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U.S. House Approves $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill; Ethiopian Prime Minister Under Pressure As Rebel Fighters Advance; At Least Eight Dead At Houston Music Festival; Kyle Rittenhouse Murder Trial; Young Activists Demand More Action On Climate Crisis; Packers QB Confirms He's Unvaccinated; Yorkshire CCC Racism Saga. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired November 06, 2021 - 03:00   ET

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

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The U.S. President, Joe Biden, finally has one pillar of his sweeping domestic agenda in place, scoring a major win in Congress, with the final passage of his $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On this vote, the yeas are 228 and the nays are 206. The motion is adopted.

HOLMES (voice-over): After the vote, Mr. Biden released a statement, calling it a "monumental step forward as a nation."

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HOLMES: Getting the bill through the House was an uphill struggle and passage uncertain, shortly before the vote was held. But late-night arm-twisting by the president got enough Democrats on board to make it happen. CNN's Jessica Dean with the details.

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JESSICA DEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Big news out of the U.S. House of Representatives tonight, as the bipartisan infrastructure bill makes it out of the House and is now heading to President Biden's desk for his signature.

So a major part of his legislative agenda getting done. House Democrats getting it done with 13 House Republicans joining them in that vote. You did see six progressives who voted against this. But the bottom line is the bipartisan infrastructure bill will, now, become law.

It is a big victory for President Biden, who was really hoping and had to end up calling and trying to push this over the finish line multiple times. But really, today, when it really came down to it, we started the day with expected morning votes and something that would be rather quick.

And it did not turn out that way, just hours and hours on negotiations dragged on, as various factions of the party wanted different things. A handful of House moderates, holding out for a CBO score on the Build Back Better Act.

And then the Congressional Black Caucus, offering a compromise idea, to vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill and a procedural vote on the Build Back Better Act.

While progressives balked at that at the beginning but, in the end, everyone came around, with moderates offering up a statement, committing to voting for the Build Back Better Act by November 15th.

And then progressives, the chairwoman of the progressives saying, the bulk of them would vote for this, which is what ended up happening and that is how they were able to get to those magic numbers and get this bill to President Biden.

That heads to his desk to become law. And as for the Build Back Better Act, it now has to pass the House. It will then go to the Senate, where expected a ton of changes will be made.

We know a number of senators, including Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema and also senator Bernie Sanders and others want changes made to this. So expect that also to be a long, drawn-out process, before it makes its way back to the House side -- Jessica Dean, CNN, Capitol Hill.

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HOLMES: I mentioned earlier, the statement President Biden released, right after the vote, touting the achievement. I want to read part of it to you.

The bill, quote, "will create millions of jobs, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity and put us on a path to win the economic competition for the 21st century."

Now Friday's vote was preceded by intense negotiations, going late, late into the night. But after moderate and progressive Democrats reached a deal on the president's social safety net bill, both sides declared victory, as they prepare to vote. Have a listen.

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REP. JOSH GOTTHEIMER (D-NJ): Tonight, we have reached a historic agreement, marking a major victory for our country, for pragmatic problem solving, for bipartisan governing and, most importantly, for helping countless families across America.

Finally, with tonight's vote, we plan to hold any minute, we are sending the once in a century bipartisan infrastructure bill, to the president's desk. Separately, we have also reached an agreement to move forward on a common-sense Build Back Better reconciliation bill, assuming Congressional Budget Office fiscal analysis is consistent with White House financial numbers we received last night.

REP. PRAMILA JAYAPAL (D-WA): Our colleagues have committed, they will all vote for the rule tonight on the Build Back Better Act. And, they have also committed that no later than November 15th, they will, also, deliver the votes to pass the Build Back Better Act, which, for us, has been a transformative bill, a bill that, will actually, address racial justice.

That will ensure that we are providing universal pre-K, childcare, that we are ensuring that we addressed health care costs and cap costs across the country, that we, finally, finally, take on Big Pharma, and cap the cost of prescription drugs.

