David Hogg donates $100K as plans to shake up Democratic Party ignite civil war

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg recently gave $100,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) shortly after his plans to shake up the Democratic Party with new leadership angered party insiders.

The news, which was first reported by Politico and Axios, was confirmed by Hogg in an X post on Friday, where he asserted that he wasn’t “playing nice” by handing the six-figure donation over to the DCCC.

“This is not me playing nice. It is demonstrating my commitment to winning back the house and making Hakeem Jeffries the Speaker, which is an absolute imperative,” Hogg wrote in the post.

“But we need a better democratic party and need to get rid of the democrats in safe seats who do not understand what is at stake right now, who are asleep at the wheel, not meeting the moment, and are a liability now and to the future of our party.”

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The 25-year-old activist added that the path forward “requires us to do both things.”

“We absolutely cannot wait for people to retire at their own leisure or to let them sit there and do nothing while the country is burning,” Hogg concluded.

Hogg originally announced that his organization, Leaders We Deserve, planned to dedicate $20 million to electing younger primary candidates against older incumbents. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivor predicted that “some incumbents will rise to the challenge and emerge stronger” due to the initiative.

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“Others will demonstrate why they should be replaced,” he said. “Either way, we all win. Especially when we are not challenging frontline Democratic incumbents — we all want the House back.”

The initiative was blasted by veteran strategist James Carville, who called the plan “the most insane thing” he’d ever heard.

“He is an officer of the Democratic National Committee… And so he has a fiduciary duty to the Democratic Party, and he’s going to raise $20 million and primary Democrats?” Carville questioned.

“Does he really think the problem that we‘re facing in the United States today is because we got 65-year-old Democrats in office? Why don’t you take on a Republican? That‘s your job,” he continued.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Hogg for additional comment.

Another twist in Trump’s trade war — and this one just flew under the radar

Chinese airlines have begun returning Boeing aircraft to the U.S., with one 737 Max recently landing back at a Boeing production hub in Seattle over the weekend, according to Reuters.

Saturday’s return occurred shortly after China ordered its airlines not to take further deliveries of Boeing aircraft in response to the U.S. imposing 145% tariffs on Chinese goods, Bloomberg News reported last week.

A trio of 737 Max 8 jets that were originally being readied at Boeing’s Zhoushan delivery center for two Chinese airlines were recalled to the U.S. last week, according to aviation news service The Air Current, citing two people familiar with Boeing’s plans.

Reuters confirmed over the weekend that a witness saw a Boeing jet intended for China’s Xiamen Airlines landing back at the planemaker’s production hub in Seattle. The aircraft, which was painted with Xiamen livery, was one of the several 737 Max jets waiting at the Zhoushan completion center for final work and delivery to the Chinese carrier. 

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Fox News Digital reached out to Boeing and Xiamen Airlines for comment, but they did not immediately respond. 

Lin Jian, the chief spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a press conference on April 16 that he was “not familiar with” China making any formal announcement telling its airlines to refuse delivery from Boeing. 

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The Air Current said China’s order to halt Boeing deliveries has also affected domestic business. A Chinese aircraft lessor saw another Chinese airline back away from its commitment to take delivery, forcing the lessor to remarket the already-built 737 Max 8 to other airlines, the outlet reported, citing two people familiar with the development.

Analysts also said airline CEOs may rather defer plane deliveries than pay duties, according to Reuters, which could potentially damage Chinese airline operations.

Boeing, a “top U.S. exporter” that was angling to challenge Airbus’ dominance in the Chinese market, may be significantly impacted by the trade war as well.

Boeing’s year-to-date deliveries show that 18 aircraft have been delivered to nine airlines in China. The country’s top three airlines – Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines – have plans to take delivery of 45, 53 and 81 Boeing planes, respectively, between 2025-2027, Reuters reported.

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The tariff war and U-turn over deliveries comes as Boeing has been recovering from an almost five-year import freeze on 737 MAX jets. The suspension in China began in 2019 over safety concerns following two fatal crashes involving the plane model in Indonesia and Ethiopia. 

