新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 08:00 2015/02/27（打印版）

A new series of judicial reforms are being put forward to make this country's court system more fair and accountable.

Chinese political observers have been lining up to back the new development strategy from President Xi Jinping.

The Ukrainian military has begun pulling back its heavy weapons from the front lines in eastern Ukraine.

In business... Sinopec moving to quash rumors of its possible forced merger.

In Sports... Liaoning with a key away victory to open its CBA playoff semi-finals.

In Entertainment... a Mongolian writer taking issue with the film "Wolf Totem."

Beijing will be cloudy today with a high of 3, tonight will have snow with a low of minus 2 degrees Celsius.

China's Supreme People's Court is undertaking a new round of reforms to ensure independent trials and better protect the rights of the defendants.

For those who have been inside a Chinese court, the uniforms with prison logos on the defendants are hard to miss.

However, the practice of having defendants stand before the court in prison outfits is coming to an end.

Under new judicial rules being drafted, authorities are no longer allowed to bring defendant to trial in prison gear in a bid to avoid prejudicing the legal proceedings.

He Xiaorong is the head of the Supreme People's Court's legal reform office.

"Just because a person charged, it doesn't mean they're guilty. Only through debate during the trial can the defendant be found guilty or not. To better protect human rights, we are hopefully to proceed with this reform soon."

The move by the Supreme People's Court is one of 65 different legal reforms authorities are working on in seven areas.

One of the main goals of the changes is to create more judicial independence to try to eliminate official interference in court cases.

"Some officials interfere into cases by presenting materials, making phone calls or passing along messages. The courts need to set up a system to record the information and archive it."

The reform plans also include an emphasis on the principal of "judgment by evidence."

It's expected that by the end of next year, the courts at all levels across China will abide by a system where only legally-allowed evidence will be presented during trial.

"Any evidence obtained by illegal means should never be allowed to be presented to the court. In this way, we can further protect human rights. We believe that establishing a system like this should go a long way toward creating more judicial fairness."

At the same time, the judges themselves are going to come under more scrutiny.

A new mechanism is going to be set up to hold judges more accountable to their actions.

The Supreme People's Court is also promising to make trials more transparent via live broadcasts or updates on social networks.

Chinese political observers are standing up to throw their support behind Chinese President Xi Jinping's new strategic blueprint for the country's future development under his tenure, which is being dubbed the "Four Comprehensives."

The catchphrase "Four Comprehensives" refers to China "comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society, comprehensively deepening reforms, comprehensively implementing the rule of law, and comprehensively strengthening Party discipline."

Observers say the "Four Comprehensives" are tasks raised at Communist Party of China meetings over the last two years, since President Xi Jinping came to power.

Li Tuo, a politics professor at the Chinese Academy of Governance, says the concept carries great significance.

"The concept answers the question of how to practically achieve the great renewal of the Chinese nation. In my own opinion, it is the latest theoretical fruit of the sinicization of Marxism."

The CPC has already recognized Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the "Three Represents" and the Scientific Outlook on Development as the fruits of the sinicization of Marxism, which has been the Party's theoretical guidance.

The People's Daily, the CPC's official newspaper, has published two commentaries endorsing the new concept of "Four Comprehensives." And another three opinion pieces by the newspaper are to follow.

Shortly after President Xi Jinping took helm of the CPC in November 2012, he put forward the concept of "the Chinese Dream," or "the great renewal of the Chinese nation".

Professor Li Tuo says building "a moderately prosperous society" is "a crucial step towards the Chinese dream of great rejuvenation."

"Although China has become the second largest economy in the world, there are still many impoverished areas across the country. To build a comprehensive and moderately prosperous society requires the government to give more support to these areas."

The "Four Comprehensives" come as China pays greater attention to improving governance following its decades-long economic miracle.

Observers agree that the concept, acting as a strategic blueprint, will ensure China continues steadily on its path of development.

China's Central Military Commission has put a call out to the People's Liberation Army to promote the rule of law in all areas of the military.

In a new document issued on Thursday, the commission headed by Xi Jinping, says China's military can only achieve its modernization goals if it respects the law.

Xi Jinping is vowing to eradicate corruption within the 2.3 million-strong armed forces.

Investigations have already been launched into more than a dozen senior military officials.

Many of them are said to have possible ties to the scandal involving former top military officer Xu Caihou.

Xu Caihou stepped-down as vice-chair of the Central Military Commission in 2013.

The Chinese government is putting forward a pledge to continue to maintain its zero-tolerance stance on the illegal ivory trade.

"As a country that has signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, China has abode by relevant treaty and conducted extensive global cooperation for a long time. We have also actively cooperated with countries where African elephants live, strengthened personnel training and provided financial support for elephant protection,"

China's State Forestry Administration announced a one-year ban on the imports of African ivory acquired after 1975.

The sale of Ivory carvings are still legal in China, provided they conform to certain regulations.