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JAYAPAL: That we address the situation for our immigrant families, across the country and, importantly, that we take on climate change, with real, meaningful carbon reductions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Let's take a closer look at what is in the bipartisan infrastructure package. It comes with a $1.2 trillion price tag and $110 billion of that is earmarked for fixing up roads and bridges. It also includes $66 billion to overhaul passenger and freight rail; $55 billion will go toward upgrading water infrastructure and $65 billion will be spent on improving broadband internet access.

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HOLMES: Political analyst Peter Mathews teaches political science at Cypress College, joining us from Los Angeles.

Thank you for doing so. Weeks and weeks of negotiations. Democrats, finally, delivering for President Biden.

How big of a win was it for him, politically?

PETER MATHEWS, POLITICAL ANALYST, CYPRESS COLLEGE: It was very big and indispensable, after the losses in Virginia and the lower turnout for Democrats in New Jersey. But the main thing is he got the hard infrastructure. That's to build roads, bridges and broadband, things that people can see, feel and touch. Got that through with bipartisan support.

But now, the move is to go on to the other infrastructure, the human infrastructure, including after school programs and getting the elderly to be helped in their homes and, having money for education and other things, it are very important.

So 2 different things, hard infrastructure and the social spending coming up in the future. The 2 factions of the Democratic Party, progressives and moderates, have moved together on both saying that, people vote for this, now and we will vote for the other, later.

HOLMES: Where, then, does this lead the Build Back Better Act, the one that progressives so want and fought to vote on at the same time?

What, now, for that?

MATHEWS: I think they'll move forward.

The question is, how long will it be?

There was a $6 trillion request, brought down to $3.5 trillion, then President Biden pushed and they couldn't even got, that they got $1.75 trillion, right now, on the books. But if progressives can agree to that, at least, some major accomplishments like two years of free community college will probably be dropped from that one.

Some of it was, dropped some of it was kept. The idea of what is kept, will help expand social spending, helping make people's lives better and allow American women to go back to work, for example, with help in the home of childcare and elder care, etc.

Moving forward, the question is, how much?

HOLMES: There is plenty in there that is popular with the public, both in Build Back Better but also, in the infrastructure bill. It will be good for the country and it will be jobs investment, structural improvements, as we said.

Yet, it was so hard to get it over the line.

What does the process, talking about Build Back Better, as well, the fractious, almost chaotic protest say about politics in the, U.S. right now?

MATHEWS: Really, it is fractured. It is not smooth enough for the majority of the people can get pushed through. As I said, the $3.5 trillion version of it, was supported by at least 60 percent of the American public. Even Republican support, half of them did support it.

But the problem is, some people, like senator Sinema and senator Manchin, were more, moderate Democrats and had their own constituencies, with pharmaceutical companies and coal mine companies, that, actually, were pulling in a different direction from the progressives.

It's difficult to get the Democratic Party to unite, on common ground, because they have different interests and different sponsors in the party. Take AOC, for example, to Manchin and that's the problem. That is to be worked out. I think Nancy Pelosi is doing a fine dance to get it done, right now.

HOLMES: It was, obviously, quite important politically. It's an important bill for the country. No doubt about that.

But it was important, politically for the president, in terms of the midterms that are coming up, 2022. What damage, if any, did the Democrats do to themselves with the

infighting and the rocky road, so far, with the rocky road, likely, ahead?

It makes the party look splintered, doesn't it?

MATHEWS: Certainly, it does. It has damaged the party, because don't forget, these plans have been passed way back in the beginning of the year. It has been on for 9, months haggling over it with different factions.

The president couldn't even get them to unite for 9 months. That was seen as ineffective leadership. So the Democrats had to do it today and they have to go further to get the second part, on the Build Back Better Act, which is the second part.

And that needs to be done as well, because what the progressives, want and at the same, time the president wanted it but they didn't get it. Now they can do and just a couple weeks apart. It will help the party if they can pass that part of it as well.

HOLMES: The midterms aren't far away but they are. There's a bit of time.

Will this help him, the president, in terms of going into that election?

