Iraq PM apologises to journalist for demo abuse

Iraq's prime minister apologised to a reporter yesterday after the journalist alleged assault at the hands of security forces during massive demonstrations in Baghdad last week.
Nuri al-Maliki pledged to compensate the television news reporter for damage to his equipment, and promised to personally lead an inquiry into the physical abuse, following widespread allegations of brutality towards media by security forces during protests in the capital on Friday.
"We will compensate you for your camera and for the poor treatment that you received," Maliki said at a news conference. "We are sorry for what happened and if you can identify to us who carried it out, we will punish the guilty, provided that you had not acted provocatively."