PYONGYANG -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has announced severance of diplomatic relations with Malaysia after Malaysia's top court ruled in favor of extraditing one of DPRK nationals to the United States to face money laundering charges, the official Korean Central News Agency reported Friday.

The DPRK businessman living in Malaysia was accused of supplying prohibited luxury items from Singapore to Pyongyang in violation of United Nations sanctions. Malaysia's top court ruled that he can be extradited to the United States. (DPRK-Malaysia-Cut Ties)

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MEXICO CITY -- A police convoy was ambushed Thursday afternoon in Coatepec Harinas, a town in central State of Mexico, killing 13 officers, said the local government.

According to the state's Security Secretary Rodrigo Martinez-Celis, members of the local police and the prosecutor's office were ambushed while patrolling. (Mexico-Police-Death)

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ANCHORAGE -- Senior Chinese officials put forward China's stands on relevant issues at the start of the high-level strategic dialogue with the United States on Thursday in the Alaskan city of Anchorage.

Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan attended the dialogue. (China-US-Strategic Dialogue)

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TRIPOLI -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Thursday expressed concern over the arbitrary arrest of a bank official by an armed group in the capital Tripoli.

"UNSMIL is concerned about the safety of Mr Abdul Khaliq Mohamed Misbah Ibrahim, a Libyan Foreign Bank official who was arbitrarily arrested in central Tripoli, on 9 February 2021, allegedly by an armed group. Mr Ibrahim's whereabouts remain unknown," UNSMIL said. (Libya-Arrest-Armed group)