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Gordon Brown Attacks Rupert Murdoch During Leveson Inquiry; Rafael Nadal Becomes King Of Clay, Wins Record 7th French Open Title; Honda Bets Hydrogen Will Replace Gasoline; California Detectives Break Up Human Trafficking Ring

Aired June 11, 2012 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

ANNA COREN, HOST: Hello. I'm Anna Coren in Hong Kong. Welcome to News Stream where news and technology meet.

Well, global stock markets rally after Spain moves to feed its cash starved banks.

Gordon Brown lashes out as Rupert Murdoch, the former British prime minister says he's shocked and surprised at what the media mogul said about him.

And it could be a huge day for Apple fans. The tech giant is set to showcase must have new additions with a brand new iPhone on the way.

Well, Spain is now the latest line in the sand in the EuroZone debt crisis. After weeks of insisting it did not need outside financial help Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy's government is requesting, and will get, up to $125 billion in loans to bolster the country's troubled banks. But Mr. Rajoy says this is not a bailout for the EuroZone's fourth largest economy, instead he insists it's a credit line.

Well, whatever you call it, the money will go to Spain's cash starved banks. It's supposed to keep the banks from going bust and to prevent a potentially disastrous run on them. Well, the banks have been hard hit by the collapse of Spain's real estate boom and by the country's second recession in just three years.

Well, some of the billions of dollars in loans could come from the EuroZone rescue fund and reportedly will be provided at very favorable terms. But Spain's prime minister cautions that even with this help this year is, quote, going to be a bad one.

Well, Spain is reeling from nearly 25 percent unemployment and there have been fears that the country's financial instability will drag down the world economy even further.

Well, let's now go to Nina Dos Santos who joins us from Madrid. Well, Nina, there must have been this collective sigh of relief when this bailout agreement came about, but a lot of people believe that this is just a band- aid measure for the EuroZone crisis.

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, there's probably a collective sigh of relief on the markets followed by a few questions that still remain unanswered, because as you were just saying, Anna, we don't know the terms of this deal. We don't even know exactly how much money Spain will be getting at the end of the day, because what we know is that the EuroZone finance minister after a three hour long conference call this weekend finally agreed to put aside about $125 billion to (inaudible) issue.

But Spain still needs to wait for reports, a couple of reports that have come out from auditors that are going to be published in the next couple of days. And they've been taking a look at exactly how much money the Spanish banks really need. So when they have a clearer idea of how much the Spanish banks need well then that is when they'll table some formal requests.

As you were just hinting before in your introduction, Anna, there's a lot of semantics going on here about exactly how to pitch this not as a sovereign bailout, but more as a credit line for the banking system. But there's some skepticism on the streets in Madrid. Take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDUARDO SEGOVIA, ELCONFIDENCIAL.COM: It's extremely important and the government, the Spanish government, is trying to play down although it's business as usual, nothing exceptional, but it is really an emergency situation. At the end of the day it's a bailout, because it's money that Spain, the Spanish government doesn't have and we are borrowing it from Europe. So it's a bailout.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DOS SANTOS: So the difference here, Anna, is that unlike countries like Greece, the Spanish government itself is still solvent, but the issue is if it did go and bailout its own banks, then perhaps that could restrict access to the funding markets and therefore the Spanish government itself could become insolvent, that's a whole other problem.

COREN: Yeah. And speaking a little bit more about that, Nina, there is a feeling among European leaders that at least $125 billion is enough to stop Spanish banks from collapsing, but I guess not all analysts agree. Tell us a little bit more about that. And also the fact that perhaps in the end as you hinted at, you know, Spain itself may need a bailout.

DOS SANTOS: Yeah. This is a big unknown, really. So the International Monetary Fund came out with a report two or three days earlier than planned, I might add, which goes to show how deep this crisis is saying that the Spanish banks probably needed by their estimates around about just shy of $50 billion. Many analysts and economist I've been talking to have been saying, well, that is a very conservative estimate at best.

What we've got to do here is bear in mind how much countries like Ireland that suffered a similar banking collapse have had. Well, the Irish got more than $70 billion euros. And considering as Ireland is a much, much smaller part of the EuroZone economy as a whole than Spain is there's a certain degree of skepticism about exactly whether $125 billion would even be enough for the Spanish banking system. At this point, we just don't know without the reports of those two auditors.

COREN: Nina Dos Santos joining us from Madrid. Thank you for that update.

