Holland when Germany occupied the country, which began when she was 11.

"By the end of the war, she was very close to death," explained Dotti. "She survived by eating nettles and tulip bulbs and drinking water to fill her stomach. She was almost 5'6" and weighed 88 pounds. She had jaundice and edema. She suffered from anemia for the rest of her life, possibly as a consequence... She was the same age as Anne Frank and [later] said, 'That was the girl who didn't make it and I did.' Her voice would crack, and her eyes would fill with tears."

Throughout her life, Hepburn, who was 5'7", weighed 110 pounds. Christie's, which prepared the family's first-ever auction of her personal collection of dresses, had to order mannequins with a 22-inch waist.

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Audrey Hepburn's granddaughter explains how late Hollywood star is still inspiring her

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Emma Hepburn Ferrer is determined to keep the legacy of her grandmother, Audrey Hepburn, alive. Closer Weekly recently reported the 24-year-old, who was born in Switzerland a year after the Hollywood icon passed away in 1993, is following in her footsteps with philanthropy work.

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Drake and Kendrick Lamar have combined total of 15 Golden Globe nominations.

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"Black Panther" scored Golden Globes nominations Thursday, and on Friday morning it was revealed that the soundtrack to the Marvel smash hit led the 2019 Grammy nominations as well.

Kendrick Lamar, who curated the "Black Panther" soundtrack, scored eight Grammy nominations, including Album, Song and Record of the Year.

Following closely behind was Drake, with seven nominations, including the aforementioned "big three" categories.

Cardi B, Lady Gaga, H.E.R., Maren Morris, Childish Gambino, each earned five Grammy nominations.

Six of the eight best new artist nominees are women, including H.E.R., Chloe x Halle, Dua Lipa, Margo Price, Bebe Rexha and Jorja Smith.

Female performers were underrepresented in the top four categories and in the awards broadcast at the Grammys earlier this year, but will have a strong presence at the upcoming show.

Five of the eight artists behind the album of the year nominees are women, including Cardi B (for "Invasion of Privacy"), Kacey Musgraves (for "Golden Hour"), Janelle Monae (for "Dirty Computer"), H.E.R. (for "H.E.R.") and Carlile (for "By the Way, I Forgive You").
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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2019 Grammy nominations: 'Black Panther,' Cardi B, Drake score big

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"Black Panther" scored Golden Globes nominations Thursday, and on Friday morning it was revealed that the soundtrack to the Marvel smash hit led the 2019 Grammy nominations as well. Kendrick Lamar, who curated the "Black Panther" soundtrack, scored eight Grammy nominations, including Album, Song and Record of the Year.

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A 13-year-old with autism was restrained for being violent at school. He died at a hospital two days later

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autistic teen in california dies two days after being restrained at school - cnn

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A 13-year-old with autism was restrained for being violent at school. He died at a hospital.

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A 13-year old boy at a private alternative school in California who was restrained last week during an incident and became unresponsive died two days later at a hospital, officials said Thursday.

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An Ohio father’s message about bullying has gone viral.

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FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports

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SWANTON, Ohio - An Ohio father's message about bullying has gone viral.

Matt Cox's daughter was suspended from riding the school bus on Nov. 30th due to bullying, WEWS reports.

Cox said his daughter told him that he had to drive her to school the following week, but he decided to teach her lesson instead.

"I realized she viewed the privilege of riding the bus and or car rides to and from school as a right and not a privilege," Cox said. On Monday, Cox made his daughter walk to school and posted a video on Facebook saying, "Life lessons."

In the video, Cox said a lot of children today feel that the things their parents do for them are a right and not a privilege.

Cox said his daughter was upset when she first started walking on Monday.

During the walk, Cox talked to his daughter about how her actions were the reason she was walking. He said by the end of the walk she calmed down and realized that if she hadn't bullied others she would still be on the bus.

The video has been shared more than 300,000 times.

Cox said he was shocked when he found out the video went viral.

"I was in complete shock that so many people responded when I originally posted it. I just thought friends and family would see it, and then a friend asked me to make it public so that they could share it," Cox said. "By the time I woke up the next day I had hundreds of messages in my inbox and saw that there were quite a few views."

Cox said he sat down with his children to show them the comments on the video so that they could understand the effects of bullying.

"She, along with my other two children, seem to show a great deal of empathy towards some of the sad stories that I read with them," Cox said.

He believes his daughter learned her lesson about bullying and will now appreciate the bus ride to school.

Cox hopes that when others view the video, they will learn just how much words can hurt others.

"I just hope that through the video being shared kids can take a look and read some of the comments and tutorials on the post and see just how much words can hurt and cut deep and can have lasting effects on those involved sometimes in the most awful cases life-ending effects," Cox said.

"I also hope that parents see the video and start holding their kids accountable for their actions and stop sweeping their child's actions under the rug with the ideology that kids will be kids. We as parents need to stop the bullying on the home front because bullying only breeds bullying," Cox said.

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Ohio dad makes 10-year-old daughter walk 5 miles to school after she's kicked off bus for bullying

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SWANTON, Ohio - An Ohio father's message about bullying has gone viral. Matt Cox's daughter was suspended from riding the school bus on Nov. 30th due to bullying, WEWS reports. Cox said his daughter told him that he had to drive her to school the following week, but he decided to teach her lesson instead.

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THEY ARE JOKING BUT NOBODY KNOWS.

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Jaden Smith Reaffirms Tyler, The Creator Is His Boyfriend

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The rapper reaffirmed his relationship with the fellow music star.

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Man pushes random person passing by into a truck, takes something from him, gets up and leaves.

