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Crisis in Greece; The Two Sides of Amanda Knox; Precious Cargo; Presidents Cup Selections; The Making of a Sprinter
Aired September 27, 2011 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Greece insists a superhuman effort is underway to tackle its debt.
But back in Athens, not everyone is on board.
Live from London, I'm Becky Anderson.
Also tonight,
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL JACKSON, ENTERTAINER: I want them to say I've never seen anything like this in my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Michael Jackson as you've never heard him before, as his former doctor stands accused of killing him.
And the eye-popping cost of high couture is nothing new, but $5,000 for blue jeans?
Well, we must be in the midst of catwalk season.
First up tonight, stop sniping at Greece -- the message loud and clear from George Papandreou, as he took on his critics during a trip to Germany earlier. Ahead of talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel, Greece's prime minister vowed to stick to his promises and return the country to growth and prosperity.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE PAPANDREOU, GREEK PRIME MINISTER: The persistent criticisms leveled against Greece are deeply frustrating, frustrating not only at a political level, where a superhuman effort is being made to meet stringent targets in a deepen recession, but frustrating, also, for the Greeks who are making these painful sacrifices and difficult changes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes. And life for Greeks is unlikely to get better any time soon. A deeply unpopular property tax became the latest austerity measure to be passed by the country's parliament today.
Those who refuse to pay it could have their electricity cut off.
Well, John Defterios is in the capital, Athens, and joins us now.
It's not getting better, is it?
JOHN DEFTERIOS, HOST, "MARKETPLACE MIDDLE EAST": No, it certainly is not, Becky.
In fact, you can say that this property tax proposal is another step in this long return to austerity here. And it's getting very, very painful on the ground.
And it was met by stiff resistance in Syntagma Square. The bill passed about two -and-a-half hours ago. But 3,000 protesters were there to hear the vote. They were later pushed out by police with the assistance of some tear gas.
And if you put it all into perspective, Becky, right now, you have the property tax increase, salaries cut by 20 percent and pensions cut between 20 and 40 percent. The Greeks are hoping now that this will help them turn the corner and rebuild confidence within Europe and within the international markets.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
EVANGELOS VENIZELOS, GREEK FINANCE MINISTER: I am absolutely optimistic about the state's investment and talks about the implementation of the so-called new program. Always, in reference to the terms of the famed decision of 21st of July.
DEFTERIOS: So there's not a new program, so we can clarify it for everyone, taking shape for a 50 percent haircut?
There's not a new program, not just for Greece, but the peripheral countries of Europe, to reshape and provide a 50 percent haircut on government debt?
VENIZELOS: I am the responsible minister of finance of Greece. I am here in order to apply and to implement of joining the European decision of July, not to participate in different discussions, irresponsible discussions, or in order to repeat the rumors of common.
For me, the only duty, the only path, is to implement the decision of the 21st of July.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
DEFTERIOS: This decision in July was this super bailout fund, as you know, Becky, at $160 billion. But Mr. Venizelos there, in our exclusive interview, did not want to be drawn into the debate that was very active yesterday, that Greece, Italy, Portugal and Ireland will restructure their debt and get a 50 percent haircut.
This is a heady price tag of some $2.5 trillion.
And as Prime Minister Papandreou said today, that they're trying to turn the corner, but it's very difficult. We've seen second quarter GDP collapse by 7.3 percent. And they're facing unemployment of 16 percent, some 40 percent for people between the age of 30 and 44.
So that's why you saw so many...
ANDERSON: Yes.
DEFTERIOS: -- protests on the Square just two hours ago.
ANDERSON: And let's remind ourselves, this isn't just a Greek problem, of course. This is a Eurozone problem.
Germany, though, pouring cold weather today, John, on rumors of a massive expansion to the Eurozone's bailout fund.
DEFTERIOS: Yes, in fact, the finance minister, Mr. Schauble, said that it was a -- a silly idea. And I don't think it's by accident that the finance minister, when I posed that question to him, tried to push it away.
They want to stay very focused right now. They have a--- a sixth installment that they're trying to get of some $10 billion.
Privately, a finance official, after the interview, said to me that, look, they're not too worried about getting this next installment by mid- October, but they're also worried about the seventh, eighth and ninth installment because they need to try to keep the Greek public on board. And this was one message that Mr. Papandreou and Mr. Venizelos, during our interview, wanted to get across today, look, you think it's easy but in a contraction of 7 percent, with unemployment at 16 percent, it's not that simple to keep your population on board during these austere times.
ANDERSON: Jon, thank you for that.
I thought we were going to hear from the finance minister again, but evidently not.
We thank you very much, indeed, for that.
John Defterios for you.
Well, amongst traders, the denials that we've been hearing both from Germany and from Greece today really falling on deaf ears. You know what these markets are about. They're about day to day movements.
And what we saw when the markets opened in Asia was a push up today.
Let's take a look and see what the Dow Jones closed up, at 1.3 percent. OK, not brilliant.
Let's see what the market did on a day to day basis, falling off toward the end. That may indicate what happens on the Asian markets. You might be able to see a little bit of a -- a rough old start there.