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MATHEWS: Certainly, it will help him. The momentum will be there. Then, he also has to deal with COVID. That will be around for a while, as well. You can see, with the mandates he's coming across, some people protesting, it like 25 percent of Americans don't want the vaccination at all.

He has those problems, to show that he's an effective leader. And it's a very tough situation, finding multiple challenges, at the same time, which very few presidents find this many, at one time.

HOLMES: Peter Mathews, I really appreciate it. Thank you for the analysis.

MATHEWS: Thank you, Michael.

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HOLMES: Just a day after the U.K. authorized Merck's anti COVID pill for treatment of some cases of coronavirus, Pfizer says it has a better one. The company says the interim results of a trial showed that the drug was 89 percent effective in preventing in hospitalizations and deaths.

Unlike the vaccine, the pill would be given to people who are already infected and they would take it at home. The pill, called Paxlovid, would be taken in combination with another antiviral, ritonavir.

Now Pfizer says, it will apply for emergency use authorization in the U.S., possibly as early as this month.

Europe is in the grip of a new COVID surge and health officials, there, say that infections, hospitalizations and deaths will rise for at least two more weeks. Hungary reporting more than 6,800 new cases Friday. That is more than double the number from the middle of last week.

Five other countries reporting record numbers of new cases this week. But in Italy, the government says that its new green pass is starting to make a difference in the fight against COVID-19. It's proves that someone has been vaccinated and is required to enter cinemas, stadia, workplaces and other sites.

For more on the COVID crisis in Europe, Nada Bashir joins us now, live, from London.

Good to see you. These are some dire warnings, that we've seen from the WHO. But the numbers, in many countries, seem to bear out the concerns.

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. We see some stark figures and the alarm bell, really, being sounded by the World Health Organization. The WHO, saying that Europe, now, is at the epicenter of the pandemic once again.

A troubling warning from the WHO, for many governments, across Europe. They, have as you mentioned, warned the cases, and more worryingly, ICU admissions, continue to rise over the next few weeks. That is a serious concern, for many countries, across Europe.

We have seen those rise in cases and a lot of questions, now, are being raised to what needs to be done, what measures need to be put into place, by governments, to make sure these countries don't fall into the same sort of pressure we saw, in previous months of the pandemic, particularly, last winter, where the health care sector, across the continent, was, really, struggling.

What we heard from the WHO in response to these records being broken, in numerous countries, is two key factors and need to be put into consideration. The first, whether or not governments need to bring into force these measures that, were previously, in place.

There are stricter coronavirus measures, including mandatory mask wearing, social distancing and perhaps, even closing some facility akin to a lockdown. We have seen that in some regions, Russia, of course, most recently being put into place, with those really strict measures.

We have also heard, from the WHO, there needs to be an acceleration of the vaccine drive. More emphasis, encouraging more people to get the vaccine, as they have, obviously, highlighted that there is a varying degree of vaccine uptake, across Europe.

This, is really, the problem. We are seeing some countries doing quite well, getting much of their adult population vaccinated but other countries, really, struggling to tackle vaccine hesitancy, particularly in Eastern Europe.

Now as you mentioned, some countries have had success with varying kinds of vaccine health passes. We've seen that in France and, most recently, it's been extended into the next summer, where citizens will have to prove they have had the vaccine, to access activities like the cinema, the theater or traveling long distance on a train.

And, on Italy, slightly tougher measures there that the vaccine green pass means, those working in both the public sector and private sector, have to prove that they have had the vaccine or could face some hefty penalties. Even, the suspension without pay.

So there is a real push there to get the vaccine and to get people to get that jab, in order to ensure that the governments are in the best possible place to tackle the pandemic. Particularly, as we head into the winter months. And, particularly, as they try to tackle the spread of the highly transmissible, Delta variant. Michael?

HOLMES: Having gotten back from France myself, the pass, there, is required in many places or you just won't get in. So seems to have some effect. Nada, good to see, you in London.

Still to come on the program, rebel forces in Ethiopia uniting for a common cause.

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HOLMES: To remove the prime minister from power. Coming up, where the year-long conflict goes from here.

