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Pagan News Beagle: Fiery Tuesday, November 24

The fallout from the Paris attacks from last week continues. Japan and the United States seek to resolve a longstanding dispute about military bases in Okinawa. And actress Emma Watson bonds with Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai. It's Fiery Tuesday, our weekly segment about political and societal news from around the globe! All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!

Does religion contribute to violence in the world as some claim? Or is it, in fact, the reverse? The Religion News Service takes a detailed look at the relationships between religion, violence, and society.

What's the purpose behind terrorism? Why does Daesh, which is predominantly concerned with establishing a caliphate in West Asia, seek to draw the attention of foreign powers by attacking cities outside of the region? German magazine Der Spiegel makes an attempt to sort out the logic behind Daesh's actions in France and elsewhere.

Since the 1960s, the United States and Japan have been close, reliable allies. Populations of both countries widely view the other positively and tourism between the two is typically quite high. But one issue has divided America and Japan for decades: the issue of American military bases on the island of Okinawa, in the Ryukyu chain. Now both countries are turning to a court settlement to resolve the conflict

Actress Emma Watson, best known for her role as young witch Hermione Granger, drew praise last year when she declared herself a feminist and made a speech before the United Nations. Now she's bonded with another young female activist, Pakistani student Malala Yousafzai, who told Watson in a recent meeting that the actress' speech is why she identifies as a feminist.

Islamophobia has long been a present element in American culture. But in the wake of the Paris attacks, public figures have begun to ramp up the rhetoric. In an article for The Atlantic, Emma Green calls out the fear-mongering and "objectification" of American Muslims, arguing it shows the country's "worst" side.

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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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