World News in Brief: April 7

An earthquake measuring at 6.1 magnitude rattled Nusa Tenggara province in central Indonesia on April 7, causing no tsunami warning, the country’s meteorology and geophysics agency said.

* Indonesia will repatriate two nationals who escaped from Abu Sayyaf terrorist group's custody following recent raid against the group's stronghold island in the Philippines' Sulu province, an Indonesian foreign ministry official said on April 6.

* British Prime Minister Theresa May said on April 6 that the longer it takes to find a compromise with the opposition Labour Party to secure a parliamentary majority for a Brexit deal, the less likely it is that Britain will leave the European Union.

* Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries agreed on many issues, but the difference on issues related to the conflict in the Middle East and ties with Iran remains, French top diplomat Jean-Yves Le Drian said on April 6. France will host this year's G7 Leaders' Summit in the southwestern town of Biarritz on Aug. 24-26.

* Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said that it is "extremely unlikely" that one of the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) could veto any proposal to grant Britain a longer extension to strike a Brexit deal, according to a on April 6 report by a local TV channel RTE.

* Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on April 6 called for expanded energy trade and transport routes with Iraq. Rouhani mande the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi in the capital Tehran.

* French President Emmanuel Macron discussed by phone the situation in Libya with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, on April 6, the French Presidency said in a statement. The two leaders "stressed the importance of a political solution to the current crisis, in respect of humanitarian law and of the Security Council resolution" in Libya.

* Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Paris and other French cities on April 6 for a 21st straight weekend of anti-government "yellow vest" protests, but turnout was sharply lower than last week and the marches were largely peaceful.

* Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on April 6 that he would annex settlements in the occupied West Bank if he wins another term in office in an election on Tuesday.

* The Russian Emergencies Ministry said in a statement on April 6 that it had worked with its Armenian counterpart to deliver humanitarian aid to flood-hit Iran.

* North Macedonia's authorities are monitoring the situation at the southern border with Greece and are ready to face with increased pressure, North Macedonia's Defense Minister Radmila Shekerinska said on April 6.

* Hungary and the United States have signed a defense cooperation agreement, according to official sources in Budapest on April 6.

* Voting got underway in the Maldives on April 6 in a crucial parliamentary election which will elect 87 members to the island's Parliament.

* Algeria's parliament on April 9 will elect a new interim president, state news agency APS said on April 6, after veteran ruler Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned following mass protests.

Xinhua,Reuters