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Surveillance video shows the suspect wearing a lime green jacket sitting in front of a restaurant in downtown Los Angeles around 10:45 in the morning as the victim passes by the suspect gets up shadows and into the street at truck runs over him but very steady I was shocked. The suspect walks off leaving the man in the street. Witnesses say the victim appeared to be in his sixties bystanders helped him to the sidewalk I felt sold that for him I couldn't believe somebody can. Do that. To a four in this thing guides walking on the street. Firefighters from LA fire department station nine respond police say the victim suffered broken bones and a collapsed lung. Less than an hour after our story aired firefighters from the same station spotted someone matching the suspect description around third and hill. It was definitely the bright neon range and baggy pants. And just the community got. Captain Raymond road less says they took another look at the video his first thought about a hundred different things as was at the right person. Looks like it is going to be be hostile so well. We followed him a couple blocks notification to lately PD shortly after this tweet from LAPD. In custody earlier ABC seven aired a clip of an individual pushing a passer by underneath the panel truck. Thanks to our partners at LE FD he is now in custody happy. I am I hope the gentlemen that he could push has has speedy recovery and for this individual that did push and hopefully he can. Do a little lump soul soul searching what he did was was wrong and to keep them off the street from hurting anybody else.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

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Video: Man pushes random passerby in front of truck

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Surveillance video shows the suspect wearing a lime green jacket sitting in front of a restaurant in downtown Los Angeles around 10:45 in the morning as the victim passes by the suspect gets up shadows and into the street at truck runs over him but very steady I was shocked.

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YouTube Rewind was TRASH

pewdiepie was robbed, shane dawson was robbed, i wanted to see the paul brothers get slapped, will smith is NOT a youtuber. fortnite takes up 2 minutes of the video. stop the women empowerment in everything, we're supposed to be in the kitchen. also i wanted to see logan paul with his green hat, that was funny. JOHNNY JOHNNY, YES PAPA???? OKAY.

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YouTube's most impactful moments of 2018 differ depending on who you ask.

Most creators would probably point to Logan Paul's controversy surrounding his time in Japan's Aokigahara forest, a multimillion-dollar boxing match between some of YouTube's most prolific individuals, and the seemingly never-ending battle between PewDiePie and Bollywood production company T-Series. There were also multiple breakups between adored YouTubers, the rise of Johnny Johnny Yes Papa as a phenomenon, and Shane Dawson ruling the digital space by reimagining what YouTubers could create.

None of these moments appear in YouTube Rewind, the streaming service's year-end wrap-up video, but that isn't too surprising. YouTube Rewind is an annual look back at the trends, creators, and moments that YouTube executives and employees consider the most noteworthy. It's a presentation of what makes YouTube unique, specifically designed to market its creators to advertisers in the hopes of securing large deals. The lack of these moments reiterates the divide between how the platform wants to be seen and the actual culture that creators participate in.

Some of the most talked-about YouTube creators this year are absent

This year, those people include actors like Will Smith and comedians like Jon Oliver. It includes mainstream stars like Fortnite' s Ninja, and some of YouTube's most notable creators who have worked in traditional Hollywood - Casey Neistat, Lilly Singh, and Liza Koshy. These creators are beloved and influential, but most importantly, they're not controversial. They work with big brands and big celebrities, and they represent the switch to a digital MTV that YouTube is trying to become.

The message from YouTube to marketers was clear: these are the people you want to invest time to watch and whose videos you should run ads on.

Jake and Logan Paul don't appear in this year's Rewind. Neither does KSI. PewDiePie, David Dobrik, Shane Dawson, and Erika Costell - some of the most talked-about YouTube creators this year - are also absent. It's unclear who was asked and who wasn't, but their absences are some of the biggest questions fans have after watching the video.

The reaction from the YouTube community is openly hostile; there are more than 250,000 downvotes on the video at the time of this writing - nearly 100,000 more than those who upvoted it. It's not that YouTube's video completely misses the mark. There are references to trends like mukbang videos (a popular food challenge), conversations about creator burnout, spotlights on popular collaboration teams like Sister Squad (Emma Chamberlain, James Charles, and the Dolan Twins) and, of course, .

YouTube is hiding its uglier side under a carpet while showing guests around

Ignoring the moments that YouTube's community cares about and pays attention to, like a boxing match that brought in nearly 1 million live viewers, hides an enormous part of the platform's cultural shift. It feels disingenuous, like YouTube is hiding its uglier side under a carpet while showing guests around.

This is something that's happened before, and, as more attention is paid to creators who participate in controversial activities, it will continue to arise.

Felix "PewDiePie" Kjellberg addressed YouTube Rewind absentees in 2017. It was the first time in three years that Kjellberg wasn't invited to star in the video - a big moment for the platform, considering he's their most popular independent personality. His disappearance followed Kjellberg's most controversial year. Videos that included anti-Semitic imagery led to Kjellberg losing his YouTube Red series, Scare PewDiePie, and his removal from Google's top ad platform. Most importantly, it kicked off a wave of concerned advertisers running from the platform.

Kjellberg may be YouTube's most prominent creator and someone whose videos bring in millions of views, but he couldn't appear in a marketing video. YouTube's most popular creator was too much of a liability. A year later, that's still mostly true.

"It wasn't because I said no. It was because I wasn't asked," Kjellberg said in 2017. He said he understood that YouTube didn't want him in it because of that year's controversies. "At the end of the day, I care more about YouTube. I care about what's good for YouTube, what's good for the platform than me being in it and I don't know ... pissing people off?"

"For Rewind not to have any reference of this is just wrong."

That's also why the Paul brothers, whose videos still bring in millions of views and who are both within the top 10 wealthiest creators of 2018, aren't in the video. Same with KSI. Possibly even Dawson, whose controversial past and focus on controversial creators - Jake Paul, Tana Mongeau, and Jeffree Star - isn't exactly what YouTube wants to present to advertisers.

None of this should matter. A company's promotional material for advertisers and investors is usually pretty boring. Except that YouTube Rewind is often seen by creators and the community as an acknowledgment of people and trends who made a difference on the platform. On a platform where a sense of authenticity and genuine dispositions are valued above anything else, having the company disregard YouTube's actual culture never sits right with people.

"All I know is YouTube better have asked Shane Dawson to be in rewind this year," YouTube creator Keemstar tweeted, acknowledging the incredible impact Dawson's documentary series had on the platform's culture. "The KSI vs Logan Paul boxing match was clearly the biggest YouTube event this year. For Rewind not to have any reference of this is just wrong."

