KIEV, May 24 (Reuters) - Ukraine steelmaker Metinvest said on Sunday it has halted production at its Avdiyivka facility in eastern Ukraine, one of Europe's biggest coke plants, after heavy shelling caused major damage.

Avdiyivka produces 40 percent of Ukraine's coke and any production outages will threaten output at the country's steel plants, including two of the largest, which are in Mariupol, a strategic government-held port city in the southeast of the country.

"This is the second powerful bombardment in the past few days ... The business has been stopped as a matter of urgency. Coke production is halted," Metinvest said in a statement on its website. "As soon as the situation stabilizes, work to restore power supply to the factory will begin."

Avdiyivka is on territory controlled by government forces but it lies close to the frontline and the Ukrainian military have accused separatists of attacks there since a ceasefire came into force in mid-February.

On Thursday, one worker was killed and two wounded in what Metinvest described as the heaviest shelling of the plant since the declaration of the ceasefire.

Metinvest, Ukraine's largest steel firm, said on Friday that damage to internal rail tracks at Avdiyivka meant it was not able to bring in raw materials or ship out finished products.

In March, Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk accused separatists of trying to destabilize Mariupol, where Russian and Ukrainian sympathizers live side by side, by disrupting supplies to its steel plants from Avdiyivka, around 100 km (70 miles) to the north.

(Reporting by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Susan Fenton)

Summary: KIEV, May 24- Ukraine steelmaker Metinvest said on Sunday it has halted production at its Avdiyivka facility in eastern Ukraine, one of Europe's biggest coke plants, after heavy shelling caused major damage. Avdiyivka produces 40 percent of Ukraine's coke and any production outages will threaten output at the country's steel plants, including two of the...


10/07/2015 AT 01:00 AM EDT

Country and pop singer Billy Joe Royal has died aged 73, multiple reports confirm.

According to NBC's Nashville affiliate

, Royal unexpectedly died in his sleep at his home in North Carolina on Tuesday.

In the sixties, Royal was signed to Columbia Records where he released hits like "Down in the Boondocks," "I Knew You When," and "Cherry Hill Park," which was his last hit in the Top-40 charts, according to

After getting a brief taste of success, Royal reportedly moved through multiple smaller labels before settling down with Atlantic Records in Nashville.

the singer's most recent project was an album released in 2009 titled, "His First Gospel Album." Royal was added to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1988.

Summary: The Georgia Music Hall âof-Famer died unexpectedly at his Nashville home


The bloodbath in Chinese equities extended into Friday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite plunging as much as 7 percent amid reports that the securities market regulator has launched a probe into suspected market manipulation.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) had set up a team to look at "clues of illegal manipulation across markets," spokesman Zhang Xiaojun said in comments on the CSRC's official Weibo microblog late on Thursday.

"Cases that meet legal standards will be immediately investigated, seriously cracked down upon according to law, and those suspected of a crime will be resolutely transferred to the police for investigation," he said. Meanwhile, the China Financial Futures Exchange has suspended 19 accounts in the past month for short-selling, sources told Reuters.

The market is now down about 28 percent from its June 12 peak, firmly in bear market territory, despite intensifying efforts by authorities to shore up investor confidence. The market closed down 5.8 percent lower on Friday.

Over the weekend, the People's Bank of China unveiled a bigger-than-expected monetary easing package, cutting both interest rates and the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) for banks. A few days later, the CSRC eased regulations on using borrowed money to speculate on stock markets, canceling a rule that required investors to make additional guarantees if their margin ratio reached 130 percent or else face forced liquidation of their shares.

Regulators also revealed plans to allow pension funds managed by local governments to invest in the stock market for the first time.

"The correction that we're seeing in stocks is fascinating and the fact that the authorities are clearly nervous should make markets nervous," said Bill Blain, a strategist at Mint Partners in London.

Summary: The bloodbath in Chinese stocks extended into Friday amid reports the securities regulator has launched a market manipulation probe.


10/27/2015 AT 04:45 PM EDT

Anita Sarko, whose spins and style helped define 1980s club culture in New York City, is being remembered for her larger-than-life personality.

The celebrity DJ died at the age of 68 earlier this month in a suicide by hanging, the New York City medical examiner's office confirmed to PEOPLE.

Jason Weinberg, a longtime close friend to Sarko and manager to a bevy of stars, explained how her inner circle is reacting to the loss.

"We are all saddened and wish the outpouring of love and support had manifested in other ways and sooner," he told PEOPLE via email.

Columnist Michael Musto shared the news in a heartfelt

"She was a tough broad who didn't like being mistreated, and was vocal about those who'd done her wrong," he wrote.

Sarko was so tough, she took on cancer – and won, Musto explained.

"Five years ago, Anita was diagnosed with both ovarian and uterine cancers, but she was operated on and not only survived, she was declared in the clear earlier this year," Musto wrote. "But she suffered some lingering pains and also complained of the results of the hormone depletion caused by her hysterectomy."

She was also concerned about the direction of her career and felt that "projects had reached an absolute dead end for her."

Sarko, who hails from Detroit, made a name for herself behind the booth of N.Y.C.'s most influential clubs in the '80s, including Mudd Club and Danceteria.

"Anyone who requested a particular record from Anita was greeted with the retort that she wasn't a jukebox, otherwise you could just bend her over and put in a quarter!" wrote Musto in his online tribute.

After being drawn to Sarko at a dinner party in the late '80s, Weinberg soon found himself opting for her couch over his own bed at home.

"Anita was like a guardian angel [or] Jiminy Cricket to me," he said. "She introduced me to a lot of people and looked out for me as if I was her own blood."

In later years, Sarko married husband Erzen Krivca; wrote for publications such as

; hosted a Sirius XM radio show; and, most recently, worked with photographer Patrick McMullan.

For Weinberg, Sarko's death is a tragic reminder of the importance of supporting loved ones.

"I think people who have children and younger family members often count on them to be helpful in times of need," he explained. "I think everyone should reach out to those you love who are older and more alone in life and be there for them more. People get so busy and often take things for granted. I feel very lucky to have had Anita as a friend and miss her dearly.

Summary: Sarko made a name for herself on New York City's club scene


FORTUNE — The recent worries over the safety and soundness of Boeing’s new 787 aircraft appear vastly overblown. The unfortunate series of technical glitches that occurred this week are not only minor in nature, but are also cheap to fix—that is, if any system-wide repair is even necessary. That doesn’t mean Boeing is out of the woods.

It hasn’t been the greatest week for Boeing BA . The aircraft maker saw its stock tumble as much as 7% at one point this week due to three separate technical incidents involving its relatively brand new 787 aircraft. The first incident Monday morning involved a fire breaking out on a Japanese Air Line (JAL) aircraft that was sitting empty on the tarmac in Boston. The next day another JAL 787 in Boston was forced to turn back to the gate after its pilots discovered a fuel leak. And if that weren’t enough, an All Nippon Airways 787 in Japan was forced to cancel its flight when the pilots received an error message related to the aircraft’s braking system.

While a fire on board an aircraft and a leaky fuel system are concerning— especially given how sensitive the public can be about mechanical issues on an aircraft—the way the incidents have been portrayed have set off an unnecessary panic in general and among investors. For example, preliminary reports by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicate that the fire broke out in one of the aircraft’s two lithium-ion batteries, which are only engaged when the plane is on the ground and never in flight. The fire was small, creeping only two feet from its source, making it far from the raging inferno of people’s nightmares.

The auxiliary battery may have overheated due to faulty wiring causing it to overheat. United Air Lines, the only US carrier to fly the new aircraft, reported that the wiring to lithium-ion batteries on one of its six brand new 787s was done improperly. If this turns out to be the root cause of the fire, then it would be a quick and cheap fix.

MORE: FAA opens probe of Boeing Dreamliner woes

Still, this isn’t the first time that Boeing has had troubles with its “revolutionary” aircraft. Indeed, the Dreamliner program has been marred by a number of annoying technical glitches and hiccups since its inception a decade ago. But past troubles as well as those that occurred this week were all mechanical in nature and were not linked to the aircraft’s radical design. Indeed, if a more fundamental design flaw was suspected in any way the Federal Aviation Administration would have grounded all 787s. An investigation is underway however.

This is an important difference because mechanical flaws are usually cheap and easy to solve while design flaws are potentially devastating. For example, a design flaw could force a potential recall of the 49 or so 787s that are already in use. It would also mean going back to the drawing board—a very expensive drawing board—to recalibrate a jet that is already three years behind on its original delivery schedule.

But while it is unlikely to be a design flaw, Boeing shouldn’t get off easily. All the mechanical issues that have marred the 787 program over the years have now become inexcusable. All this talk about the aircraft having to “work out the kinks” or having “teething issues” and such is getting old. Could you imagine if an automaker told its customers that the small fire and fuel leakage on their new car was normal because it’s new and was simply “working out the kinks?”

The original source of the 787’s delays and technical difficulties laid in Boeing’s disastrous plan to outsource the aircraft’s production and some of its design across dozens of suppliers from around the globe. Boeing learned the hard way that without control over the critical parts of its supply chain it left itself vulnerable to a number of annoying issues, such as delays. It also had to deal with quality control issues as parts arrived that weren’t up to snuff while others simply didn’t fit right.

MORE: Teaching IBM’s Watson the meaning of ‘OMG’

Boeing has taken back full control of the production process in the US but it still relies on foreign suppliers, like GS Yuasa, the maker of the 787s lithium-ion batteries, to deliver a quality product to them. Boeing needs to step up its quality assurance on its assembly line now before it ramps up production this year to 10 planes per month. If not, then all these little hiccups could give the aircraft the unfair reputation of being Boeing’s big fat lemon.

Summary: Far from it. In fact, many of the concerns over the new aircraft are vastly overstated.


LONDON — The world’s two biggest beer makers will join forces to create a company that produces almost a third of the world’s beer. But in the United States, the deal will not bring arch rivals Budweiser and Miller under the same roof.

Budweiser maker AB InBev announced Wednesday a final agreement to buy SABMiller for $107 billion.

