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Pagan News Beagle: Fiery Tuesday, May 3

Pagans fight for right to a worship area in a Nevada prison. In Eastern Europe, the impact of the Chernobyl disaster is remembered 30 years later. And right-wing populism gains momentum in Austria. It's Fiery Tuesday, our weekly segment on political and societal news from around the world. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!

Frequently when it comes to religious freedom two battlegrounds are at the forefront: prisons and the military. It's the former that's on focus right now as Pagans at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada fight back against the demolition of a Pagan worship area at the prison. You can read more about the battle over at The Las Vegas Review-Journal.

In some peoples' eyes, there's a clear delineation between the internet and the "real world." But often it's not so simple. And while abuse and harassment over the internet isn't the same thing as abuse offline, that doesn't mean it isn't a concern. The Guardian reports on the importance of taking online abuse seriously.

30 years ago, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant experienced a catastrophic meltdown, releasing large quantities of nuclear material into the atmosphere and forcing an evacuation of the local area. It has long been regarded as the worst man-made environmental disaster to occur in history. Now, 30 years later, Ukrainians look back and reflect on what happened.

The rise of authoritarian populism in Europe continues to be a concern. Most recently, the anti-immigration Austrian Freedom Party has just won 35% of the vote in the first round of Austria's presidential election. German newspaper Der Spiegel provides an analysis as to how this stunning result came about.

Prison is a frightening and intimidating place whoever you may be. But if you're transgender, it's several times worse. Vox reports on the horrific treatment trans people in prison often experience, both from fellow inmates and prison staff.


Top image by Susanne Nilsson

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Aryós Héngwis (or the more modest Héngwis for short) is a native of the Pontic-Caspian steppe, born some 5000 years ago, near the village of Dereivka. In his youth he stood out from the other snakes for his love of learning and culture, eventually coming into the service of the local reǵs before moving westward toward Europe. Most recently, Aryós Héngwis left his home to pursue a new life in America, where he has come under the employ of BBI Media as an internet watchdog (or watchsnake, if you will), ever poised to strike the unwary troll.

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