But let's take a look at these European markets. The financial stocks doing particularly well in Paris today.
And what you are really hearing here is -- there's no real evidence of this. But markets highest amidst hopes that European leaders will beef up that Eurozone rescue fund and tackle the region's debt crisis. It may just be time to buy back into what are particularly cheap markets, 5.2 percent, up on the Xetra DAX. That's what the market did today. Again, financials doing well there.
And London, about $100 billion worth of money put back into this market today, with a 4 percent rise, as you can see, again. A drift higher but a really big push on the open.
Well, as rumors swirl of yet another expansion to the Eurozone's rescue fund, Jim Boulden explaining now why the next few days could prove crucial for its future.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BOULDEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After Greece got its first bailout back in May, 2010, Europe decided to set up a fund to bail out any other country before it got into a similar deep hole. And the European Financial Stability Facility, or EFSF, was born. The loan guarantees come from the 17 Eurozone countries based on the size of their economies. And with those guarantees behind it, the EFSF would sell newly created bonds and loan that money to hard hit countries. The money could then be combined with loans from the IMF.
(on camera): And under what can be seen as wishful thinking, the original facility is set to expire in 2013. And it was hoped happened in the beginning it would never have to be taxed.
(voice-over): Ireland said it didn't need it. But by December, it was recapitalizing its collapsed banking sector with billions from the EFSF. Portugal said it didn't need a bail out, either. Earlier this year, it got one, too.
By its first birthday, it was clear ESFS neither had enough money or tools to fight the euro fires. So on July 21st, Europe's leaders agreed to back it with more financial guarantees, allowing it to loan up to $600 billion and give it more powers, like buying government bonds to build a portfolio that it could potentially borrow against to raise cash.
Those changes are what the parliaments of Eurozone countries are now voting on. Some have already passed it. More are voting this week.
And despite growing bailout fatigue, worries that the likes of Finland or Slovakia or even Germany might vote no have mostly gone away.
RAMON PACHECO PARDO, KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON: That's supposed to be an agreement that, at the end of the day, this is the right thing to do for the Eurozone, at least for the time being. The Facility is not going to last forever. And it should be phased out in a few year's time.
So for the time being, it is the best way to escape the current crisis.
BOULDEN: But even before all 17 vote, the discussion is already about boosting the EFSF further. Should it have access to more than $1 trillion of loan guarantees?
Should it be backed by the European Central Bank and be allowed to loan more than it actually has, using so-called leverage?
Should it become a bank itself?
That's all to come. Firstly, countries have to approve the original enhancement of the Facility.
Jim Boulden, CNN, London.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, while it is expected to pass, Germany's vote on Thursday could end in humiliation for its leader. With the voices of dissent from within her governing coalition, Angela Merkel may have to rely on the opposition to get the measure through.
Despite the pressure, though, the chancellor says she won't turn her back on Greece.
Frederik Pleitgen for you now from Berlin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now, the main purpose of George Papandreou's visit here to Germany was, of course, to drum up support for further bailout money for Greece here in Germany. Germany, of course, is, by far, the largest contributor to any sort of bailout fund and, arguably, the most important country in any sort of bailout.
Now, what he said to German industrialists and later in talks with Angela Merkel is that he believes that Greek austerity measures will work, that it will pull the country back from the brink of default and also that the country is doing enough to turn around.
Now, the big question, of course, is whether or not any of that is going to convince the Euro skeptics here in Germany.
Angela Merkel, for her part, said that she respected the measures that the Greeks are undertaking and that Germany will do its part to keep Greece afloat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): We will do everything from the German side we can so that Greece brings back trust, so that we move beyond this development, whereby every month brings more horrifying news, to where the markets have the impressions that Greece is on the right path.
Whatever Germany can do to help, we will do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: Now, all of this, of course, comes before a critical vote on Thursday here in the German parliament.
Now, it seems pretty sure that the parliament is going to approve further bailout money for Greece.
But the big question is whether or not Angela Merkel is going to be able to push those measures through parliament using her own parliamentary majority. The biggest Euro skeptics in the German parliament are among Angela Merkel's governing coalition. There are some dissenters not only in her Christian Democrat Party, but also in the Liberal Democratic Party. So she is going to have to convince some people before bringing these measures through.
It's interesting, when you talk to people here in this country, the latest polls have shown that apparent 66 percent of Germans believe it's a mistake to give bailout money to Greece and to other countries. However, if you talk to to people on the street, they say, yes, it might be a mistake to give this country money. However, they also feel they have no other choice, because a Greek default could lead to contagion, could lead to other countries going down. And that would be even worse for Germany, as Europe's largest economy, and a major exporting country here in this region.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Interesting times. Our top story tonight -- Greece's prime minister hits out at the country's critics as Germany's chancellor prepares to face off against hers.
We're going to have full coverage of the German parliament's vote on Thursday and what that means for Angela Merkel and the future of the Eurozone.
Do stay with CNN for that.
Well, just ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD, we've got two courtroom dramas for you comparing global attention.
