A newly discovered virus hiding inside common gut bacteria may be linked to colorectal cancer, according to new research.

Scientists in Denmark found that colorectal cancer patients were about twice as likely to carry a previously unidentified virus within Bacteroides fragilis, a bacterium that normally lives in the human gut, according to the study published in Communications Medicine earlier this month.

Researchers say the discovery could help scientists better understand the role of the gut microbiome in cancer development.

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“These findings highlight the importance of the microorganisms in the gut and their relation to our health,” Dr. Flemming Damgaard, PhD, of the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Odense University Hospital and the University of Southern Denmark, told Fox News Digital. “If we want to understand the full picture, we need to look deep into their genetic material.”

Doctors have known for years that Bacteroides fragilis shows up more often in people with colorectal cancer, which includes cancers of the colon and rectum, but since most healthy people also carry the bacteria, it wasn’t clear why it would be harmful in some cases and not others.

So researchers looked at subtle genetic differences within the bacteria and uncovered something unexpected.

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“We were very surprised to find a whole virus inside the bacteria from the colorectal cancer patients,” Damgaard said. “That was not something we expected when we started our study.”

The virus, known as a bacteriophage, infects bacteria rather than human cells. According to the researchers, the viral type they identified had not previously been documented.

When the team analyzed stool samples from 877 individuals across Europe, the United States and Asia, they found that colorectal cancer patients were approximately twice as likely to carry traces of the virus compared to people without cancer.

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The findings show a strong statistical association, but researchers stress that the study does not prove the virus causes colorectal cancer, and it is too early to draw immediate conclusions.

“The major limitation is that we still don’t know why the virus is linked to colorectal cancer,” said co-author Ulrik Stenz Justesen. “But we are already continuing our research.”

The team is now conducting laboratory experiments and animal studies to determine whether the virus alters the bacterium’s behavior in a way that could influence cancer development.

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Studies have found that the human body contains roughly as many microbial cells as human cells, underscoring how deeply microbes are intertwined with human health.

“Our understanding of [microbial cells] is still in its infancy,” Damgaard said. “There are many health-related discoveries to be made in the human microbiota.”

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Several high-profile celebrity deaths, including James Van Der Beek, Catherine O’Hara, Kirstie Alley, Pelé and Chadwick Boseman, have drawn attention to colorectal cancer’s impact across age groups in recent years.

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While much of colorectal cancer risk is tied to diet and lifestyle, researchers think the bacteria in our gut may also play an important role.

Currently, colorectal cancer screening includes stool tests that check for blood that isn’t visible to the naked eye, as well as colonoscopies. Researchers say that in the future, it may be possible to test stool samples for viral markers like those identified in the study.

Researchers pointed to cervical cancer as an example of how identifying a viral cause can help prevention efforts. After HPV was linked to cervical cancer, vaccines helped drive down new cases. 

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While it’s too early to make that comparison, they said colorectal cancer could one day follow a similar path if a clear viral role is confirmed.

“It is too early to act,” Damgaard said. “We have a lot of hope, and that is what we want people to have at this point.”

Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy contributed reporting.

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich argued Gov. JB Pritzker got “outplayed and outflanked” as the Chicago Bears look to leave the state for Indiana.

On Thursday, an Indiana House panel approved legislation to help finance a potential new NFL stadium for the team. The facility could be constructed near Wolf Lake in Hammond, Indiana, just across the state border.

“The Indiana legislature did what it did, and it caught our governor asleep,” Blagojevich said Saturday on “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

“Governor Pritzker really is guilty of gubernatorial malpractice, and this isn’t the first time a major business is about to leave Illinois,” he added.

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Blagojevich blamed the blue state’s high taxes as a reason the team may be considering the move, noting other major companies like Boeing and Tyson Foods that have already left.

“He [Pritzker] spent $3 billion on illegal immigrants, migrants, and apparently doesn’t have the money or has paid the attention to try to keep the Bears in Illinois,” he said.

Fox News Digital reached out to representatives of Pritzker but did not immediately hear back. 

“He’s been outplayed and outflanked by this Indiana governor because his priorities are all about defending sanctuary for illegal immigrants,” Blagojevich said.

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The Bears released a statement on the development plans, calling them the “most meaningful step forward” in their quest for a new stadium.

Chicago leaders, however, aren’t giving up hope. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said during a news conference that the Bears “belong” in Chicago, adding that the door is open for conversations with the team about remaining in its namesake city.

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“[Pritzker] turned his back on a working-class fan base of the Chicago Bears,” Blagojevich said.

“This would be a disgrace if Pritzker allows the Bears to leave and allows the governor of Indiana to intercept our Bears.”

Pritzker told reporters he was “very disappointed” and caught off guard by the Bears’ latest announcement, saying his staff spoke to the franchise for more than three hours on Wednesday.

