MANESSEH SOGAVARE INTERVIEW- Wednesday 26th April, 2006

Across to the Solomons, where today the rioting and looting might have subsided, but the political turmoil in the troubled Pacific island nation took yet another dramatic turn. As you will have heard, minutes before the Prime Minister-elect, Snyder Rini, was about to face a no-confidence motion in the Parliament this morning, apparently without warning, four ministers from his government coalition defected to the opposition benches and Snyder Rini resigned. It was Rini's election as Prime Minister that last week sparked those two days of anti-Taiwanese violence in Honiara.

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SIR PETER KENILOREA INTERVIEW - Wednesday 19th April, 2006

Yesterday saw that violent protest against the new Prime Minister, the unpopular former deputy PM Snyder Rini. Today apparently, things have got worse, Rini's gone into hiding. The capital, Honiara, is in lockdown and most of the city's Chinese commercial district has been looted and burned. This afternoon, more than 100 Australian troops flew out of Townsville for the Solomons to help restore order. Earlier this evening, George Negus spoke with Sir Peter Kenilorea, the Speaker of the island nation's parliament. 

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FRANCIS FUKUYAMA INTERVIEW - Wednesday 12th April, 2006

Remember the name Francis Fukuyama? Surely you do?! He was the American political economist who, back in '92, caused a real stir around the world with his controversial work, 'The End of History'. This huge tome. At that particular post-Cold War time, as Fukuyama saw it, ideology was dead, or at least Marxism, communism and socialism were. He became something of a guru for the so-called neo-cons - the ultra-right-wing activists in Washington, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle and co - who've had such a commanding influence on the policies of the Bush regime, including the decision to invade Iraq after 9/11.

Well, recently, Fukuyama has been at it again, causing another stir, this time, though, by dramatically defecting from his former neo-con mates and coming out against George Bush, the invasion of Iraq and the war on terror. This is his latest political bestseller - not the end of history but 'The End of the Neo-Cons - America at the Crossroads'.
Earlier today George Negus talked with Professor Fukuyama via satellite from Washington.

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BOB GELDOF INTERVIEW - Wednesday 5th April, 2006

Sir Bob Geldof started out as as Irish rock'n'roller who hated Mondays but these days he's a global figure - a so-called celebrity activist - who's convinced he can make world poverty history. Next week he's on his way here with his guitar and his band, to perform. But if he bumps into John Howard, you can be guaranteed the Australian PM will get an earful about our substandard commitment on aid to the world's 3 billion dirt poor. 

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Please Note: More interviews will be added as time permits.