First up, Italy. Defense attorneys say the media and prosecution have painted the wrong picture of Amanda Knox and her boyfriend, as they try and get their murder convictions overturned.
And we're going to head to LA for you this evening to look at the case against Michael Jackson's personal physician.
And later in the show, he's the crime fighting canine that definitely knows best. We're going to take a look at how and why this dog is bred for success.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: I'm Becky Anderson in London.
You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD at 16 minutes past the hour.
Let's give you a brief look at what else we are following for you here on CNN.
And Egypt's interim military rulers have finally set a date for the first election since Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in a popular uprising. Well, Egyptian media say that the parliamentary elections will begin on November the 28th and will take place in three stages, ending next January. Presidential elections still haven't been schedule. The military has promised not to conduct elections under emergency rule, but just this month, it did extend the scope of that law.
Well, more than 250 have been injured after two subway trains collided in a tunnel in Shanghai. Twenty are believed to be in serious condition. Now, the city's subway operator says the collision take place after a signal failure forced staff to direct chains by telephone.
At least seven people are dead after a typhoon slammed into the Philippines. Storm alerts were issued in more than 40 areas of the country, including the capita of Manila. The Philippine Stock Exchange suspended trading and 3,000 travelers were stranded by canceled flights.
Well, from she devil to Jessica Rabbit -- two very different pictures are emerging of Amanda Knox during her appeal trial in Italy. Now, the American college student and her ex-boyfriend are appealing their conviction in the 2007 killing of Knox's roommate, Meredith Kercher.
CNN senior international correspondent, Matthew Chance, has been watching the courtroom drama unfold and this is his report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, defense lawyers in this appeal hearing determined to reject that characterization of Amanda Knox, the U.S. college student, as a she- devil, as somebody with a satanic-like personality. Those are the phrases used to describe her in court by the prosecution lawyers.
Defense lawyers today saying that she's more comparable to Jessica Rabbit. She's not bad, she was just drawn that way. That's the line from the movie in which Jessica Rabbit appeared. An indication there, a reference to the way in which Amanda Knox has been painted by the media, fueled by the prosecution, as this wild woman who enjoyed extreme experiences, according to one prosecution lawyer. She drank beer. She smoked marijuana. She had lots of guys come back to her apartment.
Defense lawyers saying nothing could be further from the truth. She was a loyal woman, or is a loyal woman, who was in love with her Raffaele Sollecito, whose lawyers were making these comments earlier today.
They were also dwelling on the evidence, particularly the DNA evidence. And it's important, because this is the only physical evidence that actually connects Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito to the murder scene. That has now been cast aside, essentially, by independent forensic experts that were brought in to assess the police work.
The defense attorneys today reminding the jury of that, in the hope that they will reconsider these murder convictions and set Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito to freedom.
Matthew Chance, CNN, in Perugia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, it is part of the morning routine, isn't it, get up and grab a cup of coffee?
Now, for us women, at least, it appears there is a bonus to the beverage. A study by Harvard University researchers find that women who regularly drink coffee are less likely to suffer depression. Two to three cups of coffee a day lowers the risk by 15 percent. Four or more lowered the risk by some 20 percent. You just can't sleep afterwards.
Well, now to the wartime mystery that is sure to have a silver lining. Deep down on the Atlantic seabed, a team of shipwreck hunters have made a cracking discovery. A British merchant vessel sunk by a German U-boat is about to give up its secrets.
And as Ralitsa Vassileva now reports, (AUDIO GAP) some very precious cargo.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, COURTESY
RALITSA VASSILEVA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An eerie scene from the bottom of the sea. Here lies the S.S. Gairsoppa. The British cargo steamer was torpedoed by a Nazi U-boat back in 1941, taking all but one of the 85 people on board and its precious cargo to a watery grave.
Using the latest high tech and deep water robots, Florida-based treasure hunters, Odyssey Marine Exploration, located the wreck about 300 miles off the Ireland coast. The ship went down carrying tea, pig iron and some 200 tons of silver now valued at more than $210 million, making this a highly sought after salvage.
MARK GORDON, CEO, ODYSSEY MARINE EXPLORATION: And do you know what, if the tea hasn't floated away, a good chance the silver hasn't floated away, either.
VASSILEVA: While the wreck now lies in water even deeper than the Titanic, Odyssey chief executive believes that won't prevent a full cargo recovery.
GORDON: We're very fortunate because we found this shipwreck sitting upright on the sea floor with the cargo holds opened. And the process of unloading the cargo won't be too different than if it were sitting alongside a dock, although we are going to be doing it in about, you know, five kilometers of water depth.
VASSILEVA: Odyssey crews hope to start bringing that silver to the surface next spring.
Ralitsa Vassileva, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Fantastic.
All right, coming up next on CONNECT THE WORLD, 22 minutes past 9:00 in London for you. We are taking London 2012 Olympics and the event that everybody wants to see.
"WORLD SPORT" heads to track five with former 100 meter champion Linford Christie.