Well, let's see how the global stock markets are responding to news about the Spanish bank aid. Well, the trading day is underway in Europe and as you can see green arrows are certainly across the board. Well, the London FTSE, Germany's Dax, Paris and Zurich are all higher as you can see. Well, Spain's IBEX 35 also jumped. It's up more than 1 percent with solid gains for Spanish banking stocks.

Well, most of the leading indexes here in Asia also closed higher. Investors were cheered both by the news out of Spain and by positive trade data from China.

Now we have exciting news coming to us here at CNN. We're getting word that Rafa Nadal has won the French Open. He has beat Novak Djokovic in four sets to claim his seventh French Open championship. This of course is his 11th grand slam. So this is news coming into us here at CNN. Rafa Nadal has claimed his seventh French Open in four sets against Novak Djokovic. Obviously play was suspended yesterday due to rain. We're going to go live to Roland Garos. Our colleague Alex Thomas is a live report very shortly.

Well, the inquiry into phone hacking and media ethics in Britain is back in the international spotlight this week. A number of high ranking politicians are taking the stand at the Leveson inquiry. Well, current Prime Minister David Cameron is schedule to appear on Thursday. Well, in the past few hours, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been testifying.

Well, the focus has been on Brown's relationship with Rupert Murdoch and the media baron's British newspapers.

Well, joining me now from London is Dan Rivers with the latest. Dan, what has been said today?

DAN RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's been a pretty withering broadside from Gordon Brown towards the Rupert Murdoch empire, specifically about the son's decision to switch allegiance from Labor to the Conservatives in September 2009. Now Rupert Murdoch had already given evidence here last month, or back in April rather saying that no -- talking about a phone conversation with Gordon Brown saying there were no raised voice. He said your company has declared war on our government. And I have no choice but to declare war on your company. And I said I'm sorry about that Gordon end of subject. That is Rupert Murdoch's version of events.

Well, Gordon Brown completely contradicted that, effectively accusing Rupert Murdoch of lying under oath to this inquiry. Here's what Gordon Brown had to say on that phone call.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GORDON BROWN, FRM. BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: There's a story that I sort of slammed the phone down on him. And secondly, there's another story from Mr. Murdoch himself that I threatened him. This did not happen. I have to say to you that there's no evidence it happened, other than Mr. Murdoch's. But it didn't happen, because I didn't call him. And I had no reason to want to call him. And I would not have called him given everything I've said to you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIVERS: So Gordon Brown actually published a list of all the phone conversations he alleged that he had with Rupert Murdoch through the number 10 switchboard. And basically claimed the only conversation he had after The Sun switched allegiance was about Afghanistan and about The Sun's criticism of his alleged mismanagement of the war in Afghanistan and claims that they at no point had any conversation about The Sun switching allegiance in September 2009.

So a real broadside attack from Gordon Brown on a number of occasions accusing the press as well as having evil intentions at one point, really not hesitating in his own flinching criticism of the press and particularly of Rupert Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks.

COREN: Dan, this is the inquiry's most politically charged week as we mentioned in the introduction. Now Prime Minister David Cameron is due to take the stand on Thursday. And there will be a great deal of interest in his relationship with Rupert Murdoch considering the media magnate was one of the first people to visit Prime Minister Cameron at 10 Downing Street when he became prime minister.

RIVERS: Absolutely, yeah. David Cameron has a whole day of evidence to face on Thursday here. This is -- this is going to be a real heavyweight week of political evidence here. We've got the Chancellor George Osborne giving evidence this afternoon. We then got the Ed Miller Band, the opposition labor leader giving evidence and then David Cameron the prime minister on Thursday.

And again, I'm sure as you mentioned David Cameron will also be drilled intensely about the nature of his relationship with Rupert Murdoch, a relationship that pretty much everyone, all prime ministers now have got too close with all the different political parties down the years, but it will be interesting to hear specifically about the conversations they had, the emails they had. That's what's been so fascinating here at the Leveson inquiry, not just the fact that senior politicians have been called to give evidence, but they're also being forced to give up emails, text messages, phone calls and so on, which is really peeled back the layers of how modern government works here in the UK and has sliced right through -- you know, as close as you can hope, really, to get to the truth of the nature of some of these relationships.

COREN: Dan Rivers in London, thank you.

Well, turning now to Myanmar with the United Nations is pulling staff from one western state after clashes between Muslims and Buddhists. Well, 17 people have been killed in sectarian violence in Rakhine over the past week prompting the government to impose a state of emergency there. Well, on Sunday Rakhine villages set fire to the houses of ethnic Muslim Rohingyas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THEIN SEIN, MYANMAR PRESIDENT (through translator): What is apparently happening in the Rakhine state is about grievances, hatred and desire for revenge at the forefront based on racial and religious grounds and that's why anarchic actions are becoming widespread.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Well, the unrest runs counter to recent efforts by the government to reconcile Myanmar's different ethnic groups and moves towards democracy.