"How the fuck they gonna do a mukbang moment and not have Trisha Paytas," Dawson tweeted about one popular YouTube creator and mukbang aficionado, whose content might also be deemed less than savory for advertisers.

There are tons of creators in this year's Rewind, and it seems that YouTube did listen to criticism from last year and lean into featuring more creators than traditional celebrities. It's also increasingly apparent, however, that YouTube is trying to sell a culture that's different from the one millions of people come to the platform for, and that's getting harder for both creators and fans to swallow.

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YouTube Rewind hides its community's biggest moments to appease advertisers

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YouTube's most impactful moments of 2018 differ depending on who you ask. Most creators would probably point to Logan Paul's controversy surrounding his time in Japan's Aokigahara forest, a multimillion-dollar boxing match between some of YouTube's most prolific individuals, and the seemingly never-ending battle between PewDiePie and Bollywood production company T-Series.

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Kevin Hart steps down from Oscar hosting gig amid criticism over past anti-gay tweets

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Comedian Kevin Hart has announced he is stepping down from hosting the 2019 Academy Awards amid criticism over years-old tweets deemed anti-gay.

Hart, 39, posted on Twitter early Friday an apology to the LGBTQ community for his past comments.

"I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year's Oscar's....this is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past," Hart tweeted.

In a follow-up tweet, he added that" "I'm sorry that I hurt people.. I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again."

The announcement came two days after Hart announced on his Instagram account that he'd been selected to host the 91st Academy Awards, which will be broadcast Feb. 24. He was slated to take over the hosting duties from Jimmy Kimmel, who emceed the past two ceremonies.

Shortly after announcing the hosting gig, several now-deleted tweets by Hart using words such as "homo" and "gay," dating back to 2011, resurfaced.

In a 2010 stand-up special, Hart said "If I can prevent my son from being gay, I will."

GLAAD, a media monitoring group founded by LGBT people in media, said it had contacted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to discuss Hart's gig prior to him stepping down.

"We've reached out to @ABCNetwork, @TheAcademy and @KevinHart4real's management to discuss Kevin's anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and record as well as opportunities for positive LGBTQ inclusion on the Oscars stage," the group tweeted.

Late Thursday, Hart reacted to the backlash in an Instagram video.

"If u want to search my history or past and anger yourselves with what u find that is fine with me, a shirtless Hart said. "I'm almost 40 years old and I'm in love with the man that I am becoming. "If you want to hold people in a position where they always have to justify or explain their past then...I'm the wrong guy, man."

Some Twitter users, including celebrities, were not amused.

Chad Griffin, president of Human Rights Campaign, which advocates for LGBTQ equality, also chimed in.

In another Instagram video, Hart said the Academy asked him to apologize for the past tweets or "we're going to have to move on to find another host."

"I chose to pass," Hart said. "The reason I passed because I've addressed this several times. I've said where the rights and wrongs were. I've who I am now versus who I was then."

"We feed into the Internet trolls and we reward them, I'm not going to do it, man. I'm going to be me, and stand my ground," he continued.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Kevin Hart steps down from Oscar hosting gig amid criticism over past anti-gay tweets

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Comedian Kevin Hart has announced he is stepping down from hosting the 2019 Academy Awards amid criticism over years-old tweets deemed anti-gay. Hart, 39, posted on Twitter early Friday an apology to the LGBTQ community for his past comments.

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Heather Nueart may be heading to the UN. She is possibly the Trump Administration's new Ambassador. President Trump is expected to make the announcement today.Nikki Haley will be leaving the post at the end of the year.

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Teacher arrested after video shows her forcibly cutting student's hair while singing national anthem

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A California high school teacher is behind bars after video surfaced Wednesday showing her forcibly cutting off a student's hair while singing the national anthem.

A video obtained by ABC television station KFSN shows Margaret Gieszinger, a teacher at University Preparatory High School on the campus of College of the Sequoias Community College in Visalia, holding a pair of scissors in one hand as she points to a chair at the front of her classroom and urges a male student to sit down.

The footage shows Gieszinger grab a hold of the the boy's short hair as he reluctantly takes a seat and his classmates watch in disbelief. She then shears off a chunk of his hair and tosses it over her shoulder, all while belting out "The Star-Spangled Banner."

The video continues to show Gieszinger walk to the back of the classroom, where she grabs a hold of a girl's long tresses while raising the scissors in the air and snipping the blades. The student manages to escape unscathed as the rest of the class runs out of the room in horror.

Students told KFSN that Gieszinger entered the class with the scissors in her hand and declared that it was "haircut day."

One student, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told KFSN that after the incident he ran to the school's main office for help.

"We think she's going to try to be funny and be like, 'Oh, did you really think I was going to cut his hair?' But she did cut a hair off, and she started singing the 'Star Spangled Banner' and she was singing it really loudly as she ceremoniously tossed a chunk of hair behind her," the student said. "I hope I never have to see her at the school again because I know for a fact I can never see her as a respectable authority figure in my life."

Students told KFSN that they don't know what caused Gieszinger to behave in such a way, but noted that she had experienced another breakdown earlier in the week.

The College of the Sequoias District Police Department arrested Gieszinger on suspicion of felony child endangerment. She is being held at Tulare County's Bob Wiley Detention Facility on $100,000 bail, according to inmate records. It was not immediately known if she has obtained an attorney.

Gieszinger is scheduled to appear in court Friday.

Tulare County Superintendent of Schools Jim Vidak, whose office oversees the high school, said Gieszinger was "promptly removed" from her classroom after the "disturbing" incident and will not be returning.

"The staff at University Preparatory High School and the administration at the Tulare County Office of Education are deeply concerned for the students who were subjected to the disturbing behavior in Margaret Gieszinger's class yesterday morning," Vidak said in a statement Thursday. "We are reviewing all available information and will take the most severe employment action appropriate."

A "highly-qualified" substitute teacher will take over Gieszinger's class for the rest of the semester as the school looks for a permanent replacement, according to Vidak.

