07 February 2005 Monday 27 Zilhaj 1425 Bush offers support for Arab reform leaders AMMAN, Feb 6: US President George W. Bush pledged American readiness to stand by leaders committed to reform, in a message addressed on Sunday to a two-day conference in Jordan on good government in the Arab world. ... Saudi counter-terror proposal praised RIYADH, Feb 6: A Saudi proposal for an international counter-terrorism centre has received a mixed response, ranging from cautious welcome to indifference, from delegates at a conference in the kingdom on combating terror. ... Oil-for-food probe to focus on Annan: investigator GENEVA, Feb 6: An inquiry into the UN's oil-for food programme in Iraq will report within a few weeks on any role played by Secretary General Kofi Annan or his son Kojo in the growing scandal, one of the investigators said on Sunday. ... G-7 states pledge debt relief for Africa LONDON, Feb 6: The Group of Seven wealthy nations pledged to increase Third World debt relief on Saturday but a deal struck after major disagreements fell short of proposals floated by British finance minister Gordon Brown. ... Sinn Fein vows peace despite deadlock DUBLIN, Feb 6: Sinn Fein remains committed to peace in Northern Ireland, the party's president said on Saturday after the Irish Republican Army (IRA) withdrew a conditional offer to put its weapons beyond use. ... Iran tells EU to be 'serious' in N-talks TEHRAN, Feb 6: Iran cautioned the European Union on Sunday that it needed to be "serious" in negotiations on the Islamic republic's nuclear programme, and repeated warnings that any failures would jeopardise the key talks. ... Britain for tough asylum measures LONDON, Feb 6: Unskilled foreigners will find it harder to migrate to Britain under new proposals due to be announced on Monday, which also call for stricter screening of asylum seekers ... Can the world deliver for Africa? LONDON: Africa is the world's poorest continent and, relative to the rest of the world, it is getting poorer all the time. That's the bad news. The good news is that 2005 might - just might - be the year when things start to change for the better. ... Abductions now order of the day in Chechnya ARGUN: No one is safe anymore from being abducted in war-torn Chechnya, where the kidnapping of civilians, once mostly restricted to combat-age men, is an increasing threat to women and teenagers. ... Hawk-realist impasse could persist in Bush's second-term WASHINGTON: With the pomp and circumstance of the inaugural and the State of the Union address now out of the way, the foreign policy direction to be taken by President George W. Bush in his second-term remains a subject of considerable speculation and uncertainty. ...

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