To ease concerns the brewing behemoth might get a stranglehold of the US market, SABMiller will sell its 58 percent stake in a venture with fellow brewer Molson Coors for $12 billion. The deal includes rights to the Miller brand name and gives Molson Coors full control of operations.

The combined company — which as yet does not have a name — will also need to address regulatory issues in China, where SABMiller has a leading position with a 49 percent stake in the Chinese beer Snow. China is the focus of intense interest, as it already drinks a quarter of the world’s beer.

‘‘This combination would create the first truly global brewer,’’ AB InBev chief executive Carlos Brito told reporters in a conference call after the deal, which is set to be completed next year.

AB InBev is seeking to bolster growth by acquiring SABMiller’s businesses in Africa and Asia as changing tastes and the growth of craft beers cut sales in developed markets.

‘‘The transaction would strengthen AB InBev’s position in key emerging regions with strong growth prospects such as Asia, Central and South America, and Africa,’’ AB InBev said in a statement. ‘‘These regions have hugely attractive markets and will be critically important to the future success of the Combined Group.’’

In some ways, though, the announcement marked only the end of the beginning. Though AB InBev got SABMiller’s main shareholders on board and lined up the largest-ever acquisition debt package, Erik Gordon of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan said the deal faces regulatory risks.

That’s particularly true in China, which is known to be tough in negotiations, and in South Africa, which has put the companies on notice that it will look at the deal’s impact on the overall economy.

‘‘It’s easier for businesspeople to reach agreements with each other than to reach an agreement with regulators,’’ he said. ‘‘Regulators get no reward for reaching an agreement but get praised for being tough.’’

The new company will be listed in Belgium, with secondary listings in Johannesburg, Mexico, and New York.

AB InBev and SABMiller had twice extended the deadline for a formal offer after reaching an agreement in principle on Oct. 13. Shares in SABMiller rose 2.8 percent on Wednesday on relief that the deal was eventually formalized.

One of AB InBev’s prizes in creating a global beer company will be to gobble up SABMiller’s footprint in Africa. In a conference call with reporters, Brito made note of the potential for growth on the continent, where the middle class is growing.

SABMiller is the descendant of South African Breweries and has stretched its reach across the continent, betting that Africans will shift to higher quality beers as economic development increases income. It had operations in 17 countries on the continent, with another 21 covered by Castel Group, in which it has a stake.

That foresight made SABMiller an attractive takeover target.

The deal gives the new company 29 percent of the 198 billion liter global beer market — and makes it three times bigger than its nearest rival, Heineken, with a mere 9 percent, said Jeremy Cunnington, the senior alcoholic drinks analyst at Euromonitor International.

To make the deal work, savings will need to be made. AB InBev expects to cut costs by $1.4 billion.

‘‘AB InBev are second to none in being able to cut costs,’’ Cunnington said. ‘‘And they are utterly ruthless.’’

Summary: The world’s two biggest beer makers join forces to create a company that produces almost a third of the world’s beer.


Once a trust is created, one of the biggest challenges is determining "how much financial support the child [will] need for a lifetime," said Hal Wright, a certified financial planner with Colorado Financial Partners.

"It's very difficult to estimate, but that is crucial because the estate plan has a hollow center if you don't know what the needs are," said Wright, who consults with families of special needs children and has an adult daughter with Down Syndrome himself. "Families always want a number, but the problem is, it's so unique to each family."

Wright has seen special needs trusts range in value from $250,000 to $1 million. Some factors that influence the value include the expected lifespan of the trust grantor and the beneficiary, the availability and adequacy of government assistance, the level of professional services needed and whether the trust will go toward buying a residence.

Funding the trust can be even more complicated if there aren't enough resources to satisfy the financial needs of other children in the family.

Read MoreCollaborative divorce: Easier and cheaper

Another important decision to be made is designating the right people to manage the trust and make decisions about the beneficiary's care.

While most families opt for a close relative, often a sibling, to act as guardian, experts suggest choosing someone at arm's length to act as trustee. This can be a family friend, non-immediate relative or a corporate trustee, such as a bank. Wright said this often serves the child's best interests more efficiently and effectively.

Summary: Parents of special needs kids should draft trusts and select caregivers and beneficiaries carefully, with expert help.


While American cheese was the largest percentage gainer, its small portion of the basket translated into a relatively minimal effect on the total price.

"The main thing that's going on in the dairy sector is we've got really strong demand," Anderson said.

The biggest drop in the survey came from ketchup prices, which fell 12.3 percent.

Looking forward, Anderson sees a silver lining for future cookout baskets.

"The market basket is primarily rising because of what's going on with meat prices," he said. "As we look out, we do see responses in the production system that will ultimately slow those prices down."

Summary: Celebrating Independence Day's going to be more expensive this year, according to an informal survey.


12/22/2015 AT 01:40 PM EST

The actress, 25, was her candid self with host

on Monday. In addition to chatting about

off-camera and taking a hit of marijuana before the Oscars, Lawrence discussed music superstars

A fan who called into the show couldn't help but mention Lawrence's

with the "Hello" singer and fellow actress

in November. When asked who paid for the meal and what they talked about, Lawrence took a few seconds to recall their night out.

âOh God, I don't know who picked up the check. It might've been Adele,â she replied. âI think we would've all been like, 'Adele, you've had a pretty good week.' So I'm sure we would've probably let her get it.â

for the biggest single-week album sales.

Adele's feat wasn't discussed, though. "We talk about everything but work,â Lawrence said of their friendship.

Another hitmaker came up while Lawrence hung out in the Bravo Clubhouse. A caller said, "Justin Bieber recently told a radio station that you're so sexy and so cute. So my ... question for you is, 'Would you ever tap that?'"

"Uh, I'm gonna say a hard no,"

The interview came in the midst of Lawrence's promotional tour for

, which hits theaters on Christmas Day.

Summary: "We talk about everything but work," Lawrence said of her friendship with Adele


Ride-hailing service Lyft released a

in big cities Tuesday. Ranked by the number of drop-offs received, the Boston edition of the “Lyftie Awards” reads like a first-time visitor’s guidebook.

The Harpoon Brewery, Harvard Square, and Fenway Park were the most-visited bar, destination, and event space as selected by Lyft riders: Check, check, check.

Surprising no one, suitcase-laden passengers pushed South Station to the top of the Most Visited Transit Stop list. (In New York, it was Penn Station, and in Washington, D.C., Union Station.)

Wildcard The Brahmin, a downtown bar and eatery, bagged top spot for Most Visited Restaurant, but only three-and-a-half stars on Yelp.

Boston also took a bonus award in the national category for — wait for it! — Most Visited Business School. No prizes for guessing this one. No, seriously.

Summary: Ride-hailing service Lyft released a sampling of popular destinations in big cities Tuesday. Ranked by the number of drop-offs received, the Boston edition of the “Lyftie Awards” reads like a first-time visitor’s guidebook. The Harpoon Brewery, Harvard Square, and Fenway Park were the most-visited bar, destination, and event space as selected by Lyft riders: Check, check, check. Surprising no [. . . ]


Crowds of recruits were gathering outside the centre in western Baghdad's Nissur Square on Sunday morning when the bomber detonated explosives strapped to his body, a police spokesmanÂ said.

HeÂ said the toll was expected to riseÂ as many of the injuries were serious.

Fighters regularly attack Iraq's fledgling security forces,Â often bombing recruitment drives as the government and US forces continue trying to boost their capability.Â

The attack was one of several in the capital on Sunday.

Just south of the city, police were searching for men who killed 10 Shia travellers and kidnapped about 50 others on Saturday night.

Earlier on Sunday, a pair of roadside bombings,Â directed againstÂ police patrols in Baghdad, killed at least six passers-by and wounded six others, said policeÂ spokesman Mohammed Abd al-Ghani.

Â Iraqi police commandos and US soldiers secure the site

Iraqi police commandos and US soldiers secure the site

A car bomb outside a market in Baghdad's primarily Shia Karradah town centreÂ killed at least one person and wounded five others, while a similar bomb killed two people and injured 13 in the mainly Sunni neighbourhood of Radhwaniyah, police said.

UnidentifiedÂ attackers also shot dead police brigadier Abd al-Mutalib Hassan as he was leaving his Karradah home for work.

Five people were killed in drive-by shooting in different parts of Baqouba, 60km northeast of Baghdad.

The victims included a teacher, a taxi driver, a labourer, a truck driver and a phone company worker, provincial police said.

"We demand that the government take quick action to send troops there in order to know the fate of those kidnapped"Abd al-Karim al-Anzi,leading Shia politicianPatrols were looking forÂ Sunni men who ambushed a convoy of minibuses at a fake checkpoint on a road near the town of Latifiyah, about 32km south of Baghdad in the so-called Triangle of Death on Saturday.

"We demand that the government take quick action to send troops there in order to know the fate of those kidnapped"Abd al-Karim al-Anzi,leading Shia politician

The men murdered 10 Shia passengers before taking the restÂ captives to an unknown location, said the spokesman.

A leading Shia politician said that local tribes had armed themselves and were headed to the area to join in the search, a step likely to set off more killings.Â

In an address to parliament, politicianÂ Abd al-Karim al-Anzi said the kidnappers had worn Iraqi army uniforms.

He said: "We demand that the government take quick action to send troops there in order to know the fate of those kidnapped."

Summary: A bomber has blown himself up outside a police recruiting centre in <?xml:namespace prefix =


Every victory brings the Golden State Warriors closer to the 20-year-old record for most in a season, and talk of their pursuit only will heat up coming out of the All-Star break.

The Warriors (47-4) will go for their 11th win in a row on Wednesday night when they take on the struggling Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena in their final game before the break. They are coming off a 123-110 win over Houston on Tuesday, and their current pace is one game better than the record-setting Chicago Bulls of 1995-96, who finished with a 72-10 record.

The Suns have lost their last five games to the Warriors, including a pair of blowouts this season, but interim coach Earl Watson believes they're showing some signs of improvement.

The Suns (14-39) have dropped all four games since Watson took over for the fired Jeff Hornacek and have lost eight in a row overall following Monday's 122-106 loss to Oklahoma City. But they led the Thunder by as many as six in the third quarter before faltering, and Monday's loss was the first double-digit defeat under Watson's watch.

