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The Russian president's attack on the nation's richest man appears aimed at ensuring businessmen stay out of politics -- but it is frightening investors
By Lilia Shevtsova
Moscow's sleepy political summer has been stirred by a Kremlin attack, initiated by President Vladimir Putin's closest aides, on Russia's leading oligarch and the country's richest man -- Michael Khodorkovsky, the principal shareholder of the oil company Yukos. Of course, there is nothing new in such battles. Elements within Russia's political power structure have periodically waged war on the country's business elite -- either to rein in the political ambitions of the oligarchs or to grab a bit of wealth for themselves -- ever since the Soviet collapse.

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By Christopher Lingle
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As the EU becomes more politically unified, its move towards a market-based financial system is at risk
By Raghuram Rajan and Luigi Zingales
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By Chen Sung-shan 陳淞山
The Hualien County commissioner by-election has recently led to accusations of partiality by the leading party. These accusations demand clarification on when the administration is required to be impartial and when its members may campaign on behalf of the party. Otherwise, the public's trust in the government may be destroyed should they become confused about the principle of impartiality and thus fail to see the distinction between party politics and necessary impartiality.

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By Wang Yeh-lih 王業立
The Hualien County commissioner by-election is now over. Many people defined it as a prelude to next year's presidential election. But Hualien accounts for only 2 percent of the national electorate. The election outcome can only have a limited effect on voter behavior in next year's presidential election.

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By Chen Lung-chu 陳隆志
The street protests by half a million Hong Kong residents against Article 23 of the Basic Law have led to a new interpretation of the "one country, two systems" concept, where the "one country" stands for China and the "two systems" stand for "dictatorship" and "oppression," or, in other words, the dictatorship of the Chinese Communist Party of China in opposition to democracy and the oppression of the people, depriving them of their freedom and human rights.

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