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Molly Sims flaunts toned abs in mismatched bikini during perfect beach day with her kids
Molly Sims is enjoying a beach day with her kids.
The 53-year-old model and actress took to Instagram to share how she and her family spent "a perfect beach day" together.
She posted a series of photos on her Instagram stories featuring her children swimming in the ocean and building sandcastles, as well as one of her in a mismatched bikini with the words, "Oh hey," written over it.
In the photo, Sims can be seen flaunting her toned abs in a black bikini top and blue bikini bottoms, which she paired with a chunky chain necklace with a heart charm with the letter "M" on it, as well as black sunglasses and a black hat.
KRISTIN CAVALLARI FLAUNTS HER TONED FIGURE IN BIKINIS DURING EUROPEAN SUMMER VACATION
She also shared a photo of herself after leaving the beach in a white dress with black polka dots, which she paired with the same gold chain necklace, gold hoop earrings and minimal makeup.
"Nothing like getting ready for dinner after a day in the sun," she wrote over the picture, adding a sun emoji.
The model recently made waves when she was featured in the pages of the 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, sporting a variety of bikinis.
Sims posted some of the photos on her Instagram, including an orange string bikini she wore while posing on a cliff along the ocean, a pink one, which she paired with suspenders, and a red suit which featured silver shell embellishments.
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"If only I could tell the 20-something version of me shooting her first @si_swimsuit issue that she’d still be here at 52… feeling more beautiful and confident in her skin than ever before."
Sims first posed for the magazine in 2000, and went on to appear in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue eight separate times.
She has never been one to shy away from posting bikini photos on social media, often taking to Instagram to share photos from various vacations, whether she was in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, or on a mountain vacation in the snow.
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In February 2023, Sims took to her Instagram stories to share how she keeps her body bikini ready, noting her secret is bone broth, and she showed a picture of a mug filled with it.
She wrote, "Anti-ageing [sic], good for digestion and gut, helps my joints after workouts, better sleep... this has been game changing for me."
EXCLUSIVE: Teen girls recall Jersey Shore ride malfunction that left them stuck hanging upside down
FIRST ON FOX: Early last month, on the day after the Fourth of July, more than a dozen people found themselves trapped upside down on a malfunctioning ride along the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey.
Charlotte Hacker and Emilia Gordon, both 13, were among the passengers on the Wipe Out ride at Playland's Castaway Cove when it got stuck that evening.
The two friends were interviewed with their parents' permission, recounting to Fox News Digital the terrifying experience of dangling midair with no idea of when they would come down.
"We were stuck upside down for five to seven minutes, and it doesn't seem like that much to the people that were down watching us, but we were up there, and it felt like an hour," Hacker said on Saturday.
EIGHT RIDERS LEFT DANGLING ATOP 100-FOOT ROLLER COASTER FOR OVER THREE HOURS AT TEXAS AMUSEMENT PARK
The girls went to the boardwalk to celebrate Gordon’s 13th birthday, which was the following day. They said they often ride the attractions there and decided to try the Wipe Out because it was new.
The ride swings like a pendulum, repeatedly turning thrill-seekers upside down while its passenger compartment spins. Only this time, the ride inexplicably stopped with everyone suspended upside down.
"I seriously thought I was going to pass out," Gordon said. "You try to put your head up, but you literally can't. You can barely get it up at all."
The girls, seated next to each other, tried to carry on mundane conversations to distract themselves while blood rushed to their heads.
SIX FLAGS GUESTS STRANDED 245 FEET IN AIR AFTER POWER OUTAGE FORCES COASTER EVACUATION
"I remember thinking that the lap bars were going to open and that we were just going to fall," Gordon said.
Family members on the ground waiting for their kids to get off the ride were terrified as well, the girls said.
"My uncle was there too, because we were all with my cousins, so he was also freaking out," Hacker said.
Eventually, the ride's operators managed to get it moving again, but to the girls' dismay, it kept on going. Once the ride finished, they said they weren't let off for another few minutes.
It is unclear what caused the apparent malfunction, and if any injuries were reported.
Hacker said the ride did not close, adding that there were some people who stayed in line and rode it after they got off.
"When we came off, people were literally clapping," Gordon said.
The amusement park offered ticket refunds to the girls, which they didn't think was sufficient after what they went through.
"That ride is five tickets, so they just gave back our ticket but [Hacker] only got three back. I got five. But still, after all that, I feel like you expect more," Gordon said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Ocean City Fire Department, Ocean City Police Department, the ride's operator and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs for comment.
USA Volleyball suggests changes coming to sex testing, while junior families raise male athlete concerns
USA Volleyball suggested it may change its policy on genetic sex tests to protect the women's category. Meanwhile, multiple female players of USA Volleyball-sanctioned leagues and their families have spoken out about playing against an allegedly transgender opponent.
