Word: vital
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...course, critics can argue that religion should be studied under the rubric of “Cultural Traditions and Cultural Change.” But, given the salience of religions—in contemporary discourse and historically—it is vital for every student to take at least one course that grapples with the subject. If religion is not placed in its own category, religious courses will be too easily bypassed by students skeptical of their worth. If Harvard’s objective is to inform its students about faith, an aspect of cultural tradition that is unique from...
...destroyed two naval speedboats and killed one sailor?came just 72 hours after 100 sailors died in a suicide attack on a naval convoy, the deadliest in the nation's history. This violence dims hopes for a cease-fire in Sri Lanka's civil war, and further threatens its vital tourism industry, ravaged by war and by the 2004 tsunami. Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike says the attack near Galle?a major tourist destination?could have "serious consequences." With the high season approaching, Sri Lanka's travel industry is faltering: arrivals in September dropped 11% from last year, while Deccan Lanka...
...reported by the media. Even if one disputes Chomsky's analyses, few people dispute the quality of his writing, the coherence of his arguments or the depth of his research. Love him or loathe him, Chomsky and others who challenge the world's loudest voices play a vital role in maintaining pluralism, a fundamental feature of democracy. Gary J. Merrill, Lecturer Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies Cardiff, Wales...
...China really intends to exert pressure on Pyongyang, Dandong will be the place where the hammer will drop. But there's reason to doubt China's readiness to take further steps toward squeezing North Korea. One reason is self-interest. Trade with the North is vital to border cities like Dandong, which has registered double-digit growth in recent years, according to local government statistics. Much of that is due to its trade with North Korea, which has more than quadrupled since 1999. Others have benefited from doing business with the North: energy and fuels constitute the bulk of China...
...families are getting smaller--with one vital exception. Compared with those of Europe and Japan, the U.S. population is younger and more colorful because of the continued arrival of immigrants and their higher-than-average birthrates. Of the 100 million Americans who will join us in the next 37 years, half will be immigrants or their children. In the next few decades, 97% of the world's population growth will occur in the developing world; the U.S. is the largest developed country in the world that is still growing at a healthy clip. That matters, strategically, economically and politically...