AP: Attempt to hold pan-Orthodox synod stalls over disputes

A historic attempt to bring together all leaders of the world's Orthodox churches for the first time in more than a millennium has stalled after the powerful Russian church and three others pulled out at the last minute over disputes ranging from the seating plan to efforts to reconcile with the Vatican.

The Holy and Great Council, set to open Sunday on the Greek island of Crete, was to be the first meeting of all Orthodox leaders since the year 787, when the last of the seven councils recognized by both Orthodox and Catholics was held. The meeting is still on, but with the Russian Orthodox Church and three others staying away, its pan-Orthodox aura has faded. [...]

The Rev. John Chryssavgis, a spokesman for Bartholomew, said the 10 patriarchs attending the council met Friday and issued a final plea "even at the 11th hour" for the other churches to attend, saying whatever issues they have will be examined. But he added that the council will go on without them, and organizers say the decisions made by the remaining 10 will be binding — a claim certainly to be rejected by Moscow and the others.

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designboom: christo's floating piers open to the public in lake iseo, italy

the highly-anticipated reveal sees 100,000 square meters of shimmering yellow fabric wrap a floating dock that connects various points on italy’s lake iseo. undulating with the movement of the waves, visitors can now experience ‘the floating piers’ as they walk from sulzano to monte isola and to the island of san paolo, which it completely encircles. the 3 kilometer-long walkway extends clear across the water, with surrounding mountains offering a bird’s-eye view of a golden network of passageways that lead in and around the town. the fabric continues along 1.5 kilometers of pedestrian streets in sulzano and peschiera maraglio. [...]

the concept for ‘the floating piers’ was conceived by christo and jeanne-claude — the artist’s creative and life partner — in 1970. however, the couple originally did not know which river or lake would best suit the project. early, unrealized renditions proposed a 2,000 meter-long inflated pier on the delta of the rio de la plata in argentina. by 1995, the idea was still active in the artists’ minds. they suggested the creation of two floating piers, 150 meters-long and covered in fabric, which would connect two artificial islands in tokyo bay and continue through odaiba park. this iteration was also unrealized following the denial of a permit. 

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AP Analysis: Mideast showed Hillary Clinton US power's limit

In the wake of the Orlando killings this week, Hillary Clinton had harsh words for America's Gulf allies, criticizing them for funding institutions that radicalize young Muslims.

"It is long past time for the Saudis, the Qataris and the Kuwaitis and others to stop their citizens from funding extremist organizations," the presumptive Democratic Party nominee told an Ohio crowd. "And they should stop supporting radical schools and mosques around the world that have set too many young people on a path toward extremism." [...]

Tellingly, the comments were received without protest from most regional leaders who consider the messenger as much as the message. However, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said in Washington on Friday that his government has tight control over charitable giving and has designated entities and individuals suspected of terror finance. He also said that it's unfair to point a finger at Saudi Arabia if a mosque that it funded years ago begins advocating intolerance and violence. [...]

Yet in all of it, she's learned the limits of American power in a region rich in history but impoverished by multiple wars and conflicts.

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VICE: What It's Like to Be Gay and Muslim in America

In my conversations with gay Muslim Americans this week, the resounding message was that Omar Mateen is no representative of the Muslim community—LGBTQ or otherwise. And they say the gun violence he perpetrated is a uniquely American problem that is homegrown, not imported. [...]

"When something like this happens in America, Islam becomes the main topic of discussion," Abdelhadi tells VICE. "The narrative was first that Mateen was a homophobe because of Islam. Now that we're told that he may have been secretly gay, the narrative has become that he was self-hating because of his Islam. They want to divorce Mateen from all the factors in American society that created him, but there is nothing foreign about Omar Mateen." [...]

"But that is true for all religious communities— Jewish and Christian alike," Abdelhadi explains. "We all have conversations about it and a range of opinions. The problem is that American media presents Islam and its people as a monolith: They validate the view that all Muslims are homophobic. That is simply not true."

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The Guardian: Istanbul authorities ban transgender and gay pride marches

Authorities in Istanbul have banned transgender and gay pride marches this month, citing security concerns after ultra-nationalists warned they would not allow the events to take place on Turkish soil.

A march in support of transgender people was planned for Sunday in the city centre, while an annual gay pride parade – described previously as the biggest in the Muslim world – had been due to take place a week later on 26 June. [...]

There had already been concerns about the security of the planned marches after last weekend’s massacre at a gay nightclub in Florida of 49 people by a gunman who had expressed sympathy for a variety of Islamist militant groups. Yeni Akit, a religiously conservative newspaper loyal to the Turkish government, published a headline the next day saying “50 pervert gays killed in a bar”.

Historically the gay pride parade in Istanbul – a city seen as a relative haven by members of the gay community from elsewhere in the Middle East – has been a peaceful event.