And then, about seven minutes later, a lethal perfect form of subscription -- Conrad Murray's lawyer describes to a courtroom how Michael Jackson gave himself a combination of drugs which led to his death. Find out more on that after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Right. In just under an hour's time, the golfing world will be watching to see the final selection for the Presidents Cup team, played this year in Australia. The competition, if you don't know, is America versus, well, an international side excluding Europe.
Now, there are two wildcard picks both captains have to make. But we already know one man who will definitely be heading to Melbourne and that is world number 50.
Well, you recognize him, don't you?
Mr. Tiger Woods.
Let's get more on that with "WORLD SPORT" Alex Thomas tonight.
Tiger is what -- I mean is -- is he a -- a real wildcard or is he just a wildcard to all of us at the moment?
He's going to have to perform, isn't he?
ALEX THOMAS, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: He is, yes. Unbelievable to described him as world number 50, isn't it?
We're so used to so many years...
ANDERSON: (INAUDIBLE).
THOMAS: -- calling him as world number one. Now, the former world number one.
But yes, Tiger Woods, we know, will be announced by Fred Couples in less than an hour's time, Couples the American captain for this thrilling contest. We know how much the Ryder Cup means to the United States and Europe.
ANDERSON: Yes.
THOMAS: It's the same team format, but it's the rest of the world, not Europe.
And Woods was announced as a wildcard pick early by Fred Couples, really, to stop all the speculation, because many are saying, OK, we know he's, arguably, one of the greatest ever golfers, but he's in such poor form, will he really be an asset to this American team?
It's something that our own Patrick Snell discussed with a golf expert writer.
Have a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL BAMBERGER, SENIOR WRITER, "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED": It's thrilling that Tiger is playing golf on the world stage again. I really have missed him. And I think most golf fans feel that way. And the last time he won was in Australia and I think people will be absolutely fascinated to see what he does.
Greg Norman chose Adam Scott two years ago for the Presidents Cup team, Adam was playing poorly at the time and it really reinvigorated his career. And I imagine much the same will happen to Tiger.
PATRICK SNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Do you feel Fred Couples is -- is justified in including him on the team?
BAMBERGER: Yes. He does -- he's justified in the sense that he's the captain. He can pick anybody he wants. And it's a legitimate choice. He's the greatest golfer, possibly, of -- of all time. Obviously, he hasn't done what he could do for the past two years.
But Fred is putting a personal stamp on the team, much like he did two years ago when he brought Michael Jordan as an assistant captain. People thought that was a little nutty. But the players loved hanging around with Michael Jordan and it helped them play better.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
THOMAS: So that's the view of one "Sports Illustrated" expert, Becky.
Of course, one other wildcard for Fred Couples to announce, we don't know who it's going to be, maybe Bill Hart, the man that...
ANDERSON: Oh.
THOMAS: -- that scooped that $10 million bonus this week. We'll have to wait and see.
ANDERSON: (INAUDIBLE).
THOMAS: The thing, Tiger Woods does have 12 appearances in both the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup. So huge experience.
ANDERSON: Yes. And when we say he's going to have to perform, he will perform. There is no doubt about it. But it still seems incredible to be calling him a wildcard.
Listen, we're going to be talking Olympics here more and more as we lead toward the London 2012. I know you've -- you guys at "WORLD SPORT" have been talking to one of the famous hundred meter runners.
THOMAS: You know, that's right. We're putting together some Olympic preview shows. And Pedro Pinto, our greyhound of a sports correspondent, if you like, went down to meet a man who knows all about winning Olympic gold at one of the events that everyone it's going to be glued to.
Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PEDRO PINTO, CNN "WORLD SPORT" ANCHOR: As part of CNN's buildup to the Olympics, we're focusing on one of the most exciting disciplines, it would be fair to say, and the Olympic Games. That's the 100 meters.
I'm joined by former Olympic champion, Linford Christie.
Linford, what makes a top class sprinter, physically and mentally?
LINFORD CHRISTIE, FORMER OLYMPIC 100 METER CHAMPION: Well, I mean, first of all, to be a sprinter, you've got to be born to be.
PINTO: You've got to be born a sprinter?
CHRISTIE: You've got to be born a sprinter. I always say, you can train, you can do -- go out and do your long runs and everything and become a really good distance runner, but if you're not born to sprint, no matter what how much work you do, you'll never make it.
So it's a natural thing that you're born to do.
PINTO: When you were sprinting, what did guys used to do to each other to try to psyche -- psyche each other out?
CHRISTIE: Well, they were saying, you know, that the race is won way before we get to the start line, because what they do -- what they -- they usher everyone you compete against into a cold room and you sit and you face all your opponents. And everyone has their little ways of trying to psyche you up, put you off your game and everything else. And which it's up to you from there. You focus, now you concentrate and don't let it get to you.
PINTO: What kind of things did guys do?
CHRISTIE: Oh, they'd go past and tell you about your mom, you know. They would just eyeball you or they were, you know, the ones that got (INAUDIBLE) they would jump up and down and be in your face. And, you know, it can put you off.
PINTO: Today, it's impossible to -- to talk about sprinting without meaning Usain Bolt.
How would you compare him to some of the greatest guys you've seen and -- and raced against, like a Carl Lewis or even yourself?
