Journalist throws shoes at Bush
Remember to CLICK the words in YELLOW to receive a definition in your language!
An Iraqi journalist has shocked the world by throwing his shoes at George W bush during a press conference. He also insulted the US president, shouting "this is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog," at him in Arabic. President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki were speaking to journalists at part of a surprise visit to Baghdad by Bush. Bush moved to avoid the shoes, which are considered dirty and insulting in Islamic culture.
The journalist who threw the shoes, Muntader al-Zaidi was arrested by bodyguards and taken to prison. Al-Zaidi works for for a local TV station and has suffered more than most people as a result of the problems in Iraq. In November 2007 he was kidnapped and beaten by insurgents, and he has been arrested and interrogated twice by American troops. Al-Zaidi has become a hero in parts of the Arab world, and there have been demonstrations in Iraq to ask for his release from prison.
Spokesmen for the Iraqi government say that Al-Zaidi wrote a letter from prison to apologise for the attack, appealing to Prime Minister Maliki's "fatherly insticts" to forgive him for the "ugly act". Al-Zaidi could receive a punishment of 15 years in jail. Relatives and supporters of Al-Zaidi say that he has been beaten in prison.
Thanks for using Study English News.com!
Image:Wikimedia Commons