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World in brief

Scientists sort through spacecraft's landing

By wire services
Published January 19, 2005

FRANKFURT, Germany - A European spacecraft that landed on Saturn's largest moon, Titan, twisted and spun as it tumbled to the muddy surface, scientists said Tuesday, revealing animated pictures of the final stage of its descent.

The latest images underline the belief that the Huygens probe landed at the shoreline of what appears to be a large body of liquid when it came to rest Friday after a seven-year voyage from Earth.

Scientists at the European Space Agency are scrambling to determine the exact spot where the probe came to rest on Titan's mysterious, frozen surface.

One photo showed a large body of liquid - possibly liquid methane - jutting into what appeared to be rough, frozen terrain, with the probe appearing to be just a few yards from the shoreline.

Another series of photos showed how Titan's hazy atmosphere gave way to a more solid but clearly varied surface as the spacecraft tumbled and spun toward its final resting place.

"There wasn't even a glitch at impact. That landing was a lot friendlier than we had anticipated," said scientist Charles See.

Material that likely accumulated on the camera lens in the final images suggests the weight of the 705-pound probe may have pulled it into the muddy surface.

About 30 scientists are working to recreate the probe's descent to determine wind speeds and the chemical makeup of Titan's atmosphere. It will take years to fully process the information collected during the 21/2-hour descent.

BOGOTA, Colombia - More than 900 right-wing paramilitary fighters surrendered their weapons Tuesday, but a leading international rights group criticized the demobilization process and said the Colombian government is letting war criminals off the hook.

The 925 fighters from the Sinu-San Jorge faction of the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia turned in their rifles, backpacks and boots to the government in Santa Fe De Ralito, 285 miles northwest of Bogota, the government's Peace Commission said.

Colombian officials consider the demobilization of the AUC - the paramilitary umbrella group which has been battling Marxist rebels - crucial to ending the country's four-decade rebel conflict. The entire force of 15,000 is expected to disarm this year.

Government officials have said that it will cost about $8,000 per person to reintegrate each demobilized fighter into society.

Human Rights Watch, in a report released in Washington on Tuesday, is urging would-be foreign donors to withhold aid for the demobilization process until Colombia punishes AUC members accused of heinous crimes.

[Last modified January 19, 2005, 00:33:17]