The game can be seen on FOX Sports Arizona and FOX Sports GO, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Markieff Morris finished with 23 points in Monday's loss and is averaging 21 under Watson after scoring 10.2 in his first 32. Archie Goodwin added 20 for Phoenix, which has dropped 23 of 25 but also is dealing with injuries to Brandon Knight, Eric Bledsoe, T.J. Warren and Ronnie Price.

Knight and Price are expected to return after the break, but Bledsoe and Warren are out for the season.

"We have to love the process, embrace the process and be a part of the journey," Watson said after the Suns shot 50.7 percent for their highest mark in their last 17 games.

"I think you see our team, we're growing, we're getting better. We're not discouraged. We won't be discouraged."

Slowing the Warriors will be a tough task. Phoenix is allowing the second-most points per game in the league at 106.7. Golden State is averaging 122.3 during its winning streak -- nearly seven more than its season average -- and has shot 54.4 percent from the field and 52.9 percent from 3-point range in the two meetings this season.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr was ill following Tuesday's victory over Houston, but he was expected to fly to with the team to Phoenix.

Stephen Curry had 35 points and nine assists against the Rockets, and Andrew Bogut had one of his best games with 13 points, 11 boards and a season-high six blocks.

The defending NBA champions have won eight times by double digits during their 10-game winning streak, which is the longest active run in the league.

"We can definitely play better and just sustain our level of play and be more consistent over 48 minutes. It's hard," Curry said. "As long as you keep that at the forefront and challenge yourselves, that's what hopefully inspires to continue to get better.

"It's not going to be pretty every minute we're out there, it's not going to be perfect, we're not going to blow everybody out. But we strive to be great every night."

Curry had 41 points in a 135-116 win at Phoenix on Nov. 27, while Klay Thompson poured in 43 in a 128-103 home win over the Suns on Dec. 16. Curry is averaging 32.5 points and shooting 56.3 percent -- 53.3 from behind the arc -- his last four against the Suns.

Mirza Teletovic had a season-high 24 points for Phoenix in the last matchup with the Warriors.

Summary: Phoenix still looking for first victory under Earl Watson, but interim coach sees signs of improvement.


04/15/2016 AT 09:35 AM EDT

was just the right amount of "bossy" while making her directorial debut in

, who worked onstage with the actress in the New York play

, sang her praises for Holmes' first turn behind the camera – mostly.

"She's amazing," Greer, 40, told PEOPLE Thursday at IWC Schaffhausen's fourth annual For the Love of Cinema gala, celebrating its partnership with the

. "She wasn't bossy, no...I mean, she's bossy, don't get me wrong, but she was never bossy with me."

And while working with a friend can be tricky at times, Greer said there was no conflict having Holmes direct her.

"I liked working for her a lot. It's fun to get immediate feedback from your friends about your performance," she said. "It's great! It's always fun to have someone come and see what you're doing from a different view."

"She's a great director," Greer added. "I think she's gonna be fine."

Holmes, 37, also attended the event (hosted by

), as did TFF co-founder

, Karolina Kurkova, Scott Eastwood (who McHale jokingly kept referring to as "Scott Eastman"),

, 9, plays a single mother in

She told PEOPLE in December her first time calling the shots on set was challenging: "Very much so! But very, very rewarding."

Summary: "I liked working for her a lot. It's fun to get immediate feedback from your friends about your performance," Greer told PEOPLE


05/20/2016 AT 12:00 PM EDT

"You're killing your baby." "This can't be healthy." "Is that safe?"

and more heard from Instagram commenters about working out during their pregnancies, despite their insistence that everything has been

and recommended by obstetricians, says Joanne Stone, MD, the director of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Mount Sinai Health System.

Couldn't feel better, my body, energy & mobility is allowing me to continue to stay active. Yes I understand that this may shock others... And it's because my lifestyle and bodies condition coming into my pregnancy was not like theirs and that is the honest truth. I would train 8+ @hiit_australia sessions per week, work 80+ hours per week, my alarm is 4am Mon-Sat & every 2nd Sun, I clock off around 8:30pm Mon-Fri, I sleep on average 4-5hrs a night, I eat 80/20, 80% really wholesome & healthy & 20% is usually little tasty treats but it's also not always the case as i don't always feel like rubbish. My body isn't a pussy (excuse my language) I have never treated it soft, I've never not worked my ass off or never NOT worked since I was 13yrs (2-3 jobs at one time). My body is sooooo use to my constant hard work that it can handle high stress environments like what brushing your teeth may be for someone else. I know this sounds harsh but it's so bloody annoying how the uneducated can't just move on, you have no idea about me, haven't pre-screened me, haven't been to any of my appts, you also aren't even qualified in the field, yes you've had a baby or a number of babies but that's not making you a doctor... Sorry! I'm 100% doing what is 100% safe for my baby & my body, what works for me may not work for the next pregnant lady... that is obvious. If there was any message my message would be that I would love anyone considering to conceive to get themselves in a healthy routine beforehand, to help give them the opportunity to be allowed to continue being physically strong and active throughout their journey. In saying that, you won't know what is thrown at you until it happens as every pregnancy is different an comes with its own set of challenges. TO SEE THE FULL VID CHECK OUT MY SNAP CHAT (chontelduncan) #38weeks

A video posted by SnapChat ChontelDuncan (@chontelduncan) on Mar 15, 2016 at 5:02pm PDT

"There's no limit on women on how much they can exercise," Dr. Stone tells PEOPLE, "though some of it depends on if they're having any complications, like preeclampsia, so there are different recommendations for those patients."

"But for people who are completely uncomplicated with a low risk of issues, there's no limit on how much exercise they can do."

Even weightlifting, a favorite of fit mom

who impressively lifted over 100 lbs. up to and

, is completely safe, says Dr. Stone.

"It's totally fine," she says. "What I normally tell people is to stay away from bench pressing, where you're sitting on a bench with a barbell, because there's the potential that it can fall and hit your belly. I would used hand weights to avoid that issue. But it's really fine."

are non-issues as well, because the baby is safer than society generally thinks.

"The fetus is very well protected," Dr. Stone says. "It's surrounded by embryonic fluid, and it has the very strong, muscular uterus around it to protect it, so it's not something that's going to hurt the baby."

Dr. Stone's main concern with exercise during pregnancy is the potential to fall.

"I do think, once you're almost due, something like skating isn't good because you could fall and hurt the fetus, so a stationary bike might be better. Your sense of balance changes so much, so you just have to be cautious about falling."

The most important thing for pregnant women is to

"It all depends on how you feel, really," Dr. Stone says. "There are studies that show that people who exercise have fewer pregnancy-related symptoms, so if you still feel up to it then I feel like it's great. People who exercise feel much better than people who don't exercise."

"I think it's about comfort, what feels good."

Summary: Chontel Duncan, Hannah Polites and more were accused of harming their babies – but is that really the case?


Happy Mother's Day! Hopefully you're showering your mom, wherever she is, with her overdue praise and affection. Or, if you're a mom and you're reading this, we hope you're getting all the praise and affection that you deserve.

Parenting, like everything, has become an Internet cottage industry unto itself. And rightfully so: In the vast repository of information on the Internet, shouldn't there be some space dedicated to the act of raising and cultivating human life? Here now are some of our favorite moms on the Internet, the ones who chronicle the daily struggle of raising kids in hilarious, insightful and heartwarming ways.

Kristen Chase and Liz Gumbinner kicked around a variety of professions before launching Cool Mom Picks, which is a sort of all-around repository of great mom ideas: Everything from DIY craft ideas to maternity wear "that doesn't suck." Chase also wrote

, so she's got that going for her as well.

Danielle Faust's Instagram is peppered equally with hilarious memes, adorable pics of her kids, fitness inspiration, delicious-looking food and moving calls to productivity, positivity and coffee. (She really likes coffee.)

Perhaps the ultimate viral mom, the video of Amanda Leroux singing "My Heart Can't Tell You No" to her infant daughter Mary Lynne (and subsequently moving the kid to tears) has racked up nearly 39 million views on YouTube since it was posted in October 2013. And to think that, before this, Leroux was too shy to sing in public.

, where she proclaims, "I don't believe that my children should be the center of my life, event though they're the most important thing in it." It's this candid take on motherhood, along with tech reviews, recipes and general hilarity (she was voted the funniest mom on Twitter by Babble at one point) that makes Selfish Mom one the best mom blogs out there.

Julia Restoin Roitfeld's site blends style, travel and health in a pleasing, streamlined site. She also features interviews with various (equally stylish and badass) moms.

"The Glow is a glimpse into the world of inspiring and fashionable moms," Violet Gaynor's site reads. And it is just that, providing far-ranging profiles of women from Paris, Nashville, Brooklyn and everywhere else with a keen eye towards fashion on style and fashion.

Toya Graham achieved Internet fame when, at the height of the Baltimore riots following Freddie Gray's controversial death, she was captured on camera collaring and disciplining her son for his role in the riots. Headlines like "Baltimore's Hero Mom" and "Mother of the Year" followed, and while

, the video remains a moving testament to the lengths a mother will go to protect her kids.

Rebecca Woolf has been blogging at Girl's Gone Child since 2005, when she was just 23. Documenting her rocky path through marriage and motherhood, Woolf generated compelling stories and quickly made her blog one of the top destinations for moms on the web. (She's also one of the few mom blogs with a music section, which seems like a no-brainer.)

Melanie, mom of three, is a welcome Latina voice in a sphere of writing that can feel conspicuously homogenous. She's also

and a San Antonio, Texas, native, both of which set her apart from the text-heavy East Coast clique of online moms.

, a site that offers a welcome reminder that as great as kids can be, there's a flip side. Come for the empathy, stay for the laughs.

April Storey's "wine workout" went wide a few months back. She's a health coach, fitness educator and needless to say, a mom. Follow her for workout tips, recipes and yeah, some wine.

One artist. One therapist. Two boys. That's the description on the fostermoms Instagram. Their website is slightly more revealing: "Foster care. Transracial adoption. Same-sex parenting. We believe exposure to the normal lives of diverse families is important." They're introducing an important and diverse voice into the parenting conversation, and that's why we love them.