Also, dramatic testimony in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse. What the fiancee of one of the men killed had to say. That is when we come back.

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HOLMES: Welcome back.

The United Nations Security Council is calling for an immediate cease- fire in Ethiopia as joint rebel fighters advance on the capital. Tigrayan forces have aligned themselves with eight other opposition groups in an attempt to remove prime minister Abiy Ahmed from power, a move his government calls a publicity stunt.

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HOLMES: With the situation growing more dire, the U.S. State Department, warning Americans to leave Ethiopia as soon as possible.

CNN's David McKenzie, following the story, from Johannesburg. Joining, me live. So a call from the government, for veterans to rejoin the military.

But at the same, they are telling the people to remain calm about the situation. Quite a contrast.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Michael, it is a contrast and you have several moves by the government, this, week as the rebels came further out, to at least when it comes to the TDF, further out of the normal sort of operation and closer to the capital, Addis Ababa, shocking many.

That fighting, appearing to be ongoing but it's difficult to ascertain, exactly, where the various armed groups and the military, are. But that is coming from the Ethiopian military, also announced on state TV, that all adults, under the age of 55, who are veterans, should, voluntarily, come to join the fight again including officers under the age of 65.

There was an announcement of a sweeping state of emergency, Michael, which means, as a government, they can round of people without due process and also gives them further security powers, outside of the norm.

So this has been taken very seriously by the government, despite the fact that they, are repeatedly, saying that the reporting on this has been alarmist and that Addis Ababa is not under any kind of imminent threat. I think prime minister Abiy is, certainly, at the most vulnerable he's ever been, in just over a year of this conflict. Michael?

HOLMES: You have government forces, sort of, engaged with the TDF.

What happens next?

MCKENZIE: What happens next is difficult to predict. There was surprise, as I said, that the TDF moved, relatively, rapidly, to an area of about 300 kilometers or 200 odd miles from the capital.

There is, also, the unlikely alliance, announced in September, with a different rebel group called, the OLA, that is operating for the south. That is as much a political threat to Abiy as much as a military one.

So you have those groups, those supporters, representatives I, should say, of groups in Ethiopia, who are getting together on Friday, in Washington, D.C., to sign up to an alliance.

Now some of those groups are very powerful, others very, according to analysts, don't have much sway in Ethiopia. The government, as you said, is calling it a political stunt. I think what it means is that the regional politics, of Ethiopia, is squeezing Abiy and there may be very little room for him to maneuver but he digging in and promising to fight. Michael?

HOLMES: David McKenzie, thank you so much, David.

One person is dead and dozens, more injured, after protesters clashed with riot police in Iraq's capital of Baghdad.

Night video shows, riot police, trying to protect the entrance to the green zone, amid angry demonstrations. The heavily guarded green zone, housing government officers and Western embassies, of course. Parties, supported by Iran-backed militias have been protesting, after losing parliamentary seats, in last month's elections.

German authorities, reportedly, believe that a diplomat found dead outside Moscow's embassy in Berlin was a secret agent for Russia's FSB intelligence service. According to "Der Spiegel" magazine, the 35-year old fell from an upper floor of the Russian embassy building. But it is still not clear how he fell.

The Russian embassy didn't agree to an autopsy and the man's diplomatic immunity meant that Germany could not carry out an investigation.

Russian officials say the diplomat's death was a tragic accident and speculation by Western media about the incident is, quote, "absolutely incorrect."

The chart-topping Brazilian singer, Marilia Mendonca, has died in a plane crash. Officials say the Latin Grammy winner was on her way to a concert. Four other people on board also died in the crash.

The state's police chief says it is too early to determine the cause of the accident. But a Brazilian electric company says the plane hit one of its power cables before the crash. Mendonca was only 26 years old. She is survived by her 1-year-old son.

Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM. For international viewers, "AFRICAN VOICES CHANGEMAKERS" is next. Here in the U.S., I'll be back with more news, after the break.

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HOLMES: Welcome back. We have this, just in, at CNN. At least eight people have died at the Astroworld music festival. This is in Houston, Texas. What caused the death is not immediately known.