Well, they are the victims of human trafficking lured to the United States in hope of a better life. We follow a special task force in California as they crack down on a prostitution ring. A report from CNN's Freedom Project's undercover series.

As Euro 2012 fans descend on Ukraine, one of the co-hosts of the games well some are hoping will shine a critical light on Ukrainian politics.

And to the French Open where Rafael Nadal has made history in the men's finals. We'll get a live report from Roland Garos.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: Rafa Nadal has made history, the Spaniard has won the French Open for a record 7th time. Well, Nadal beat Novak Djokovic in four sets after a rain delay forced him to abandon play on Sunday. Well, when they resumed on Monday Nadal quickly closed out the match to take his 11th grand slam crown.

Let's go straight to Alex Thomas who is at Roland Garos. He joins us from Paris. I must say it was a very unhappy Rafa Nadal yesterday when play was suspended. Today he must be ecstatic.

ALEX THOMAS, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Anna. Rafa Nadal did like the rain on Sunday, because he claimed it made the balls heavier, stopped all the spin that he imparts on the ball when he hits his shots, and maybe was part of the reason for Novak Djokovic coming back into the match when he'd lost the first two sets.

We resumed at 1:00 in the afternoon Paris time with Novak Djokovic a break of serve up in the fourth set. And with all sides pointing to another five set marathon between these two players who were meeting at a grand slam final for a record fourth -- fifth time.

But in the end, Rafael Nadal was victorious, an anti-climactic end to the match. He broke back during that fourth set. And then eventually the match was decided when Novak Djokovic double faulted with a break and match point to Rafael Nadal.

Nadal is the champion here at Roland Garos. You just heard the Spanish national anthem being played. The trophies have been presented. And they're about to close the photos. And Nadal has a long evening ahead of media interviews explaining why he probably is in all expectation the greatest man -- men's tennis player ever to play on clay, Anna.

COREN: Yeah, he certainly loves that surface, doesn't he? Novak Djovovic obviously must be extremely disappointed. He was going after the title of all four majors, some that Rod Laver last claimed back in 1969.

THOMAS: Yeah, that's right. More than 40 years since anyone has held all four of the men's grand slam titles at the same. Laver, Rocket Rod did it in one calendar year. Djokovic would have just done it over two years, but holding all four titles at the same time would have been a tremendous achievement and kept him on course for a golden slam of all four majors in one year and the Olympic games, which wasn't around during Rod Laver's time. But Djokovic has failed in that narrowly. He still has an amazing 12 to 18 months. And his amazing rivalry with Rafa Nadal is set to continue with Roger Federer breathing down their necks.

If Nadal hadn't won today, he would have slipped down to world number three even though Federer wasn't beaten by Djokovic in the semifinals there. So a top trio of men's tennis making the game absolutely thrilling. And the record books are really under threat in the months and years ahead, Anna.

COREN: Alex Thomas joining us from Roland Garos in Paris. Thank you for that.

Well, let's now go to the world weather center where our Mari Ramos joins us. Mari, obviously those conditions in Paris came good for Rafa Nadal.

MARI RAMOS, CNN WEATHER CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. You know, I could hardly hear you there. I think something had to my IOC. There we go. But you know what, I think you asked me about Nadal and the weather there in Paris. I think he was probably checking the weather himself because we were looking at the radar here at the CNN world weather center thinking oh my goodness there's more rain on the way. They better wrap this up quickly or they're going to have to wait again until tomorrow.

There's Paris right there. You had those rain showers, the heavy rain that pushed through earlier. There's some scattered showers right now. And then here comes the heavy stuff back over here across western parts of France. You can see that right there, Anna.

So pretty significant stuff that's going to be moving in through there later. That's not the only place where we have some heavy rain across western France. Notice back over here as we head through Belgium and Luxembourg and back over toward Germany. The rain continues to pull on through here back over toward Switzerland, northern parts of Italy, Austria, and also pretty good set of rain right here across southern parts of the UK. That's going to continue.

We also have the possibility of some strong storms developing again across northeastern Europe as we head into the overnight tonight. So watch out for that. Some strong thunderstorms possible.