USA Volleyball, the International Volleyball Federation and members of the U.S. Women’s National Team said they have reached a "constructive path forward" after players raised concerns about the rollout of genetic screening used to determine eligibility for the female category in international competition.
The organizations said in a July 28 joint statement that they had reached a "shared understanding" over concerns surrounding the sex-determining region Y, or SRY, screening process.
INSIDE THE FALLOUT OF THE SJSU VOLLEYBALL SCANDAL: ‘THIS IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM’
"Following a series of productive discussions, the FIVB, USA Volleyball, and members of the USA Women’s National Team (WNT) are pleased to confirm a shared understanding and a constructive path forward regarding the concerns raised in relation to the SRY screening process," the statement read.
"When the WNT first raised concerns through USA Volleyball related to communication, athlete privacy and procedural safeguards, the FIVB responded immediately by meeting with USA Volleyball and adapting its procedures to address these concerns."
The statement did not announce an end to SRY screening or a change to the eligibility standard itself. Instead, it focused on how the testing is communicated and administered and said the parties would continue working together to improve the process.
The dispute followed the International Olympic Committee’s March 2026 policy, which limits eligibility for the female category at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and other IOC events to biological females, as determined through a one-time SRY gene screening. The IOC says the policy is not retroactive and does not apply to grassroots or recreational sports.
FIVB incorporated SRY screening into its 2026 Sports Regulations. Under those rules, the presence of a Y chromosome initially places a player in the male category, while its absence makes a player eligible for the female category. The regulations also establish a process through which a player may seek a change in categorization by demonstrating that no competitive advantage would result.
The FIVB rule is limited to FIVB, world and other official competitions organized by the international federation, its confederations and zonal associations. FIVB’s regulations expressly leave eligibility rules for domestic club competition to each national federation.
That distinction has become a flashpoint for three families who told Fox News Digital that their daughters competed on teams with an alleged biological male athlete in a USA Volleyball-sanctioned league. The families allege that an amended birth certificate was accepted as the controlling eligibility document even though, they say, the alleged biological male athlete’s sex at birth was male.
USA Volleyball’s current Gender Competition Policy says athlete members are expected to compete in USAV-sanctioned events "as a member of the gender assigned at the time of birth on their birth certificate." The same policy says the gender recorded for competition purposes "has not officially been verified."
Fox News Digital is not identifying the girls, their family members or the league that they play in but has independently verified they compete in a USA Volleyball-sanctioned league. Fox News Digital has not independently verified an alleged biological male competes in that league.
The following family statements are reproduced in full. The families’ assertions about an alleged biological male athlete, an amended birth certificate, communications with volleyball officials and the alleged athlete’s physical characteristics have not been independently verified by Fox News Digital.
"It’s wrong because [the alleged biological male athlete] is biologically stronger than me. I’ll never jump as high as [the alleged biological male athlete] can. No matter how much training I do, I’ll never be able to do what [the alleged biological male athlete’s] body can do. I’m labeled as transphobic for being against all the things that I just said and it’s just facts. No hate. I hope they start testing to make sure that boys are not ever on the court with girls."
"My daughter competed alongside an [alleged] biologically male player, so this policy change is deeply personal to our family. Watching her navigate an incredibly stressful season was heartbreaking. Beyond the emotional toll, our family sacrificed countless hours and significant financial resources, only to feel like the integrity of the competition was compromised. We were put in a position where I believed the rules weren’t being followed, and it was incredibly frustrating to feel like we had no choice but to accept it.
"This policy validates what so many female athletes and parents have experienced but were often afraid to say publicly. I hope USA Volleyball remains committed to keeping the female division exclusively for female athletes and protecting the fairness, safety, and opportunities that girls deserve, so no other family has to go through what ours did."
"Being a female athlete and having to play, with or against, an [alleged] biological male should not be something that any female athlete should have to do. It is simply unfair. Male athletes already start with an advantage that no female athletes can reach, leaving a huge mental impact on the female players around them. It leaves female athletes, like myself, comparing their ability to the men on their court, making them insecure about something they may never be able to reach.
"This takes opportunities away from the female athletes as well, who work hard every day to improve their athletic ability but in the end, they will never have the strength, vertical, or endurance a male is naturally able to develop. Not to mention, males participating in women's sporting events is illegal. So not only is it unfair by taking away female opportunities, it is against the law."
"For this entire volleyball season, my husband and I have been forced to watch my daughter and ten other girls compete on a team alongside an [alleged biological male athlete] on the roster. It has been infuriating because we feel that we are not protecting her, yet to speak out could foil her chance at making an elite roster next season. We are sending these young women very mixed messages. We teach our children that the hard work they put into working out, practicing and being a good team player will have its rewards.