CHRISTIE: Well, I'd say, definitely, you know, Usain Bolt is one of the greatest. He's one, you know, of the fastest men in the world. But I wouldn't absolutely say at this moment in time he's the greatest, because he has to go out there now and win more of the titles. That is when, you know, you'll judge him and say, OK, he's the greatest.
He's one of them, but not the leading one.
PINTO: He had a lot of career highs. A career low for him, surely, was just a month ago in the -- in the finals of the 100 meters in the world championships in Korea.
How controversial was that, because it involved the highest profile racer on the planet?
CHRISTIE: Well, I'd say exactly what you say, controversial (INAUDIBLE). And if he was anyone else, we wouldn't be talking about it right now. It's because it's Usain Bolt that we talk about it. And that's the rules. The rules are if you (INAUDIBLE).
I think they need to change the rules a little bit.
PINTO: You do?
CHRISTIE: Yes, I think it. And I think, also, you know...
PINTO: What would you change it to?
Do you think that one and out is just too much?
CHRISTIE: I think it's too much. I think, you know, we didn't like when they say, you know, you have -- you have one (INAUDIBLE) and he got a second chance. We didn't like that. But I mean I think it's a lot fairer than whatever they've got at the moment. The fans, they want to see the fastest people run against each other. And I think if you disqualify, you know, someone just (INAUDIBLE) start, then, you know, lots -- in the future, a lot more champions are going to go the same way.
PINTO: Great insight from you, Linford.
And you -- you're done with this particular conversation. But I can tell you that Linford is helping Team CNN as part of our Olympic buildup, our Olympic show, called "Aiming for Gold." So you'll see him, me and a couple of other colleagues on the track. He's going to be training us. You don't want to miss that.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, you might want to miss it, I don't know.
Listen, a ho-hum 100 meters have been run in, what, 10:10, I think Usain Bolt ran the other day.
How -- how quickly do you think Pedro can do it?
THOMAS: I don't think he's going to break the 11 second barrier, I'll put it that way.
Sorry, Pedro.
ANDERSON: I say 13.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: Thank you.
Alex Thomas with "WORLD SPORT" coming up in an hour from now here on CNN.
Do join him for that.
Straight ahead here this hour, a Los Angeles court hears two completely different accounts of what caused Michael Jackson's death and who may be responsible. Opening statements underway in the long-awaited trial of Jackson's doctor. What moved Conrad Murray to tears? That coming up after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: A very warm welcome back. Just after half past nine in London, you're back with CONNECT THE WORLD on CNN, the world's news leader. Let's get you a check of the headlines this hour.
And Greece's prime minister says his country is making superhuman efforts to tackle its debt crisis. On a trip to Germany to meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel, George Papandreou vowed to return his country to growth and prosperity.
Well, a jump on Wall Street with investors getting hopeful on Europe resolving it's debt crisis. Not a great day on the Dow Jones, it rising about 150 points, the NASDAQ and S&P gaining more than one percent. The European markets, though, up some four and five percent today.
Egypt's interim military rulers have taken key steps towards meeting protesters' demands. They finally set a date for parliamentary elections. Voters will begin casting ballots on November the 28th. Three rounds of voting will end early next year.
And officials blame a signal failure, a system signal failure for a subway collision in Shanghai. China's state-run Xinhua agency reports that 271 people were injured, many of them have now been released from hospital.
And finally, in Italy, defense lawyers in the appeal hearing of Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend are making their closing statements. Knox and Sollecito were convicted in the 2007 stabbing death of Knox's roommate. Stick with CNN for that.
Those are your headlines this hour.
Get you now to the dramatic accounts of pop star Michael Jackson's final hours. Opening statements began today in the trial of Jackson's doctor who -- who's charged with involuntary manslaughter.
I'm going to take you live to Los Angeles in just a moment for the very latest from the courtroom. I'm going to get you, though, first a reminder of the case against Conrad Murray.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CONRAD MURRAY, DEFENDANT: Your honor, I am an innocent man.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The jury in the Conrad Murray manslaughter trial will have several questions to answer. One, did Dr. Murray give Michael Jackson a lethal dose of Propofol?
Prosecutors say there's no doubt. Murray and his attorneys say there's no way.
ED CHERNOFF, MURRAY'S ATTORNEY: There's no way that Dr. Murray would pump Michael Jackson full of Propofol sufficient for major surgery and walk out of that room. It's not going to happen. That's not the doctor Dr. Murray is.
ROWLANDS: Murray claims the day Jackson died, he only administered 25 milligrams of Propofol, far less than what was found in Jackson's body by the coroner.
ROWLANDS (on camera): How did it get in him?
CHERNOFF: Well, that's a good question. Ted, do you have any idea how it got in him?
ROWLANDS (voice-over): The defense is expected to argue that Jackson somehow gave himself the lethal dose.
ROWLANDS (on camera): Could Michael Jackson have done it?
CHERNOFF: Is it possible for an individual to inject himself with a drug? Yes. Yes.
ROWLANDS (voice-over): Before Jackson died, he spent hours struggling to go to sleep, according to a timeline Murray gave police. Murray says he gave Jackson five doses of three different drugs between 1:30 AM and 7:30 AM.