While Illinois leaders expressed shock at the news, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun revealed the Bears approached his state five months ago after being “rebuffed” by its own government.

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“This is dereliction because they’ve been trying to work with the state, with the city, for three years,” Braun said Saturday on “Fox News Live.”

The Indiana governor confirmed he has no intention of changing the team’s title, noting that “Chicago Bears” remains an “iconic name” regardless of the zip code. He said he’s looking to give the franchise a “better home” in a state where the “dollar goes a lot farther.”

The United States has made Olympic history.

Americans took home their 11th gold medal Saturday, setting a new record for the country’s most golds in Winter Olympics history.

The record-setting medal was won by the mixed aerials team of Chris Lillis, Connor Curran and Kaila Kuhn.

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The previous record had been 10 during the 2002 Games on home soil in Salt Lake City.

Individual gold winners include the aforementioned Stolz, Breezy Johnson (alpine skiing, women’s downhill), Elizabeth Lawley (freestyle skiing, women’s moguls), Elana Meyers Taylor (women’s monobob), Mikaela Shiffrin (alpine skiing, women’s slalom), Alex Ferreira (men’s freestyle halfpipe skiing), and Alysa Liu, who won the U.S.’s first gold in women’s singles figure skating since 2002.

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Overall victories include three in freestyle skiing, two in speedskating (both by Jordan Stolz), alpine skiing and figure skating and one each in bobsled and women’s ice hockey from an exhilarating comeback and overtime victory against archrival Canada.

The Americans have totaled 31 medals, including 12 silver and eight bronze, and there are a few more opportunities before the Games end Sunday.

The men’s hockey team will play for gold against Canada on the final day of the games, which is also the 46th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice.”

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Before the hockey game, the U.S. can also medal in mixed four-man bobsled, women’s 50-kilometer cross-country skiing and women’s halfpipe freestyle skiing.

Norway leads with 40 medals and 18 golds.

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Speaking at the launch event of journalist-author Alok Mehta’s book ‘Revolutionary Raj: Narendra Modi’s 25 Years’ at the Constitution Club, Khan said that if he had not spent more than four months in Gujarat after Godhra and interacted with the people, perhaps his perspective would not have changed. He said, I felt that a very wrong perception was being created about Modi. He is a determined person and continuously works towards his goal.

Khan also credited the prime minister for implementing the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, popularly known as the triple talaq law, enacted in 2019. He said that in future people will see this decision as an important reform.

India is moving towards becoming the third largest economy- Hardeep Puri
Many dignitaries including Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, former minister KJ Alphons were present in the program. Referring to India’s economic progress, Hardeep Singh Puri said that in 2014 the country was a two trillion dollar economy, which has now reached $4.3 trillion and is moving towards becoming the third largest economy in the near future.

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French President Emmanuel Macron said “free speech” is “pure bulls—” without guidelines in an attack on social media giants for failing to restrict access for younger users.

While speaking at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, Macron argued in favor of restrictions on artificial intelligence and social media.

During his speech, he called for more transparency from social media companies regarding their algorithms, claiming that there could be major democratic consequences if they did not.

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“All algorithms have biases,” Macron said. “We know that. They are so impactful, especially social media. Having no clue how the algorithm is made, tested, trained, and where it guides you — the democratic consequences of this bias could be huge. We don’t ask for regulation. We don’t ask for the IP. But you should make it transparent.”

He continued, “You are for free speech. Some of them claim to be in favor of free speech. We are in favor of free algorithms — totally transparent. Free speech is pure bulls— if nobody knows how you are guided through this so-called free speech — especially when it guides you from one hateful speech to another. I want a transparent road through these different speeches. I want public order. I want to avoid racist speech, hateful speech.”

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The French president’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Macron has been championing social media bans for children. Last month, French lawmakers passed a bill to ban social media for children under 15 and ban mobile phones in high schools. The bill now heads to the Senate for debate before a final vote, which Macron hopes will occur before the beginning of the new school year in September.

“Banning social media for those under 15: this is what scientists recommend, and this is what the French people are overwhelmingly calling for,” Macron said. “Because our children’s brains are not for sale — neither to American platforms nor to Chinese networks. Because their dreams must not be dictated by algorithms.”

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The Trump administration has long criticized what it’s called “digital censorship” in Europe.

“For years we’ve been told that everything we fund and support is in the name of our shared democratic values,” Vice President JD Vance said in a Munich speech in 2025. 

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“Everything from our Ukraine policy to digital censorship is billed as a defense of democracy,” he continued. “But when we see European courts canceling elections and senior officials threatening to cancel others, we ought to ask whether we’re holding ourselves to an appropriately high standard.”

German soccer team Werder Bremen canceled its planned trip to Minnesota, citing unrest caused by recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions there, reports said. 

