The ex-police chief at the centre of China's worst political scandal in decades has gone on trial in a closed hearing involving state secrets.

A former police chief linked to a disgraced leader at the centre of China’s biggest political scandal in decades will stand trial on Tuesday on charges that include defection and bribery.

China sentenced the wife of fallen Politburo member Bo Xilai to death yesterday but suspended her execution — setting the stage for a possible final purge of Bo himself in a scandal that has shaken Beijing ahead of a leadership transition.

The wife of a fallen Chinese politician was given a suspended death sentence today after confessing to killing British businessman Neil Heywood in a case that rocked the country’s political leadership.

Chinese leaders may spare a politician’s wife the death penalty for killing British businessman Neil Heywood, fearing it might incite public sympathy, analysts said today.

A Chinese court will deliver a verdict on Monday in the trial of ousted politician Bo Xilai’s wife, accused of killing a British businessman.

The wife of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai lured a British businessman to a hotel in Chongqing, where she got him drunk and fed him poison, one of China’s highest-profile murder trials in years heard.

The wife of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai lured a British businessman to a hotel in the south-western mega-city of Chongqing, where she got him drunk and fed him poison, according to testimony today in one of China’s highest-profile murder trials in years.

The murder trial of the wife of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai will start next Thursday, lawyers have said.

Chinese prosecutors are charging the wife of former Chinese politician Bo Xilai and a family aide with the murder of a British businessman.

WITH his bronze medal already secure, John Joe Nevin will go into this afternoon’s (3.30pm) clash with Eduard Abzalimov of Russia bidding for a place in tomorrow’s bantamweight final.

JOHN JOE NEVIN laid claim to a bronze medal and put himself in line for even greater things when he outpointed Chinese bantamweight Yu Gu, 7-5, to qualify for tomorrow semi-finals at the World boxing championships in Milan.

A Chinese tycoon was today sentenced to 12 years in prison following his conviction for falsifying and withholding information and embezzlement.

Another town on a poisoned Chinese river shut down its water system today as a toxic slick caused by a chemical plant explosion arrived.

At least 25 people have been killed and more than 200 injured by a freak storm that rained egg-sized hail down on central China.