Summary: They're not regular moms, they're cool moms


'SURVIVORS IN MEXICO'' is the book everyone who has ever written anything would love to write. Witty and entertaining, substantive and reflective, insightful and well documented, in splendid and uncommon prose, Rebecca West's travelogue -- meandering commentary and ruminations on Mexico from pre-Columbian civilization to traffic in the capital during the mid-1960's -- is a model of British sophistication and knack for seeing the other. One can quarrel, of course, with her choice of icons: in some cases she could have looked harder and longer. Clearly, Frida Kahlo was a cult figure for foreigners long before Salma Hayek or Christie's took her under their wing, but not necessarily a central figure in Mexican history; the relevance of Trotsky to 20th-century Mexico is arguable at best, even if a piece on Trotsky in Mexico for The New Yorker was the original pretext for West's trip to Mexico in 1966, with a return in 1969, and for her manuscript. Yet West, like so many other foreign visitors to my country over the years, saw things in Mexico that on occasion Mexicans detect only vaguely or opaquely.

Mexico has always fascinated travelers or conquerors, and it has been blessed since time immemorial by foreign scrutiny, sympathy and severity. From Bartolome de las Casas' chronicles of the destruction of pre-Columbian civilization by the Spanish, to Edward Weston and Tina Modotti's lenses, through the fiction of Graham Greene, D. H. Lawrence and Malcolm Lowry, and biographies by Ralph Roeder, John Womack and Friedrich Katz as well as Alan Riding's journalism, the country has enjoyed -- and on occasion suffered from -- the attraction it has exercised over scholars, painters, exiles and judges.

So West is not alone, though her genre, as far as Mexico is concerned, may be. She was well on in years when ''Survivors in Mexico'' was assembled, nearly half a century after the publication of her first novel, about World War I. As Bernard Schweizer, the assistant professor of English at Long Island University who pulled West's manuscript together for publication, explains in his excellent introduction, she never had a very clear idea of where exactly she wanted to go with the book. So it is more a collection of insights and intelligent, well-informed notions than a shapely text. But then again, that is perhaps the way travelogues should be, and certainly the stream of thought about everything from the Conquest to housing in the capital is as rich a treasure as the last Aztec emperor's could have been.

Perhaps the most penetrating aspect of the book is West's insight into Mexico's modern-day ambivalence toward its past. From the beginning she picks up on a peculiarity that many of my countrymen ignore: the paradox of a mestizo country that identifies exclusively with its Indian past. Referring early on to the proverbial taxi driver as he proudly boasts of his Indian ancestry and denounces the Spaniards and their crimes and misdeeds, she wryly remarks, ''The substance of the polemic is slightly surprising to the foreigner, because the speaker is unlikely to be a pure Indian,'' as indeed today less than 10 percent of Mexico's inhabitants are. ''The man is not denouncing some monstrous invader of his people's lands, as Poles might denounce the Nazi Germans; he is denouncing some of his ancestors for maltreating other of his ancestors, which, as he is both, must lead to schizophrenia.'' In recent times, some people in Mexico, including myself, have mused about an equivalent case of split personality: the ingrained resentment and knee-jerk animosity against the United States that undoubtedly still imbues most of Mexico's political and intellectual elite, this in a country where 90 percent of every conceivable foreign tie is with the United States, and one-tenth of whose citizens live and work north of the border.

On the infinitely complex question of race relations in modern Mexico -- an issue brought to the fore by the Chiapas uprising of 1994, though now somewhat forgotten as Subcommander Marcos has faded from the national political scene -- the author of ''Black Lamb and Grey Falcon'' is rightly admiring of Mexico, and at the same time slightly simplistic. When she concludes that ''looking at the Mexican brown majority, it appears possible that it is immune from insult and injury because, to use a Shakespearean phrase, there was good sport at its making,'' she is minimizing what many consider a rape of an indigenous civilization by a European conqueror and the ensuing black legend of the near-genocidal decimation of New Spain's inhabitants in the 16th century (which, to do West justice, she does deal with later on). In all fairness, though, she also glosses over some of the less attractive features of Aztec civilization, notably human sacrifice and its role in the structure of society and the militarism of Tenochtitlan; there are elliptical references to human sacrifice early on in the book, and then a more explicit, though still only passing, comment

on Cortes's encounters with this important characteristic of Aztec society, which West herself acknowledges that she ''forgot.''

Summary: Rebecca West's keen observations made more than 30 years ago still seem valid and useful.


's 20-year-old son hit the Sunset Strip, hand in hand with his boyfriend ... and his parents couldn't be happier for their kid.

-- aka EJ -- is one of Magic's 3 kids. The Lakers legend tells TMZ, "Cookie and I love EJ and support him in every way." Magic goes on, "We're very proud of him."

The feeling is mutual ... 'cause EJ told us he's been "hoping and praying" for his dad's team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, ever since Magic and his business partners took over the franchise.

He's also a huge Lakers fan ... obviously.

EJ -- who's a student at NYU -- has a close relationship with his parents. Back in August, Magic tweeted, "Thx to my son EJ for hosting me at NYU. Look forward to taking him to dinner tonight in the city."

Summary: Magic Johnson's 20-year-old son hit the Sunset Strip, hand in hand with his boyfriend ... and his parents couldn't be happier for their kid.Earvin Johnson…


just got out of detox for a drug problem that was spinning out of control ... a problem he desperately wanted to nip in the bud ... and he's already back doing a movie.

Hoffman -- who struggled with substance abuse in the past but kicked the habit for 23 years -- fell off the wagon more than a year ago. He tells TMZ it started slowly with prescription pills, and recently escalated to snorting heroin.

Hoffman -- who won a Best Actor Oscar in 2006 for "Capote" -- tells us the heroin use only lasted a week or so and he quickly realized he needed help, so he checked himself into a detox facility on the East Coast.

He says he was at the facility for 10 days and checked out last Friday. Hoffman credits what he calls "a great group of friends and family" for helping him seek the treatment he needed to get better.

And at least for now, it seems it worked, because Hoffman is clean and back on a movie set in Europe.

Summary: Philip Seymour Hoffman just got out of detox for a drug problem that was spinning out of control ... a problem he desperately wanted to nip in the bud ...…


When Barry Glantz heard the news that Bayer AG was bidding for Monsanto Co., the mayor of the St. Louis suburb where the agricultural giant is based quickly called a company executive he has known for years to find out what it could mean locally.

But with the offer so fresh and the company’s future far from clear, Mr. Glantz says he learned little. Now much of the rest of the region is in a similar state of anxiety about the St....

Summary: People in the St. Louis region are anxious about the possible departure of Monsanto, a big employer and donor to charities, following Bayer’s takeover offer.


Robert A. Swanson, who co-founded Genentech Inc. and played a pivotal role in creating the biotechnology industry, died Monday at his home in Hillsborough, Calif., after a yearlong battle with brain cancer. He was 52.

The death was announced by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which Mr. Swanson had attended. A spokeswoman for Genentech said the company had no comment, in deference to the wishes of Mr. Swanson's family.

Mr. Swanson was a 29-year-old venture capitalist in 1976 when he started Genentech, the first company formed to exploit the then-new technology of genetic engineering. Genentech has stayed one of the industry's most successful companies.

''Basically, he started the biotechnology industry in three or four key ways,'' said George Rathmann, who co-founded Amgen Inc., another leading biotechnology company and is now chairman of the Icos Corporation. ''The guy made the most extraordinary possible contribution to a whole industry.''

Mr. Swanson served as Genentech's chief executive from its founding until 1990, a period in which the company created most of the first biotechnology drugs, including human insulin for diabetes; human growth hormone for dwarfism; and tissue plasminogen activator, or TPA, a drug that restores blood flow after heart attacks and is credited with saving countless lives.

He was chairman of Genentech from 1990 until 1996 and since then had invested in startup companies. Mr. Swanson was chairman of Tularik Inc., a biotechnology company scheduled to go public this week.

Robert Swanson grew up in Florida, the son of an Eastern Air Lines employee, and earned degrees in chemistry and management from M.I.T. He joined Citicorp Venture Capital in New York and was transferred to San Francisco, then joined the venture capital firm now called Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers.

The technique of gene splicing, in which a gene from one organism can be inserted into another, had been developed in the early 1970's by Herbert W. Boyer of the University of California at San Francisco and Stanley Cohen of Stanford University. Mr. Swanson persuaded Dr. Boyer to meet for 10 minutes. So taken was Dr. Boyer by his vision and enthusiasm that the meeting stretched to three hours.

The two men formed Genentech in April 1976, and it is widely considered the first biotechnology company. Another biotechnology company, the Cetus Corporation, was actually formed five years earlier, but its focus was not initially on gene-splicing. When Genentech went public in 1980, its stock soared on the first day of trading.

Mr. Swanson built a strong scientific team by recruiting from universities. Scientists could publish their work, something most big drug companies were reluctant to allow. Genentech, based in South San Francisco, boasted an informal atmosphere, known for its Friday afternoon themed parties known as ho-ho's.

Still, Mr. Swanson was extremely hard-driving and demanding, and Genentech's early days were marked by some controversy over allegedly aggressive sales tactics. In April, Genentech agreed to pay $50 million to settle Federal criminal charges that it had marketed human growth hormone for unapproved uses from 1985 to 1994.

Last month, Genentech agreed to pay $200 million to the University of California at San Francisco to settle a patent infringement lawsuit stemming from the development of a human growth hormone in the company's early days.

In 1990, Genentech agreed to sell 60 percent of its stock to Roche Holding, the Swiss drug giant, for $2.1 billion. This year, Roche bought the rest of Genentech it did not own but then sold shares to the public again.

Mr. Swanson was involved in numerous civic and academic activities, serving on various advisory councils at M.I.T. and as a trustee of the San Francisco Ballet and other organizations.

He is survived by his wife, Judy Church Swanson; his daughters, Katie and Erica; and his mother, Arline Swanson, of Foster City, Calif.


Puerto Rico is not going to get out of its sorry financial state on Walmart’s dime.

