and that created a kind of reservoir of goodwill interest in all things then underneath this all the time certain interests in sweden have been developing stronger and stronger ties with the united states and that is especially true of the military conservative elements of society helping out a number of also been conservative elements in the social democratic party who have been very pro-u.s. very pro-military especially those. unions that are involved in the arms industry but a really major turning point was entry into the european union. and european union as you probably know it is in terms of foreign policy and military intelligence. and a subordinate to wing of the united states really nato is completely infiltrated you know so as soon as the social democrats announced that they were going to lead

the country into the european union you started to see very clear signs that. sweden was deafening its foreign policy to the needs of nato the interest of e.u. would you know the states or for. how does this all play into julian a song and this saxon spy probes and the push alternately for his extradition it's a hot potato as you can understand for the government here and now that they have been exposed through various wiki the leaks. as having. colluded with the united states in ways that they had never before admitted it was often suspected. it's an especially delicate time for them to go out and openly cooperate with an extradition process and reinfeld as i understand the prime minister has apparently declared that this is not a. it will be handled completely through the judiciary and so on and so forth i

think he is not entirely candid there. do you think that a staunch if extradited to sweden will receive a fair trial. well the trial is one thing if he's tried it will be because of these accusations of sexual misbehavior. then extradition is a completely separate process as you understand. whatever happens as a result of the trial the united states will probably request that he be extradited for these crimes that they're trying to invent you know you know in the united states and that would be a separate process and it will be reviewed by i haven't got all the details yet actually and when i called the justice department to try and get clarity on this matter the people there weren't too sure about how it would work either but next the process usually is first processed by the immigration department and as i

understand it then it can be appealed to a court of law and then government can get involved it's stated right there in the legal procedure so there is room for political decision making in this matter. and then of course there are also many informal ways for the government to limit its interest to you know the people underneath. what do you think of claims by an american blogger that america's most notorious right wing strategist karl rove could be involved somehow in the push for us on just extradition i'm very skeptical about that for a couple of reasons in the first place it was bush that he got into the white house not obama and he is anathema democrats because he is famous for playing the extremely dirty tricks on them that's one thing. the second point is you don't need

karl rove to get the united states interested in extradition they're interested in that anyway and they have their normal channels quiet invisible channels for arranging these things the last thing they want is a high profile political figure rove to get involved in this and draw attention to it and do you think that he will be extradited to sweden. i can only tell you what . is a fascist british lawyers have said to me about the british case in terms of the law they have a very strong case and if it were only. a question of the law then they figure that they have a seventy five eighty percent chance of rejecting the swedish request for extradition to sweden then the question is how much how much politics can play so they say carefully that they have a fifty fifty chance something like that. then if he comes to sweden.

most the legal people that i know here in sweden when they look at what is known so far about the charges against think that there are absurd that he will be convicted . evidence so if he is convicted in something here it will most likely be something very minor then he will be either in jail for a little while or released having suffered enough so to say and then it will be up to the u.s. to issue its request for extradition. and then i feel that will be largely a question of public opinion if they are indifferent and if the media here succeed in their apparent efforts to give. a bad name to give them a bad reputation then the government will have a lot of political freedom to. submit to the u.s. rick. just so we do is regarded as

a neutral and independent country do you agree with that you can say. with. accuracy that. sweden joined the e.u. it ceased to be an independent nation. so it's that simple of course politicians in order to justify. the entry into the you are just the opposite but i've documented the way is that because membership in the e.u. has affected. sweden's independence and essentially eradicated it. as we did is not an official member of nato but there are anti nato movements that are growing here in sweden in finland why is that well there's always actually there's always been in sweden and finland the richer of the two remaining nordic countries that are not in nato there's been a strong opinion against nato membership but essentially now through part of the so-called partnership for peace sweden has become

