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Iran Imposes New Rules For Transiting Strait Of Hormuz; Many Mom-And-Pop Businesses Struggling To Stay Afloat; African Nations Warn Of Xenophobic Attacks In South Africa. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired May 08, 2026 - 04:30   ET

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

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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Iran has laid out a new set of rules for ships hoping to travel through the Strait of Hormuz. That's according to a document seen by CNN called the Vessel Information Declaration.

Iran's newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority says the form must be completed by all ships for safe passage. It's comprised of more than 40 questions. It requires the ship's name, I.D. number, country of origin and destination. It also asks for nationalities of the registered owner, manager and crew.

I'm going to go live to Dubai now and CNN's Eleni Giokos. So Eleni, walk us through these new rules.

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and, you know, seeing these documents, Lloyd's List editor-in-chief Richard Meade sent me all the documents that have been shared with vessels and ship owners that are trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz. It's called the Persian Gulf Strait Authority. And they're trying to formalize a system that, frankly, was in place since the start of the war.

Most vessels had to, up until this point, directly communicate with the IRGC, which is a designated terrorist organization. And now this government entity is announced. And they bring out this e-mail address. People can e-mail them directly. I e-mailed them. I'm still waiting for a response.

But importantly, they're trying to ascertain who they can give clearance to. And, of course, in their mind, the rules of engagement are any vessel that has any connection to what they are referring to as enemy states. And that's why it's riddled with these 40 questions. Information that could be readily available, but it's all about how they implement this to grant safe passage.

And importantly, these are international waters. Before the war started, there was no information that needed to be shared. But Iran is trying to assert its control over the Strait of Hormuz at a time when in the background we're seeing, you know, some hope for a diplomatic off-ramp. Keeping in mind, we've seen major escalation this entire week. And, in fact, according to marine traffic, there's barely been any movement of any tankers, any vessels transiting the Strait, basically, since Monday. So that's a really important thing to focus on.

[04:35:10]

Interestingly, in the e-mail body that was sent to Lloyd's List, as well as another source of mine, it says this. Any incorrect or incomplete information provided will be the sole responsibility of the applicant, and any resulting consequences will be borne accordingly.

Now, this could be taken as a threat, and I spoke to a few experts as well as ship owners today and people related to the industry, and they say that everyone is in a holding pattern right now, really desperate to get out of the Persian Gulf, where a lot of these vessels have been trapped since the beginning of the war.

We're now in the 11th week, Kim, so there's a huge sense of desperation. I want you to think about the 20,000 seafarers that are currently trapped on these vessels, waiting for some kind of guidance, clearance, you know, security guarantee to be able to transit the Strait of Hormuz. In the meantime, when I take a sort of wider picture on this, and we look at how markets are responding, they're telling a very different story.

You know, Brent crude was rising significantly at the beginning of the week. Now, as the headlines are starting to shift and switch, that perhaps there is some kind of room for negotiation. Brent crude is below that $100 a barrel, quite significant here.

But, you know, for all the news that we've been seeing and the big headlines, the reality remains the same. Nothing has changed in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. naval blockade is still in force, and the risks are still very much a reality for vessels and shippers.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, appreciate you bringing us the latest. Eleni Giokos in Dubai, thanks so much.

Now, the CEO of Maersk is warning that its customers will have to pay for the increased costs of disruption to global shipping caused by the war with Iran. Listen to this.

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VINCENT CLERC, MAERSK CEO: We're looking at an extra cost bill of $0.5 billion a month that we're going to face basically from April, and for as long as this lasts. Obviously, this is a significant amount, and there is something that we can do on cost mitigation, which we will do, but the rest of it is really a commercial conversation with customers about having to pass this cost on, because otherwise this is completely unsustainable for us.

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BRUNHUBER: The head of the Danish shipping and logistics company also said Maersk still has six ships stranded in the Persian Gulf. He says they'll stay there until the U.S. military or another entity safely escorts them through the Strait of Hormuz, or a political resolution allows for safe passage through the vital waterway.

We'll now look at how one oil company is faring during the war. Shell is reporting that it earned almost $7 billion in the first three months of the year. That's almost $1.3 billion more than a year ago. Shell attributes the jump to the wild swings in oil prices caused by the Iran war and higher prices for gasoline and jet fuel. The U.K.- based company says profits from its refineries, which turn crude oil into diesel and gasoline, was about $2 billion.

A federal trade court has struck down President Trump's 10 percent across-the-board tariffs. The judges at the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that Trump lacked the legal justification to enact the policy. They ordered him to cease collecting money and refund prior payments to the plaintiffs. And while the order is only applicable to the litigants of the lawsuit, it still marks a major setback. These new tariffs are put in place after the Supreme Court ruled that his previous tariffs were unlawful. The administration is expected to appeal.