Authorities say the crowd did surge, shortly after 9 pm local time. At least 17 people, taken to the hospital, 11 of whom, apparently, were in cardiac arrest. Scores of other people injured. The second night of the concert has, unsurprisingly, been canceled. Stay with CNN, as we follow this still developing story. Returning now to our top story, a major piece of the U.S. president

Joe Biden's agenda, finally, passed. We show you pictures there of Capitol Hill, where just a short few hours ago, the House approved a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, giving Mr. Biden a major and much needed win. CNN's Jessica Dean, speaking to Phil Mattingly, right after the legislation was passed.

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DEAN: These various sides were really at odds with each other and that trust issue has been something that we have come back to again and again as this has moved through both the Senate and also the House and all of the various machinations.

You have to think that with them moving forward and progressives buying in, moderates giving them what most of them found acceptable. We did see, as I mentioned, some progressive Democrats voting against this, a handful of them. But you have to think that this is a way forward.

Now, they have turned their eyes, of course, to the Build Back Better Act, which those moderates have committed to voting on by November 15th. And they are waiting on that CBO score. That is going to take some time to get back.

But that is certainly what progressives want to see. And you can bet that is what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House leadership wants to see.

I mean, Phil, they were in and out all day. People in and out of their office. We waited outside her office for hours today and saw various members, various caucus is going in to really plead their case and really trying to thread the needle from all of these various pieces of the Democratic Caucus.

So, of course, they're hoping that they can now move forward and get the second part of President Biden's agenda passed.

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HOLMES: More good news for President Biden. Coming Friday, in the latest U.S. jobs report, more than a half million jobs added in October and the unemployment rate fell to levels, not seen in 1.5 years. CNN chief correspondent, Kaitlan Collins, with the details.

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KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Amid all the Democratic infighting on the Hill, President Biden did get some good news on Friday, when the Labor Department released its October jobs report, revealing, the U.S. economy had added 531,000 jobs that month and of course, the highest number the economy has seen in several months.

This also came with revisions for the jobs report in September and October, of course, those months had been especially low, due to the coronavirus pandemic but have been revised upward by about 200,000, bringing that average up and delivering more good news for this White House, that is trying to dig its way out of this post pandemic economy.

Something that President Biden made clear, in his remarks on the jobs report, not only tying it to the economic agenda he is trying to get passed through Capitol Hill but also, the American Rescue Plan that he passed earlier this year, saying, it is proof that it is working and proof that the U.S. is picking its way out of the latest coronavirus surge, of course, the Delta variant, which was hitting incredibly hard in September.

As White House officials say, they were confident it would bounce back and they are not overfocusing on any one month, looking at the broader picture. This report also showed the unemployment rate, dropped to 4.6 percent. Of course, from 4.8 percent but much further from that 4.6 level that we have seen, previously. Though, it did show the labor participation rate did not change much.

Essentially, it was flat from September to October. That is a number, of course, employers are watching closely, hoping that is a number that picks up -- Kaitlan Collins, CNN, the White House.

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HOLMES: A witness testified Friday that a man Kyle Rittenhouse shot and killed last year during protests in Wisconsin was asking to be shot. A former Marine, describing the man as, acting, quote, very belligerently but he didn't think he was a threat.

The man's fiancee also, testifying, Friday, she described visiting the scene, after her boyfriend had been shot and collapsing when she saw his blood on the ground. The prosecution could rest its case as early as next week.

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HOLMES: It is still unclear if Rittenhouse will, himself, take the stand.

And it was an emotional day in court, as the murder trial of three white men, accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery, a Black jogger, in South Georgia, last year, got underway. Jurors were shown body camera footage of Arbery's last moments.

Prosecutors say he was tracked down by the men, cornered and fatally shot, based on assumptions.

Arbery's mother, breaking down in tears, watching the scene unfold. She says it was the first time she had seen the video.

A defense attorney for Gregory and Travis McMichael say they were conducting a citizen's arrest, saying, Travis shot Arbery in self- defense. The trial will resume, Monday morning.

