Italy puts scientists on trial for earthquake

[malaise]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/20/501364/main20108975.shtml
<snip>
Seven scientists and other experts went on trial on manslaughter charges Tuesday for allegedly failing to sufficiently warn residents before a devastating earthquake that killed more than 300 people in central Italy in 2009.

The case is being closely watched by seismologists around the globe who insist it's impossible to predict earthquakes and dangerous to suggest otherwise since seismologists will be discouraged from issuing any advice at all if they fear legal retaliation.

Last year, about 5,200 international researchers signed a petition supporting their Italian colleagues and the Seismological Society of America wrote to Italy's president expressing concern about what it called an unprecedented legal attack on science.

The seven defendants are accused of giving "inexact, incomplete and contradictory information" about whether smaller tremors felt by L'Aquila residents in the six months before the April 6, 2009 quake should have constituted grounds for a quake warning.
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Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Misleading headline?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. The U.S. no longer has news. It has only tabloid shit. nt

[malaise]

2. And this is tabloid shit

Remember this is about Berlusconi's Italy. I'm trying to understand this one.