"To support all students on the UPHS campus today, we have sent top counselors from our mental health services program," the superintendent said. "They will continue to be available to the students as long as necessary."

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Teacher arrested after video shows her forcibly cutting student's hair

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A California high school teacher is behind bars after video surfaced Wednesday showing her forcibly cutting off a student's hair while singing the national anthem.

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Emma Splan was a happy, healthy 6-year-old who loved ballet and cats. When she was sent home from school on February 13 after feeling sick, her parents could have never imagined the next few days would be the last they would get to spend with their little girl.

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TODAY 2 hrs ago Gabrielle Frank

Emma Splan was a happy, healthy 6-year-old who loved ballet and cats. When she was sent home from school on February 13 after feeling sick, her parents could have never imagined the next few days would be the last they would get to spend with their little girl.

On February 18, Emma died from complications of the flu. She was one of 185 pediatric flu deaths during the "high severity flu season" last winter, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 80 percent of the pediatric flu deaths occurred in children who had not received a flu vaccine. Emma, however, had gotten her flu shot in October 2017.

Knowing that Emma had received a flu shot and that they did everything they could have done for her helps her parents Christy Pugh and Dave Splan find comfort.

"Dave and I, we did everything right - by bringing her to the doctor, and getting her a flu shot, and keeping her home from school," said Pugh. "We also know in our cores that the doctors and nurses did everything ... There was not a missed step anywhere."

What happened to Emma

When Emma was first sent home from school, her flu symptoms were not terrible.

"They were classic symptoms, runny nose, fever," said Pugh, 37. They brought her to the pediatrician who explained that since she was over 2 and under 65 years old, and didn't have asthma, she didn't qualify for Tamiflu. At the time, there was a shortage of the drug in Connecticut, where they live.

She seemed fine for the next few days, but her symptoms suddenly became more serious. She started throwing up and couldn't keep anything down. Her parents brought Emma to the local urgent care. The staff gave her some anti-nausea pills and sent the family home. When they got home, Emma threw up again and again.

Pugh and Splan decided to take her to the pediatric emergency room at Stamford Hospital.

Once they got there, Emma's condition rapidly declined. She wasn't responsive, her blood pressure was dropping and her care team was desperately trying to get fluids into her body. They recommended Emma be transferred to Yale New Haven Children's Hospital.

When she got there, her condition seemed improved. She was sitting up, talking. But she complained of back pain, and then she coughed and died.

Dr. E. Vincent Faustino, an associate professor of pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine, was part of Emma's care team. He explained there was an inflammation in her heart and bleeding into the wall of her heart. This combination caused her heart to stop working, and there was nothing more that doctors could do.

"The bleeding into the wall of her heart was a very rare complication, so uncommon," Faustino explained. "Emma was a healthy child, who tested positive for influenza B ... Everyone needs to get the flu shot."

The importance of the flu vaccine

The current CDC recommendations advise annual influenza vaccination for everyone older than 6 months, who does not have a medical condition that would prohibit them from vaccination (such as an allergy, compromised immune system and more.)

"The vaccine is not perfect. Emma got the vaccine," noted Faustino. "But if we don't vaccinate, we're going to see a lot more children having complications of flu. A lot of parents think that the flu is a nuisance ... In reality people can die from the flu."

Why are people reluctant to get the vaccine or have their kids vaccinated? Some believe you can get the flu from the flu shot. This is simply untrue: The flu shot can't and won't give you flu. While some people may experience arm soreness, slight fatigue or a headache after getting the shot, those are the few noted side effects.

According to the CDC, it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop to provide protection against the flu. While it's important to get vaccinated in October, before flu season starts, it's never too late to get vaccinated.

Pugh and Splan are advocates of the flu shot and encourage friends and family to get vaccinated.

"I've seen and gotten a lot of comments about why we still recommend the flu shot even though it didn't work for us," said Pugh. "And I guess the reason is similar to why people still use seat belts even though people die in car accidents ... You're better equipped with a seat belt on to survive the crash."

The effectiveness of the vaccine varies from year to year, but the CDC offers a list of benefits to vaccination. The shot:

Prevents you from getting sick

Reduces the risk of flu-associated hospitalization for children, working age adults and older adults

Is a preventive tool for people with chronic health conditions

Protects women during pregnancy

Reduces the severity of illness in people who get vaccinated, but still get sick

Helps to protect people around you who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness, like babies, young kids, elderly and people with health conditions.

If you think you might have the flu, go to the doctor.

"A large number of patients that die from the flu don't reach the hospital," noted Faustino. "People don't realize the flu can be fatal."

Keeping Emma's memory alive

Pugh and her husband are working on creating a non-profit organization named Emma's Plan to help support causes that were close to Emma's heart, like animal welfare and the arts.

Pugh has also been donating "kitty quilts" to everyone in Emma's world. The quilts are comprised of cat heads, stitched together. Pugh got the idea for the quilts after remembering that Emma once told her that if she died, she wanted to come back as a cat.

Pugh has posted call outs for "kitty blocks" on social media over the past year and has been completely overwhelmed by the response.

"People were sending in blocks from all over the world ... We got a ton from the U.S., but we're getting them from New Zealand, South Africa, Brazil, France, Germany, Scotland, Mexico, Canada, Utah," she said, noting that some days they were getting 40 or 50 packages a day.

No matter where or who the blocks are coming from, each one reminds Pugh of her sweet daughter, who loved everything pink, sparkly and furry.

"I really want people to remember that Emma was kind, that she was sweet, that she was a good friend," Pugh said, echoing a heart patch that she sews into each quilt encouraging its recipient to lead with kindness.

And while every family's situation is different, Pugh encourages parents to strongly consider vaccination.

"I really just want other parents to ... do what we did, and to make the right choices for their families. And for us it was making sure she had the flu shot," Pugh said. "It is a virus, it is deadly ... I didn't think it could happen to us."
If you're interested in making a donation to Emma's Plan, please visit the charity's website.
Related video: Lowest Flu Vaccination Rate In Years May Have Contributed To Deaths (Provided by Newsy)

Your self-tanner could come with a side of diarrhea

With summer long gone, so is that tan you spent all August perfecting. Buzz60's Angeli Kakade has the story.

