The News Roundup — International (The 1A) 2021-07-30

The U.S. has pledged to remove its forces from Iraq by the end of the year — a goal that presents some huge challenges, logistical and otherwise. Some officials are concerned about what would fill the power vacuum left by the military. The U.S. is also facilitating the return of some 17,000 Iraqi archaeological treasures, the oldest of which dates back 4,000 years.

The first person to be tried under Hong Kong’s new, restrictive security law has been found guilty of secessionism and terrorism. Tong Ying-kit’s conviction is being condemned by human rights groups and perceived as a sign of China’s efforts to crack down on the city.

Lines of communication between North Korea and South Korea have reopened, with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un agreeing to “restore mutual confidence and develop their relationships again as soon as possible.”
Interview: 

https://the1a.org/segments/isis-hong-kong-korea/