Police fire on protesters in Shi'ite Iraqi town

"SAMAWA, Iraq (Reuters) - Hundreds of Iraqis angry at poor public services rioted in the town of Samawa south of Baghdad on Sunday and police opened fire on the crowd, hitting at least eight people, witnesses said.

One man appeared to have been killed, they added.

Residents of the normally calm, mainly Shi'ite town burned vehicles, including a police car, just outside the governor's office and demanded his resignation, the witnesses said.

Police in riot gear held up plastic shields as protesters hurled rocks. Armed police stood on the roof of the governorate...

...Protesters took to the streets of Samawa last month because they could not get jobs in the police force, a highly dangerous profession in a country where insurgents have killed thousands of Iraqi soldiers and police...

...There was no sign of foreign troops in the town during Sunday's rioting."
Reuters