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BEIJING - Chinese politician Bo Xilai, once a rising star, has been stripped of his elite Communist Party post and his wife is being investigated for the murder of a British national, state media said.

The shock announcements shed some light on a mysterious political scandal involving Bo and a reported attempt by his former righthand man to defect to the United States.

Analysts say the rare, public scandal has exposed deep rifts within the ruling party ahead of a key, once-in-a-decade leadership transition due to take place later this year.

The 62-year-old's troubles started in February when Wang Lijun, his former police chief, fled to a US consulate and reportedly asked for asylum.

The scandal remained shrouded in mystery until news emerged late last month that London had asked China to reinvestigate the death of a British national in Chongqing in November amid rumours it might be linked to Bo's family.

On Tuesday, in a second brief dispatch, Xinhua said police had reopened a probe into the death of Neil Heywood after finding evidence Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, may have been involved in his murder.

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Tracing the fall of Bo Xilai: The people involved Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: AFP, Reuters, Internet)

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