Britain to expel four Russian diplomats

LONDON -- Prime Minister Gordon Brown's new government ordered the expulsion of four Russian diplomats Monday over the Kremlin's refusal to extradite the key suspect in the fatal poisoning of a former KGB spy -- Britain's first use of the sanction in more than 10 years. Russia quickly threatened retaliation, marking a new low point in Britain's relations with Moscow under President Vladimir Putin. Alexander Litvinenko died Nov. 23 in a London hospital after ingesting radioactive polonium-210. In a deathbed statement, the 43-year-old accused Putin of being behind his killing. British prosecutors have named Russian businessman and former KGB agent Andrei Lugovoi as the chief suspect. Litvinenko said he first felt ill after meeting Lugovoi and business partner Dmitry Kovtun at a London hotel. But Russia has refused to extradite Lugovoi, saying its constitution prevents that. Russia formally rejected an extradition request a week ago, and British prosecutors then spurned an offer from Moscow to try Lugovoi there.