At 10:40 AM, he says he gave Jackson the Propofol.
911 OPERATOR: Did anybody witness what happened?
CALLER: No, just the doctor, sir.
ROWLANDS: 911 was called at 12:21. Emergency responders will testify they believe Jackson was dead when they arrived.
Another question jurors must answer is was using Propofol, an anesthetic for surgery, as a sleep aid so reckless that Murray should be held responsible for Jackson's death?
ROWLANDS (on camera): Doctor after doctor gets up and says, well, this should never be used outside a clinical setting, outside of a hospital or a clinic.
CHERNOFF: The fact that the circumstances may be unusual, may be demonstrated to be unusual, does not make it egregious. That alone does not make it egregious.
ROWLANDS (voice-over): Murray's defense will argue Jackson was a drug addict and in horrible physical shape and that he was getting drugs from other doctors that Murray didn't know about.
Prosecutors plan to argue that Jackson was in good shape and planned to show this clip from the documentary "This is It" of Jackson rehearsing just days before he died.
MICHAEL JACKSON: OK, OK.
ROWLANDS: So now, more than two years after Jackson's death, a Los Angeles jury will be presented with the case and ultimately decide whether or not Dr. Conrad Murray should be held responsible.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, there are several well-known parts of Jackson's life that you won't hear about in this trial. I want to bring in CNN's Senior Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin, here.
Jeffrey, Judge Michael Pastor wants to focus on the day that Jackson died. I want to get our viewers just a sense of what's going on here. Let's look at what he has actually ruled off limits.
First is the singer's 2005 sexual molestation trial. Now, defense attorneys wanted to have a detective testify about prescription drugs found at Jackson's Neverland ranch during a search related to the sex charge. The judge ruled the events were too far in the past and could mislead the jury.
Jeffrey, what do you make of that?
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Well, the theme of this case is going to be that the prosecution wants to focus almost entirely on the day that Michael Jackson died. What did Conrad Murray do, which drugs did he give him, and what was the cause of death? A simple, short case.
The defense is going to want to open up Michael Jackson's entire life and show that he had a colorful and often troubled existence that included drugs and other problems that all of which might have contributed to his death, not the work of Conrad Murray.
ANDERSON: All right, OK> Well, let's move on. What do we make of this? Michael Jackson's financial records, Jeffrey, also off limits. The defense wanted to use the records, I know, to argue that Jackson was under severe financial strain and gave himself a fatal dose of surgical anesthesia, Propofol, before he was, quote, "a desperate man in many respects."
Does that surprise you?
TOOBIN: Well, I don't think the last word on that has been spoken yet. The trial itself hasn't started. And clearly financial motives are going to be an issue on both sides.
The prosecution argued today that Conrad Murray was making $150,000 a year. He was -- he would've done anything to keep Michael Jackson as a patient.
At the same time, the defense was arguing, Michael Jackson was desperate for money, he needed to have this tour in London succeed and was willing to use any kind of drug under the sun to keep him rehearsing and keep his financial hopes alive.
ANDERSON: All right, OK. And as our viewers listen to you, they're watching on the screen the trial, which has resumed after recess earlier today.
Let's go onto this, Jeffrey. The judge also barred footage from Michael Jackson's last press conference. The defense says that announcement was delayed 90 minutes because the singer was passed out and could not get off a sofa.
They also argue that Jackson's health had been failing for several months before his death. But Jeffrey, the judge said that event was irrelevant. Do you agree with that?
TOOBIN: Well I -- you know, again, I think these pretrial rulings don't necessarily hold when the trial unfolds. And clearly, Michael Jackson's overall health will have to be an issue in this case, because his cause of death is an issue in this case.
So, I am certain, even if that press conference itself is not shown to the jury, the circumstances of his life in the days leading up to his death are certainly going to be put before a jury, and the defense is going to say that he was very, very sick, and the prosecution is going to argue that he was actually doing pretty well.
ANDERSON: Jeffrey, thank you for that. The trial has resumed. Let's get to Los Angeles and to Ted Rowlands for the very latest from there. Ted, what do we know at this point?
ROWLANDS: Well, a very emotional day in court as both sides laid out their arguments. Emotional for the Jackson family, especially.
The prosecution came right out and the first thing they did within a minute of their opening statement, David Walgren, the prosecutor, showed the jury a photo of Michael Jackson lying on a gurney. This is postmortem, this was taken obviously after he was dead. He was partially covered with a blanket. Observers in the courtroom say that Michael Jackson's mother broke down at one point.
The other very emotional part was when they played some audio that they say Dr. Murray actually recorded on his iPhone. It is of Michael Jackson and he is obviously heavily, heavily drugged. When he's talking, he's talking about his upcoming concert series. Listen carefully, take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACKSON: We have to be phenomenal. When people leave this show, when people leave my show, I want them to say "I've never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go. I've never seen nothing like this. It's amazing. He's the greatest entertainer in the world. I'm taking that money, a million children, children's hospital, the biggest in the world, Michael Jackson's Children Hospital."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROWLANDS: Gut-wrenching audio, obviously, for the Jackson family, listening to that today during the prosecution side.
