Blair keeps big names in Cabinet

London Prime Minister Tony Blair unveiled his Cabinet on Friday, changing leadership in defense and health but keeping mostly familiar faces as he put his Labour government back in business after a third term victory dampened by a reduced majority in Parliament caused by the anti-war vote.

As expected, Blair kept his powerful Treasury chief Gordon Brown by his side as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Brown’s strong stewardship of the economy played a key role in securing the government’s re-election, and he is widely viewed as Blair’s likely successor should the prime minister not serve the full term.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, a steadfast ally who has repeatedly defended the government’s decision to back the U.S.-led offensive in Iraq, also kept his job.

Satellites see signs of N. Korea nuclear test

Washington U.S. spy satellites have detected what may be preparations for North Korea’s first test of a nuclear weapon, although analysts believe it could be a calculated ruse on Pyongyang’s part, a U.S. defense official said Friday.

The satellite images show North Korea has dug and refilled a significant hole at a suspected test site in Gilju in the northeastern part of the country, said the official, discussing intelligence only on the condition of anonymity. The hole was dug in a manner consistent with preparations for an underground nuclear test, although it is not known whether the North Koreans deposited a weapon inside, the official said.

In addition, the official said, they have built some bleachers a sufficient distance from the hole, presumably for viewing any test.

Officials elsewhere in the U.S. government played down the remarks.

One who spoke on condition of anonymity said activity at the site could be consistent with preparations for a nuclear test, but other explanations are also possible.

Europe uses software for child porn sweep

Paris Police using software to spot the downloading of child pornography from the Internet raided homes in eight European countries, police said Friday.

In all the homes of 100 people were searched in France, Sweden, Italy, Denmark, Poland, Norway, Malta and the Netherlands, police in Sweden said.

French police said they had taken about 20 suspects into custody by Friday and found 4,625 photos of child pornography, as well as 137 videos showing children.

Annethe Ahlenius, who heads the child pornography unit for Sweden’s National Police, said the operation, which began Monday, “has gone according to plan.”

The homes of 15 people were raided in Sweden, Ahlenius said.

She said police in the different countries will have to analyze the contents of the seized computers before the suspects can be prosecuted.

“It will be months before we see charges, unfortunately,” Ahlenius said.

Investigators identified suspects using French computer software that monitors the Internet, the French Gendarmerie said.

Indonesian president to meet with Bush

Washington President Bush will meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia at the White House on May 25 to discuss the aftermath of the tsunami and other issues.

Yudhoyono’s election in October – the first direct presidential election in Indonesia – was one of a series of democratic reforms in recent years, the White House said Friday.

Yudhoyono and Bush met at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit last November in Santiago, Chile.

They are expected to discuss relief and reconstruction following the tsunami as well as ways to strengthen cooperation on a variety of issues, the White House said.