Egypt’s state broadcaster has suspended eight of its female TV presenters and told them to go on a diet for a month, triggering uproar among women’s rights groups. The ERTU has a female director, Safaa Hegazy, a former state TV anchor herself. At the state-owned Al-Ahram daily, journalist Fatma al-Sharawi says she thinks the policy should be applied across local TV stations. On social media, some users voiced support for the women, but others called them “bakabouzas”, a term Egyptians use to describe overweight girls. One female Twitter user described ERTU head Safaa Hegazy as a “strong woman” for making the decision.

Source: Hindustan Times August 17, 2016 15:45 UTC