Buzz60

Do you want fries with that? Maybe not

A Harvard professor says you might want to skip the fries, or just have a few - six, to be exact. That's the number of fries Dr. Eric Rimm says a person should eat in a serving. TODAY Hoda Kotb reports.

TODAY

Did broken heart syndrome lead to Bush 41's death?

Did broken heart syndrome hasten the death of former President George H.W. Bush following the death of his beloved wife? The nation watched as Bush mourned his partner of 73 years, Barbara, in April. The day after her burial, he was rushed to intensive care with sepsis. David Valdez, Bush's official White House photographer, told Inside Edition he believed the former president longed to join her in the afterlife. "I said, 'Wow, talk about a broken heart, it only took eight months,'" he said.

Inside Edition

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'It is deadly': Mom encourages vaccination after losing 6-year-old daughter to flu

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TODAY 2 hrs ago Gabrielle Frank Emma Splan was a happy, healthy 6-year-old who loved ballet and cats. When she was sent home from school on February 13 after feeling sick, her parents could have never imagined the next few days would be the last they would get to spend with their little girl.

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Ukraine's defense ministry warned Russia on Friday that it will soon send navy ships through the Kerch Strait where Russia fired on and seized three Ukrainian vessels two weeks ago.

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Ukraine's defense ministry warned Russia on Friday that it will soon send navy ships through the Kerch Strait where Russia fired on and seized three Ukrainian vessels two weeks ago.

The announcement sets up another possible flashpoint in the long-simmering conflict between Russia and Ukraine that erupted in 2014 with Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula burst into the open on Nov. 25 when Russian border guards opened fire on three Ukrainian navy vessels that were moving through the Kerch Strait near Crimea and seized the ships and their crews.

Ukraine responded by introducing martial law for 30 days, a measure Kiev did not take even after Crimea's annexation and amid large-scale fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists in 2014-2015.

As part of martial law, Ukraine has beefed up its forces on the border with Russia and called up reservists for training.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak told reporters on Friday that his country intends to send naval ships through the Kerch Strait soon, saying that "otherwise Russia will fully occupy the Sea of Azov."

Ukraine has ports both on the Black Sea and on the Sea of Azov which are linked by the Kerch Strait that separates Crimea from Russia.

More than 140 ships were stuck on both sides of the strait on Friday due to excessive checks and delays on the Russian side, the Ukrainian Border Guard Service said, accusing Russia of creating a bottleneck for Ukrainian ships and preventing them from passing.

Speaking in Rome at a ministerial meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov brushed off suggestions Russia could release or exchange the 24 Ukrainian seamen captured in last month's maritime confrontation. Lavrov said it was too early to speak about any offers of a prisoner swap until Russia's investigation of the incident is completed and the servicemen are put on trial for violating the Russian border.

Lavrov also reacted to a suggestion by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to expand the OSCE monitoring mission to the Sea of Azov, saying that Russia "has no need" for any intermediaries or monitors in the area.

Russian ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova told Russian news agencies on Friday that she visited three Ukrainian seamen who were injured in the incident and are being held in a Moscow prison hospital. Moskalkova said she spoke to the men and "got the impression" that the crew "were not aware that they were committing a crime."

Meanwhile, a court in Crimea on Friday jailed for five days lawyer Emil Kurbedinov, who represents the commander of one of the Ukrainian ships. The court found Kurbedinov guilty of spreading extremist material in a social media post he made in 2013.

___

Vasilyeva reported from Moscow.

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Ukraine says will send naval ships through Kerch Strait soon

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Ukraine's defense ministry warned Russia on Friday that it will soon send navy ships through the Kerch Strait where Russia fired on and seized three Ukrainian vessels two weeks ago. The announcement sets up another possible flashpoint in the long-simmering conflict between Russia and Ukraine that erupted in 2014 with Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula burst into the open on Nov.

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A 13 year old boy with autism was restrained at school for being violent. He was subsequently admitted to a hospital and died 2 days later. The local police say there is no evidence of criminal or malicious intent.

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autistic teen in california dies two days after being restrained at school - cnn

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A 13-year-old with autism was restrained for being violent at school. He died at a hospital.

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A 13-year old boy at a private alternative school in California who was restrained last week during an incident and became unresponsive died two days later at a hospital, officials said Thursday.

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Man held after 'strange smell' leads to woman’s torso in basement, other parts upstairs

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A foul stench led to the discovery of a woman's torso in the basement of a Grand Rapids, Mich., home last weekend, according to court records revealed this week.

A tenant of the home called authorities after going into the basement to "investigate a strange smell," and found a bag or tarp covered with blood, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Responding officers discovered the remains of an unidentified woman underneath, police said.
LONG ISLAND MAN WHO FOUND BONES IN HIS BASEMENT OPENS UP ABOUT GRISLY FIND: 'THIS IS ALMOST A PERFECT CRIME'
Authorities then obtained a search warrant and found other body parts in the upstairs apartment of a man identified in the report as 29-year-old James Chance. Grand Rapids Police detective Erika Fannon said the body parts were "suspected to have belonged to the torso located in the basement."

She said investigators had determined the suspect "was with a female acquaintance two days prior and that the female acquaintance was since reported as a missing person and she had not to this date been located."

Police are investigating whether it's the body of a Kalamazoo-area woman who was traveling to Grand Rapids and was last seen on Nov. 29.
NEW YORK FAMILY HOPES HUMAN REMAINS FOUND IN BASEMENT WILL LEAD TO ANSWERS ABOUT MISSING FATHER
Chance was taken into custody and charged with mutilation of a dead body and concealing the death of an individual with bond set at $750,000, the report said. Given his past criminal history and multiple probation violations, he was charged with being a four-time habitual offender, Fox 17 reported.

Police on Wednesday searched the home of Chance's parents in Holland, Mich., about 35 minutes southwest of Grand Rapids, according to the station.

