China throws out Bo Xilai appeal

A court has dismissed ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai’s appeal against his conviction and life sentence for corruption and abuse of power in one of the country’s most politically-charged trials in decades.

Today’s ruling by the Shandong Provincial Higher People’s Court came as no surprise, with many political analysts saying such an outcome was pre-determined by Communist Party leaders keen to put Bo away long enough to prevent him from making a comeback.