Death sentence appeal rejected

Beijing - A Chinese court has rejected an appeal by a top parliamentary official, Cheng Kejie, against a death sentence for taking $5 million (£4.3 million) in bribes, Xinhua news agency reported yesterday. Xinhua said the Beijing High Court upheld the sentence passed on Cheng. If the sentence is confirmed by the Supreme Court, Cheng would be the highest-level official executed for corruption since the Communists came to power in 1949.