Well, tariffs are just one of the elements putting increased pressure on small businesses in the U.S., and those challenges may be seen in the April jobs report due out in the coming hours. Now, forecasters predict the labor market added about 67,000 positions last month. That's about one-third of the jobs created in March, but it's actually in line with the average so far this year. So the rollercoaster ride of numbers may not reflect how some mom-and-pop businesses are struggling to stay afloat. Our Matt Egan has more.

MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Yes, a lot of these mom-and-pop businesses, they're struggling right now for a range of reasons, including chaotic tariff policy, expensive health insurance, and lately, surging energy costs. And yes, some of them have been forced to let go of the very few workers that they employed in the first place.

Now, when you look at the smallest, small businesses, those who employ less than 10 people, last year alone, those mom-and-pop shops, they slashed almost 300,000 jobs. That's the most in at least 10 years. That's four times as many jobs than how many were cut back in 2020. So yes, more job cuts last year than during COVID.

Now, this is coming from Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee who really dug into Intuit QuickBooks data. Now, to be clear, this is not a brand-new problem. When you look at the trend, you can see that, yes, a lot of job loss at these small businesses in 2020 during the pandemic, and then a major rebound the following year.

[04:40:01]

But look at this, three straight years of job loss at these small businesses, including the final two years under former President Biden. But when you really zoom in, you can also see the fingerprints of President Trump's tariff policy at play, because this report found that tariff-exposed sectors, including retail, manufacturing and construction, they're all facing significant declines in revenue over the past year.

And also, they've all cut significant amounts, tens of thousands of jobs, leisure and hospitality also cutting almost 50,000 jobs. And we know that sector has been hurt by the decline in foreign tourists into the United States. I spoke to a woman who owns a production company in Los Angeles, and she said they're facing higher costs on clothing, on food, on fuel as well. She said it's just been a big, muddy pile of expensive.

And like other small business owners, she struggled to pass along those higher costs to her clients. So, yes, she's been forced to resort to layoffs. Now, I reached out to the White House, and a spokesperson stressed that President Trump, he's working to empower small businesses. And they pointed to three specific things that he's done.

First off, there was the tax benefits from the President's tax law from last year. There's also reforms to the Small Business Administration. And there's been significant efforts to save small businesses money by cutting red tape. And when you zoom out the situation, it's mixed, right? Some small businesses, they're hurting. Others are thriving. Others are launching.

In March alone, almost half a million companies filed applications to launch. And a lot of this also depends on how you define a small business. If you look at slightly larger companies, those who employ up to 20 people, ADP has found that those small businesses, they added jobs last year, and they continue to this year as well. But one of the reoccurring themes here is frustration over chaotic policymaking out of Washington.

I spoke to a woman who 20 years ago, she launched a manufacturing company in her garage with her husband. And she said right now they're just struggling to stay alive because they're facing higher costs and significant delays. And she blames the President's tariffs. When it comes to tariff policy, she had a simple message for Washington. She said, stop the game playing. This is not a game. This is people's lives. Back to you.

BRUNHUBER: Well, chaos erupted at Tennessee's Capitol after Republican lawmakers approved a new congressional map. The decision to dissolve a majority-Black congressional district angered local leaders. Have a look.

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REP. GLORIA JOHNSON (D-TN): This is not a special session. This is a white power rally and a white power grab.

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BRUNHUBER: Tennessee is the first state to pass new congressional districts since last week's Supreme Court ruling that weakened part of the landmark Voting Rights Act. Tennessee's new map eliminates the only democratically held House seat in the state. Other Republican-led states are expected to redistrict in light of the Supreme Court's ruling.

South Africa is facing allegations of xenophobia, and there are new warnings about possible attacks. We go live to Nairobi next. Stay with us.

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[04:46:19]

BRUNHUBER: A growing number of countries are warning their citizens about xenophobic attacks against migrants in South Africa, which is home to the continent's most powerful economy. Ghana has now asked the African Union to take action.

These images are from a recent anti-immigration protest in Johannesburg. Rights groups say South Africans blame migrants for high unemployment and accuse them of stealing jobs. The South African government denounces the violence but says its people have the right to protest illegal immigration.

CNN's Larry Madowo is following this live from Nairobi. Larry, I have family in South Africa. I've spent a lot of time there. I know that this issue of migration is a real thorny one. Explain the latest here.

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There have been weeks of protests across South Africa against illegal immigration, specifically targeting Africans. And now several African countries are warning their citizens to be vigilant while they're in South Africa, to limit their movement and to carry their documents at all times. The strongest statements have come from Ghana and Nigeria. Nigerian tends to evacuate some of its citizens from Nigeria, from South Africa.