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Time: Former Intel. Official: American Hate Is a Bigger Threat Than Foreign Terrorism

The tragedy in Orlando will undoubtedly divide our nation even further, as the loudest voices shout their political opinions about gun control, immigration and Islamic radicalism, pitting Americans against each other and further exploiting our anger and fear. As American society sinks further and further into this angry, polarized society, I fear not for the economic collapse of our country, nor for defeat at the hands of terrorists or enemies. I fear for the implosion of our country at the hands of our own citizens, who have become so embittered, and so divided, that they hate their neighbors more than they love their nation. [...]

And yet, I shudder at the idea of discussing the second amendment, abortion, LGBT rights, the role of the federal government, Barack Obama, race or religion with Americans who don’t share my views. I would rather sit across from a sworn enemy of the United States and talk about the history of our foreign policy than discuss a woman’s right to choose with a steadfast anti-abortion rights advocate next door. [...]

The tech industry, in particular, could play a pivotal role. And imagine if movies started showing more diversity of political, religious and social viewpoints in characters that also manage to get along. What if reality TV shows introduced us to a wider variety of our fellow Americans and brought people together to discuss true hot-button issues, without throwing things at each other? What if public universities encouraged all viewpoints, instead of creating “safe spaces”?

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Public Radio International: The new Trump: Trying to raise campaign money

When it comes to raising money, Donald Trump is morphing into the very kind of bootlicking presidential candidate he’s insisted — over and again — that he wasn’t, isn’t and wouldn’t become. [...]

Consider that last week alone, Team Clinton aired about 3,400 ad spots — mostly eviscerating Trump — on broadcast and national cable television, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of data from media tracking firm Kantar Media/CMAG. The Trump campaign aired no such TV ads at all, while a supportive super PAC managed fewer than 100.

On the other hand, Trump’s turn toward fueling his White House ambitious with cash from special interests and political megadonors undermines what’s been one of his most effective marketing messages: that he’s beholden to no one and can’t be bought because he’s a rich man who’s self-funding his campaign. [...]

Trump’s campaign refused to answer questions about how Trump’s attitude toward political money has shifted. But an analysis of Trump’s statements on the matter demonstrates how it most certainly has.

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Deutsche Welle: Political art group sets up Roman-style arena for refugees to be devoured by tigers

Outside the Maxim Gorki theater in Berlin are four tigers in a cage. The caretaker is dressed like a Roman gladiator; his insignia refers to the European Union. In the background is a picture of Germany's President Joachim Gauck.

A huge poster shows a little girl asking her mother: "Why don't refugees just take a plane?" in reaction to the countless people who drown while crossing at sea or suffer trying to reach Europe on foot.

Against this setting, the group announced it was looking for refugees desperate enough to be ready to be devoured by those Libyan tigers. In a video, the activists claim that Angela Merkel and the German government, like a Roman emperor during a gladiatorial combat, have to power to stop this from happening with a simple thumbs-up gesture. [...]

The group claimed to have already found at least one refugee ready to be devoured and are recruiting more through the campaign's website. According to their plan, the volunteering refugees will only be thrown to the tigers if the charter flight is blocked by German authorities. One alternative destination for the flight would be Vatican City, which is outside the EU.

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Reuters: Pope's comments on modern marriage raise storm of criticism

In the Vatican's transcript issued on Friday morning his words were changed to read "some" instead of "a great majority". A Vatican spokesman said the pope's off-the-cuff remarks are sometimes edited after consulting with him or among aides. [...]

Ross Douthat, the conservative Catholic writer and New York Times columnist, said in one of his some 20 tweets on the subject that Francis had made "an extraordinary, irresponsible and ridiculous claim".

Matthew Schmitz, editor at the conservative First Things Catholic magazine, called the pope "wrong and irresponsible". [...]

Conservatives also chided Francis for saying at the same meeting that priests should not pressure couples who were co-habitating if they were not ready to get married. He said the priests should "let fidelity ripen".

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Business Insider: The new 'sick man' of Europe

"Finland is set for years of economic stagnation, and will be one of the worst performing eurozone economies in growth terms," the BMI research team argued in a recent report. [...]

Moreover, they think that average wages will fall modestly as the country works to "regain competitiveness via a painful internal devaluation." [...]

Of course, it's worth nothing that Finland is already one of the most developed, wealthiest in terms of GDP per capita, and least corrupt countries in the world. Plus, it's one of the strongest countries when it comes to research and development.

So, it's not that its economy will totally crater in on itself - more that living standards might not tremendously improve in the near future.

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The Guardian: Pennsylvania Catholic church using 'mafia-like' tactics to fight sex abuse bill

But it is the church’s personal targeting of legislators, rather than the legislation itself, that is drawing the most scrutiny, particularly among a small group of lawmakers who are both Republican and Catholic – and say they have steadfastly supported the church’s positions on other issues such as abortion and private Catholic schools.

Catholic lawmakers interviewed by the Guardian expressed dismay, shock and anger at the treatment they have received, particularly because they were targeted after the bill already passed in the lower house. All said they supported the legislation because they believed survivors of sexual abuse often needed decades to come to grips with the abuse they suffered.

One Catholic state representative named Martina White went on a local talk radio programme to describe how she had been “crushed” when she was disinvited to several planned events at local Catholic parishes because of her support for the bill.

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