"However, in this case, the work that the girls are putting in is futile. My daughter and her teammates feel defeated because they know the physical advantage that males have over females. They often have to listen as male coaches praise the [alleged biological male athlete’s] athletic ability, all the while these girls knowing that [the alleged biological male athlete] has unfair physical advantages.
"As a society that allows boys into girls’ private spaces, we are sending the young women a message that they will never be good enough, that the scholarships will probably never go to them, and that in general, being a female, is at best, only good enough to stand in 2nd place, behind the boys who you never had a chance at beating in the first place. As adults, we are failing to keep our young girls safe.
"As parents of athletes, we have a responsibility to raise our girls to be proud of being female, proud of being strong in mind and body, and proud to stand for the rights of all women and girls, both on the court and off. We cannot allow these violations to continue. Women were granted these rights under Title IX, and the law is being violated by USA Volleyball! Women and girls and their advocates should not have to continue to fight for rights that were already given to them!"
"As a female athlete who loves playing volleyball, I never thought or could have ever imagined I would have to be put in a situation where I would have to compete with and against an [alleged] boy.
"Seeing an [alleged] boy jump higher and hit harder while seeing [the alleged biological male athlete] get recognized over me was extremely humiliating as a female athlete. No matter how hard I worked at getting better, I knew I could never be as good as [the alleged biological male athlete]. Volleyball nets are higher in men’s volleyball due to this reason.
"I trusted USA Volleyball and leadership members who run volleyball club organizations to protect me and my fellow female athletes. Instead, I have lost trust in these adults and organizations. Knowing [alleged] male athletes are playing under the USA Volleyball guidelines and sweeping it under the rug makes me feel defeated as a young female. I have worked so hard to get to where I am, and allowing an [alleged] boy to play on an all-girls volleyball team has me discouraged to even keep playing the sport I love.
"USA Volleyball states 'compete in the gender matching the sex assigned at birth on their birth certificate.' Well in my state you can change your gender with the identity you identify as. How is this fair? Due to your guidelines and rules, I have to compete with an [alleged] biological male because they can amend their birth certificate to FEMALE. This is not fair or safe for me and the rest of female athletes."
"As a mother of a female athlete whose daughter had to play on the same team as an [alleged] biological male, I believe USA Volleyball should have clear, consistent methods for verifying athlete eligibility. The current USA Volleyball policy states that 'USAV athlete members are expected to participate or compete in all USAV-sanctioned events or activities as a member of the gender assigned at the time of birth on their birth certificate.'
TRANS ATHLETES DROP LAWSUIT TO GAIN ACCESS TO GIRLS' SPORTS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AFTER SCOTUS RULING
"As a parent of a female athlete, it is frustrating when the rules are not being applied consistently. In some states, birth certificates can be amended to reflect a person’s gender identity.
"This creates uncertainty when eligibility rules are intended to be based on biological sex at birth. In competitions where eligibility is based on biological sex, we believe USA Volleyball needs to consider additional methods of verification so that the rules are applied consistently to every athlete and all competitors are treated fairly. I witnessed firsthand what my daughter and her teammates experienced.
"They felt humiliated and discouraged when an [alleged] male athlete had physical advantages in jumping and hitting power that the girls could not match. They also felt disheartened when those abilities received recognition. Men’s volleyball is played with a higher net, reflecting recognized physical differences between the men’s and women’s games. I watched my daughter’s confidence decline because she believed the eligibility rules were not being enforced consistently.
"She felt there was no meaningful way to ensure that the policy was applied as written. USA Volleyball needs to do more to protect fair competition for female athletes. Solely relying on birth certificates alone is not sufficient enough to verify eligibility under a policy that is intended to be based on sex assigned at birth."
"As a father, I was outraged. I trusted that if USA Volleyball had eligibility rules, they would be enforced consistently. Instead, I watched my daughter and her teammates compete in a situation they believed did not follow those rules. USA volleyball said they wouldn’t remove the [alleged biological male] athlete because of an amended birth certificate, even though the policy is based on sex assigned at birth.
"I was given a meeting after requesting one with the leadership of my daughter’s local volleyball team to discuss concerns regarding an [alleged] male athlete participating on her girls’ team. During the meeting, information was presented that demonstrated the athlete was [allegedly] biologically male.
"Despite the evidence provided, the team leadership stated that they had been instructed by both their regional governing organization and USA Volleyball to accept the athlete’s amended birth certificate as the determining document for eligibility. As a result, my concerns were dismissed, and no further action was taken by the organization regarding the matter. Her local club team was not only made aware of the [alleged biological male athlete] being in the team but was also told by numerous other parents on her team along with opposing team parents and coaches and they still turned a blind eye.