And yesterday the Nigerian and South African foreign ministers were feuding on X. The Nigerian government claims that there have been some extrajudicial killings. The South African foreign minister said, give us that evidence. And he said evacuating a few citizens does not deal with the wider issue of illegal migration.

Ghana has written to the African Union asking that this issue of xenophobic attacks against Africans be brought up at the next African Union meeting, that there should be a fact-finding mission to South Africa and that South Africa needs to be aware of its own history and African solidarity, especially in the period of the fight against apartheid.

So far, the governments of Kenya, of Malawi, of Lesotho, of Zimbabwe, Ghana, Nigeria have all told their citizens in South Africa to be careful. But the South African government is dismissing these advisories. Listen to one minister explain what this means right after a cabinet meeting.

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KHUMBUDZO NTSHAVHENI, SOUTH AFRICAN MINISTER OF PRESIDENCY: Advisories are issued left, right and center by all sorts of countries, all kinds of countries, every year, every time. And it doesn't change the price of bread. The price of bread is that South Africa has laws that must be respected, that must be abided to by all, citizens and non- citizens. And we're saying those who are undocumented must do the right thing also. But what's worse is those that are involved in criminality.

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MADOWO: And that's one of the major issues in South Africa. These citizens marching against African foreigners say that many of them are drug dealers. They are involved in crime in South Africa and that the government is not doing enough to deal with that. South African government says South Africans are not xenophobic, but there are genuine concerns around illegal migration that is straining the economy there.

Thirty percent of South Africans are unemployed and they feel that strain and this anger at especially African migrants in South Africa stems from that. But the statistics don't back that up. They claim that African foreigners in South Africa taking the jobs meant for locals, only 4 percent of South Africa's population is made up of immigrants. So there's a huge amount of unemployment even if you take away all the foreigners. But South African government also says some of the videos that have been circulating of foreigners getting beaten up are fake. Some of them are A.I. generated and that these are being made to make South Africa look bad in the international community. So that is a backdrop for all of this, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: I appreciate that. Larry Madowo live in Nairobi. Thanks so much.

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We'll be right back with more here on CNN Newsroom. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: The BTS Army has shown up in Mexico City as the South Korean pop group plays three nights of sold-out shows. BTS is back touring now that they've completed their mandatory military service. Valeria Leon is in the midst of the madness.

VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The BTS fever has completely transformed Mexico City. I mean, look at this. Thousands of fans gathered here outside the Hennepin (ph) Stadium in Mexico City for the first of the three sold-out concerts in the Mexican capital. And here people have come from all over the country and also from abroad.

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NATHALY BRENIS, BTS FAN FROM COSTA RICA: BTS didn't come to Costa Rica, so the only way to see BTS in a concert is basically to travel to another country. So I decided to come here to Mexico City because Mexico, first of all, it's closer to Costa Rica and then they have a very good feeling in the concert. So it was like very good for me.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LEON: The demand for Mexico City's shows has been huge with tickets selling out very quickly and people paying over $2,000 per ticket. And that's why here outside the stadium we've seen many fans looking for an extra ticket to get inside the stadium for the first concert in the Mexican capital.

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CHEYENNE FORDE, BTS FAN FROM NEW YORK: When I did the first round of tickets, whatever, I was in the queue and I got in for Mexico and I got the soundcheck ticket for it. Yes. But it took a while because I had my account and her account and she was in like the 300s in line and yes, like 300,000 in line. But yes, it took a lot of stress.

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LEON: And making those very expensive for many young fans here. And that's why what happened at Mexico City's main square on Wednesday was so important for this army. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum invited BTS members to the National Palace. There 50,000 people gathered to greet their favorite band. And now all eyes turn here for tonight's concert. Expected to be one of the biggest music events in the year of the country.

Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.

BRUNHUBER: All right, well if you like K-pop be sure to watch CNN's new original series, K-Everything, hosted by Daniel Dae Kim. In the premiere episode he explores South Korea's booming music industry with K-pop royalty Psy and visits the studio behind some of the country's biggest hits. That's K-Everything this Saturday right here on CNN.

One of the world's most recognized experts on the natural world is celebrating a milestone birthday. Sir David Attenborough turns 100 years old today. The iconic natural historian and broadcaster said he's been completely overwhelmed by birthday greetings. He offered thanks to everyone who sent him messages ranging from celebrities to preschoolers to care home residents. For more than seven decades of documentary filmmaking Attenborough has become one of the voices most associated with the stories of nature. I'll wish him happy birthday as well.

That wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. CNN Headline Express is up next.

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