Egypt religious body: Suspend belly-dancing show

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s top religious body demanded Wednesday that a new belly-dancing TV show be suspended for “corrupting morals” and serving “extremists” who could use it as a pretext to depict Egyptian society as anti-Islamic.

The call by Dar al-Ifta, the top body that advises Muslims on religious and life issues, follows others criticizing the show called “Dancer.” But the debate over it isn’t all about it being too racy for television — it’s part of a concerted effort by Egypt’s government to show its both challenging Islamists as a political forces while still respecting the country’s more-conservative values.