"What made me the angriest was watching my daughter pay the price. My daughter lost confidence, felt like her concerns were dismissed, and started questioning whether the rules actually meant anything. As a father, there’s nothing more frustrating than seeing your child speak up, believe she’s standing up for what’s right, and feel like no one is willing to listen.
"This isn’t about hate or attacking anyone personally. It’s about fairness, accountability, and expecting organizations to enforce the policies they put in place. If the rules are going to exist, they should be applied consistently to every athlete. That’s all we’ve ever asked for."
Fox News Digital has reached out to USA Volleyball for a response to the family's statements.
Biden's battle with advancing cancer renews focus on prostate disease
Former President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has spread further since his diagnosis last year, his son Hunter Biden revealed in a BBC interview that aired Friday.
"The cancer has spread, metastasized into his bones and further," Hunter Biden told BBC Newsnight, describing his father’s condition as "very painful" and "very debilitating in many respects."
"It’s really sad to watch," the younger Biden went on. "The only thing that I’d say about my dad, about his health right now, is I wish he would complain more, because it’s not good."
JOE BIDEN'S CANCER HAS SPREAD FURTHER, LEAVING HIM IN 'VERY PAINFUL' CONDITION, HUNTER REVEALS
Biden, 83, announced his diagnosis in May 2025, after news that a "small nodule" had been found in the former president's prostate during a routine exam.
"While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management," his office said at the time. "The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians."
Biden later underwent hormone therapy and radiation treatment, completing a course of radiation at Penn Medicine Radiation Oncology in Philadelphia in October 2025, according to the former president's spokesperson.
In addition to hormone therapy, common treatment options for prostate cancer include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and radiopharmaceutical treatments.
Fox News Digital reached out to Biden's office for comment.
Prostate cancer is a disease found in men that develops in the prostate gland. Cases have been on the rise in recent years, with overall incidence increasing about 3% annually from 2014 through 2021, according to the American Cancer Society.
Rates of advanced-stage prostate cancer rose about 5% per year during that period.
NEW BLOOD TEST DETECTS 90% OF AGGRESSIVE PROSTATE CANCER CASES, BEATING CURRENT SCREENINGS
About 333,830 new cases of prostate cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2026, and about 36,320 men are expected to die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society.
One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, the same source stated.
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Older men are at a higher risk of the disease, with six in 10 cases diagnosed in patients 65 and older. The average age at diagnosis is 67, with men under 40 rarely affected.
Prostate cancer is the second-most common cancer in men, behind only skin cancer, the ACS noted.
Among men who undergo routine prostate cancer screening, the disease is usually caught early before symptoms emerge, per the ACS.
Typical early symptoms include problems urinating, a weak or slow urinary stream or an increased need to urinate. Some men may also notice blood in the urine or bodily fluids.
More advanced symptoms may occur after the disease has spread. Those may include pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs) or other areas, the ACS stated.
Men may also suffer from erectile dysfunction, weight loss, extreme fatigue, weakness in the legs or feet, or loss of bladder or bowel control.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force states that men aged 55 to 69 years should have the option to undergo periodic prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening to monitor for prostate cancer.
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"Before deciding whether to be screened, men should have an opportunity to discuss the potential benefits and harms of screening with their clinician and to incorporate their values and preferences in the decision," the USPSTF states.
While screening offers a "small potential benefit" of reducing the chances of dying from the disease, the agency noted that some men may experience negative effects, including false-positive results, overdiagnosis and overtreatment, and treatment complications.
Alternative prostate cancer screening methods are currently being researched, including one that uses a non-invasive urine test, as Fox News Digital recently reported.
For localized prostate cancers, where the disease is contained within the prostate, the five-year survival rate is at least 99%, according to the ACS.
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For regional cases, where the disease has spread only to "nearby structures or lymph nodes," the five-year survival rate is also 99% or greater.
If the cancer has spread to other areas of the body, the five-year survival rate drops to 37%.
Actual survival rates may vary based on the patient's age, overall health, how the cancer has progressed post-diagnosis, the disease's response to treatment, and other factors, the ACS noted.
Flight canceled after toddler refused to buckle seat belt, stranding passengers overnight
An evening flight from British Columbia to Toronto this week had to be canceled because a toddler refused to buckle their seat belt, the airline confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Porter Airlines flight 444 was expected to leave from Victoria International Airport at 10:30 p.m. and had begun taxiing when a flight attendant noticed the child.
