The Afghan journalists kept their shoes on.

A day after an Iraqi reporter hurled a pair of shoes at US President George W. Bush, the American leader yesterday again held a news conference before a group of reporters from a country that the US invaded under his watch.

Afghan reporters had gathered at the presidential palace in the capital, Kabul, at 6 am yesterday for an 8 am news conference by Bush and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. And that left plenty of time for shoe jokes.

Some of the reporters - a collegial bunch that sees one another several times a week - egged on one of their colleagues, jokingly trying to pressure the television reporter into taking off his shoe and hurling it once the US president arrived.

The news conference later concluded with no footgear thrown.

On Sunday, Bush ducked a pair of shoes hurled at his head in the middle of a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

The assailant, a television correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, an Iraqi-owned station based in Cairo, Egypt, also shouted: "This is a farewell kiss, you dog. This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq."

Both shoes narrowly missed their target and thumped loudly against the wall behind the leaders.

"Don't worry about it," the president said as the room erupted into chaos.

Iraqi reporters started shouting what Bush later explained were apologies for the incident.

"So what if the guy threw a shoe at me?" Bush said, comparing the action to political protests in the United States.

"If you want the facts, it was a size 10," he joked.

The shoe attack came as Bush and al-Maliki were about to shake hands. The assailant - later identified as Muntadar al-Zeidi - leapt from his chair and hurled his footwear at the president, who was about 20 feet away.

The crowd descended on al-Zeidi and he was wrestled to the ground by security officials and then hauled away, moaning as they departed the room. Later, a trail of fresh blood could be seen on the carpet, although the source was not known.

In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of contempt.

When Bush met with reporters later aboard Air Force One, he had a joke prepared: "I didn't know what the guy said but I saw his 'sole'." Later, he said: "I'm going to be thinking of shoe jokes for a long time. I haven't heard any good ones yet."

Al-Zeidi's act of defiance on Sunday transformed an obscure reporter from a minor TV station into a national hero to many Iraqis fed up with the nearly six-year US occupation.

Several thousand people demonstrated in Baghdad and other cities to demand his release. The attack was the talk of the town in coffee shops, business offices and even schools - and a subject across much of the Arab world.

Family members expressed bewilderment over al-Zeidi's action and concern about his treatment in custody. But they also expressed pride over his defiance of an American president who many Iraqis believe has destroyed their country.

"He is a hero," said his sister, who goes by the nickname Umm Firas, as she watched a replay of her brother's attack on an Arabic satellite station. "May Allah protect him."

Questions:

1. Which two countries did US President George W. Bush visit recently?

2. Reporter Muntadar al-Zeidi threw his shoes at Bush. In Iraqi culture what does that mean?

3. How many years have US troops been stationed in Iraq?

Answers:

1. Iraq and Afghanistan.

2. He is showing his contempt at the United States for invading his country.

3. For almost six years.