Local politicians in the Swedish city of Vasteras will ask the national government to shut down a Russian Orthodox church they believe is being used by the Kremlin as a spying hub. Supporters of the church say the parish is being treated unfairly.

Västerås

Authorities in Västerås, Sweden, are attempting to relocate the Church of the Holy Mother of God of Kazan, a Russian Orthodox parish, due to concerns over its proximity to strategic sites such as an airport used for military exercises and major industry headquarters. The church is funded by Russia's state nuclear agency, Rosatom, and led by a priest previously convicted of financial fraud. Swedish intelligence has warned that the parish may be used for intelligence gathering and other activities that threaten national security.

Following these warnings, the city council unanimously supported an initiative to have the church sell back its land and move to a new location, pending national government approval. The church has also lost state funding, and local residents have expressed unease about its presence. The Russian ambassador has criticized the move as unfair to believers, while church representatives have largely declined to comment publicly.

Is Russia using this church in Sweden as a spying hub?

The Church of the Holy Mother of God of Kazan gleams brightly in the forest outside Västerås, Sweden. But some say this Russian Orthodox parish has a dark side, funded by Russia's state nuclear agency, Rosatom, a subsidiary of Moscow's Russian Orthodox Church, which actively supports the war in Ukraine, and led by a priest convicted of financial fraud who's rarely seen in public. It is definitely a tool for Russian foreign influence. Hybrid warfare researcher Patrik Oxsonen has voiced concern about the church for years. The malicious connection here is that when you have a church, you have an area that is protected from contra-espionage. The Swedish authorities are not allowed to eavesdrop on the church in the Swedish law. He and a colleague first started publishing their investigations as construction got underway in 2019. That alerted some city officials to the strategic importance of the land they'd sold. One of Sweden's longest airport runways, used for military exercises, is just some 300 meters away. Major industry headquarters, a hospital and a port, are also nearby. Back then, Västerås City Council member Elisabeth Unell couldn't get enough support to stop the construction. Attitudes changed with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. I said we have to do something. The problem is the connection with Kremlin. It is a strong connection, and then it shouldn't be 300 meters from our airport. Her initiative to make the church sell back the land and find a new location finally got unanimous council backing in June. The city is now seeking mandatory national government approval. Last year, the agency providing financial assistance to non-state religions throughout Sweden cut off the Västerås church. After Swedish intelligence warned them, Moscow was using this parish, quote. To conduct intelligence gathering and other security-threatening activities. Our decisions do not infringe upon your right to actually practice religion, so that you can still do freely in Sweden. And if the state is supposed to give you grants, then of course you have to be aligned with the Swedish state's values. Russian Ambassador Sergei Beliaev says the city council decision reflects a nationwide anti-Russia campaign and will unfairly hurt believers. It was not their choice where to build the church. It was given to them. Actually Orthodox people from different places of Sweden come to this church. It's the only church of Russian Orthodox Church working in Sweden. Neighbors of this church didn't want to be identified while sharing their opinions. I don't think they should be here. They can have a church. I'm not a problem with that, but not here. But here it's too strategic to have it. We came here for Sunday morning services, hoping someone from church leadership would agree to come out and speak with us after several requests over multiple days. They didn't. Most of the worshippers arriving here also would barely look at us. One man shook his finger in a clear sign to go away. A Russian-speaking woman called us spion, or spies. Only one young man agreed to speak with us. We are obscuring his identity because he's under 18. He said he's proud to attend and defend the church and hopes the expropriation effort fails. If they turn this church down, they are turning their back against the people who live in their city. But it seems our conversation may have made the church turn its back on him. After speaking with DW, the young man was not allowed to enter. Incidents like this may add to concerns about what might be going on inside this fence. Whatever that is, the city of Västerås has faith it won't be happening here much longer.

As the Israeli military gives an initial assessment of deadly strikes on a Gaza hospital, hundreds of thousands of protesters urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire with Hamas in exchange for a hostage deal.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Middle East Conflict

Protesters urge Netanyahu to reach hostage deal

Cracker Barrel says it will go back to its old logo after facing intense backlash and seeing its company value to sink by nearly $100 million after switching to a new design last week. In a statement, Cracker Barrel thanked their guests for sharing their voices.

Cracker Barrel scrapping new logo, returning to old one after backlash

The small West Tennessee town of Mason, just 2 square miles in size, is home to about 1,000 people. But its residents are now divided by what a new immigration detention facility will mean for the area.

Mason

Small Tennessee town divided over new ICE detention facility

SpaceX launched its Super Heavy-Starship from Texas on Tuesday for the rocket's tenth test flight. The previous three launches ended in catastrophic in-flight failures.

Starbase

SpaceX Super Heavy-Starship lifts off from Texas on 10th test flight

Nationwide protest saw tens of thousands of Israelis take to the streets to demand an end to the war in Gaza and see the remaining hostages released. The demonstrations come against the backdrop of global condemnation of an Israeli attack captured live on television.

Nationwide protests erupt in Israel demanding hostage deal and end to Gaza war

A standoff is brewing between President Trump and economist Lisa Cook. Mr. Trump tried to fire her, claiming "there is sufficient cause" to believe that Cook made false statements on one or more mortgage agreements.

Washington

Trump clashes with Fed board member Lisa Cook, pushing to oust her

Protesters demanding an end to the Gaza war and the return of hostages to their homes took to the streets in Israel on Tuesday ahead of a security cabinet meeting scheduled for the evening.