Alito blasts ‘unprecedented’ SCOTUS move to halt Trump’s Venezuelan deportations

Justice Samuel Alito wrote a fiery dissent against a recent Supreme Court move to halt President Donald Trump’s deportations of Venezuelan criminals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

The decision, which was issued early Saturday morning, effectively blocks the deportations of Venezuelan migrants under the 18th century law. In a decision that was also signed off on by conservative Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, the court advised the White House not to remove Venezuelans held in Texas’ Bluebonnet Detention Center “until further order of this court.”

Alito disapproved of the timing of the decision, which he described as being “literally in the middle of the night.”

“[T]he Court issued unprecedented and legally questionable relief without giving the lower courts a chance to rule, without hearing from the opposing party, within eight hours of receiving the application, with dubious factual support for its order, and without providing any explanation for its order,” Alito wrote.

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The justice, who has served on the court since 2006, was joined by Justice Clarence Thomas in his dissent.

“I refused to join the Court’s order because we had no good reason to think that, under the circumstances, issuing an order at midnight was necessary or appropriate,” Alito continued.

“Both the Executive and the Judiciary have an obligation to follow the law. The Executive must proceed under the terms of our order in Trump v. J. G. G., 604 U. S. ___ (2025) (per curiam), and this Court should follow established procedures.”

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Later on Saturday, counsel representing the Trump administration filed an opposition to the order. The lawyers said that the federal government gave advance notice to detainees before their deportations, allowing enough time to file habeas claims.

“The government has agreed not to remove, pursuant the AEA, those AEA detainees who do file habeas claims (including the putative class representatives),” the filing states. 

“This Court should dissolve its current administrative stay and allow the lower courts to address the relevant legal and factual questions in the first instance — including the development of a proper factual record.”

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) previously filed an emergency appeal arguing that federal immigration authorities appeared to have resumed the deportations under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The Supreme Court previously allowed the White House to continue the deportations in a limited capacity, as long as due process was provided.

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The Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows the deportation of natives and citizens of an enemy nation without a hearing, has only been invoked a few times in U.S. history, most recently being during World War II.

This odd dental habit could spark heart health risks, experts warn

Searches for “tongue scraper” have almost doubled in the last two decades, according to Google Trends. Some experts, however, have warned about potential risks.

The practice of tongue-scraping (or tongue-brushing) has existed as a means of dental health for hundreds of years. 

While earlier studies concluded that scraping the tongue can improve one’s sense of taste in as little as two weeks, some have raised concerns about potential heart health risks associated with the practice.

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“There’s always been a strong association between good oral hygiene and heart health,” Dr. Bradley Serwer, an interventional cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, an Ingenovis Health company, told Fox News Digital.

“Gingivitis or a bad gum infection has been known to cause problems with the heart on many different levels,” said the Maryland-based doctor.

Despite the potential benefits, Serwer and others have warned of a little-known cardiac risk associated with the practice.

What is tongue-scraping?

Tongue-scraping (or brushing) is the process of cleaning the tongue to keep bad bacteria, food debris and dead cells from accumulating on its surface, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Beyond brushing with a toothbrush, specific tongue-scraping tools — available at pharmacies for as little as $8 — offer an easy way to get rid of plaque and other unwanted build-up.

Gentle tongue-scraping performed up to once a day is recommended for adults to help remove bacteria and freshen breath, according to Dr. Whitney White of Aspen Dental.

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“When patients ask, I typically recommend a metal tongue scraper, as they are the best for hygienic reasons to keep clean,” White, who is based in Nevada, told Fox News Digital.

Another expert, Ohio-based dental hygienist Tenika Patterson, told Cleveland Clinic, “Tongue-scraping can do a better job at removing that plaque and bacteria from the tongue’s surface.”

“Brushing is OK to do, but think about it this way — if your carpet is dirty and you scrub it, the dirt’s going to get embedded down in there,” she said.

“But if you scrape it, it’s going to come right off the surface.”

Link to heart health

The concern with tongue-scraping is that it can cause “macroscopic cuts” on the tongue, which potentially can introduce bacteria into the bloodstream, Serwer cautioned.

Any time bacteria enters the bloodstream, there is an increased risk of endocarditis, which is an infection of the heart valves.