Chance's next court appearance for a probable cause conference is scheduled for later this month. Authorities said identifying the victim "will take a little bit of extra time."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Man held after 'strange smell' leads to woman's torso in basement, other parts upstairs, police say

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A foul stench led to the discovery of a woman's torso in the basement of a Grand Rapids, Mich., home last weekend, according to court records revealed this week. A tenant of the home called authorities after going into the basement to "investigate a strange smell," and found a bag or tarp covered with blood, the Detroit Free Press reported.

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There are to be multiple court filings friday expected to shed light on investigation of James Comey.

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In an early morning Twitter rant, President Trump railed against special counsel Robert Mueller, James Comey, and even his own Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as he pondered what will be in the special counsel's anticipated final report.

The president's tweets come as the special counsel prepares to make multiple court filings Friday expected to shed light into where the investigation is headed and as former FBI director James Comey, whom Trump refers to as "Leakin' Lyin' James Comey," will testify behind closed doors Friday on Capitol Hill.

Andrew Harnik/AP, FILE

The president repeats some of his standard lines against the special counsel, as he accuses Mueller and his team of political bias against him. He ponders whether "Robert Mueller's big time conflicts of interest be listed at the top of his Republicans only Report" along with the "many contributions made by the 17 Angry Democrats to the Campaign of Crooked Hillary."

Mueller previously served as FBI director, appointed to the role by President George W. Bush, and continued in the role for part of the Obama administration.

Charles Dharapak/AP, FILE

President Trump also whether his current Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will be mentioned in Mueller's final report.

He also mentions "bye the way" he didn't know Jerome Corsi, an associate of former Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone, but Trump but asks if the person in charge of his prosecution headed the "corrupt Clinton Foundation?"

Robert Mueller and Leakin' Lyin' James Comey are Best Friends, just one of many Mueller Conflicts of Interest. And bye the way, wasn't the woman in charge of prosecuting Jerome Corsi (who I do not know) in charge of "legal" at the corrupt Clinton Foundation? A total Witch Hunt...
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018

....Will Robert Mueller's big time conflicts of interest be listed at the top of his Republicans only Report. Will Andrew Weissman's horrible and vicious prosecutorial past be listed in the Report. He wrongly destroyed people's lives, took down great companies, only to be........
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018

.....overturned, 9-0, in the United States Supreme Court. Doing same thing to people now. Will all of the substantial & many contributions made by the 17 Angry Democrats to the Campaign of Crooked Hillary be listed in top of Report. Will the people that worked for the Clinton....
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018

....Foundation be listed at the top of the Report? Will the scathing document written about Lyin' James Comey, by the man in charge of the case, Rod Rosenstein (who also signed the FISA Warrant), be a big part of the Report? Isn't Rod therefore totally conflicted? Will all of....
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018

...the lying and leaking by the people doing the Report, & also Bruce Ohr (and his lovely wife Molly), Comey, Brennan, Clapper, & all of the many fired people of the FBI, be listed in the Report? Will the corruption within the DNC & Clinton Campaign be exposed?..And so much more!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018

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Trump rants on Twitter about Comey, Mueller investigation as new details expected

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In an early morning Twitter rant, President Trump railed against special counsel Robert Mueller, James Comey, and even his own Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as he pondered what will be in the special counsel's anticipated final report.

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Kevin Hart steps down from hosting the Oscars due to offensive tweets in the past

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Kevin Hart says he won't host Oscars after furor over homophobic tweets | CNN

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Kevin Hart is stepping down from hosting the Oscars after homophobic tweets surfaced on Thursday.

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Huawei's Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada on behalf of the United States however this might spark retaliation.

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China could 'take hostages' and is almost certain to retaliate against the United States, experts say, after the stunning arrest of a top Chinese tech executive for allegedly trying to skirt sanctions on Iran.

Huawei Technologies' chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested Saturday in Canada and faces extradition to the U.S. Meng was taken into custody on behalf of the U.S. while she was transferring flights in Vancouver, the tech company said.

Chinese officials on Thursday blasted Meng's arrest - but experts warn more forceful actions, including the possibility of tit-for-tat detentions of high-profile citizens, could be coming.

James Lewis, the director of technology policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Axios the U.S. should be prepared for a backlash and warned American tech executives to steer clear of China for now.

"If I was an American tech executive, I wouldn't travel to China this week," warned Lewis, who labeled Huawei "one of the Chinese government's pet companies" and charged the communist country's leaders wouldn't be afraid to "take hostages."

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang on Thursday called Meng's arrest a violation of human rights and demanded the "immediate release" of the 46-year-old executive, who also goes by the name Sabrina.

"Detaining a person without providing an explanation has undoubtedly violated her human rights," Geng said, adding the Chinese government "has made clear our solemn positions to the U.S. and Canada."

Geng said the U.S. and Canada haven't provided reasons for Meng's detention. But the Wall Street Journal reported in April that U.S. authorities were investigating whether Huawei violated sanctions on Iran, leading the Chinese government to appeal to Washington to avoid any steps that might have damaged business confidence.

Meng is the deputy chairman of the company's board and the daughter of its founder, Ren Zhengfei, a former Chinese military engineer. Her stature in Chinese culture has been compared to American tech giants such as Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg.
HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CFO ARRESTED IN CANADA, ACCUSED OF VIOLATING IRAN SANCTIONS
An editorial in the pro-government Global Times accused the U.S. of "maliciously finding fault" with Huawei.

"Washington is attempting to damage Huawei's international reputation and taking aim at the tech giant's global market in the name of law," the editorial stated. "The Chinese government should seriously mull over the U.S. tendency to abuse legal procedures to suppress China's high-tech enterprises. It should increase interaction with the U.S. and exert pressure when necessary. China has been exercising restraint, but the U.S. cannot act recklessly. U.S. President Donald Trump should rein in the hostile activities of some Americans who may imperil Sino-U.S. relations."

Meng's arrest and detention have only amplified the already-tense state of U.S.-China relations. Though Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a temporary truce in a tariffs war -- with Trump agreeing to suspend U.S. tariff hikes for a period -- a more permanent resolution is nowhere in sight. Trump and Xi have dug in on their respective positions and have mostly been waiting for the other party to blink. Neither has.