"A young child was standing in their seat and would not secure their seatbelt," the airline shared with Fox News Digital in a statement, adding that neither the adult with the child nor the crew were able to get the child buckled.
FLIGHT PASSENGER BLASTS 'INCOMPETENT PARENTS' AFTER UNRULY CHILD FORCES PLANE DELAY
"The aircraft could not take off in this unsafe condition, so the crew elected to return to the terminal and have the passengers disembark," the airline added.
Because the airport has a takeoff curfew of 12:30 a.m., and it took time to get the passengers in question and their luggage off the plane and do the necessary paperwork, the flight had to be canceled, and the other passengers had to stay the night.
'WE THOUGHT WE WOULD DIE': PASSENGERS THROWN INTO CEILING DURING TERRIFYING FLIGHT
The other passengers were rebooked on a Friday flight.
"We apologize for the effect this had on other passengers," Porter added.
A child safety seat or restraint device is required for children under two flying on the airline. It’s unclear how old the child was.
DiJonai Carrington declares 'White privilege' after ejection for smacking Sophie Cunningham in the face
Chicago Sky player DiJonai Carrington sent a post on Threads that read "white privilege" and tagged the Indiana Fever after she was ejected from Saturday's game for smacking Sophie Cunningham in the face.
Carrington has previously garnered controversy for poking Cunningham's teammate Caitlin Clark in the eye during the 2024 playoffs, and making controversial statements in the media.
With about two minutes left in the first quarter, Cunningham had the ball and was headed in for a layup. Carrington was on her tail.
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Carrington hustled and got to Cunningham in time, but then delivered a brutal shot straight to the Fever star's head.
The incident prompted Cunningham to get back up and scream at Carrington, as referees had to separate the two players.
Upon review, Carrington's foul was upgraded to a flagrant 2 foul, and she was ejected from the game. Carrington then made the post on Threads shortly after her ejection, presumably from the locker room.
Carrington did not elaborate on the post, leaving unclear whether it referred to Cunningham, the officiating decision or the Fever organization. She also did not accuse Cunningham by name, and there was no immediate evidence that the foul was connected to Cunningham’s position on transgender athletes.
SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM TAKES VICIOUS ELBOW TO FACE, AND FANS FUME AT WHAT REFS DID NEXT
The collision nevertheless unfolded as Cunningham remained at the center of a widening political debate. Supporters held a fourth rally outside the venue of a Fever road game on Saturday, while counterprotesters also gathered near the United Center.
Cunningham has said she does not harbor hatred toward transgender people but believes protecting girls and women in sports is "common sense." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously defended Cunningham, saying the backlash against her was "astonishing."
With another Cunningham rally already scheduled ahead of the Fever’s Aug. 22 game against the New York Liberty, controversy is bound to surround Cunningham and Indiana beyond Chicago.
Meanwhile, Carrington already had a contentious history with the Fever before Saturday. During the 2024 season, she mocked Caitlin Clark for what she believed was flopping and later called Indiana supporters "the nastiest fans in the W" after receiving racist abuse from some online users.
Carrington then struck Clark in the eye while defending a pass during the 2024 playoffs, leaving the Fever star with a black eye. Both players said the contact was accidental, although Carrington later drew renewed criticism after appearing to joke about the controversy during an Instagram Live video.
Carrington has also responded to accusations that she plays dirty, insisting she simply plays aggressively and always attempts to make a play on the ball. Beyond basketball, she has drawn attention for wearing an explicit anti-President Donald Trump sweatshirt and urging WNBA players to oppose Trump administration policies affecting women and the LGBTQ community.
World’s largest motorcycle rally roars into Sturgis as bikers flood tiny US town
The annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is officially underway, with hundreds of thousands of riders descending on the small South Dakota town and surrounding Black Hills regions for the 86th edition of what’s billed as the world’s largest motorcycle rally.
The rally is held annually for 10 days in August and involves races, concerts and group rides and typically draws about 500,000 attendees to Sturgis, population 7,100.
During the rally, Sturgis is transformed as motorcycles pack downtown streets and riders fan out across the Black Hills.
ONCE-AFFORDABLE SUMMER ESCAPE ROCKED BY SOARING COSTS AS FAMILIES SHELL OUT THOUSANDS
The event extends far beyond the city itself, with concerts, races, stunt shows, motorcycle demonstrations, vendor exhibitions and organized rides taking place throughout the region.
This year’s headliner is country star Lainey Wilson, who is set to perform August 12. Ofox newther acts on the concert schedule include YUNGBLUD, Megadeth, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rob Zombie and Insane Clown Posse.
Two long-distance women’s motorcycle rides — the Women Riders World Relay and Shantell’s Sisterhood Ride — will conclude at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame’s second annual Pearl’s Jam event, which celebrates women in motorcycling.
