MANY Middle Eastern leaders may not be very fond of outgoing US President George W. Bush, but they apparently like his secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice. A US government report recently revealed that on official visits Rice was showered with gifts of jewelry valued at more than $250,000. Jordan’s King Abdullah II, for instance, gave her an emerald and diamond necklace, ring, bracelet and earrings – estimated to be worth $147,000. Too bad she can’t keep them. US federal law requires leaders to turn almost every gift over to government archives. As for Bush, he didn’t do nearly as well, according to the Associated Press. An Australian official gave him a $150 bronze platypus paperweight, and the prime minister of Singapore gave him $450 worth of fitness equipment.