Huawei Technologies Ltd., the biggest global supplier of network gear used by phone and Internet companies, has previously been the target of U.S. security concerns. Under Trump and his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, Washington has pressured European countries and other allies to limit their business with Huawei, alleging the company's technology aids China's spy operations.

Huawei said in a statement Wednesday it has not been provided many details about Meng's arrest.

"The company has been provided very little information regarding the charges and is not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms. Meng," the statement said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou's arrest may prompt China to retaliate, 'take hostages,' expert says

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China could 'take hostages' and is almost certain to retaliate against the United States, experts say, after the stunning arrest of a top Chinese tech executive for allegedly trying to skirt sanctions on Iran. Huawei Technologies' chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested Saturday in Canada and faces extradition to the U.S.

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Duane Lee "Dog" Chapman' attorney denies an assault charges against "Dog The Bounty Hunter" that occurred when an "assault" happened at the Denver International Airport last week.

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Duane Lee "Dog" Chapman's attorney vehemently denied that the "Dog the Bounty Hunter" star assaulted a man at Denver International Airport last week.

"There was no assault. A young man approached Dog at the Denver Airport in a very hostile and aggressive manner, clearly looking to start trouble," the Chapmans' family attorney, Andrew Brettler, told People on Thursday. "He insulted Dog and Beth, hurled racial slurs at Dog, and threatened to 'cut' Beth if she could 'get out of her wheelchair.' The Chapmans attempted to distance themselves from this individual, but he followed them to the elevator where he continued to shout profanities at them."

"The Chapmans called for airport security," Brettler continued. "Eventually they were able to get in their vehicle without further incident. According to the Denver P.D., airport surveillance footage show this individual was the aggressor and that Dog did not assault him, as alleged. The Chapmans intend to press charges against this individual and his father for harassment and for disturbing the peace."

A video of the incident, alleged to have occurred on Nov. 30, was obtained by The Blast. The video shows Chapman and his wife, Beth, in an elevator with a baggage handler as a group of men jeer at them from outside the lift.

"This is my son and you put your f-king hands - you put your hands on my son," one of the men in the clip says. Another male voice can be heard saying, "Dog Bounty Hunter put his hands on a juvenile."

A woman's voice, presumably Beth's, is overheard saying to get security, while Dog says, "Follow me outside."

It's the latest drama in what's been a tough few weeks for the Chapmans.

On Nov. 26, Beth, 51, was hospitalized in Los Angeles after a mass was found in her throat. Doctors were able to remove most of the cancer from her throat, but the couple are still awaiting a biopsy.

Brettler told Fox News, noting, "Unfortunately, Beth's cancer has come back. It's serious and her doctors are evaluating her treatment options."

Beth previously fought throat cancer in 2017.

Dog asked for prayers for Beth on Nov. 29, admitting, "She's not doing good."

The couple went home to Colorado after her surgery against doctor's orders.

"They told us they didn't want her to leave the hospital, but she was adamant, she just wanted to be home," Dog told Us Weekly on Sunday. "Beth slept for almost an entire day [when we get home] and she was more comfortable. Then she got up and she was trying to do things around the house, trying to do laundry and wash the dishes, I said to her, 'I've done all that, don't worry.' "

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Dog the Bounty Hunter denies assault allegation at Denver Airport

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Duane Lee "Dog" Chapman's attorney vehemently denied that the "Dog the Bounty Hunter" star assaulted a man at Denver International Airport last week. "There was no assault. A young man approached Dog at the Denver Airport in a very hostile and aggressive manner, clearly looking to start trouble," the Chapmans' family attorney, Andrew Brettler, told People on Thursday.

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Dog Who Successfully Detected Cancer In Owner Put Down For Practicing Medicine Without A License

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PHOENIX-In what authorities hope serves as a warning to any domesticated animal who places medical patients at risk, Kuma, 3, a German shepherd who successfully detected cancer in his owner, was put down Thursday for practicing medicine without a license. "Although in this particular case the animal's actions did save a life, this dog is not only in blatant violation of medical standards but has been conducting a de facto illegal medical practice, which we cannot condone," Judge Marlena Peters said during the dog's sentencing, clarifying that Kuma's clear lack of medical education, certification, or experience posed a potential danger to those around him, and that his masquerade as a medical professional was deeply insulting to licensed doctors and nurses everywhere. "The fact that this dog's diagnosis happened to be correct in this isolated case does not absolve him of the crime of fraudulent practice. We must eradicate any and all dogs who practice medicine illegally in order to ensure standards within the medical community are maintained." Judge Peters is currently engaged in the sentencing of a cat convicted of obstruction of justice for repeatedly interfering with the investigation into its owner's homicide.

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Dog Who Successfully Detected Cancer In Owner Put Down For Practicing Medicine Without A License

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PHOENIX-In what authorities hope serves as a warning to any domesticated animal who places medical patients at risk, Kuma, 3, a German shepherd who successfully detected cancer in his owner, was put down Thursday for practicing medicine without a license.

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On the hunt for 'zombie fungi' that could save lives -- and the planet

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It's a sunny morning, and Sara Landvik is foraging in the wild parts of Hampstead Heath, one of London's iconic parks.

She studies the soil, the trees and their roots in search of fungi, because long walks like these are actually part of her job. She regularly ventures out in hope of discovering new fungal species hidden deep in the dirt or high among the trees.

"We want to collect as many diverse species of fungi as possible," said Landvik, a mycologist - a fungi scientist - at the biotech company Novozymes. "Diversity is really the key word for everything that we do."

The organisms have a plethora of applications that can benefit humankind in the production of food and alcohol, drugs, biofuels, washing detergents and even a famous childhood toy: LEGO.

Their nutritional value shouldn't be overlooked, however. There are about 350 species of edible fungi. With vitamin D, glutathione and ergothioneine, they can reduce oxidative stress linked to diseases such as cancer, heart disease and dementia.