Harley-Davidson announced it would be debuting its new Deadwood motorcycle at this year’s event, "a new model inspired in part by the post-war history of the Sturgis Rally," Motor Sports NewsWire reported.
Indian Motorcycle is also introducing a new bike.
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"The new Indian Chief Vintage Sturgis SD Edition celebrates Indian’s place in the rally’s history with special paint and badging inspired by Indians of the 1930s," reported Rider Magazine. "It features a classic two-tone Indian Motorcycle Red and Cream paint with a multicolored Indian Motorcycle headdress logo."
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The rally also serves as a jumping-off point for motorcycle rides throughout the Black Hills, with visitors venturing to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park and Bear Butte State Park, along with historic towns such as Deadwood.
One other attraction Sturgis attendees frequently visit is Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, a particularly popular motorcycle destination in the Black Hills.
The Sturgis Rally was started by Indian dealer Pappy Hoel in 1938, according to the official Sturgis Rally website.
"Pappy was the man who put the brotherhood in motorcycles," Coe Meyer, a Sturgis motorcycle historian, told Fox News Digital previously. "He’s the reason so many people come here today."
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Hoel’s marketing ingenuity, enthusiasm for motorcycle racing and — unbeknownst to many — his paternal fondness for America’s World War II veterans struggling with the mental wounds of combat made Sturgis synonymous with motorcycles, Fox News Digital reported.
"He was like a P.T. Barnum-type character. He always had a trick up his sleeve," said Vinny Terranova, who knew Hoel and his wife Pearl and who operates their original Junction Avenue motorcycle shop today as Pappy’s Vintage Cycles.
"He loved motorcycles, loved racing and loved motorcyclists," said Terranova of Pappy Hoel.
"He and Pearl always had a pot of beans and franks on the grill. Nobody left hungry."
The Hoels ran the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally for nearly 50 years, before turning it over to the City of Sturgis in the 1980s.
Kerry J. Byrne contributed reporting.
As AI reshapes dating, a Jewish organization is betting on the return of the human matchmaker
Artificial intelligence has made it harder to trust what you see online, including on dating apps. Singles are left wondering whether the person they're matching with is who they claim to be, whether their witty messages were written by them or by ChatGPT or whether the profile is even real. Rather than abandoning artificial intelligence (AI) altogether, Chabad, a Jewish organization, is combining it with old-fashioned human matchmaking to help singles find lasting relationships.
On Aug. 9, the group is set to hold what it hopes will be the world's largest Jewish virtual speed dating event, bringing together 13,000 singles from more than 30 countries. The event comes just after Tu B'Av, a Jewish holiday traditionally associated with love and matchmaking.
Every participant is vetted by a local rabbi or rebbetzin (a rabbi's wife), while artificial intelligence helps match participants for five rounds of one-on-one video dates, blending human oversight with technology.
AI IS CHANGING MODERN DATING, BUT EXPERTS WARN IT'S MAKING PEOPLE 'RELATIONALLY STUPID'
Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, executive director of Merkos 302, said that the initiative isn't meant to replace technology, but to use it in addition to the human element that many singles feel is missing from modern dating.
"AI can aggregate data and information and suggest people that match based on interests, based on patterns, based on values, and stuff along those lines, but you need the human element," Kotlarsky told Fox News Digital.
For Kotlarsky, that personal touch goes beyond verifying that participants are real people. It's about bringing an old-fashioned touch to modern dating that was effectively eliminated by apps. While he acknowledged the advantages of AI's fast-paced matchmaking, Kotlarsky argued it can't replace the judgment, mentorship and trust that come from someone who knows the people involved.
AI DATING CAFES ARE NOW A REAL THING
Kotlarsky told Fox News Digital that the Met@Chabad initiative was about more than making couples. Rather, he sees it as part of a larger effort to strengthen marriage and family in a time when people are waiting longer to marry and are increasingly looking for love behind screens.
"It's not just a dating platform, it's not a marriage platform, it's almost like a marriage solution," he said.
In addition to its singles events, Met@Chabad offers dating and relationship courses, as well as personalized guidance. The platform's mission is "to transform Jewish dating into a meaningful journey towards marriage, by combining cutting edge technology with timeless Torah wisdom."
The guidance part of Met@Chabad is a crucial aspect of the initiative, according to Kotlarsky. Beyond connecting singles, rabbis and rebbetzins serve as mentors and advisors, helping participants identify the qualities they're looking for in a spouse, navigate relationships and prepare for marriage.
"It's not just about connecting people. It's actually about coaching and moving people along," he said.