Now, the defense got up after the prosecution finished and basically argued that Michael Jackson accidentally killed himself when Dr. Murray left the room that day. They say that Murray left to go to the bathroom, Jackson was frustrated because he wasn't -- he wasn't sleeping, and he self-administered that fatal dose of Propofol.
Right now, the defense is finishing up their opening statement, and we expect the first witness to take the stand in -- within the hour. Becky?
ANDERSON: How long do we expect this trial to last, Ted?
ROWLANDS: The judge told the jurors that they should expect to serve through October 28, so we're talking about one month in total.
ANDERSON: Ted Rowlands for you in LA, and you're looking at live pictures from the trial. And that, of course, is Conrad Murray. The judge estimates the trial will take about five weeks, and of course the jury must preview the evidence -- or review the evidence and reach a verdict.
We'll stay, of course, with you this story -- with this story on CNN, bringing you all the major developments right here on CONNECT THE WORLD.
Well, coming up in the next 90 seconds, meet Tutu, a rather special Labrador. His job is to sniff out drugs at Incheon Airport in South Korea, but he's not just any old dog, and we're going to find out why after this.
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ANDERSON: Well, sniffing out drugs at airports requires a good nose. The dogs at South Korea's Incheon Airport are probably the best in the business. As part of our Gateway series of films that take you behind the scenes at some of the world's busiest hubs, we're going to find out what makes these dogs in South Korea so special.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Incheon Airport. The gateway to South Korea. Travelers and their goods come in and out of this global hub under the ever-watchful eye of security and customs officers.
JUNG-SOO AN, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, INCHEON AIRPORT CUSTOMS (through translator): When travelers arrive in Korea, all checked-in baggage goes through x-ray machines. Any suspicious baggage is tagged to receive more detailed inspection.
ANDERSON: Confiscated items include anything from luxury goods exceeding duty-free allowance to weapons. And from foodstuffs to imported items subject to quarantine.
AN (through translator): The items are kept here for one month. Contraband items, such as narcotics and weapons, are then transferred to the relevant authorities.
ANDERSON (on camera): Well, last year, 179 cases or bags carrying illegal substances were detected here at Incheon Airport. Small amounts of drugs, though, are often extremely difficult to detect and often only a trained nose will do.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Meet Tutu, a Labrador Retriever like no other.
JI-YONG PARK, CUSTOMS OFFICER, INCHEON AIRPORT (through translator): Hello. I'm Ji-Young Park, and I'm part of the narcotics team here at Incheon, and this is my dear Tutu. He's the world's first cloned sniffer dog.
ANDERSON: The bond between Ji-Yong and Tutu has proven to be a winning formula.
PARK (through translator): I've been working with Tutu for three years. He only likes me, which makes me feel special.
Last year, he won a medal for detecting the most drugs at Incheon Airport.
ANDERSON: Tutu is part of a litter of puppies cloned from a top drug- sniffing dog in 2007. Three have been deployed at Incheon Airport.
IN-HO LEE, CHIEF INVESTIGATOR, INCHEON AIRPORT CUSTOMS (through translator): Only three out of ten sniffer dogs are successfully trained. In order to improve their success rate, we cloned a high-performance sniffer dog.
BYEONG-CHUN LEE, DOCTOR, SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY: We produced seven cloned dogs, and we trained them with another seven Labrador Retrievers.
ANDERSON: The project was carried out by Dr. Lee, who played a major role in the world's first successful cloning if a dog in 2005, the Afghan hound Snuppy.
BYEONG-CHUN LEE: The sniffing ability comes from training and genetic traits.
ANDERSON: There are fifteen dogs employed at Incheon. Two are used to detect explosives and 13 for narcotics.
At the training center, they learn to sniff out substances such as heroine, cocaine, and methamphetamines. Drugs with high scents, such as marijuana, are easier to detect.
PARK (through translator): This is the drug-detecting training area. Looks like the conveyor belt at the airport arrival area. There's one bag with drugs, so he has to find it.
Well done, Tutu.
In order to maintain their ability, dogs have to be trained every day.
When Tutu smells drugs, he nudges with his nose and sits. It's his way of telling me where the drugs are.
ANDERSON: Training over, and Tutu and his handler head for the terminal building to report for duty.
PARK (through translator): He comes here five to six times a day. Every session lasts 30 minutes to an hour. There's a two-hour break between shifts.
ANDERSON: With an average of 100,000 bags coming through the airport every day, it's the beginning of another busy shift for the customs team here at Incheon Airport.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, whether black is back or you need to be seen in green, there is one fashion which never seems to die out. The highs and highs of a wardrobe staple. That, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: You're back with CONNECT THE WORLD, 10 to 10:00 in London. Now, jeans. Well, they're like our best friends, aren't they? Reliable, strong, and they make us feel good about ourselves generally, most of the time.
