Shoe-thrower 'apologizes to PM'

BAGHDAD: An Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at US President George W. Bush apologized to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki for embarrassing him before the watching world, the prime minister's office said yesterday.

TV reporter Muntazer al-Zaidi shot to instant fame when he called Bush a "dog" in Arabic at a joint news conference with Maliki in Baghdad last Sunday and threw both his shoes at Bush in a gesture that is a deep insult in the Arab world.

"Zaidi said in his letter that his big ugly act cannot be excused," said Yasin Majeed, Maliki's media adviser.