a de facto member to me. and made to officials said sweden is better equipped and performs better. in cooperation with us through. the partnership for peace than many of our formal members do and that's true. and already in your thousand five hundred believe it was an official of the defense ministry here. we are already so deeply involved in nato and participate in so many nato activities that the only thing that's missing to become a four member is the signature on a paper why does the political elite want to be in nato what's in it for sweden well i think that they have. a closer sense of affinity with the united states government than they do with their own people that's the short answer and do you think that sweden will eventually join. the alliance i think it's quite

possible. it is it again it's largely a public opinion question. what are the key factors here is what finland is if finland goes into nato then that will create a lot of pressure here and then number two if the u.s. can somehow manage to conceal all of the terrible things that's doing around the world and they don't become so visible anymore as they now are in they have been in iraq and afghanistan and that they can do more things that look like peacekeeping and the press here has actually helped to disseminate that like rather successfully for them now with the large i think the majority of us i mean the swedish your population thinks that the afghanistan war the afghanistan war is a peacekeeping operation and i've seen you referred to as an x. or a former american citizen why is that yes i was the us that is and i moved here in

one nine hundred eighty eight and that was because i was. very much i admire very much the swedish society as it existed at that time and that started to deteriorate almost as soon as. so in a way it came out of a historically interesting time because it's interesting that previous generations built up this wonderful society with this wonderful general welfare system and very wise foreign policy. which was the. inspiration for much of the world as you know including many people in the old soviet union who was there when they thought about what will we do next they go to sweden as an example gorbachev is their belief. well that's free from has just been allowed to disappear to vitiate them to be gradually dismantled.

the more people we killed a happier our officers were it got to be like a game like out exposed to see who could kill the most people and the different ways you could prove me keep peace kill but you know i tell you no fears now if you brought back someone's ears you know where they have the most fears they will get the most fears in trade unions should be reversed overnight few moments and five men around the circle open up on full automatic whether i'm sixty. she was taken out for a bus or several people in front of her only. the most of them going to be. observed nature and discover its beauty.

communicate with the wild and. test yourself and become free. and see what nature can give you one on t.v. . well when one deals with war for us to realize that this tremendous amounts of damage that have done not just human damage but damage the physical environment in which the battlefield takes place tremendous amounts of damage done by aerial bombs by napalm boy chemical sort of whether it's a sonic boom six tractor mammals or it's the burning oil fields here in iraq or it's destroyed. in the pacific for purposes the list just goes on and on the geneva conventions of nineteen forty nine states that there shall be taken in

war critic. against widespread long term and severe damage the united states although it is accepted almost all of the provisions. has taken exception to that. the news today violent game flared up. these are the images the world has been seeing from the streets of canada. trying to corporations rule today.

in egypt more clashes between supporters of president mubarak and anti-government protesters killing at least five and injuring over a thousand and ripples from the turmoil in cairo or felt in europe was the u.k. becoming a stage for radical groups banned even in egypt to call for the creation of an islamic state. president obama signs a new nuclear treaty between russia and the u.s. following months of hurdles and debate on both sides of the atlantic a story deal will come into force this saturday when both sides exchange sign documents. and russia's first mass produced passenger jets in soviet times gets ready to soar into a high flying market after overcoming several delays the super chaplin hundreds about to be approved to perform commercial flights in russia and the c.i.s. . as we outlined here in our team sports next with the union and i'll be back at the top of the hour.

great to have you with us this is sports today i'm you know these are some of the stories we're covering this hour. making a splash ian thorpe shakes up the swimming world by announcing he's to come out of retirement to compete at the twenty twelve london olympics. for dates maria sharapova proposed to line up for russia once again in the cup three years after her last appearance for the fourth time champion. towering achievement in germany thomas dalton wins the empire state building race for a record six straight year. we're not in a moment but let's start with the news that ian thorpe who dominated the world of swimming for a decade before retiring through illness and injury has announced his return to pro sports the twenty eight year old five time a limpid gold medalist says he wants to compete at the highest level next year's

