Barbs and cracks at NATO's 70th

Barbs and cracks at NATO's 70th [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( NATO’s 70th anniversary celebration has started off on some sour notes. In North Korea, there’s talk of a Christmas missile launch if no progress is made with Washington on denuclearization talks. And Vida Alegre provides a safe space and a happy life for Mexico City’s LGBTQ senior citizens. (We’re still beta-testing this newsletter, and we've just updated the design. Let us know your thoughts about this newsletter by replying to this email.) --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today NATO turns 70. Will it make 71? [U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he and first lady Melania Trump depart for travel to a NATO summit in London, from the White House in Washington, U.S. December 2, 2019.]( Credit: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters French President Emmanuel Macron described NATO as “[brain dead](” in the run-up to a meeting in London that was supposed to be a 70th anniversary celebration. Then, US President Donald Trump launched an angry broadside against his European allies, [singling out Macron for his "very nasty" comments]( on the alliance and Germany's shortfall on funding commitments. This kind of talk isn’t new from Trump. The attack echoed a similar [volley of abuse]( the president lobbed ahead of NATO's July 2018 summit. And it will likely add to the growing doubts over the future of the bloc. Underlining the breadth of strife in a transatlantic bloc hailed by its backers as the most successful military alliance in history, Trump demanded that Europe pay more for defense and also make concessions to US interests on trade. Also: [Macron says NATO is experiencing 'brain death.' What's the future of the alliance?]( And: [Don’t blame Turkey for NATO’s woes]( And: [“The very purpose of NATO is being questioned”]( --------------------------------------------------------------- NewsMatch Do you value the global journalism you read here every morning? [Make a gift]( to support our work now, and your donation will be matched. [Donate here](. Merry Christmas missile launch? Last Thursday, [North Korea fired two short-range projectiles]( into the sea off its east coast last week in the latest test of its large multiple-rocket launcher. It was seen as an effort to remind the United States of a year-end deadline North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un has set for Washington to show flexibility in stalled denuclearization talks. Now, [Kim is warning Washington of another potential test](, this one set for Christmas. Negotiations between North Korea and the United States have hit a stalemate after a day-long working-level meeting in October in Stockholm [broke down](. Trump said on Tuesday he still had confidence in North Korea but noted that Kim "[likes sending rockets up, doesn't he?](" "That's why I call him Rocket Man," Trump told reporters during a meeting with the head of NATO in London. He said he hoped Kim would denuclearize, but added: "We'll find out." Also: [North Korea's Kim Jong-un opens new city and 'socialist utopia' of Samjiyon]( Happy life: Vida Alegre senior center is helping Mexico’s LGBTQ seniors [Samantha Flores, a trans woman, stands at the entrance to the Vida Alegre, a day center for older LGBTQ people in Mexico City that she cofounded.]( Credit: Steven Grattan/The World In spite of recent advances in LGBTQ rights in Mexico, the country remains the [second-worst place for homophobia and discrimination in Latin America](. Between 2013 and 2018, 473 members of the LGBTQ community were murdered because of their sexual orientation or gender expression. Over 50% were transgender women. There are few safe spaces in the community — especially for older folks. Enter [Vida Alegre](, a day center for LGTBQ senior citizens in Mexico City. A lot of the regulars at Vida Alegre have experienced discrimination for much of their lives. “Many of the people here have been shunned by their families, that’s why this is so important. [We need to create our own families and not be so alone](,” said center volunteer Brent Alberghini. Now, there is a place to gather, eat, share and heal. Also: [LGBTQ migrants find safety in numbers on trek to US border]( Typhoon Kammuri strikes Philippines A typhoon struck the Philippines on Tuesday, killing at least three people, disrupting air travel and forcing government offices and schools to shut. Authorities evacuated some 225,000 people ahead of the [arrival overnight of Typhoon Kammuri](, known locally as Tisoy. Officials said their precautions prevented greater loss of life, while warnings of floods, storm surges and landslides were issued in the wake of the country's [20th typhoon]( of the year. Winds gusting up to 125 mph damaged homes and structures and tore down trees and signage as it barreled through central islands south of the capital. The typhoon moved across the archipelago toward the South China Sea. Some 499 flights were postponed and 100,000 people impacted by a precautionary [closure of Manila's main airport](. Flights continued in unaffected areas of the country. Also: [Is climate change making hurricanes worse?]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Morning meme We all put our pants on one leg at a time. But this [little fellow found a way to innovate putting on his jacket](. Extra: In China, scientists are trying to create images of people's faces through DNA samples — with help from the West. Of course, [ethics concerns abound](. Reuters contributed to this newsletter. --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [Farewell punctuation and all things civilized]( - [One Chilean woman’s protest story]( - [Broadcasting the sounds of coral reefs]( - [UN Climate Summit opens in Madrid]( - [Ukraine veterans]( - [Cold War anniversary]( - [Training workers to fill the childcare shortage]( - [Dictionary.com announces word of the year]( - [NATO celebrates 70 years. But why is it still going?]( - [London attack aftermath]( Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. 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