A federal judge in the island’s capital city of San Juan ruled on Monday that a new tax Puerto Rico was trying to impose on the retailing giant was illegal.

The tax proposal, which was signed into law on May 29, raised the tax companies pay on goods they buy from “related parties” off the island, from 2% to 6.5%. The law only applied to companies on the island that had more than $2.75 billion in revenues.

Walmart wmt sued Puerto Rico Treasury Secretary Juan Zaragoza Gómez in December, saying that the tax increase violated the commerce clause of the U.S. constitution by unfairly taxing interstate commerce. Before the trial, the company blasted the tax, saying it discriminated against it because Walmart was the only company big enough to pass the revenue threshold.

The retailer said that under the tax it would end up paying 114% of its island profits in taxes and that its operations in Puerto Rico would not be sustainable “for a lengthy period of time” under the new tax.

In his ruling, Judge José Antonio Fusté said that because of Puerto Rico’s miserable financial condition he was not happy to throw out the tax, the New York Times reported, but he said that the island’s economic crisis did not allow it to “take revenue that it’s not entitled to, to pay for essential services.”

Of course Walmart, unlike the judge, was very pleased.

“Today’s ruling is a victory not only for Walmart Puerto Rico but also for our customers, our more than 14,000 Puerto Rican associates, and the many Puerto Rican suppliers, and farmers who depend so heavily on us,” Lorenzo Lopez, a spokesman, told the Times.

Walmart is Puerto Rico’s biggest non-government employer, with 48 stores on the island.

Puerto Rico will appeal the ruling, the island’s treasury secretary said. “We will raise on appeal all the procedural errors that, in our opinion, took place during the trial,” Secretary Zaragoza said in a statement.

The sunny Caribbean island has been trying to find some way to restructure its $72 billion debt pile, a situation so untenable that some experts say that not even bankruptcy could save it. Without the “Walmart tax,” it will have an even bigger hole to fill.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Summary: The retailer claimed that the tax discriminated against it.


If you’ve ever sought out long-distance Netflixing, there’s now a way to achieve it.

A Google Chrome extension, called Netflix Party, allows users to remotely watch the same Netflix NFLX content, regardless of where they are. The app, which is an extension that needs to be installed in Google’s Chrome browser on both participants’ computers, will automatically sync the video playback. There is even a group chat function so participants can share thoughts as while watching a movie or television show.

Chrome Extensions have become a cottage industry of sorts, allowing developers to create the Internet-based applications to increase the Google browser’s functionality. The extensions are similar to the apps users might run on an iPhone or Android-based device, and they support virtually everything from note-taking tools to shopping apps.

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Netflix Party, which is available in the Google GOOGL Chrome Web Store, is a free download. The idea is an interesting one. Watching movies and television shows with friends and family can often be a fun time, cracking jokes, commenting on the acting or storyline, and more. But it’s really only been available in the comfort of one’s own home.

Netflix Party tries to bring that same in-home experience to people, regardless of where they are. Because the two accounts are linked together, users can watch programming at the same time and talk to each other in real time, as if they were sitting in the same room.

That said, it’s unclear how well Netflix Party works. For one, Internet speeds can vary. Anyone who has used Netflix knows buffering issues and quirks can happen from time to time, which might throw off the syncing. It’s unknown how Netflix Party hedges for that to keep the streams in step.

For more about Netflix, watch:

In addition, the app is a Chrome Extension, which means users will need to be on computers running Chrome to actually watch the show or movie simultaneously. At this point, Netflix Party is a browser-based service, which could be limiting to those who had hoped to use it while sitting on the couch and connecting to it from a set-top box.

Still, it’s proven somewhat popular. The extension currently has nearly 13,000 users, according to Google’s download tracker. While it’s been available for a few months, Netflix Party has found itself in the spotlight only recently when it launched an update that was ultimately picked up by tech news outlet TechCrunch.

Fortune has not tried out the Chrome Extension, so it remains to be seen first-hand whether it works well or is a pain to use. However, the function has so far garnered a four-star rating (out of five) from 31 reviewers.

Read more: Netflix Named One of the World’s Most Admired Companies

Those interested in trying out Netflix Party can download it now for free on Chrome now. Prospective users can head to the Chrome Web Store and, upon clicking here, determine whether their device is compatible.

Summary: All it takes is a Chrome extension.


This essay originally appeared in Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily tech newsletter. Sign up here.

If you were drawing a Venn diagram of finance and technology, nothing would represent the overlap between those two things quite as well as bitcoin. Depending on whom you choose to believe, the “crypto-currency” is either the future of money, or a breeding ground for scam artists, conspiracy theorists, and wackos. As of this writing, unfortunately, the latter seems like a more apt description.

The identity of bitcoin’s mysterious creator, a man known only as Satoshi Nakamoto, has been a closely guarded secret since the currency was created in 2008. Newsweek magazine claimed to have revealed Nakamoto’s true identity in a splashy 2014 cover story, but the subject of the story denied being the currency’s creator, and experts on bitcoin were also unconvinced.

Last week, an Australian man named Craig Wright claimed to be the inventor, and said he could prove it. His claims were widely reported by the BBC, The Economist and others, despite the fact that Wright was previously named as Nakamoto last year—claims that were more or less debunked by a number of leading bitcoin experts.

This time around, Wright lined up prominent members of the bitcoin community to attest to his identity, including Gavin Andresen, chief scientist at the Bitcoin Foundation, who took over development of the currency after Nakamoto disappeared. But a number of experts in the crypto-currency again blew holes in his claims, and Andresen admitted that he might have been too hasty.

Not to be dissuaded, Wright said he would provide conclusive proof that he is Nakamoto by withdrawing bitcoins from a cache that was originally set up by the currency’s creator. The current value of that cache is estimated to be about $450 million. On Thursday, however, Wright backed away from his promise and said he couldn’t go through with providing proof.

Why does it matter so much that we know who the creator of bitcoin is? It doesn’t really. The digital currency functions just fine without that knowledge—after all, the whole point is that it’s a decentralized monetary system. But it does seem more than a little ironic that a payment method renowned for its trustworthiness was created by a shadowy figure with unknown motives. And so, the mystery continues.

Summary: Craig Wright claims to be the bitcoin mastermind, but experts remain skeptical.


In the latest twist surrounding Sarepta Therapeutics and its rare disease drug, the US Food and Drug Administration has asked the company to provide additional data to review, a move some see as a sign that the agency is looking for ways to approve the treatment.

Shares in Sarepta, which disclosed the data request Monday night, jumped more than 22 percent Tuesday, closing at $19.67.

The request comes amid ongoing uncertainty over the fate of a medicine being developed to combat Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which destroys muscle fibers in boys, then limits their mobility before taking their lives. There are no treatments currently available, and the FDA recently rejected two other medicines, sparking a heated clash over the fate of the Sarepta drug.

As pressure mounts from parents and lawmakers, the agency has been sending mixed signals about its intentions. In recent months, agency medical reviewers repeatedly questioned the veracity of a 12-person clinical study and underlying trial data. But at the same time, a high-ranking FDA official recently — and very publicly — noted the dangers in failing to approve drugs for “devastating diseases.” And last month, the agency delayed making a decision.

The controversy increasingly resembles the fracas over HIV drugs three decades ago. And the FDA appears caught between its mandate to adhere to scientific standards for approving medicines and finding ways to appease the public and authorize treatments for unmet medical needs. The Sarepta drug, however, poses a challenge, thanks to uncertainty about the trial data.

“I would just say there’s a process that has to take its course, and if there’s any interference in a process like that, it creates problems for everybody else,” FDA commissioner Robert Califf told STAT. “. . . I think the smart thing to do is look at the extrapolation to other situations. . . . We want patients involved, all that sort of thing. This is just a very unusual situation.”

The agency asked Sarepta for muscle biopsies from 13 boys who are participating in an ongoing trial in order to determine the extent to which the medicine may produce dystrophin. Sarepta said the data will be given to the agency “in coming weeks.” The request was unexpected and suggests that FDA officials are trying to find a way to endorse the drug.

“We believe it signals a clear indication that the agency is willing to grant eteplirsen [the Sarepta drug] accelerated approval,” RW Baird analyst Brian Skorney said in a note to investors.

Such views are a notable turnabout from the gloom hanging over Sarepta last week, when the FDA released final guidelines for allowing drug makers to provide experimental treatments to terminally ill patients. Some investors thought the FDA took the opportunity to release the rules as a way to sidestep approving the Sarepta drug, although Califf has denied this was the intent.

Nonetheless, some speculate the data request may also be a way for the agency to ensure it can later defend a decision not to approve the drug.

Summary: In the latest twist surrounding the US Food and Drug Administration has asked Sarepta Therapeutics to provide additional data on its rare disease drug, a move some see as a sign that the agency is looking for ways to approve the treatment.


By Robert Zepeda and Erica Butler

Starving herself then bingeing on Cool Whip and Graham crackers; shifting her weight to trick the scale; even disguising herself and going through McDonald's Drive-Thru - these are the kinds of self-sabotage behaviors "Ruby," the hit weight-loss reality show that ran from 2008 to 2011, was supposed to be an antidote to.

But that's what Ruby Gettinger, the show's star, did, she said in an interview with "20/20."

Watch the full story on "20/20? TONIGHT at 10 ET

For four seasons, "Ruby," which aired on the Style Network, followed Gettinger's every move as she struggled to go from more than 700 pounds to 250. Her bubbly personality won hundreds of thousands of fans, who cheered her on through achievements like driving, riding a bike and swimming.

Dr. Oz, Regis and Kelly and even Oprah came calling, making Ruby the face of obesity.

With the show came counselors, a nutrition plan, trainers - all working toward the goal: 250 pounds.

But secretly, Gettinger now says, off camera her goal was dramatically different.

"I never, ever say this, but in my head, my goal was 128," Gettinger told ABC News' Amy Robach. "I wanted to be so thin that someone would look at me and say, 'Are you anorexic?'"

She didn't quite get to 128, but after season one, she was at 373, almost 130 pounds less than where she began. In the second season, while having some personal setbacks, she still managed to pull out a new low, 357. At the start of season three, Ruby was arguably one of the most documented stories of obesity and weight loss in America.