london olympic games being his main objective says he will concentrate on the one hundred metres freestyle with a view to swimming in the relay events as well. so i was sitting with a in my gut for a while thinking about what this was going to look like i was then taken in to save the swimming venue for the london olympics and you know it's extraordinary venue and i could actually i could taste it. which you know i haven't felt about swimming for a very very long time to tennis or russia are going for their fifth fed cup title in twenty eleven for a full france that first hurdle and the opening round in moscow so. to see a public dinara safina joined by live to rival maria sharapova no less ahead of the weekend's quarterfinal clash russia currently set third in the world rankings and will be taking on the ninth. french for the ninth time we're number thirteen should

up a flying in a day late the first time in three years. but the twenty three year old didn't miss a beat and went to work on her for her right away team russia boast two players in the top twenty public in cobol with. twenty third know france participant is in the top fifteen russia last one an all in two thousand and eight with italy taking the next two team titles. let's get the ball rolling stateside where the continent continues to super bowl forty five american football and american sports biggest event of the year the annual media day taking precedence on tuesday first top of the potters' in the morning session. out of difficulty of having to travel around dallas in the midst of a must of snow storm the usual slew of questions followed ranging from in-depth talk to kill discussions to the more mundane but the most popular query year after year will simply how are you feeling five days before the biggest game of your life

. is something that i have to read i have to embrace you know because when you play this game. to be jury is to win the super bowl. and i'm here now and i'm going to i'm going to except every moment of it all the hype i'm going to. let me eat it up you know you got to do it it's especially true it's what you do as a kid growing up a new account of what he wants in the forty nine ers one of the super bowls special report is now record six time n.f.l. champions pittsburgh talk to the media in the afternoon session after arriving in dallas the day before the steelers delighted to have overcome a long early season injury list third vince lombardi trophy and half a dozen years. you know start the season you know not having our star quarterback for the first four games. playing musical chairs.

just a bunch of resilient guys who just you know stood up together. a band of brothers really came together who we are. far away in our third super bowl six years. old this week which players have earned the most in the twenty ten campaign tom brady becoming the second player to take home an individual award the new england patriots quarterback honored as offensive player of the year for the second time the thirty three year old making a record three hundred fifty five straight through as with all its being intercepted pretties thirty six touched on four picks the highest ratio and f.l. history surpassing his own record from two thousand and seven twenty one out of fifty voters selected brady philadelphia's michael vick was second with eleven votes pittsburgh safety troy polamalu was honored as the league's top defensive player at the beginning of the week the twenty nine year old edging green bay linebacker. by just two votes their teams of course facing off in sunday's super

bowl. me hailed. as the man he wants to prove the catalyst for the gunners title charge this season started against everton on the bench and cheese but after just eight minutes on the field netted the twenty nine year old relatively off color this season following a stellar new year in london but hasn't stopped reports continually linking him with a transfer to chelsea though however fingers positive remarks seem to stress that he wants to pay a major part for as long as possible the emirates. meanwhile former brazilian star rim ario has decided the usual move from the field to mileage meant isn't for him the nineteen ninety five world player of the year has chosen politics taking up a seat in his native countries congress their forty five year old who was a conduit for the brazilian socialist party representing the rio de janeiro state

a seat he julie won with a plethora of votes to spare mario now a member of the fifty fourth congress which will run until twenty fifteen and believe it or not he'll meet up with his former strike partner there but himself will begin working as a real state member of parliament. because people feel as if it is that i'm sure will make a difference this much to be done i think this country likes health education and i want to link these issues with sport which has been my life so it's going to be fine for the past ten years i've been working in a social project and i hope i can continue and increase this work that's why i go to school to we have to do a few children out of streets which is the most important a bubble. brings us to formula one of a ferrari or hoping to be prancing out top the podium in twenty eleven from the alonso finished second to sebastian vettel by a mere four points last year earning the italian team third place in the constructor standings on the two time champion says he knows the importance of