Israeli protesters demand hostage deal as cabinet set to meet

Australia accused Iran on Tuesday (August 26) of executing two antisemitic arson attacks in the cities of Sydney and Melbourne and gave Tehran's ambassador seven days to leave the country, its first such expulsion since World War Two.

Council of the City of Sydney

Australia expels Iranian envoy over antisemitic attacks

President Donald Trump announced the removal of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, the only Black woman to serve on the board. Critics call it an attack on the Fed's independence, while Cook says no legal cause exists for her firing.

Trump says he fired Lisa Cook from Federal Reserve board

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order creating new National Guard units, including a rapid-response force to handle what the administration calls civil disturbances.

White House authorizes creation of rapid-response National Guard units

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI sued Apple and ChatGPT maker OpenAI in U.S. federal court in Texas, accusing them of illegally conspiring to thwart competition for artificial intelligence.

Texas

Rise of AI

Elon Musk's xAI sues Apple, OpenAI over competition claims

Strikes on the Nasser hospital in Gaza that left at least 20 people dead, including rescuers, journalists and health-care workers are being met with global outrage. The Israeli military is investigating what Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netnayahu called a ‘tragic mishap.’

Israeli PM calls deadly strikes on Gaza hospital a ‘tragic mishap’

Kilmar Abrego Garcia is back in ICE custody and is facing deportation to Uganda, the Department of Homeland Security says, after he was released from criminal custody last week.

Baltimore

Abrego Garcia in ICE custody, court blocks immediate deportation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will meet with the U.S. and other countries this week to discuss a potential meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed at reaching a ceasefire.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskiy say he will meet with U.S., others on potential Putin talks

U.S. President Donald Trump says Chicago could be the next city to see National Guard deployment, sparking strong opposition from Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker, who argue crime is already falling and federal intervention is unnecessary.

Chicago

Trump threatens to send National Guard troops to Chicago

Four journalists working with Reuters, Al Jazeera and others were killed in explosions at a Gaza hospital. Gaza officials blame Israeli drone strikes, though CBS News has not independently verified the claims.

Jerusalem

Four journalists reported dead after Gaza hospital blasts

U.S. National Guard troops patrolling the streets of Washington D.C. as part of what President Donald Trump said was his crackdown on crime began carrying weapons on Sunday night, two officials said.

National Guard patrolling Washington DC begin carrying weapons

In a visit to Kyiv, Prime Minister Mark Carney affirmed Canada’s support for Ukraine and committed to sending soldiers if a ceasefire with Russia is reached.

Carney in Kyiv pledges support, possibly troops for Ukraine

The Pickett Fire is growing in California's Napa County, prompting new evacuations as it threatens homes and wineries. The flames, fueled by scorching temperatures and dry conditions, are being battled by hundreds of first responders.

Napa Valley

Evacuations ordered in California as heatwave fuels wildfire

Democrats are pushing back against President Trump's plan to send the National Guard to more cities, including Chicago, New York and Baltimore, as troops continue to patrol Washington, D.C. State and local leaders say they have crime under control.

Democrats slam Trump's plans to send National Guard to more cities

Beef prices are at record highs with the average price of a pound of ground beef topping $6. Lisa Rozner reports on what's causing prices to soar.

Why U.S beef prices are soaring

A defiant Ukraine marked its independence from the former Soviet Union Sunday amid more fighting with Russia. Chris Livesay reports on how world leaders joined in, voicing their support.

Ukraine marks its Independence Day as war with Russia continues

The boats are produced by unknown Turkish companies and are then sent disassembled in multiple shipments to avoid suspicion in what authorities say is for the sole purpose of trafficking migrants across the English Channel.

Sofia

Inflatable boats used for migrant trafficking seized

Less than 24 hours after he was released from jail, Kilmar Ábrego García was told that U.S. immigration officials plan to deport him to Uganda. The Salvadoran national, who has been living illegally in the U.S. since about 2011, was wrongly deported to his home country earlier this year.

Maryland

Kilmar Abrego Garcia told he may be sent to Uganda

Erik and Lyle Menendez remain behind bars, their hopes for release dashed by two separate parole boards more than three decades after murdering their parents. Elise Preston reports.

Los Angeles

Erik and Lyle Menendez denied parole

Tourism in Las Vegas is slumping this summer, costing the city billions. That could signal trouble ahead for the U.S. economy. Andres Gutierrez has new details.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas tourism slumps this summer, signaling trouble for U.S. economy

Texas Republicans took a victory lap after an early morning vote Saturday that sought to give their party an edge during the 2026 midterms. Democrats in Texas plan to challenge the legality of the new congressional map, saying it dilutes the power of minorities.

Austin

Texas Republicans take victory lap after redistricting vote

Israel has called the United Nations' declaration of famine in parts of Gaza an "outright lie," but multiple U.N. bodies, more than 100 humanitarian groups, and several of Israel's own allies have warned for months that the war is causing starvation among civilians.

Israel denies U.N.'s declaration of famine in parts of Gaza

U.S. President Donald Trump says he will impose sanctions on Russia if it fails to reach a peace deal in Ukraine within two weeks. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia’s ongoing attacks on his country show that President Vladimir Putin is not interested in peace.

Putin’s not interested in peace talks, Zelenskyy says

Lyle Menendez was denied parole late Friday night following a day-long hearing in California, just one day after his brother Erik's parole appeal was also rejected. The brothers have been in prison since 1996 for killing their parents in what they say was an act of self-defense.

Breakdown