While the show brought on a celebrity high, the pressure to keep losing was bringing her down, causing stress and meltdowns.

"I didn't realize this is such an addiction," Gettinger said. "Like alcoholism, drugs, you know?"

Tennie McCarty, who was a counselor on "Ruby," runs Shades of Hope, a treatment center for those with eating disorders. She said food addiction is not only real - it can be even worse than alcohol and drugs.

"[With] alcoholism, drug addiction, nicotine addiction … [y]ou could live the rest of your life and not drink alcohol, take drugs or smoke nicotine," she said, whereas food is everywhere, and you have to eat.

Ruby was spiraling out of control - and going off her program for healthy weight loss.

"There was a lot of pressure," she said. "It made me start starving myself to death. I literally did not eat for four days because I knew I had to weigh. … And then after I weighed, I would binge eat."

One day, Gettinger's niece came over, and she had some Chicken McNuggets.

"For a week after that," Gettinger said, "I would go through the Drive-Thru - and I'm not kidding you - put a hat on, glasses, so no one would recognize me. … But just in case they'd recognize me, I would have the phone like this and go, Okay, now, what is it that you wanted? … It was two McNuggets? Okay. … That's just horrible to admit. But it was almost like just that one bit triggers something in me."

Gettinger stopped using her exercise equipment, and covered up her secret.

"When I was in a bad place I didn't use them at all. I'd get a washcloth and dust them off. I didn't want people to think, 'She's not using her equipment.'"

But the numbers on the scale couldn't lie, so Gettinger devised a way to deceive the scale, the show and the fans rooting for her.

"I could figure out a way to lean to this way or that way," Gettinger said. "I could make a 28-to-30-pound difference."

She even believed her own lie, Gettinger said.

"[I was] almost getting excited later on in the day, because people are bragging about the number that I have convinced myself that is the number, too," she said.

The show's producers weren't fooled and sent Gettinger to a weight-loss camp to restore her motivation. Nothing worked, and "Ruby" was cancelled, leaving fans wondering what happened.

"[The producers] said, 'We love you … we're just not going to continue the show," Gettinger said. "No one said this, but my personal belief is [they cancelled it] because I gained weight," she added. She said she blamed herself for the show's end and for "letting so many people down."

Soon after the show ended, Gettinger's brother died. She lay in bed, depressed and eating, she said. She gained 50 pounds, taking her back almost to 400.

"I woke up with, like, This is it, I'm doing this. It's not about the show; it's not about anything else. I got to finish this for me."

Desperate and with no money, Gettinger turned to her former trainers from the TV show.

"I said, Of course, I'm here for you no matter what," said Shazia Edmonds. "That phone call to me was so refreshing. It felt like she gets it, she wants to do it on her own."

Gettinger has named her new campaign Ruby's Challenge, and has a website to encourage fans to watch her progress and join themselves. She is back in the gym regularly and eating right, and has worked her weight down to 360.

Gettinger said she had learned some hard yet valuable lessons.

"The hard road is the best road, and just in the past two months I have never worked out [so] hard, been so strict, been so consistent."

Watch the full story on "20/20? TONIGHT at 10 p.m. ET

Summary: Under pressure to lose weight, star starved, binged and tricked the scale.


This article is published in partnership with Time.com. The original version can be found here.

China told the U.S. on Thursday that even a minor confrontation between their two militaries in the South China Sea could culminate into a larger war.

The comments, relayed to Reuters by a Chinese official, came in a conversation between Chinese Navy chief Admiral Wu Shengli and his U.S. counterpart John Richardson over Beijing’s disputed territorial claims in the South China Sea. Tensions between the two superpowers elevated on Tuesday when a U.S. naval vessel sailed within the 12-mile radius line established by China around artificial islands it has constructed in the busy shipping lane. The U.S. claimed it was merely sailing through international waters.

“(I) hope the U.S. side cherishes the good situation between the Chinese and U.S. navies that has not come easily and avoids these kinds of incidents from happening again,” Wu said.

He described the patrol as a “dangerous [and] provocative” act, saying that further incidents could result in a “a seriously pressing situation between frontline forces from both sides on the sea and in the air.”

The dialogue ended on a cautiously positive note, with both commanders agreeing to continue discussion over the issue and to proceed with scheduled naval port visits and diplomatic exchanges between the two countries.

Summary: The commanders of the U.S. and Chinese navies spoke Thursday to defuse recent tensions.


Nobody wants to be the runner-up. People, organizations, companies – they’re all keeping their eyes on the prize, in it to win it, and going big or going home. Trouble is, most of the time, there can be only one winner. And in the midsize sedan segment, that winner is the Honda Accord.

Sorry Toyota. While you actually move more Camrys out the door, the reality is that lots of them end up in rental, government, and taxi fleets. Honda sells Accords to individual customers, making it America’s clear choice as its favorite family car.

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Last year, among Asian brands, the Nissan Altima was the third best-selling midsize car. Among American brands, the Chevrolet Malibu trailed the Ford Fusion, just squeaking by the faltering Chrysler 200.

Both Chevrolet and Nissan aspire to greater success with consumers and reduced reliance on what are known as “fleet sales” to keep the factories running. They don’t want to be runners-up. Chevy redesigned the Malibu for 2016, and it is a clear improvement over the car it replaces. Nissan has refreshed the Altima for 2016, refining a vehicle that already delivered compelling value.

To find out which car is most compelling as an alternative to the best sellers in the segment, I gathered loaded examples of each and compared them side-by-side. Given the Malibu’s complete redesign, you might not find the result surprising. What is surprising, though, is that the Chevy narrowly took the win despite its stylish design, advanced technologies, and more powerful engine.

When requesting the vehicles for this comparison, knowing that the top-of-the-line Malibu Premier has a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine making 250 horsepower, I asked Nissan to bring an Altima 3.5 SL, the one with the excellent 260-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine. They didn’t have one of those. Instead, we settled on the less expensive 2.5 SL.

For 2016, Nissan has tweaked the Altima’s styling, adding more dramatic boomerang lighting elements, a new grille, and new aluminum wheel designs. More importantly, the Altima’s underlying structure is stronger for improved crash safety, and Nissan offers new driver assistance and collision avoidance technologies in addition to NissanConnect Services with automatic collision notification. Revised steering, suspension, and transmission calibrations improve driving dynamics, and a sport-tuned SR model debuts. Unfortunately, the SR is unavailable with many of the upgrades that make the Altima more appealing for 2016.

Compared to the Malibu Premier, and especially when viewed in profile, the Altima 2.5 SL looks rather drab, which simply draws more attention to its inelegant facelift. Mainly, I dislike the way that the headlights lap like a wave into the fenders and hood. Additionally, the oversized grille is better suited to an SUV than a passenger car. The new rear styling is tidy, and the larger 18-inch wheels offered on SR and 3.5 SL models help to add visual spice.

Inside, Altimas with a beige and black interior provide sharp contrast for a more upscale look. From the attractive perforated leather to the leaf-pattern plastic trim, my Altima’s cabin looked and felt like it belonged in a more expensive vehicle, except for windshield pillar covers oddly devoid of any texture whatsoever.

Comfort is an Altima hallmark, thanks to the roomy cabin and Nissan’s outstanding “Zero Gravity” seat designs. If you’re not driving, you might even prefer to ride in the back seat, which provides lots of legroom, terrific thigh support, and a perfect backrest angle. The front passenger’s seat lacks a height adjuster, which is one reason I preferred sitting in the back.

Controls are laid out in logical fashion, and the Altima boasts large, legible instrumentation, clearly marked switchgear, and simple knobs and buttons for the most commonly used functions. Storage areas are generously sized, and the 15.4 cu.-ft. trunk supplies a handle on the inner lid to help the car’s owner to swing it shut without getting dirty fingertips.

Nissan wisely introduces its new NissanConnect Services subscription plan for the 2016 Altima. With a paid plan, it supplies automatic collision notification, easy access to emergency and roadside assistance calling, and features aimed at promoting safer driving in teenagers such as speed, curfew, and boundary alerts. Unfortunately, it is restricted to the SL trim level, which is shortsighted.

Similarly, the Altima’s new predictive forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking systems are offered only for the most expensive SL trim. Given that these technologies are proven to reduce accidents, and that you can get them on any version of the best-selling Honda Accord, Nissan’s decision to offer it only on the priciest Altima is disappointing.

If a collision does occur, though, structural changes made for 2016 help the Altima to get top marks from the federal government and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Nissan has some catching up to do in terms of its infotainment technology, too. My test car had the top version of NissanConnect with Mobile Apps, featuring a 7-inch touchscreen. While pairing an iPhone to the system proved easy, and though it offers Siri Eyes Free and text-messaging support, it certainly looked and felt dated compared to the more sophisticated Chevrolet MyLink technology in the Malibu.

Thanks to its upgraded steering, suspension, and transmission, the Altima is more enjoyable to drive for 2016. The 182-horsepower, 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine is reliable and efficient, paired with an updated continuously variable transmission that now sounds and feels more like a traditional automatic. While the Altima would no doubt have been more fun to drive with its optional V6 engine and the larger 18-inch wheels that accompany it, it also would not have returned an impressive 31.9-mpg on my test loop.

While Nissan has fine-tuned the Altima’s electric steering, it still isn’t right, and especially when compared to the Malibu. When the cars are driven back-to-back, the Altima’s steering feels disconnected and vague on center, making it hard to execute fine-tuned course corrections, and is slower off-center. The leather Nissan uses on the steering wheel is also less satisfying to grip.

As far as ride and handling are concerned, the Altima proves stable, sure-footed, and predictable at all times. What’s missing here is dynamism, something to make the driver feel that the Altima is more than just a conveyance designed to get from Point A to Point B. While the new Altima SR models deliver that, they also can’t be optioned with desirable equipment, underscoring the limitations imposed upon consumers with regard to mixing and matching the best of what this car has to offer.

Perhaps more than anything, such limitations possess the power to restrict interest in the Altima. Until Nissan provides its customers with a better range of choice, the ability to buy a car that they might actually want, the company will continue to field a runner-up in the midsize sedan segment.