The other weather related thing that we've been hearing, of course, is about how warm its been across southeastern Europe I should say Eastern Europe for the UEFA Cup. And you know what, it has been quite warm. Look at Kiev, right at 29 degrees. Compare that to Warsaw at 20.

Well, we're going to see conditions of course get a little bit better later today -- look at that, between 24 and 27. So that's pretty hot playing for playing football, right? Sunny skies expected for the first match. And then in Kiev where it has been so warm since the game is later I think by then we should begin to see conditions a little bit more pleasant, but still on the warm side, close to 22 at game time in Kiev later tonight.

Let's go ahead and switch gears. I want to take you to Asia. Let's go ahead and start with a live look outside Hong Kong right now, because I do want to show you it looks generally clear, a little bit of cloud cover still there. We've had some pretty nasty weather across East Asia including Hong Kong. Very strong winds. And you had an amber thunderstorm warning earlier. Other areas had not been so lucky. They say some significant flooding. Let's go ahead and roll the pictures that we had from China. Can you -- the rescues have been ongoing. We've had some very significant flooding across many parts. The bulk of the rain again if we can roll the video has been across east Asia.

Fujian Province is one of the areas hardest hit. Rescues like this one that you see here pretty significant stuff. Scary moments, Anna, as they try to rescue this man trapped by the fast moving and rising flood waters. Very brave rescue workers. You've really got to hand it to the men and women that do that line of work to risk their own lives to save others.

And then, of course, widespread flooding, mudslides, Chinese state media reporting at least five people killed just over the weekend in this one province alone because of mudslides and very dangerous conditions on the roadways, expect travel delays like I was saying. The heaviest rain, now, has shifted farther toward the coast so it's going to be along the coastline where we're going to see the heaviest rain for the next 24 hours. That's going to be the thing to watch.

Right over here, you see all that rain falling right there. That include Taiwan, by the way.

Let's go ahead and head back to you.

COREN: Yes. Certainly lots of activity. We are waiting for those thunderstorms. And that's no way they've arrived just yet, Mari, but we'll keep an eye on it from here as well. Mari Ramos, thank you very much.

Well, let's say we've at China. And the country is taking it's space program to the next level so to speak. State media have announced plans for the country's first manned space docking. The Shenzhou 9 is expected to dock with China's orbiting space lab some time in mid-June. According to Xinua news agency one of the three crew members will be a women.

If everything goes as planned, China will be the third country after the U.S. and Russia to complete a manned docking.

Well, you are watching News Stream. Still to come, the CNN freedom project investigates sex slavery in suburban California. Please stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: Well, just across the street from elementary school in suburban Los Angeles is a house holding alleged sex slaves from Asia. As part of CNN's special freedom undercover series, Thelma Gutierrez reports this is not an isolated case.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARK NYE, WESTMINSTER POLICE: We're going to be doing a UC operation at the brothel.

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORREPSONDENT: It's 9:00 am. The Orange County human trafficking task force is about to jump into action and our cameras were there. They're about to bust an international prostitution ring called Operation: China Doll.

NYE: Yeah, the undercover go up to the door and knock on it.

GUTIERREZ: For Westminster Police investigator Mark Nye, this is the culmination of a seven month investigation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police search warrant. Anybody hear me?

GUTIERREZ: Four suspects are arrested and accused of pimping and pandering as many as 10 women from rural China.

Do you believe the women were victims of human trafficking?

NYE: Yes, I do.

GUTIERREZ: Based on what?

NYE: Based on control -- immigration status

GUTIERREZ: Nye says the women were brought here on visitor visas.

NYE: They didn't speak any English. They were in these brothels where there was no -- there was no transportation for them to and from. They were dropped off at these locations, left for days at a time with no clothing, very little food, a lot of times they went right from the airport directly to a brothel.

GUTIERREZ: Inside the brothel, boxes of condoms and cash hidden in the freezer. In the suspected pimps home, pregnancy test kits and thousands of dollars stuffed into marked envelopes.

NYE: The victims were sleeping with as many as 10 men a day. And they're charging $160 per person.

GUTIERREZ: Is it your impression that this is just one of many?

NYE: Yes, no question about it.

GUTIERREZ: This woman, we'll call Sue, has lived a nightmare. For six years she was a sex slave. Like the Chinese women who were trafficked to Orange County, Sue was also brought to the U.S. from South Korea on a false promise of legitimate work. After paying a recruiter $7,000, she was sent to a brothel in San Francisco where she was advertised on the internet and beaten into submission.

Did you ever try to run away?

SUE (through translator): In the beginning, I said no all the time. And I got beaten a lot.