The U.S. secretary of state, choosing two diplomats, to lead the investigation into the strange health incidents, collectively, known as Havana syndrome. They've sickened dozens of diplomats, spies and troops around the world. But the U.S. government, still, doesn't know what or who, is causing it. CNN's Kylie Atwood, with that story.

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KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY ANALYST: Secretary of state, Tony Blinken, announced that two career, foreign service officers, senior officials, here at the State Department, are going to be taking over the department's handling of the Havana syndrome incidents, that have been occurring, to U.S. diplomats and U.S. intelligence officials, around the world.

Now Margaret Uyehara is going to be the one who is in charge of the care for the diplomats, who are affected by these mysterious illnesses. Then there's another official, Jonathan Moore, who is going to be in charge of the overall task force.

He's going to be working with the interagency effort and particularly looking into what's causing these incidents and who is causing these incidents. Now Secretary Tony Blinken, saying today, he has heard the criticism, that he has heard from department officials, who want to hear more from leadership, about what they are doing to help look into these incidents and to provide support to the diplomats who are affected.

His announcement, today, is part of that effort. He has also met with some of the officials who have been impacted by Havana syndrome, most recently, on his trip to Colombia just last month.

And, he said, when you meet with these officials, you can't help but be, personally, affected by what they are going through, citing, the physical and psychological impacts, that these incidents have had on U.S. diplomats, headaches, depression and the like.

Citing, some of those specific things that he has heard from diplomats. Now when it comes to the investigation as to what is causing these mysterious illnesses, the secretary committed that the Biden administration will not spare any resources when it comes to their investigation, that they are going to continue pursuing what is causing these incidents and who is to blame for these incidents.

And, we heard, just earlier this week, from Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on House Intelligence. He said that the U.S. is marginally closer to finding out the answers to those questions but still, many questions about what is causing these incidents -- Kylie Atwood, CNN, the State Department.

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HOLMES: Activists, in Glasgow, demand more action against climate change. Why, they say, many pledges made so far, at COP26, just aren't enough. We will be right back.

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HOLMES: Too little, too late. That is how many climate activists are responding to the pledges made, so far, at COP26. They marched through the streets of Glasgow, on Friday and plan to do so in larger numbers, today. Among them, Greta Thunberg, who called this climate summit, a failure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRETA THUNBERG, CLIMATE ACTIVIST: This is no longer the climate conference. This is now a Global North greenwash festival, a two-week long celebration of business as usual and blah, blah, blah.

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HOLMES: CNN's Phil Black, amid the protests, yesterday, joining me now from Glasgow.

So halfway through COP26, plenty of anger from the youth, feeling unheard by world leaders.

What is your sense of how it's all going?

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Michael, this is the point where the negotiating teams usually take stock on the progress that they are making behind closed doors on some of the key issues. Analysts say, this has been an interesting COP, because it started positively.

We had big, separate, international agreements announced, like 100 countries pledging to and deforestation, by the end of the decade. These are, largely, negotiated in advance so part of the process. So I think they impacted the mood here but not the key issues that will, ultimately, determine if this is a success or a failure, like individual countries, pledging to do enough to cut emissions and ensure that it doesn't warm beyond 1.5 degrees on average by the end of the century.

And the answer is, no, nowhere near enough. Crucially, some big polluting countries like China and Brazil and Australia.

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BLACK: They have some good long-term ambitions. But in the short term, there is nothing to back it up. So their pledges, are simply, viewed is not credible or unachievable. The other big issue here is money. Rich countries, still working out how to come up with $100 billion , per year, to honor a very long-standing promise to help poorer developing countries, adapt and grow within the warming world that was created, by those rich, industrialized countries, in the first place.

Now there are some of the more vulnerable countries, also, demanding loss and damages paid, essentially, reparations for the hardship and suffering, that they say they are, already, enduring because of climate change.

So that is all important, because it goes to issues of trust and justice and solidarity, all of these sorts of things, which, are really, vital, in terms of getting to a good result.

