Obama cartoon

BBC NEWS | Americas | NY Post sorry for 'Obama' cartoon

The New York Post newspaper has apologised to readers offended by a cartoon some people say was a racist depiction of President Barack Obama.

Cartoonist Sean Delonas drew police having shot dead a chimp, saying "they'll have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill".

The paper said it had been meant to "mock an ineptly written" bill.

Commentators had denounced the cartoon, and protesters picketed the newspaper's headquarters.

"To those who were offended by the image, we apologise," the paper said in an editorial.

However, the paper went on to accuse "some in the media and in public life who have had differences with the Post in the past" of using the row over the cartoon "as an opportunity for payback".