GUTIERREZ: Do you believe that the customers knew that you were doing this against your will?

SUE: No.

GUTIERREZ: But Sue was a profitable commodity, earning her pimps thousands of dollars a week. Like the Chinese women in Orange County, she was given little to eat and little to wear.

SUE (through translator): I only slept for four hours. The windows were all boarded up. The door was locked and only the manager was able to open it. There was nobody to help me.

GUTIERREZ: Even worse, Sue couldn't speak English. She didn't know where she was. And says there were 30 others just like her living in fear.

NYE: I think that once we start locking up these people who are doing the trafficking, that maybe these victims will come forward.

GUTIERREZ: In the China Doll sting operation, the suspects pleaded not guilty to pimping and pandering. Investigators are still hoping trafficking charges will be filed against them.

What do you want to tell the clients about what this does to a person's humanity?

SUE (through translator): We are human. We are not animals. Please think of us as your child, just once please think of us as your child. So hard for me to live my life. It's very hard for me to live.

GUTIERREZ: Sue was finally able to escape five years ago. Even so, the emotional scares and memories continue to hold her captive. Selma Gutierrez, CNN, Westminster, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: A tragic story. And there are so many others like it. Well, for more, go to CNN.com/Freedom. There you'll find more stories about injustice around the globe and details of organizations seeking your help to fight it.

News Stream returns after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: I'm Anna Coren in Hong Kong. You're watching News Stream. These are your world headlines.

Well, stock markets in Europe and Asia have rallied after Spain requested $125 billion lifeline for its banks. Well, Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy says the loan from the European Union will help restore the euros credibility. They also warn that Spain's economic problems would worsen despite the loan request.

Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is lashing out at media magnate Rupert Murdoch and Murdoch's son James testifying at the Leveson inquiry into media ethics on Monday. Mr. Brown accused James Murdoch of, quote, breathtaking arrogance. And he denied Rupert Murdoch's claim that Brown declared war on Murdoch's company back in 2009. Well, Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to testify on Thursday.

French President Francois Hollande's Socialist Party is on track to win a majority in the country's parliament. Well, that part of the first round of voting for the Socialist take a comfortable lead. The polls are important, because they will help determine how much support Hollande will be able to gain for his policies.

United Nations says it has begun pulling staff out of a western state in Myanmar following violence between Muslims and Buddhists. A state of emergency has been declared in Rakhine where at least 17 people reportedly have been killed in a week of clashes. The unrest broke out after three Muslims men were arrested in connection with the rape and killing of a Buddhist woman last month.

Well, Euro 2012 fever is going to reach a high with co-host Ukraine's team playing its first game. It will take place in about six hours in Kiev where they'll play against Sweden. But for some, the situation of former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko is overshadowing the game. Well, Tymoshenko is serving a seven year sentence for abuse of power, a charge she denies.

Well, last month she ended a hunger strike and is now recuperating in hospital. And as Phil Black reports, many of Tymoshenko's supporters hope that having the games in Ukraine will serve to focus more attention on her plight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: When we first arrived at Yulia Tymoshenko's hospital in Kharkiv, the police officer at the gate let us in. Minutes later, he's overruled by someone behind the CCTV cameras. And we're told to get out. But we're there long enough to see the windows to Tymoshenko's room. They're on the top floor of the nine story building. And they're the only windows with metal bars on the outside.

Inside that room, the Ukrainian opposition leader is being treated for severe back pain. It's where she recovered from a 20 day hunger strike. And these bruises, which she says were caused by a beating from prison guards. It's also where she and her lawyer, Sergiy Vlasenko, now worked to overturn the conviction for abusing power while she was prime minister. But Vlasenko believes his legal arguments have little hope of persuading a Ukrainian court.

SERGIY VLASENKO, YULIA TYMOSHENKO'S LAWYER: They are not even working upon the evidence or witnesses or what else, they are just writing a couple of words which have no commonsense at all and present it to the court. And the court is just is just closing the eyes and saying yes, she is guilty, she is guilty.

BLACK: While these women are keeping a quite, constant vigil of support outside Tymoshenko's hospital, thousands of noisy European football fans are invading the same city to enjoy Euro 2012. Many have heard of Yulia Tymoshenko. And they know some governments are boycotting Ukraine during the championship because they believe she and others have been locked up for opposing the country's president Viktor Yanukovych.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's more to come here and celebrate together with all the people and also convey the message how it can be a democracy instead of not going here and leave it as is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's political thing, so it's maybe it's good the politicians will not go here, but we are supporters. So it is different.