However, opponents note that it's very difficult to date the age of ivory, which makes China a target for illegal ivory traders.

The illegal trade in ivory has led to warnings that Africa's wild elephant population is facing possible extinction within the next 10 to 15-years.

The Chinese government is calling on authorities in the Philippines to be fair to Chinese firm operating in the country.

The Philippine government has gone on-record this week saying it plans to end State Grid Corporation's involvement in the Philippines' power grid.

Chinese state-owned State Grid holds a 40-percent stake in the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.

Philippines' Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla is on-record saying that most Chinese technicians working for Manila will be sent back to China by July.

He's citing national security concerns for ending China's involvement in Philippines' national grid operation.

However, the move is being viewed as a response to the Philippines' dispute with China over the South China Sea.

The Ukrainian military says it's begun withdrawing heavy weapons from eastern Ukraine as per the Minsk accords.

It comes after the rebels in eastern Ukraine announced a pull-out of their heavy weapons from the battlefield earlier this week.

"For the second day in a row we've been seeing significantly less shelling, so we're approaching the goal of fulfilling the first article of the Minsk accords - the cease-fire. Now we are creating all the necessary conditions to start implementing the second article - withdrawal of heavy weaponry."

Ukrainian authorities say their withdrawal of heavy weapons is being monitored by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Tensions connected to gas supplies from Russia to Ukraine are starting to peak.

Russian gas giant Gazprom is warning Kiev that it's prepared to cut off gas supplies to Ukraine within the next couple of days if it does not get pre-payments for its supplies.

"At current supply levels, prepaid gas will last only until the end of the week. And if a new payment does not come from Kiev, we will naturally not be able to continue supplying gas to Ukraine. Therefore, the main problem that Naftogaz needs to solve now is to look for money to make a new prepayment."

The warning from Russia has raised concern from the Europe that its gas supplies from Kremlin could be disrupted.

The European Commission says it has invited Russia's and Ukraine's energy ministers for talks.

However, those talks in Brussels aren't scheduled until Monday, which is after Russia's deadline to cut off supplies to Ukraine.

The new threat to cut gas supplies to Ukraine comes amid word Kiev has been cutting power to a number of areas controlled by rebel forces in the east.

A coalition of credit-rating agencies are blasting the recent decision to downgrade Russia by the world's 'big-3' global ratings agencies.

Universal Credit Rating Group is a coalition of China's Dagong, Russia's RusRating and US-based Egan-Jones.

The group is suggesting the recent move by Moody's to downgrade Russia to "Junk" status has been driven by ideology.

"The ratings by Standard & Poor's and Moody's on Russia lacks objectivity. For example, China's Dagong's rating on Russia's sovereign credit rating is much higher than the junk status they gave us."

"Russia still hopes that Dagong can play a positive role in Russia's ratings market. They approved Dagong's ratings, in particular, Dagong's recent actions. They think we are fair and objective, believing that we do not apply ideological means when interpreting risks."

Both Moody's and S&P expect the Russian economy to go into recession this year.

While credit ratings for national economies are done without payment and are for investor information only, many investment funds contain default triggers which don't allow them to invest in economies which have "junk" ratings.

This can lead to serious reductions in bond investments, forcing national economies into major cash-flow problems.

The Islamic State militant with a British accent seen in videos showing the beheading of Western hostages has been identified.

A number of news organizations are identifying the masked militant, who has become known as "Jihadi John," as Mohammed Emwazi, a Kuwaiti-born British man in his mid-20s from west London.

London-based Muslim advocacy group, CAGE, also says there are "some striking similarities" between Emwazi and the man seen in the execution videos.

CAGE has had contact with Emwazi over alleged "harassment" by British services.

"When are we going to finally learn that when we treat people as if they're outsiders they will inevitably feel like outsiders and they will look for belonging elsewhere? Our entire national security strategy for the last thirteen years has only increased alienation, has only increased people feeling like they don't belong. Why? Because the narrative of injustice has taken root."

"Jihadi John" first appeared in a video in August, when he apparently killed US journalist James Foley.

Earlier this month, the militant was also featured in a video showing the apparent beheading of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto.

There have been reports suggesting Emwazi was approached at one point by British intelligence service MI5 in an effort to recruit him.

British authorities have declined to comment on the matter, citing ongoing investigations.

Israel's opposition leader urges Netanyahu to cancel planned speech to U.S. Congress

The main Israeli opposition has launched a political attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of his controversial planned speech before the US Congress next week.

The head of the coalition Zionist Union, Isaac Herzog, along with coalition partner Tsipi Livni, are pleading with Netanyahu not to go ahead with his March 3rd address to US lawmakers.

Herzog says if Netanyahu goes ahead with the speech, it will cause "strategic damage" to Israel's ties with the United States.

Netanyahu has been invited by the Republican leadership in Congress to deliver a speech before lawmakers, where he's expected to take a hard-line stand against Iran.