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Kotlarsky said people are increasingly looking for more than just an algorithm to find them a spouse. He added that AI should be used to enhance the process of finding a spouse, arguing that relationships are ultimately rooted in something that technology cannot replicate: human connection.
"To date and to build relationships for real, to be true to yourself and true to the person that you are connecting with... to build a life together and to always focus on something that's larger than the two of you because that's really what marriage and relationships in general are about," he said.
Trump’s White House ballroom foes face ‘very tough argument’ at Supreme Court, legal experts say
President Donald Trump could win the legal fight over his planned White House ballroom, say two legal experts who believe the U.S. the Supreme Court could end the case without weighing in on the underlying constitutional issue.
In a lengthy social media post Friday, Trump vowed to take the fight over his White House ballroom to the Supreme Court after the D.C. Circuit upheld a lower court order blocking above-ground construction. In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court ruled that the project cannot move forward without Congressional approval.
Trump pointed to the dissent written by Judge Neomi Rao, appointed by Trump in his first term, as grounds for appealing the decision to Supreme Court. Rao argued that the plantiffs, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, lack legal standing in the case.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation built its case for legal standing around Alison Hoagland, a member who lives near the White House and regularly visits President’s Park. Hoagland said she visits the area about once a month and argued that the proposed ballroom’s size and design would diminish her enjoyment of the area by overshadowing the White House and weakening its aesthetic.
But according to Rao, the National Trust did not establish the kind of injury necessary to invoke the courts’ authority to block the project.
"The district court elevated the aesthetic displeasure of a single passerby over the government’s security interests in the ballroom and the security risks of leaving an open construction site at the President’s home and office," Rao wrote.
Former Justice Department attorney Abhishek Kambli agreed, telling Fox News Digital the National Trust could face a particularly difficult hurdle on standing at the Supreme Court. He noted that, while Congress created the National Trust, the group still must show that its lawsuit is germaine to its interests.
"While they do have ownership of some properties, the President's Park, where the White House East Ballroom is, is not one of them," Kambli said. "And I think that's going to be a very tough argument to sustain, especially with the Supreme Court, that's more likely to agree with Rao than they are the [circuit court] majority, given the makeup of the Supreme Court, and the fact that the Supreme Court is very strict on standing."
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Kambli also suggested that the National Trust faces a strong hurdle in proving it has standing based on aesthetic injury because it would have to prove it actually uses the space where the ballroom is being built
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"Normally, aesthetic standing requires that you intend to use it," Kambli said. "So, for instance, if you're planning to be visiting the East Ballroom — and even this is kind of a stretch — that's one thing, but if you're someone on the outside that just passes it by, that's a little tougher."
A similar standing issue surfaced earlier in July when U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, an Obama-appointed judge, rejected a lawsuit seeking to block the America 250 UFC event at the White House. He ruled that the plaintiffs had not met the standard of aesthetic harm to establish standing.
Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, said he expects Trump to prevail on appeal as well, based on the standing issue.
"Under Supreme Court precedent, you cannot bring a claim, you cannot bring a lawsuit, until and unless you can demonstrate a concrete, actual injury," Spakovsky told Fox News Digital. "The idea that a passerby, who claims she will be aesthetically injured because of what she sees at the White House, has an actual injury is absurd, and obviously, and clearly defies that precedent."
If the Supreme Court takes the case, it could resolve it without deciding whether the administration had the legal authority to build the ballroom in the first place.
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"The Supreme Court won’t rule on the substantive issue if it can dismiss the case based on a lack of standing by the plaintiffs," von Spakovsky said. "I also don’t know of anyone else who could establish standing to bring a lawsuit. Perhaps Congress could collectively, but the chances of that happening are very slim given the partisan divides in both the House and Senate."
The National Trust argued in its lawsuit that federal law requires Congress to approve new construction on federal property in Washington, D.C., while the administration says existing law already gives the president authority to make alterations and improvements to federal property, including the White House.
Abhishek agreed with Rao’s reasoning that the terms "alteration" and "improvement" should be understood in their ordinary real-property sense.
"For instance, if I have an extension to my house, it doesn't become a new house," Abhishek said. "It's the same house, but that's an improvement done on the house. Or if I tear down some walls and then just create an open living space in my like between my living room and my kitchen, that's also not a new house at that point.
"It's the same house, but there was an alteration or an improvement done, so if you're using real property terms, then it's pretty clear how how the statutory authority would make sense," Abhishek continued.
Fauci in the congressional wringer: a test for Trump's newly-minted Attorney General
Contempt of Congress.
It sounds bad. And it usually is.
But what does it mean?
Holding someone in contempt of Congress usually stems from them refusing to testify before a House or Senate committee or declining to provide documents and information requested by lawmakers. Especially if someone rejects an inquest by subpoena.