BLACK: We sent questions to Tymoshenko asking if she thinks it's appropriate for Europe's leaders to mix politics with sport. She replied with a message for them, by standing next to Yanukovych or by shaking his hand, you will help the authoritarian regime in Ukraine that takes away all rights and freedoms from citizens of my country. This time we need your support more than ever.

Yulia Tymoshenko and her supporters know Euro 2012 is an enormous opportunity to publicize their cause and rally for international pressure against the government of Ukraine. But they also know that alone will not win her freedom or achieve political change here. So they have a wider strategy.

Tymoshenko's next step, says her daughter Yevhenia, is focusing the world's attention on Ukraine's parliamentary elections in October.

YEVHENIA TYMOSHENKO, DAUGHTER: She's proven once again that she's a leader, that she's a position leader. She's prepared to fight for her country despite -- you know, she's been maltreated, imprisoned.

BLACK: Ukrainian authorities deny Tymoshenko's claims of abuse.

Prime Minister Mykola Azarov told me she's been sentenced to seven years for a serious crime, not her politics. But that's unlikely to persuade the countries that are lining up behind Yulia Tymoshenko as she fights Ukraine's government from a hospital bed behind those metal bars.

Phil Black, CNN, Kharkiv, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: Well, meantime Ukraine will be the site of the day's two games in Euro 2012 on Monday. Amanda Davies joins us from London with a preview. Hello Amanda.

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Anna. Yeah, England and Roy Hodgson really haven't had that long to prepare for this, just 40 days since Hodgson took charge of England. And he leaded with three lines in his first competitive match against a France side that are unbeaten in their last 21 games. England go into the match as the underdogs, but Hodgson insists he has given his side their best possible preparation for their tournament opener despite the short time in charge and suspension for Wayne Rooney and injuries to players like Frank Lampard.

They are without a win in their last five meetings against Le Bleu, having lost the last three. And the former manager Glenn Hoddle says being the underdogs might just do England a favor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GLANN HODDLE, FORMER ENGLAND MANAGER: Just got to get off to a good start I think against France. If you can do that, then the momentum happens, you get a bit of belief in the camp and things can happen as other countries have proved certainly in the Euros over the last 20, 30 years you know with Greece and Denmark.

So it might be a good thing for us to be a little bit underdogs this time. I think sometimes we're better when we're -- when our backs are against the wall a little bit. So I think that spirit might galvanize the team. And I think you might be surprised.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVIES: France, of course, won the European championship back in 2000. And coach Laurent Blanc has been playing mind games ahead of the meeting in Donetsk criticizing England's style of play as being too conservative. Its side qualified for the finals as the group winners and won their three warm-up matches ahead of the tournament so they go into the game in much better spirits than ahead of that fated world cup campaign in 2010.

Well, the second match you've already spoken about, Anna, is guaranteed to be a sea of yellow and blue with both Ukraine and their opponents, Sweden, playing in the same colors. Co-host Ukraine are making their tournament debut. They haven't had the best preparation, though. A bout of food poisoning has affected the squad. But Coach Oleg Blokhin insists that has now cleared up.

Don't forget you can keep right up to date with everything that's happening. If you can't watch the games, or if you just want more from your matchday experience, you can log on to CNN.com. We're live blogging each and every game. You can get involved as well. Send your Twitter messages to the team and get involved in this event.

Well, there are reports today that fears of racism at games came true on Sunday with hundreds of fans making monkey noises at Italy striker Mario Balotelli during their match against Spain in Gdansk, press photographers sat in front of the Spanish fans at the game have reported the abuse from between 200 and 300 fans, although as yet it's unclear whether Balotelli himself heard the chants.

The match finished 1-1 with the Italy coach Cesare Prandelli left to rue a missed opportunity for victory against the defending world and European champions. The Azzurri pegged Spain back for long periods and took the lead through Antonio Di Natale on the hour. But just three minutes later, Cesc Fabregas equalized for Spain for what Prandelli described as a fair result.

And the Republic of Ireland's prospects of progressing beyond the groups stages suffered a blow with a comprehensive 3-1 drubbing by Croatia in Poznan. In the other match in Group C Croatia have never lost in an opening game at the European championships.

But events in Poznan were marred by violent clashes ahead of the game. And Polish police say they've arrested 14 football fans involved in a brawl that broke out ahead of the game between Ireland and Croatia. A police official have said that they detained 10 Poles, three Irish fans, and one Croat. And are still trying to determine what role they had in the fight.

