S'pore launches 'SARS TV' channel

S'pore launches 'SARS TV' channel

SINGAPORE: Singapore on Wednesday launched a special TV channel dedicated to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) crisis as it stepped up efforts to fight the epidemic.

The free-to-air channel, to run 12 hours daily, will feature educational messages, latest updates on the global epidemic and how other countries are handling their outbreaks of SARS.

The SARS TV channel is a collaboration by three local media companies -- Singapore Press Holdings, StarHub and MediaCorp.

Since the outbreak of SARS in March, the government has launched a major campaign emphasizing the importance of early detection and confinement of cases, and promotion of good hygiene habits.

Singapore is among the worst-hit by SARS with 28 deaths, the world's fourth highest fatality rate, from 206 infections. --AFP

;AFP;KOD; ANPAu..r.. Aglance-RP-Muslim-OIC Philippine FM to attend meeting of Islamic foreign ministers JP/10/ASEAN

RP's FM invited to OIC conference

PHILIPPINES: Philippine Foreign Secretary Blas Ople has been invited to attend a plenary meeting of his Islamic counterparts in Iran next week, an official said on Wednesday.

The invitation was forwarded to Ople's office by Iranian envoy to Manila Gholamreza Yousefi, who said Iran wanted Ople to be a "guest" of the conference from May 28 to 31 in Tehran.

This would be the first time a Philippine foreign minister would attend a plenary session of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

A diplomatic source said Ople was expected to press the Philippines' bid for observer status in the powerful 57-nation pan-Islamic body, a position held currently by the former Muslim separatist group Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

The OIC helped broker a peace deal between Manila and the MNLF in 1995, with the rebels dropping their independence bid to settle for a limited self-rule. --AFP