Anyway, many of us, including myself, have got several pairs. I'm not going to admit how many I've got. As part of our fashion season, though, this week, Monita Rajpal is on the beat in Paris, and she tonight is tracking denim's journey from humble work wear to luxury wardrobe staple.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MONITA RAJPAL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From catwalks around the globe, the message for Spring-Summer 2012 is color.
Amidst the sparkle and shine, the mainstay fabric season after season is denim. Universally loved, slip on your favorite pair of jeans and you'll be in the same company as rock stars, film stars, rebels, royalty, and even US presidents have been seen in the no-fuss, hard-wearing, tough fabric that can withstand anything.
FRANS VAN ZEELAND, PRESIDENT, WRANGLER EMEA: Denim is like your best friend. Denim is also like the jeans, and the Wrangler jeans are like, wow, I feel good in them. Because it ages with me, or it does with me what I want it to do. You can dress it up in a nice shirt or a jacket, and you can dress it down and the same pair of jeans and be very at ease and confident and feel good about it.
RAJPAL: Denim brand Wrangler was closely tied to the all-American rugged cowboy look. The brand, having launched its revival four years ago, is banking on reinventing the theme, taking from the past to smash into a global consumer base.
ZEELAND: For Wrangler, it continues to mean that we need to deliver innovation. We need to deliver value. We need to deliver products that meet the needs. And --
RAJPAL (on camera): How do you do that?
ZEELAND: We do that through really understanding the consumers. Having consumer insight, understanding what they are looking for.
RAJPAL (voice-over): The global market for denim jeans is projected to exceed $65 billion by 2015. It is estimated that Americans alone buy 450 million pairs of jeans each year.
Why is this once work-wear item of clothing still so popular? Well, industry experts say it comes down to one simple thing. Laundry.
DONNA IDA THORNTON, FOUNDER, DONNA IDA: It's just so easy to wear. You don't have to dry clean it every time.
You can just -- you can wear it four or five times before you have to wash it. You can wear the same pair of jeans five days in a row, nobody would blink. You couldn't do that with a skirt or a dress or even trousers, really.
So, it's great. It's just a nice, easy, everyday hard-wearing product that's really cool.
RAJPAL: Easy and cool if you have the perfect pair.
THORNTON: So, this is J Brand, this is our biggest seller.
RAJPAL: Donna Ida Thornton opened her first store five years ago because she couldn't find a place that offered the expertise and the selection.
THORNTON: You can buy jeans pretty much anywhere you want to. But it is just about bringing the product to the customer in a happy and sort of non-confronting way. Because a lot of people are worried about buying jeans. Especially if they think they're not going to fit. And a lot of people liken it to buying a swimsuit or bra or something like that.
RAJPAL: Donna Ida offers a denim clinic. Whatever your body shape, there is a pair for you. People are prepared to pay the high price for the right fit.
THORNTON: When the cotton prices went up, prices of jeans did generally go up. But they've continued to go up maybe at a greater rate than the cotton prices.
RAJPAL: Volatile cotton prices have meant those price points have gone up, yet the public is still willing to pay.
I have an appointment with Carole and Amelie, founders of a luxury denim service called Preciously Wear. From $5,000, you can buy your favorite pair of jeans. That's right, the jeans that you already own, albeit with some changes.
CAROLE TESSIER, FOUNDER, PRECIOUSLY: My idea first is I like to wear jeans during the cocktail and the evening with a smoking jacket and high heels, so I want to develop a red carpet jeans, completely customized.
We do it on their own jeans. So they are sure it goes perfectly, no problem of size, of shape. Our clients have no problem with money, and they just want to have fun.
RAJPAL (on camera): How long does it take to make something like this.
AMELIE DILLEMAN, DESIGNER, PRECIOUSLY: For train, it's always -- it depends. But if I embroider anything -- I don't remember.
TESSIER: Four hundred.
DILLEMAN: Four hundred hours.
TESSIER: Oui.
DILLEMAN: Yes.
RAJPAL: Wow.
DILLEMAN: Four hundred hours.
RAJPAL: Tell me about your jeans. What does that say about you? You're a rock star?
TESSIER: Yes. This is a hot style, and this is for Italian Hurst --
RAJPAL: Oh, OK, of course.
TESSIER: Yes, because I know I love Italian Hurst, and this is him and Piscina.
DILLEMAN: It's exciting to -- to have just one chance only because I -- this is the favorite jeans of somebody. I'm supposed to do something that pleases him or her, and I have no second chance.
RAJPAL: That's a lot of pressure.
DILLEMAN: Yes. It's more exciting.
RAJPAL (voice-over): Monita Rajpal, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: I'm not sure what the average cowboy would think of that set of strides, but anyway, there you go. Jeans for you. They've been around forever, and they will be around forever, I'm sure.
Well, the models start strutting their stuff in Paris on Thursday. My colleague Monita will be there. Follow her on Twitter for all the action from the fashion shows and the front rows and the parties, of course. See her reports here on the show as the French capital gears up for catwalk season.
You can follow me, of course, on Twitter as well, @BeckyCNN.
I'm Becky Anderson. Thank you for watching. The world news headlines and "BackStory" will follow this short break. Don't go away.
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