Xinhua world news summary at 0130 GMT, March 30

MOSCOW -- Russia will expel 60 U.S. diplomats and shut the U.S. consulate general in St. Petersburg in tit-for-tat retaliation for Washington's moves against Moscow over an ex-spy incident, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

U.S. diplomats -- 58 from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and two from the U.S. consulate in Yekaterinburg, were declared "persona non grata" for "activities incompatible with diplomatic status," it said in a press release. (Russia-US-Diplomats)

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NEW YORK -- A 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of Papua New Guinea's New Britain island, the U.S. Geological Survey said Thursday, triggering a tsunami warning for surrounding coastlines.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the shallow quake, which was initially reported at the magnitude of 7.2 close to the coast. (Papua New Guinea-Earthquake)

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WASHINGTON -- U.S. State Department tweeted on Thursday that Russia's earlier decision to expel 60 U.S. diplomats was a "regrettable, unwarranted" one.

"It is clear that Russia is not interested in dialogue about issues that matter to our two countries," the State Department tweeted. (US-Russia-Expulsion)

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TRIPOLI -- A car bomb explosion on Thursday evening hit a security check point in the eastern Libyan city of Ajdabiya, some 120 km west of Benghazi, killing five people and injuring several others, according to a security source.

"The car bomb was parked near the Salama security check point. It was detonated remotely," the source told Xinhua. (Libya-Car Bomb) Enditem