An Iraqi journalist arrested after throwing his shoes at George Bush, the US president, has reportedly sent a letter to the Iraqi prime minister to apologise for the incident and seek a pardon.

A spokesman for Nuri al-Maliki, Iraq's prime minister, said on Thursday that Muntazer al-Zaidi had acknowledged his shoe throwing during a news conference in Baghdad as "an ugly act".

Yasin Majeed, al-Maliki's media adviser, told the Reuters news agency that "al-Zaidi said in his letter that his big ugly act cannot be excused".

Municipal elections in India's troubled Jammu and Kashmir state are under way amid condemnation from separatists who believe the poll will only serve to deepen New Delhi's hold over the region.

 

Separatists have urged voters to boycott the ballot and polling figures available early on Monday suggested turnout was low.

 

The elections come just weeks after some of the worst protests against Indian rule in the country's only Muslim state.

John McCain and the Republican National Committee reported having a combined $84 million as of last week to spend before Election Day, according to reports filed Thursday with the Federal Election Commission.

US should give a state to Israel: Erbakan

Former Turkish Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan has strongly condemned the US for its support of the Israeli war against the Palestinians.

Erbakan said that if the US wants to support Israel, it should give one of its states to the Israeli regime, the Fars News Agency reported on Tuesday.