World News at a Glance

Pause in Military Drills, Ordered by Trump, Leaves South Koreans Uneasy

For six decades, joint exercises held by the militaries of South Korea and the United States have been the most visible and celebrated display of the alliance. Now South Koreans are dealing with a jarring new reality: a U.S. president who does not like the drills, at least in part because they cost too much. President Donald Trump, who in June suspended the exercises after meeting with the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un, reaffirmed his misgivings Wednesday, saying he saw “no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint U.S.-South Korea war games.”

Modi’s Cash Invalidation Didn’t Quite Work, Indian Bank Data Shows

Almost two years ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India threw the country into turmoil when he decided, by surprise and practically overnight, to effectively invalidate the old paper currency to punish those who were hoarding ill-gotten cash. These hoarders — including criminals, terrorists and tax evaders — would be too afraid to exchange their old bills for new ones, because going to banks would expose them to scrutiny and possible prosecution. But it didn’t work out that way. Figures released this week by the Reserve Bank of India suggested that criminals and other hoarders, like nearly everyone else, found ways to change their old bills for new ones.

New Zealand Town May Ban Cats to Protect Other Species

Omaui, a coastal town on the South Island of New Zealand that overflows with rare bird species, is home to just 35 people and seven or eight much-loved cats. But a new proposal to phase out felines to preserve native wildlife susceptible to predators has raised the hackles of some residents. Among other things, they worry rodents will breed out of control. The proposed ban would impose a sunset clause for cats in Omaui, meaning that once a cat died, its owners would not be allowed to replace it. The proposal is part of a pest control plan that lays out protection measures against 72 predators.

England Proposes Ban on Selling Energy Drinks to Children

In England, 16-year-olds can down a pint in a pub, if having a meal in adult company. But under a new government proposal, it would be illegal for them to buy an energy drink like Red Bull at the corner store. A government statement on the proposal said that two-thirds of children ages 10 to 17, and a quarter of those from 6 to 9, consumed energy drinks. And it cited concerns including childhood obesity and the effects of caffeine and sugar on behavior in school. The measure would apply only to retailers in England.

For Sale: 55-Foot-Tall Lobster. Owners in a Pinch. Can You Help?

On a patch of land beside the Princes Highway, Casey Sharpe sighed as he looked up at his most prized and problematic possession: a 55-foot-tall spiny lobster. His name is Larry. The crowds Sharpe imagined when he bought Larry, known as The Big Lobster, 11 years ago never materialized. The business behind Larry’s tail closed two years ago. Now, a tempting offer has arrived that would cut Sharpe’s losses and take Larry off his hands. The catch? Larry would be shipped thousands of miles away to Western Australia. And if Larry leaves, neighbors will not be happy. Larry is one of Australia’s “Big Things,” the name for the oversize objects sprinkled across this vast country.

With Tampons and Concrete, Vandals Hit Paris Urinals Seen as Sexist

To some, the new street urinals in Paris are a mere eyesore. To others, they are no less than an emblem of sexism, still more evidence that men’s needs are put above women’s. Now, protesters have taken concrete action. Vandals plugged up two of the urinals — with cement — and festooned them with tampons and protest stickers aimed at men. “Are you a dog? No?” said one. “Then why are you urinating in the street?” Another complained of a double standard. "Women who expose their breasts to breast-feed are asked to hide themselves,” it said. “Men who take out their genitals to urinate are subsidized by City Hall.”

Court Halts Expansion of Pipeline in Canada

A Canadian court on Thursday froze plans to expand an oil pipeline the government is about to purchase, ruling that the government’s National Energy Board had not adequately consulted indigenous people along the pipeline’s route or assessed the project’s potential effects on the waters off British Columbia. While the practical effect of the decision may be a comparatively short construction delay, the ruling added fuel to an already incendiary debate over the Trans Mountain pipeline that links Alberta’s oil sands to an oil tanker port near Vancouver. Environmentalists and some indigenous groups called the ruling a major victory, and some urged Justin Trudeau’s government to give up on plans for the expansion.