Geologists believe that the warning signs for a major earthquake may include sudden fluctuations in local seismic activity, tilting, and other deformations of the Earth's crust, changing the measured strain across a fault zone, and varying the electrical properties of underground rocks.

Scientists have observed large concentrations of heavy metal deposits in the upper twenty centimeters of Baltic Sea sediments,which are consistent with the growth of industrial activity there.

While some academicians believe that business ethics should be integrated into every business course, others say that students will take ethics seriously only if it would be taught as a separately required course.

State officials report that soaring rates of liability insurance have risen to force cutbacks in the operations of everything from local governments and school districts to day-care centers and recreational facilities.

The bank holds $3 billion in loans that are seriously delinquent or in such trouble that they do not expect payments when due.

Faced with an estimated $2 billion budget gap, the city's mayor proposed a nearly 17 percent reduction in the amount allocated the previous year to maintain the city's major cultural institutions and to subsidize hundreds of local arts groups.

Ms. Chambers is among the forecasters who predict that the rate of addition to arable lands will drop while those of loss rise.

Many policy experts say that shifting a portion of health-benefit costs back to the workers helps to control the employer's costs, but also helps to limit medical spending by making patients more careful consumers.

Parliament did not accord full refugee benefits to twelve of the recent immigrants because it believed that to do it rewards them for entering the country illegally.

In the textbook publishing business, the second quarter is historically weak, because revenues are low and marketing expenses are high as companies prepare for the coming school year.