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You refuse to cough up the goods, and Congress may try to hold you in contempt.
And if you’re held in contempt, lawmakers may send a referral to the Justice Department. That’s kind of a parliamentary suggestion box, informing the feds that House Members or senators believe you’ve earned prosecution.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted recently to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions at a hearing. The panel issued a subpoena to compel Fauci’s compliance. Republican senators say that’s all the more reason why Fauci should testify. They point to his pardon by then-President Joe Biden. That’s why they believe Fauci was obligated to answer their inquiries. Instead, he invoked the Fifth Amendment.
"On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution," said Fauci.
Twenty-one words. Uttered an astounding 111 times. That’s a grand total of 2,331 words. Fauci never deviated from the script.
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Democrats say it was a Republican ruse.
"The goal was to wait for Dr. Fauci to make any kind of misstatement and then have a weaponized Department of Justice file criminal charges for that new statement that would not have been covered by the pardon," said Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.
So the panel took action. It voted 8-5 to hold Fauci in contempt. A party line vote.
"I've never voted to hold somebody in contempt. But if there's one person that should be held in contempt, it is Anthony Fauci," said Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla.
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee.
He warned that the GOP gambit is dangerous.
"Criminal contempt is punitive. It does not compel a witness to answer questions or produce the documents we'd all like to see. What we'll do is create a damaging precedent that future witnesses will use to resist legitimate Congressional oversight and weaken this committee's ability to compel testimony."
Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., was unbowed.
"We will hand carry this over to the Attorney General. We will hand carry this to the district court here in (the District of) Columbia," said Paul.
Even though at the time, the DOJ only had an acting Attorney General.
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However, Paul was freelancing. He ignored the custom of the entire Senate voting to refer someone to the Justice Department for prosecution.
The Kentucky Republican himself previously sent other, unilateral referrals to the DoJ asking for Fauci’s prosecution. But those efforts never even went through committee. Fox can’t locate any precedent for such an independent maneuver. Especially circumventing the Senate floor.
Republicans control the Senate. It’s unclear whether there would be 51 votes to hold Fauci in contempt. But there is almost no scenario where the Senate could find 60 votes to break a filibuster on a contempt of Congress resolution of this nature.
This is why Democrats argued that Paul is out of line.
"No individual center senator and no committee speaks for the entire Senate as a whole," fumed Peters. "The chairman has also suggested he may attempt to refer this matter to the Department of Justice without approval of the full Senate. That would be even more dangerous and widely unprecedented."
The DOJ says it "seriously reviews all Congressional referrals." But Democrats believe the GOP’s disregard for Fauci invoking the Fifth could undermine any prosecution.
"It is almost certainly never going to be approved by a court because it violates basic constitutional rights," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.
In a statement, Fauci’s attorney, David Schertler, accused Paul of trying to "weaponize the Justice Department" against his client. Democrats asserted that before Fauci’s hearing, Republicans cut them out of their inquiry.
"We have been excluded from witness interviews," said Peters.
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But Republicans say Democrats showed no interest in their findings and revelations.
"They have all been uploaded on a website that you were invited to join," said Paul. "You never even asked for the password."
However, the Republican inquiry is just starting. Another Senate panel has now obtained a copy of the Health and Human Services phone Fauci used during the pandemic.
"It's frustrating we haven't gotten these devices until now. But now we have them," said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., on Fox.
Johnson says decrypting that phone could answer questions which Fauci refused to address during the hearing.
Two interesting developments emerged since Fauci testified in late July. First, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeannine Pirro dropped her prosecution of former Olympian David Hearn for allegedly vandalizing the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall. President Donald Trump then upbraided Pirro.
Does this mean that Pirro is doing things by the book? Would that diminish chances for prosecution of Fauci? Or, since Pirro enraged the president, could she redeem herself by prosecuting Fauci? After all, Trump said he wanted Fauci prosecuted.
However, the ultimate decision to prosecute is up to the new Attorney General, Todd Blanche. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, vowed to oppose Fauci. With former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., out, the GOP couldn’t lose any more votes without tanking the nomination. It boiled down to Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. – who was undecided. Cassidy announced Friday morning he would vote yea on Blanche.
"I am particularly concerned about episodes of apparent lawfare. DoJ bringing suits against political enemies. Presidents of both parties have been guilty of this. It must stop. It should stop now. A never-ending cycle of prosecuting political enemies undermines the rule of law," said Cassidy. "I'm not entirely satisfied where where this is."
But Cassidy said he was comfortable enough to confirm Blanche.
Democrats will say any prosecution of Fauci is emblematic of the very weaponization which Cassidy fretted about. And this could be a special test case for the new Attorney General.