According to J.D. Power, consumers claim that styling is just as important as reliability when it comes to choosing a new car. If that’s true, then the redesigned 2016 Chevrolet Malibu should find lots of success.

This car looks much better in person than it does in pictures, the light playing off of its deceptively seductive bodywork and uncommonly cohesive detailing. Attention to detail gives the Malibu a look all its own, one that is appealing from any angle. The car is more aerodynamic, too, equipped with a deep front air dam that irritatingly scrapes on just about every dip and driveway apron.

Open the driver’s door, and Chevy’s flair for design remains evident, though the Malibu’s cabin is rendered in obviously inexpensive materials. Plus, my test vehicle’s Dark Atmosphere and Medium Gray interior lacked contrast, further cheapening the Chevy’s appearance.

Sophisticated infotainment screen graphics and understated ambient lighting help to ameliorate the budget-motel ambience, and then you open the door to exit the car and your heel catches on the rubber stripping that has come unmoored from the Malibu’s side sills. Clearly, this is no Nissan Altima SL.

Comfort levels are not as high as in the Nissan, either, especially for rear seat occupants. Though the new Malibu is bigger inside than before, compared to the Nissan it remains a bit cramped and claustrophobic in back. Front seats are better, equipped with 8-way power adjustment as well as heating and ventilation. But they’re not nearly as soothing as what Nissan supplies inside the Altima.

While rear seat room is improved compared to the previous Malibu, Chevy has shrunk its redesigned family sedan’s trunk, from 16.3 cu.-ft. to 15.8 cu.-ft. Additionally, even on the top-of-the-line Premier model, you need to put your hand on the outside of the trunk lid in order to slam it shut, so carry hand sanitizer inside the car.

Of course, that’s going to take up precious room. Stingy storage space is another fault with the new Malibu, from cup holders apparently designed by Big Gulp-hating Michael Bloomberg to a console storage tray with a USB port that can’t hold an iPhone 6 flat. Chevrolet provides a wireless smartphone charging slot that tightly grips your device, but if you sit far back in the seat track the forward edge of the center storage armrest blocks it from view. I kept forgetting my phone, leaving it inside of the car.

By now, you might be wondering how the Malibu won this contest. In addition to styling, its victory is due largely to its impressive infotainment system, useful if somewhat unrefined driver assistance technologies, and its superior driving dynamics.

Chevrolet's latest MyLink infotainment system is graphically pleasing, user-friendly, and responds quickly to inputs. Additionally, the 8-inch capacitive touchscreen successfully resisted fingerprints during a week and nearly 600 miles of driving. A tuning knob to complement the existing power and volume knob sure would be nice, but that’s the only complaint to voice about the system.

Furthermore, MyLink’s associated features are undeniably impressive. They include OnStar subscription services with automatic collision notification, an available 4G LTE Wi-Fi connection, Tune Select alerts for songs and artists playing on other stations, and smartphone projection technology in the form of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Optional for Malibu LT and standard for Malibu Premier, Teen Driver technology provides parents the ability to program speed and stereo volume limits and delivers driving reports each time your kid borrows the family car.

Like the Altima, the Malibu is available with a blind spot warning system, and because Chevrolet places the visual warning on the mirror, where the driver is already looking, instead of on the interior trim near the mirror, its solution is superior.

Additionally, Chevrolet makes important collision avoidance technology available on a broader array of Malibu models. That’s terrific, but the forward collision warning system’s frighteningly shrill visual and audible alert has the power to startle a driver into overreacting to a potential threat and actually causing an accident. I strongly recommend lowering the system’s sensitivity level.

On second thought, perhaps the collision warning system’s activity reflected the greater driver confidence that the Malibu Premier instilled in me. With few exceptions, this Chevrolet impresses in terms of its acceleration, steering, braking, ride, and handling qualities.

Whoosh! With 250 horsepower at 5,300 rpm and 260 lb.-ft. of torque available from 2,000 to 5,000 rpm, the Malibu Premier’s turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder delivers rapid acceleration. Under light throttle, the 8-speed automatic upshifts quickly to conserve fuel, but when you need to accelerate onto a freeway, pass slower traffic, or power up a mountain grade, the Malibu hustles.

Better yet, when equipped with its sizable 19-inch aluminum wheels, the Malibu sticks in corners, the suspension tuned to provide a compliant ride combined with a genuinely tossable nature when the road starts to twist and turn. On undulating pavement, the rather short tire sidewalls contribute to an unexpectedly stiff and busy ride quality, but this car is undeniably enjoyable to drive.

No doubt, the Malibu’s perfectly tuned electric steering plays a big role in this regard. Quick, accurate, and delivering the on-center precision necessary to accurately make minor steering corrections, the steering is light and effortless at low speeds and feels perfectly precise the faster you drive.

Though the Malibu Premier encourages enthusiastic driving, it still returns decent fuel economy. The EPA says it should get 26 mpg in combined driving, but on my Malibu, California test loop the car got 27.4 mpg.

Taken together, the Malibu’s driving dynamics, modern infotainment and safety technologies, and appealing design allow it to score slightly ahead of Nissan’s refreshed Altima, which supplies a superior interior design with better materials and incomparably comfortable seating.

Unfortunately, the Chevy’s stylish but comparatively low-rent interior demonstrates that perhaps General Motors still doesn’t understand how important it is to spend money inside of a vehicle where owners spend all of their time. This, combined with the imminent arrival of a refreshed Ford Fusion, could keep Chevrolet from advancing beyond the 50-yard line on the competitive midsize sedan battlefield.

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Summary: Chevy and Nissan both want a bigger slice of the midsize sedan sales pie. Between these two second-stringers, which one is best?


A construction worker died after she was stabbed repeatedly on a South of Market street in San Francisco during a confrontation Friday morning with a man and a woman, who were later arrested, police said.

The victim was flagging traffic at Fifth and Shipley streets when the two approached her about 9:30 a.m. and a heated argument broke out, witnesses told police. One of the assailants pulled a sharp-edged weapon and attacked the construction worker, stabbing her multiple times.

The victim, whose name was not released, died while being taken to a hospital, police said.

San Francisco police investigate a stabbing Friday morning in the South of Market area that left a female construction worker dead and a man and a woman in custody.

San Francisco police investigate a stabbing Friday morning in the South of Market area that left a female construction worker dead and a man and a woman in custody.

San Francisco police investigate a stabbing Friday morning in the South of Market area that left a female construction worker identified Monday as Mitzi Campbell, 58, dead and a man and a woman in custody.

San Francisco police investigate a stabbing Friday morning in the South of Market area that left a female construction worker identified Monday as Mitzi Campbell, 58, dead and a man and a woman in custody.

San Francisco police investigate a stabbing Friday morning in the South of Market area that left a female construction worker, identified Monday as Mitzi Campbell, 58, of San Francisco, dead and a man and a woman in custody.

San Francisco police investigate a stabbing Friday morning in the South of Market area that left a female construction worker, identified Monday as Mitzi Campbell, 58, of San Francisco, dead and a man and a

San Francisco police investigate a stabbing Friday morning in the South of Market area that left a female construction worker dead and a man and a woman in custody.

San Francisco police investigate a stabbing Friday morning in the South of Market area that left a female construction worker dead and a man and a woman in custody.

San Francisco police investigate a stabbing Friday morning in the South of Market area that left a female construction worker, identified Monday as Mitzi Campbell, 58, dead and a man and a woman in custody.

San Francisco police investigate a stabbing Friday morning in the South of Market area that left a female construction worker, identified Monday as Mitzi Campbell, 58, dead and a man and a woman in custody.

2 arrested in fatal stabbing of construction worker on SF street

Mayor Ed Lee said the slain worker graduated from the CityBuild program in 2013 and was a member of the Laborers’ Local 261 union.

“On behalf of the City and County of San Francisco, I extend my deepest condolences to the family of the victim who died after being stabbed,” Lee said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with her family, friends and colleagues during this time of mourning and sorrow.”

The stabbing evolved from an argument, said Officer Grace Gatpandan, a Police Department spokeswoman.

The two ran away, leaving the victim bleeding on the street. While some co-workers rushed to help the mortally wounded woman, others followed the attackers and called police.

The suspects were arrested at Fifth and Folsom streets, Gatpandan said. She said the weapon believed to have been used in the slaying was recovered.

Ophylia Wispling, 28, of Alameda was working nearby when she heard the commotion outside and went to see what was happening.

A man who appeared to be a construction worker, wearing a hard hat and yellow vest, chased the suspects down the street, she said.

A video Wispling took at the scene showed a construction worker standing in the middle of Fifth Street, directing arriving officers to a man believed to be one of the suspects.

The footage shows police putting the man face down on the ground and handcuffing him, and another officer ordering a handcuffed woman to sit on a nearby curb.

“It’s not really that surprising that this happened here,” she said, referring to frequency of crime and homelessness in the South of Market neighborhood. “But it is really sad.”

The slain woman was flagging traffic for a Cahill Contractors apartment construction project, with a bulk of the work taking place farther down Shipley Street from where she was stationed, said Rob Rich, a safety executive for Cahill Contractors.

Rich said the woman was a subcontracted employee from the San Carlos company Dees-Hennessey Inc.

“Our hearts go out to her family and friends and co-workers and the entire team,” Rich said.

Kevin Schultz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kschultz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: kevinedschultz

Summary: A construction worker died after she was stabbed repeatedly on a South of Market street in San Francisco during a confrontation Friday morning with a man and a woman, who were later arrested, police said.  The victim was flagging traffic at Fifth and Shipley streets when the two approached her about 9:30 a.m. and a heated argument broke out, witnesses told police.  While some co-workers rushed to help the mortally wounded woman, others followed the attackers and called police.  A video Wispling took at the scene showed a construction worker standing in the middle of Fifth Street, directing arriving officers to a man believed to be one of the suspects.  The footage shows police putting the man face down on the ground and handcuffing him, and another officer ordering a handcuffed woman to sit on a nearby curb.  “It’s not really that surprising that this happened here,” she said, referring to frequency of crime and homelessness in the South of Market neighborhood.  The slain woman was flagging traffic for a Cahill Contractors apartment construction project, with a bulk of the work taking place farther down Shipley Street from where she was stationed, said Rob Rich, a safety executive for Cahill Contractors.