putting in the time to get to grips with his new research before the march seventeenth season starts. but i used it before this this used to move my lips. out of date. in three days' time. to the. very with no mechanical problems. no movement off the top all the constantly hockey league rankings with maintaining a vast sports following that whedon stays action nine goals from two other games also drawing interest on the day walks from home really spreading the wings late in the season the haven't lost at all this year and only twice in december. hitting a brace with both goals set up by his legendary czech counterpart. elsewhere alexander boyd coughed him through with a double of his own a severe hug their way what's in the midst was rock bottom side metallic novokuznetsk were shut out but the visiting service that. took it up brings us all

into winter sports now where cross-country skiing continental cup has been held here in moscow constantine the top off went along to find out more. cross-country skiing in a park in the center of the russian capital it may surprise locals but not citizens of the european cities where such competition is our usual occasions the stars of russians key get to try old the course before the latest races maybe then that it factor in the olympic bronze medalist not. winning the final in the sprint it was the latter that. tend to be very likely for me it was a hard freeze because of. potential lead to me today. the men's final turned out to be a real crack at the hall of bronze medal is that when you who are twenty eight sam was the first to cross the line in the dramatic race after his main rival lost his balance. is great that was held here despite there being less than say at

a world cup event they're happy with how the day turned out moscow has been desperately trying to host a lack of the world cup in cross country skiing and the good news is this city has now won the right to host it in soviet times we always hosted the world cup and once again the competition back after today's races we talked to ski federation officials and they approved your idea probably we will change the venue but for sure it will take place in moscow next year. after the competition international ski federation hants wanted to verify if moscow was able to host a new band of the highest caliber and they passed the test so next year the capital will see the world's best skiers racing somewhere not far away perhaps even on red square concern about r.t. . on finally german thomas dold has been showcasing his new york state of mind once again the german fossa stop the big apple's empire state building for

a record sixth straight time quite a flight of stairs for the competitors as they seek to reach the summit of the world's tallest buildings was ladies first australian. above the other sixty more of the first two weeks the observation deck she later hopes to rule for her country the twenty twelve olympics gold scaling the same distance over fifteen hundred stepson who made it look pretty effortless recapturing his title while some of the women were still finishing the race the world record holder and awkward drawing not sure if we'll go for the magnificent seven or not yet though. i don't see why it should come next year right now because all i have on nearly every thin so i don't know the time bradley you know it better than me but i think the only thing is to break the ten minutes mark good to see that he's not short on confidence there well as all your sports.

news today violence has once again flared up. these are the images. from the streets of canada. giant corporations are old today.

the observe nature and discover its beauty. be a and communicate with the wild and learn the. test yourself and become free. to. see what nature can give you see the.

the violence in egypt shows no signs of letting up as molotov cocktails are thrown into the crowd and guns are fired join me in a few moments for more. also ripples from the turmoil in cairo are felt in europe where the u.k. becoming a stage for radical groups banned even in egypt to call for the creation of an islamic state. aromatic for you to add a bitter break up the new york times under fire for using julian assange to boost its profit and popularity but then ditching him after the launch of a criminal investigation. and for centuries old weapons making traditions to state of the art new technologies hearties close up series takes you to the stronghold of brushes to fans manufacturing the city of the ships.

which are he coming to you live from moscow i'm marina joshie welcome to the program five people are reported to have been killed in a morning gunfire in cairo's tahrir square were supporters of president mubarak have clashed with anti-government protesters demanding his steps down it falls a day of heavy violence in which hundreds were injured the country's braced for more trouble as it and its tanned day of unrest are just posed earlier has more from cairo it's been and night of an raised here in tough square in downtown cairo as those pro mubarak an anti mubarak supporters take on one another in front of the cairo museum there has been a monitor of cocktails thrown there have been people lifting road signs of the road to use the poles to one another there are people that have formed almost some kind of system where one carries buckets of stones and then moves back in reinforces the next that violence showing no sign of abating.