Iraq's Maliki extends deadline for arms handover

BAGHDAD (Reuters) Iraq's prime minister extended a deadline for Shi'ite militants in southern Basra to hand over their weapons from Saturday to April 8 and said they would receive a financial reward if they complied.

"All those who have heavy and intermediate weapons are to deliver them to security sites and they will be rewarded financially. This will start from March 28 to April 8," Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said in a statement.

(Writing by Ross Colvin, editing by Tim Pearce)