Quite shocking video footage here show chairs toppled on the square and police arriving in force to make arrests. The violence comes after Russia fans attacked stadium stewards on Friday night in Wroclaw.

That's it from me and the sports team for now. Back to you, Anna.

COREN: Amanda, thank you very much.

Well, what is next from Apple? The world will get its first look today. Ahead we go to the U.S. city of San Francisco to Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: Welcome back.

Well, this news just into us here at CNN. An Interior Ministry spokesman says jailed former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak is in a coma. Well, senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman joins us from Cairo. And Ben, what can you tell us?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: ...also heard from his lawyer who says that this condition has been going on for awhile, that he's not in very good condition. We are also told that his two sons, Gamel and Alaa requested and been allowed to go to his bedside at this point. The Mubarak family in addition to his legal team are pressing to have him moved from Tora prison which is south of Cairo where he's been since last -- since the second of June when the verdict was passed. He's been given a life sentence. They want him to move on to -- rather to be moved to a military hospital in the southern part of the city -- Anna.

COREN: Ben, what has been the reaction to this news from ordinary Egyptians?

WEDEMAN: I'm having some communications problems. I cannot hear you.

COREN: Ben, I'll repeat the question. I'm just wondering what the reaction has been to this news?

WEDEMAN: Well, they're sort of -- Egyptians are really split when it comes to the status of Hosni Mubarak. Some people feel that he's an old man who despite some of his shortcomings as president is somebody who served the country as head of the Egyptian air force during the 1973 war. He was Egypt's vice president and he served as president for 30 years and therefore he deserves a better fate than that.

There are other Egyptians who point to the more than 800 protesters who were killed during the 18 day uprising early last year who point to years of corruption, or nepotism, of mismanagement of the country. They wanted to see a much harsher sentence than a life term, they want to see him -- many of them wanted to see him executed. So there's a very distinct difference of opinion.

COREN: Yeah, as you say, there was a great deal of anger after his sentencing wasn't there? Crowds took to the streets. They did want him executed. Instead he got life in prison as an accomplice in the killings of Annan's demonstrators during January 2011 protest in which you were there.

What will happen from here, Ben, considering his health is deteriorating? What can we expect from the government?

WEDEMAN: Anna -- I'm sorry, Anna, there's communications problems. I cannot get your question.

COREN: Not a problem. Ben, we appreciate the update there. Ben Wedeman joining us from Cairo.

Stay with News Stream, much more after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: Welcome back.

Apple's CEO is set to take the stage in San Francisco in the next few hours. He will be speaking at Apple's annual developers conference. But consumers are watching closely to see what new products the tech giant might unveil. Someone else keeping a very close eye on all things Apple is our Silicon Valley correspondent Dan Simon. Dan, there is so much that could be announced today. So let's break it up for our viewers. Firstly, the iPhone. Will we see the new iPhone today?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anna, I don't think so. This doesn't really reconcile with the calendar in terms of releasing an iPhone or an iPad. Those events usually happen at different points during the year. So no iPhone today. But hopefully there will be some good stuff.

COREN: Well, what about Apple Macs? Any chance of new Macs coming out today?

SIMON: We are due to see some new Macintosh products. In fact, the entire Mac family should probably see a new computer associated with them.

Let me kind of show you, Anna, where we are here. We're in front of the Moscone Center downtown San Francisco. Take a look at these crowds, the line as far as you can see. These are folks coming in for the developers conference, the Worldwide Developers Conference, 5,000 people from all over the globe. They paid $1,600 bucks a pop to get there. Of course, they're in line so they can go see the keynote address with Tim Cook delivering the keynote at 10:00 am local time. So the people at the front of the line, they got here, some got here yesterday afternoon hoping to get a good seat for that keynote -- Anna.

COREN: Yes. Diehard Apple fans indeed.

Dan, what about the fabled Apple television? Will we see perhaps an Apple branded TV be revealed today?

SIMON: You know, a lot of people have been talking about that. And Apple is rumored to be getting into the television business. I don't think actually we're going to see that today. What's possible, according to a lot of the blogs and sort of the rumors out there is that Apple might release an application if you will for developers to create apps for the current Apple TV offering, which is a set top box, might Apple allow you know folks like this behind me to create apps for the Apple TV. We'll have to wait and see.

But the one thing that is certain to come out today is a preview of the operating system that powers the iPhone and the iPad. We're likely to see a bunch of new features for the iPhone, deeper Facebook integration, for example, perhaps better features with Siri, the voice enabled assistant. And we're likely to see a whole new mapping experience on the iPhone, Apple expected to ditch Google which provides the maps for Apple and come out with its own proprietary technology, Anna.