The Bundesliga club was expected to visit Minnesota and Michigan in May to play exhibition matches, according to the BBC. 

“Playing in a city where there’s unrest and people have been shot, that does not fit with our values here at Werder Bremen,” Christoph Pieper, the club’s head of communications, told Politico. “Furthermore, it was unclear for us which players could be able to enter the United States due to the stricter entry requirements.” 

“We as a club, we have clear values,” Pieper reportedly added Friday. “Our club stands for an open, pluralistic and united society. We are committed to ensuring that all people — regardless of their origin, skin color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability — are naturally included and have a firm place in our community.”

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A spokesperson for the club also told Reuters, “It is correct that we cancelled a planned trip to Minnesota in the United States,” and, “There were sporting, economic and political reasons for this.” 

President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan announced last week that the administration is winding down Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis. 

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The city has seen frequent anti-ICE demonstrations surrounding the shootings of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent and Alex Pretti by U.S. Border Patrol.

Werder Bremen, meanwhile, has been trying to stave off relegation from the Bundesliga, the top tier of German soccer. 

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As of Saturday, the club is in 16th place, one point behind Wolfsburg — and guaranteed safety. 

Tim McGraw is looking back at the most “controversial” song of his career.

During a recent interview on “The Tim Ferriss Show,” the 58-year-old country singer shared which song he had to fight to include on one of his albums, and why it was such a big risk.

“‘Indian Outlaw’ — because I had that song for my first album and nobody liked it,” he explained when asked for an example of a song of his he thought was “lightning in a bottle.” “The label didn’t like it. [Producer] James Stroud didn’t like it. Byron [Gallimore, his longtime producer and collaborator] liked it, but I couldn’t talk James into letting me record it and I couldn’t talk the label into it.”

According to the musician, the label told him “it was too controversial, and it was a bad song,” going as far as telling McGraw “it wasn’t country music” and would not get played on the radio.

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He recalled the first night he heard the song, in the Hall of Fame Lounge and Hotel in Nashville, when he bumped into songwriters Tommy and Max D. Barnes, who played the song for him live.

“I heard it that first night and I started playing it immediately,” McGraw said. “Learned it and started playing it in all the clubs around town, the honky-tonks around town, and when we would travel and play clubs all over the country, I was playing that song, and we’d end up having to play it two or three times a night, four times a night, because people loved it so much.”

Due to his love of the song and the praise it was receiving at his shows, McGraw pleaded with his record label to include it on his debut album, but because he “didn’t have any say-so on the first album,” it was left off.

When it came time to cut his second album, “Not a Moment Too Soon,” the singer insisted it be included, noting, “I felt like this is either going to work in a huge way or it’s going to ruin my career forever.”

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“Luckily, it worked,” McGraw added. “And I think that what kept me from being just sort of a novelty act with this sort of funky, weird song that made some noise was being able to come right behind it with ‘Don’t Take the Girl.’ I’ll forever believe that the combination of those two songs is what set my career in motion and gave me momentum that I probably couldn’t have gotten any other way.”

The song went on to become McGraw’s first top 10 country hit and went platinum.

McGraw touched on the controversy of “Indian Outlaw,” explaining, “I understood why it was controversial, because it was stereotypical, and it was sort of a play on Native American stereotypes. And there was a lot of controversy around it, and I understood the controversy and I wasn’t upset about the controversy.”

He added, “In fact, I met with several Native American leaders. Some liked the song, some didn’t like the song. And my answer was, ‘Look, I understand what your concerns are. The song’s not meant to be that way, I understand your concerns. My opinion, if you need to go after me in order to raise attention and awareness, by all means, use my song for that. If you like it or don’t like it, if you can make something good happen from it, then by all means, I’m not going to be offended.'”

The singer said that when he plays at Native American casinos, he offers to take the song out of his set, but “99 percent of the time, ‘That’s why we hired you, is to sing that song.’ So they love it. So it’s been really good to me.”

In October 2025, the singer opened up about a rough patch in his career following a series of injuries, which left him wondering if he would ever perform again, adding he nearly quit his career.

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“I’ve had four back surgeries and double knee replacements, just in the last couple of years,” he told the crowd at his concert in Highland, California at the time.

He later added, “And this spring, before I had my final back surgery, things were getting really bad, so I was seriously contemplating and figuring out how to walk away. I didn’t want to, but I didn’t think it was going to get better.”

McGraw later shared that he has since gotten better and that while he was recovering he wrote the song, “King Rodeo,” which explores themes of aging and the struggles that come with it.

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Lyrics of the song include: “Hey, King Rodeo, You’re lookin’ lonely / Like you’ve lost your one and only / Adoring crowds are not around you / Whispers and shadows, they surround you.”

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