A premium luxury sedan born from the ashes of the Fisker Karma – a Tesla rival that wowed the automotive world before collapsing into bankruptcy three years ago – will soon begin rolling off a production line at California's newest car factory.

When it is up and running, the Karma Automotive factory in Moreno Valley will produce as many as 3,000 of the high-end Karma Reveros annually. The cars, again compteting with Tesla, will be four-door luxury electric sedans priced above $100,000.

Karma Automotive joins Tesla on a list of locally based car and bus manufacturers, including Faraday Future, BYD and Atieva that together are making California ground zero for the electric vehicle market.

Like those companies, Karma is backed by Chinese money. The bankrupt Karma’s assets were purchased in 2014 by Wanxiang Group, a Chinese auto parts giant that also owns A123, the battery company that produced power packs for the Fisker cars.

Faraday, which recently announced its plan to build cars at a $1-billion facility in Nevada and another smaller factory in the San Francisco area, is owned by Chinese entrepreneur Jia Yueting. Atieva, a Silicon Valley-based electric car company, is controlled by the Chinese state-owned Beijing Automotive Industry Corp. BYD, which employs 160 workers at a plant in Lancaster that builds electric buses, is owned by the Chinese BYD Auto Co.

On a recent weekday morning, inside a massive, anonymous warehouse just east of the March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County, bits and pieces of aluminum-bodied cars moved slowly along broad conveyor belts.

In one area, welders behind heavy masks were being trained to turn rectangular sections of metal into a working chassis. Across the way, 15-foot-tall robots were using rivets to join the frame sections to body parts. Further down the production line, car bodies that had been dipped in paint tanks were baking in a super-heated drying oven.

Technicians wearing hard hats and goggles watched the welders and robots, fine-tuning their efforts, making sure the practice vehicles were up to premium luxury automotive standards.

When they're done, the Reveros will look and drive a lot like their predecessor Karmas. Though the new car will have its own front and rear fascia design, it will be powered by the same engine and same A123 battery, and contain many of the Karma’s interior and exterior design elements, as the car built by honored designer Henrik Fisker.

That car had a combined 400-plus horsepower and 960 pound feet of torque, and a top speed of 125 miles per hour. It could travel about 50 miles on electric charge alone, and 230 miles using its combined gasoline and electric power trains.

Sleek and low-slung, the Karma won Automobile Magazine's Design of the Year award in 2011, and was named Luxury Car of the Year for 2011 by Top Gear Magazine.

“The Karma was loved and revered,” said Jim Taylor, the energetic auto veteran who, after decades with General Motors, is now Karma's chief marketing officer. “They nailed the design. You’d be crazy to change it.”

Taylor and a Karma team scouted factories and courted governmental assistance in Tennessee, Texas, Indiana, South Carolina, Michigan and other locations before settling on Moreno Valley.

In the end, Taylor said, it was location more than hand-outs than lured Karma to California. While other states offered cash and tax incentives, Southern California offered the good weather and cultural amenities that help lure the best engineers and designers.

Even a low-volume car factory requires an enormous footprint. Karma’s Moreno Valley facility has 32-foot ceilings and occupies 550,000 square feet. When full production begins, 100 workers will build cars here, in addition to 600 other employees at Karma’s Costa Mesa design offices and as many as 150 more engineering and sales staff in an office in Troy, Mich.

Building the factory, inside an existing warehouse, involved complications. A fully-functioning production line was among the assets orphaned by the Fisker bankruptcy. But the assets were still in the shuttered Fisker Scandinavian factory.

See the most-read stories in Business this hour »

“The good news is that we’ve got it,” Taylor said he was told. "The bad news is – it's in Finland.”

The Finnish production line was broken down into parts, boxed and sent by ship to the U.S., then brought by train to California, where it was reassembled inside the Moreno Valley warehouse.

Also in the Fisker inventory were 120 finished Karma cars, and parts and pieces to build dozens more – though these too were scattered between factory, warehouses, dealerships and parts suppliers, and were in what Taylor called “varying degrees of rust and disrepair.”

Those bits were all shipped to California, and became the test vehicles Karma would use to train its workers and robots to make new cars. Some will become crash test vehicles. Others will be scrapped. Still others might actually become new Reveros.

When they are for sale, Taylor said, the first vehicles may go to people who still own their original Karmas.

“There are 1,300 owners in the U.S. who are fanatics,” Taylor said. “They want to have the first crack, and there should be a way to do that.”

Taylor said that what goes around doesn’t necessarily have to come around, and that Karma will not be forced to make the mistakes its predecessor car company made – which he said included having to put cars into the market, in order to satisfy investor demands, when they weren't ready to sell

“We have no pressure that this car has to be in showrooms by Thanksgiving,” Taylor said. “We’ll reveal the car this summer, and the pricing.”

Even at this late date, in fact, Taylor said the company has not decided whether its distribution system will be modeled on the Detroit tradition, selling cars through franchised dealerships, or go Tesla-style, selling cars direct to the consumer. Karma’s solution might be a little of both, Taylor said, or might vary region to region.

Stressing that the Moreno Valley factory investment underscores Karma’s parent company’s long-term commitment to building electric vehicles, Taylor said Wanxiang’s founder and president, Lu Guanqui – said to be worth $6.5 billion, and to be the 18th richest person in China – is no short-term flipper.

“Asian companies are taking the long view,” Taylor said. “This is a mission in his mind, for his kids, and for their kids.”

Karma Automotive’s owners may need all the patience they can muster. Despite the rapidity with which Karma has gotten up to speed – producing vehicles in a factory that was empty less than a year ago – electric vehicles account for less than 3% of all U.S. auto sales, and even industry leader Tesla has still not turned a profit.

“The ability of a company like Tesla to generate excitement, and high stock prices, has a lot of other companies convinced there’s money to be made in the EV space,” said Kelley Blue Book senior analyst Karl Brauer.

“That’s somewhat ironic because Tesla has never actually made money, and several other EV start-ups, including Karma’s predecessor, all went bankrupt. The challenge for the Karma will be convincing people to give it another try after a fairly high-profile failure.”

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Over the past few months, while Amazon, Microsoft and IBM took turns unveiling new cloud computing data centers in China, India, Germany, the U.K., South Korea, and elsewhere, one public cloud provider remained eerily silent: Google.

This is odd because, when it comes to delivering cloud services to customers—especially business customers—location matters. The further away the computer servers and storage are, the longer the lag time, or latency, in operations. And slow is definitely no good in this context.

But two sources close to Google GOOG said the company is considering an interesting plan.

Google’s cloud services operate out of four data center regions worldwide compared with 20 for Microsoft Azure and 11 for Amazon Web Services (AWS) with five more due in the next year. But Google also has 70 data caching stations around the world that store copies (or caches) of video, audio and popular web pages close to their likely audiences to speed their delivery.

Those endpoints are key pieces of what Google calls its “peering and content delivery network.” The idea, which both sources said is under discussion, calls for these Google outposts to be outfitted with additional computing capacity so they would become sort of mini data centers.

Both sources requested anonymity because their companies work with Google. A Google spokeswoman would not comment on what she called rumor and speculation.

One source noted that the Google Compute Engine (GCE) team—basically the cloud group—is working with the company’s broader internal infrastructure groups to see if it can put small pods or clusters of computing power into these regional endpoints.

There could be wrinkles. For one thing this could end up being a tiered system, with big jobs running on Google’s own massive data centers which run hundreds of thousands (millions?) of servers that could outstrip the capabilities of the smaller end-point nodes of the CDN. If they were to do that, there’s more limited capacity than for the stuff running in GCE’s own data centers, he said.

“Users might be given a cap and it would be more expensive to run” in these smaller clusters, the source said.

That scenario flies in the face of the expectation of public cloud users—customers who rent out computing, storage and bandwidth run by Google, Amazon, Microsoft etc.—who think they can add nearly unlimited computing and storage capacity as needed. So this scenario could set up a two sets of infrastructure with two pricing models.

But it is clear Google needs to do something about global coverage soon. Amazon AMZN is the leader in public cloud infrastructure, running what Gartner last year estimated to be 10 times more computing capacity than the next 14 cloud competitors combined. Microsoft MSFT is making a play especially with business customers.

To help speed traffic flow into and out of its cloud, Google and Akamai [Fortune-stock symbol=”AKAM”], the CDN market leader recently announced a partnership to directly link to Google’s own CDN interconnect with Akamai’s CDN. In September it announced a similar deal with four other CDN providers: Cloudflare, Fastly, Level 3 Communications and Highwinds. But those deals are just a piece of the overall puzzle.

Google has great technical smarts, and entered the fray with a bang last year with a series of price cuts on key storage and computing services in a move that seemed to flummox Amazon, which is not used to other companies driving the price agenda. But it has struggled to sell its cloud to business users, many of whom are not totally sure that Google, the online search and ad giant, really cares about cloud services. (For the record, it always said it does.)

To counter that perception, Google recently put former VMware VMW CEO Diane Greene in charge of its cloud unit. She brings added credibility to the push with business customers. (Of course, this week’s snafu with Google App Engine, anohter of Google’s cloud offerings, probably won’t help its case with prospective business users, but then again AWS and Azure have also had hiccups.)

Adrian Cockcroft, technology fellow at Battery Ventures, and former cloud guru at Netflix NFLX , said he has not heard about this Google plan but he that it would make sense given businesses needs for lots of geographical coverage and fast performance.

If the Google cloud team has figured out how to convert those CDN nodes into far-flung mini-data center pods, it means they have listened to what enterprise customers have requested, Cockcroft told Fortune via email.

“From a technology point of view, it also means they have figured out how to scale down and package their cloud for small regional deployments,” Cockcroft said. That is something Microsoft and Digital Ocean, another public cloud company, have already done and something he thinks AWS will get better with over time.

For more from Barb, follow her on Twitter at @gigabarb, read her coverage at fortune.com/barb-darrow or subscribe via this RSS feed.

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Summary: There is a way to expand its cloud reach, but Google isn't talking about it.