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If left untreated, endocarditis can lead to severe heart damage, according to Cleveland Clinic.

While tongue-scraping can be good for oral health, it’s important not to overdo it, Dr. White advised.

Scraping too much can lower the body’s nitric oxide levels and increase the risk of issues like high blood pressure. 

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“While gentle, regular scraping helps remove harmful bacteria, doing it too often or too aggressively can disrupt the balance of good microbes on your tongue — some of which help produce nitric oxide, a compound that’s important for heart health,” White said.

‘Not a substitute’

“The most important thing a person can do is to stay on top of oral hygiene,” Serwer recommended. 

“Regular visits to the dentist, brushing and flossing can help ensure healthy gums and teeth.”

While brushing teeth and flossing can also introduce bacteria, those are outweighed by the benefits of maintaining healthy gums, experts agree.

In contrast, “the benefits of tongue scraping are quite minimal,” Serwer said.

For those who wish to continue tongue-scraping, White emphasized that less can be more.

“Since your oral health is connected to your overall health, it’s best to scrape your tongue in moderation to keep both your mouth and body in balance,” she advised.

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“However, it is not a necessary step in your oral health routine, and should not be a substitute for twice-daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste and daily flossing.”

Elizabeth Hurley sparks romance rumors after sharing sweet snap with country star

Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley celebrated Easter with a kiss.

The “Achy Breaky Heart” singer, 63, cuddled up to Hurley, 59, before planting a kiss on her cheek in a photo shared by the English actress on social media Sunday. She simply captioned the coy snap, “Happy Easter.”

Cyrus became a single man in August after finalizing his divorce from his third wife, Firerose.

The “Austin Powers” actress sported a blue flannel shirt and jeans for the PDA-packed photo in which she tagged Billy Ray. 

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Her son, model and actor Damian Hurley, showed support for his mom with heart and celebration emojis posted in the comments. 

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Representatives for Hurley and Cyrus did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Cyrus and Hurley previously worked together on the 2022 flick, “Christmas in Paradise.” Earlier this month, she showed some skin in a bronze bikini while on vacation in the Maldives. Hurley tagged Billy Ray in the video, and included the Cyrus song, “She’s Not Cryin’ Anymore.” 

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Hurley was previously married to Arun Nayar for three years, before their divorce in 2010.

She dated Damian’s father, late businessman Steve Bing, for years, and was in a 13-year romance with Hugh Grant after initially meeting on the set of “Rowing with the Wind” in 1987. 

They withstood a cheating scandal and Grant’s arrest for soliciting a sex worker in 1995, before breaking up in 2000. Grant is Damian’s godfather. 

Billy Ray and his ex-wife were married for seven months before he petitioned for an annulment on the grounds of “inappropriate marital conduct,” according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital. 

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“Husband and wife acknowledge and agree that this is a marriage of extremely short duration and neither party has any marital interest in any real property owned by the other party prior to the marriage,” according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital. Neither party was awarded alimony, and both parties agreed there are no jointly listed retirement assets.

“Further, a couple of weeks ago, prior to mediation, Ms. Hodges legally changed her last name from ‘Hodges’ to ‘Cyrus’. Mr. Cyrus feels that this validates his assertion that his ex-wife’s sole impetus for marrying him was to obtain his last name,” the statement continued. 

Billy Ray stated at the time, “I’m just very relieved… and giving thanks today to breathe a sigh of relief. This has been absolutely the most crazy insane scam I have ever heard of. Let alone the fact I’m right in the center and basically the target of the scheme. It’s unfortunate… it played out this way … not only was it a web of lies that put me in physical danger …. It was a matter of the heart. Love is blind … that’s for sure.” 

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Cyrus and Firerose, whose full name is Johanna Rosie Hodges, announced their engagement in November 2022 and married on his ranch on Oct. 10, 2023.

Billy Ray has been married three times. He married Tish Cyrus in 1992, and adopted her children, Trace, and his older sister, Brandi, at the time. 

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Tish and Billy Ray later welcomed children Miley Cyrus, Braison Cyrus and Noah Cyrus before their divorce in 2022. The singer is also father to Christopher Cyrus with ex-girlfriend Kristin Luckey.