Powell persuades Pakistan

Colin Powell on diplomatic duty with General Musharraf

As the bombs continue to drop on Afghanistan and more cases of anthrax are discovered, the US holds talks with Pakistan to shore up the coalition against terrorism.

But what effect is Colin Powell hoping to achieve, in the face of almost daily protests against the American bombing campaign in Afghanistan? Pakistani journalist Ikram Hoti offers his view.

Britain and America are on anthrax alert. In the US, the two latest victims are said to be responding to treatment.

One is a baby boy from New York, whose father works for the ABC television network. The other, in Florida, is a man in his seventies, who was a colleague of the only person to die from anthrax since the outbreak began.

The anthrax virus

The number of cases, though small, has been enough to spur the British government into action. It now says contingency plans are in place in case of a biological attack.

PM's reporter Tim Maby examines what has been done to protect the British public. Ian Simpson, spokesman on infectious diseases from the World Health Organisation, tells the programme that contraction of the disease is unlikely, unless there has been direct exposure to anthrax spores.

And Tony Blair tries to show that business at home goes on as usual, by announcing plans for the public services. David Hill and Anthony Selsdon examine the balancing act required to perform on both the domestic and international stages.

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