COREN: Dan, you mentioned that all those people are queuing up to listen to this keynote address by CEO Tim Cook. He's of course the face of the conference. Are we seeing more of what Apple is like beyond Steve Jobs or is it Jobs' influence still all over the company?

SIMON: Well, I think his influence is still all over the company. Tim Cook is obviously, you know, imprinted his philosophy within the company. He's been now the CEO for about a year now. You know, one thing -- you know, Tim Cook has said is that he's not trying to be like Steve Jobs. He's trying to be his own man. And if you look at the results of the company over the past, you know, six to nine months they've had knockout quarters of record revenues. So they haven't skipped a beat with Tim Cook in charge.

COREN: And Dan, finally from the people that you've spoken to, what are they looking forward to seeing?

SIMON: Well, what they're really looking forward to is the unknown. Like I said, might there be some sort of television product. I think everybody knows it's a given that we'll see some new software and some new Macintosh computers, but I think the most anticipation is, is there something that we're missing out there? Might there be some kind of new product in the works. And I think that's what the media and everybody else here would like to see as well.

COREN: Dan Simon joining us from San Francisco. Many thanks.

SIMON: Well, carmakers aiming to produce greener vehicles have had success with electric of hybrid models such as Toyota's popular Prius, but when it comes to taking advantage of hydrogen power, they have hit some roadblocks. Well, in this week's ecosolution Kyung Lah looks at the challenges facing what some hope will be the fuel of the future.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDNET: Hidayaki Tatano (ph) never thought he'd live to see this day, when his car for his government job as a driver for Saitama Prefecture doesn't run on ordinary gas.

You feel like you're driving the future?

"It's a good thing," he continues. "We're helping to solve the climate change problem."

The car is Honda's FCX Clarity, a hydrogen powered vehicle. The fueling station, solar powered. It's an experiment for the city, using the car for daily business. Call this set-up super green. Only sun and water power this car and station. No pollution in or out.

"We're developing this technology with a strong belief that the ultimate future in green cars is hydrogen," says Honda's chief engineer for this project.

Green fuel stations, zero emission hydrogen cars, you're looking at what Honda is betting will replace the gas guzzling cars of today.

The big problem, infrastructure. It doesn't take much to build this, an electric charging station that charges your car because the electric grid already exists. You can't say the same about hydrogen.

ERIC CHENG, HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY: We really can effect the economy for housing. For example, (inaudible) storage, the piping, the generation of housing. All these things (inaudible) a lot of the work.

LAH: Hydrogen has baby stepped out of concept to usage. Hydrogen buses are on the road in Europe and in Japan. Honda's FCX Clarity is in mass production. But the high cost of the vehicle and the lack of fueling stations has put the breaks on car sales really taking off. Japanese automakers working with cities like Saitama hope to figure out how to get over the hurdles and make hydrogen commonly available by 2015, the same year Hidayaki Tatano (ph) is set to retire. He hopes to be driving a workable present day solution by then.

Kyung Lah, CNN, Saitama, Japan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: Now this is an example of driving which definitely is not ecofriendly. Take a look at these pictures from China where police put the breaks on speeders of an unusual kind. Well, unusual because all of the 14 cars involved were Ferraris. The luxury vehicles were traveling from Shanghai to an event in eastern China over the weekend. Well, the fastest car was traveling at 213 kilometers an hour, over twice the legal limit. Police issued fines and revoked the licenses of the worst offenders.

Well, she is no stranger to controversy, but it was Lady Gaga's turn to be stunned on Sunday after being hit on the head with a metal pole. The singer was left concussed mid-performance when a back-up singer accidentally struck her with a metal pole while removing it from the stage. The incident took place as the U.S. pop star performed her final show in New Zealand. Although she staggered briefly after the incident, Gaga continued the show and assured fans she was OK. A true professional.

Well, finally to recap the news that we brought to you a little bit earlier. Rafa Nadal has become the most successful player in French Open history, claiming his record seventh Roland Garos title. He resumed on Monday two sets to one up against world number one Novak Djokovic after rain stopped play on Sunday.

It was Djokovic with the momentum when they were forced off court last night, having won eight games in a row. But Nadal started the better on Monday and resuming it at 1-2 down in the fourth. He broke back in the Opening game to go on to take the set 7-5. Well, with it, he broke Bjorn Borg's record six French Open crowns to confirm his title as the king of clay.

Well, that is News Stream, but the news continues here at CNN. World Business Today is coming up next.

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