The speech itself has been coordinated behind the US government's back by the new Republican leadership in Congress.

US National Security Advisor Susan Rice is warning Netanyahu's speech is likely to have a "destructive" role in the ties between the US and Israel.

The White House has been pleading with both US lawmakers and the Israeli side to refrain from partisan political moves as Iran and the world powers try to negotiate a solution to the Iranian nuclear dispute.

Netanyahu's planned speech before the US Congress will come just two-weeks before the Israeli elections.

U.S. regulators has approved the toughest rules yet on Internet service providers, brining in rules to ensure the fair treatment of all web traffic through US networks.

The Federal Communications Commission has approved new "net neutrality" rules that prohibit broadband service providers from control download speeds or offering faster service in return for payment.

"The action that we take today is an irrefutable reflection of the principal that no one -- whether government or corporate　-- should control free and open access to the internet. The internet is the most powerful and pervasive platform on the planet. It is simply too important to be left without rules and without a referee on the field."　

The new regulations come after a year of jostling between cable and telecom companies and net neutrality advocates, which have included web startups.

The new policy reclassifies broadband, both fixed and mobile, as more heavily regulated "telecommunications services," which is more like a traditional telephone service.

Broadband in the US had been classified as a more lightly regulated "information service".

The shift gives the FCC more authority to police various types of deals between service providers and content companies.

Cable and telecom providers have argued the stricter measures will discourage investment and stifle innovation.

It is expected they plan to battle the new "net neutrality" regulations through lawsuits.

U.S. stocks close mixed amid roughly downbeat economic data on Thursday with energy shares dragging on the Dow and S&P, while the Nasdaq gets a lift from merger news.

The S&P 500 energy index dropped 1.8 percent as U.S. crude oil futures fell 5.5 percent to settle at about 48 U.S. dollars a barrel, pressured by rising inventories in the United States.

Among the top boosts for the Nasdaq and S&P 500 were shares of Avago Technologies, which jumped nearly 15 percent.

Also among the day's top performers, Salesforce.com shares climbed about 12 percent.

The cloud software company reported quarterly earnings and raised its full-year revenue forecast.

Stocks there posted modest gains as the German unemployment rate stayed at a record low in February.

Chinese oil giant Sinopec is refuting reports of a possible merger with either the China National Petroleum Corporation or China National Offshore Oil Corporation.

Media reports have been circulating the Chinese government has been considering a merger of its state-owned oil and gas companies to cut costs and streamline operations.

It's widely believed Chinese authorities are working on structural reforms in the oil and gas sector, which are expected to be released sometime in the next few months.

However, Sinopec says there are currently no plans in-place for a merger with either CNPC or CNOOC.

Structural reforms in the oil and gas sector has been high on the Chinese government's agenda since last year.

Policy-makers have been calling for changes in both energy production and consumption, given the changing global energy market.

New stats are suggesting the high-tech industry in China appears to be helping drive the country's economic restructuring.

New analysis shows the high-tech industry grew 12 percent year on year last year, accounting for 10 percent of the country's overall industrial value-added output.

The rising expansion of the high-tech and modern service industries is leading some to suggest China's economy is now in a "middle to high end" stage of development.

For more on China's high-tech development, we're joined on the line by Gao Shang, analyst with Beijing-based Guantong Futures.

A report by SWIFT, or the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, shows the renminbi has strengthened its position to become the world's second most used currency for documentary credit transactions.

Letters of credit and documentary collections are widely used instruments to finance trade across Asia.

The Chinese currency's share of documentary credits has increased from 7.3 percent to 9.4 percent the past 2-years.

However, the US dollar makes up nearly 80 percent of all SWIFT transactions.

The Chinese government has outlined its plans for Internet infrastructure construction for this year.

Authorities say an additional 80-million Chinese homes will be hooked up to fiber optic connections through 2015.

More than 600-thousand base stations are also going to be built in an attempt to extend the existing 4G network to all counties and developed towns.

Network improvements and price reductions are also part of the plans, with authorities saying this should help generate new business in areas such as e-commerce and Internet financing.

The information consumption sector generated revenues of around 450 billion U.S. dollars in China last year.

New figures show the Chinese government has poured in more than 60-billion U.S. dollars in the country's northeast since the government announced an action plan to assist the area's sagging economy in August.

The money has been directed toward 60 different projects, two of which have already been completed.

However, years of mis-management and a lack of industrial upgrades has turned the area into the so-called rust-belt, where many large-scale industrial facilities first put into operation in the 1950's remain obsolete or shut down.

China's Bright Food Group is negotiating to raise its stake in Israel's largest food company, Tnuva, to over 70 percent.

The exact amount Bright Food is investing, and what stake it will hold in the end, will only be revealed after the contract is signed.

Bright Food originally planned to buy a 56 percent stake in the Israeli company from Apax Partners, a London-based private equity firm.