If you take all of this, into consideration, you have to say it does still look pretty likely, the outcome, at the end of this conference, will fall far short of what the science says is necessary to, really, get a handle on this.

That is where you had the Swedish activist, Greta Thunberg, yesterday, before all of those young, concerned people, saying, this is a failure, a greenwashing exercise. It's not good enough.

She and the tens of thousands, marching in Glasgow today, want far more drastic action and not just incremental progress that doesn't, really, shift far beyond what is, essentially, the status quo -- Michael.

Still a lot of self interest. As Greta says, blah, blah, blah. Phil Black, covering it all for, us we appreciate it, thank you.

We will take a quick break, when we come back, a scandal in the cricket world. A top county team in England, dealing with the fallout of allegations of racism. We have details, coming up.

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AARON RODGERS, GREEN BAY PACKERS: As an aside but the great MLK said, you have a moral obligation to object to unjust rules and rules that make no sense.

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HOLMES: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers there, paraphrasing the late civil rights icon, Martin Luther King Jr., as he discussed the controversy, rocking U.S. Football. The former MVP confirming he has tested positive for COVID, despite saying, in August he was, quote, "immunized."

But he now admits he is unvaccinated and didn't get a shot because of an allergy. Rodgers denied he is anti-vaccine and said that the NFL knew he wasn't vaccinated. Rodgers said, his decision was to seek alternative treatments.

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RODGERS: I realize I am in the crosshairs of the woke mob right now. So before my final nail gets put in my cancel culture casket, I think I would like to set the record straight on some of the blatant lies that are out there about myself right now.

I am not some sort of anti-vax flat Earther. I am somebody who's a critical thinker. If you know me, I march to the beat of my own drum.

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HOLMES: He claims, a league doctor told him it is, quote, "impossible for a vaccinated person to get COVID or spread COVID," unquote. But a source from the league denied that.

Now in England, Yorkshire County Cricket Club being rocked by controversy that has already cost three team officials their jobs. The club, facing a backlash over their handling of allegations of racism and bullying toward a former player. CNN's Don Riddell, with the details.

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DON RIDDELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: One of the top county cricket teams, in England, reeling from the backlash of a racism scandal. The fallout is quite significant. Yorkshire's chairman Roger Hutton has resigned and two board members of the club followed suit, after an emergency board meeting, on Friday.

Another board member set to resign in the near future. This follows a tumultuous week in which many of Yorkshire's top sponsors have abandoned the club, which was also banned from hosting international test matches. Here is the backstory.

The 30-year-old, former cricket player, Azeem Rafiq, playing the majority of his career at Yorkshire, between 2008 and 2018. Last September, he detailed what he described as institutional racism that he experienced, while at the club, during every second of his career, with a teammate using a racially offensive term linked to his Pakistani heritage.

At one point he says, he was even close to suicide. Yorkshire launched a formal investigation, carried out by a law firm and they receive the findings in August this year. After a long delay, they were ordered to release the findings, which concluded, Rafiq had been the victim of racial harassment and bullying, with seven of the 43 allegations upheld.

But they, said there was insufficient evidence to conclude that the club was institutionally racist and that no one would face disciplinary action.

They said, quote, "There is no conduct or action, taken by any of its employees, players or executives, that warrants disciplinary action."

However, in the last few days, it has emerged that a former England international and teammate of Rafiq, Gary Ballance, regularly, used a racist term about Rafiq's Pakistani heritage toward him. That was dismissed by the investigation as, quote, "friendly and good-natured banter."

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RIDDELL: The England and Wales cricket board have suspended Yorkshire from hosting international matches at its Headingley ground. And as he stepped down on Friday, Yorkshire's chairman, Roger Hutton, apologized, unreservedly, to Rafiq.

The scandal is far from over, though. Rafiq is set to give evidence to a parliamentary select committee later this month, more sordid details likely to emerge -- back to you. (END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Don Riddell, thanks.

And thank you. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Michael Holmes. Do stick around, my colleague, Kim Brunhuber, will have more news for you in just a moment.