(Newser)
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Five female broadcast news anchors at al-Jazeera have walked out after complaining that they were harassed by a senior editor who complained about their make-up and their failure to cover their hair. The women—three from Lebanon, one from Syria, and one from Tunisia—say they were the targets of offensive remarks from the editor about their clothes and lack of decency, the Telegraph reports. They are among the most recognizable female faces in the Middle East due to the channel's popularity.
Three other female anchors at the Qatar-based channel have registered complaints but remain in their jobs. An internal al-Jazeera inquiry cleared the editor in question, saying that the channel had every right to dictate "the spirit and principles of the channel and the image it wishes to present." Sources at al-Jazeera say the dispute runs much deeper than just the dress code and that the network is increasingly split by ideological clashes.