Fungi are unique beings, Landvik explained. "They're so different from plants, and they're so different from animals. They are their own kingdom. The evolution of fungi has radiated into so many different directions. They are really, really, amazing."

The best estimate is that there are as many as 3.8 million species of fungi worldwide - though only about 144,000 have been discovered, according to this year's State of the World's Fungi report, compiled by staff members at Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, and several others.

New ones are found by searching forested areas, collecting soil samples and bringing the samples back to the lab to be studied, Landvik says.

But the real skill is understanding how they work.

In the wild, fungi are not able to move, so they compete against other fungi or bacteria for resources and, in doing so, produce toxic chemicals. In some cases, these chemicals have been useful to humans.

Once samples reach the laboratory, Landvik says, they are grown inside a Petri dish and cut into pieces, which are then put into a flask with a liquid of nutrients such as minerals and vitamins and a carbon source to help the fungi grow.

Fungi grow by secreting enzymes - proteins that catalyze or speed up chemical reactions - which are captured by the liquid inside the flask, allowing them to be studied in-depth.

Thousands of fungi are studied before researchers stumble upon one that could have an application, Landvik said.

It's like a "lottery ticket," she says, as each discovery could turn up "something that can make a difference in the world, something that we can make a greener industry possible, and so on."

For example, one of Landvik's colleagues came across an enzyme that can be used to reduce the formation of the chemical acrylamide, which forms when starchy food is baked or fried and can be carcinogenic. By searching a database for homologous gene sequences she found sequences for asparaginase, also the name of the enzyme, and soon saw that many fungi contain this enzyme. One of them went on to become Acrylaway, a solution that reduces acrylamide formation in food products processed at high temperatures, which the company say can cut acrylamide formation by up to 95%.

More famous is the discovery of penicillin in 1928, discovered when Alexander Fleming was sorting out his Petri dishes after a holiday and saw a blob of mold had grown with a clear zone surrounding it, later found to be a strain of Penicillium notatum.

How we search for useful enzymes 90 years later is still down to serendipity.

'Evil puppetmaster'

Tom Prescott, a research leader at Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, in the UK, also notes the many useful applications of fungi.

"Broadly speaking, the three big topics are perhaps medicines, biotechnology and, in the broadest sense ... fungi are really good for eating," he explained, standing in Kew's fungarium, a large room filled with rows of boxes housing 1.25 million specimens of fungi from all around the world, including specimens collected by John Ray, Charles Darwin and Alexander von Humboldt.

People are discovering fungi on a yearly basis, Prescott told CNN. "This is everything from fungi that you could see with the naked eye all the way down to microscopic fungi that you perhaps wouldn't know they were there but we detect them using DNA."

Some famous examples of medical applications are the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin, produced by the Aspergillus terreus fungus, or a hepatitis B vaccine that is made using yeast.

The drug fingolimod - used to treat the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis - is derived from an eye-catching "zombie" fungus, Isaria sinclairii, that invades an insect, takes it over and eventually acts like an "evil puppetmaster," controlling the insect's body and behavior to perform tasksthat are advantageous for the fungus, Prescott said, holding a a boxed sample of the fungus in action.

Meanwhile, the insect is kept alive, "so it's really gruesome," he said. "It's crucial that the fungus doesn't kill the insect initially but does keep it alive, so that's why it produces an immunosuppressant chemical." This chemical is myriocin, which also suppresses the human immune system.

"A lot of fundamental biochemistry and even immunology is shared, surprisingly, even between insects and humans," he explained.

Fungi are also useful in converting one chemical into another, such as in the production of vitamin B tablets.

There has been competition between human chemists and fungi over which is better at producing these pills, and the fungi turned out to be a more cost-effective option, Prescott said.

Saving the environment

About half of all commercially used enzymes are derived from fungi, Shauna M. McKelvey and Richard A. Murphy write in " Fungi: Biology and Applications." The bookcites the enzymes proteases and amylases, used in detergent preparations, as the most significant industrial application of enzymes.

Enzymes' use in detergents dates to 1988. Lipase, derived from the fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus, is effective at removing fat stains from clothes.

Most detergents contain several enzymes, such as proteases, amylases, cellulases and lipases, to enhance effectiveness and allow washing at lower temperatures.

Fungi are also used to keep clothing looking fresh.

Fungi are natural degraders of waste material, Prescott said. In forests, they break down leaf material by making enzymes called cellulases. "It happens that if you add cellulases to washing powders, it nibbles at the tiny cotton threads of cotton fabrics, and it kind of nibbles them off, and it gives the appearance of cotton looking newer than it perhaps actually is."

In September, the fungus Aspergillus tubingensis was discovered in Pakistan. A team of 100 scientists reported that it could break down plastics such as polyester polyurethane, often used in refrigerator insulation, possibly in weeks rather than years, potentially making it a key player in the fight against the world's plastic waste problem.

Prescott believes the ultimate goal would be to create plastic-like materials from fungi - that can then be broken down by fungi. It is not clear whether that might be possible, but "that's what makes it really exciting," he added.

Fungus in farming

Another way to reduce pollution is by adding enzymes to animal feed, helping animals break down nutrients such as phosphates, which farmers add to enhance animal bone health and growth.

One fungal enzyme, phytase, breaks down such difficult chemicals and is especially helpful for somephosphate-containing molecules that can't be digested by animals. When excreted, phosphates can get into waterways, where they cause bacterial growth. This also consumes oxygen in water, harming the ecosystem of the aquatic environment, saidPrescott.

Landvik explained that the addition of phytase to release phosphates from feed and help animals absorb this essential nutrient also reduces costs for farmers and environmental pollution.

She believes enzymes in fungi are the key to making a number of industries more sustainable by replacing some industrial steps.

"And if you do have a mechanical or a chemical step in the industry that can often be replaced by an enzyme that can do the same. But with less impact on the environment."

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On the hunt for 'zombie fungi' that could save lives -- and the planet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's a sunny morning, and Sara Landvik is foraging in the wild parts of Hampstead Heath, one of London's iconic parks. She studies the soil, the trees and their roots in search of fungi, because long walks like these are actually part of her job.