The Bulletin

• Iran and U.S. set for nuclear talks in Oman: Iran's foreign minister confirmed that Iran and the United States would meet in Oman on Saturday, but contradicted President Trump by describing them as "indirect high-level talks" rather than the direct talks that he announced. More on the upcoming talks.

• Syria's new resistance: The overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may have marked a major blow to the Iran-aligned Axis of Resistance coalition, but a new group styling itself in a similar manner has emerged to challenge the interests of the United States and its feuding top Middle Eastern allies. Find out more.

• South Korea fires warning shots: South Korea's military fired warning shots on Monday after approximately 10 North Korean soldiers crossed the heavily fortified border separating the two countries, officials said.

• Why are people boycotting Walmart? A weeklong boycott of Walmart has launched across the United States, driven by growing discontent over corporate conduct and economic inequality. Here's what we know.

• Japan expands F-35 force amid Russia threat: Japan, a key United States treaty ally in Northeast Asia, has expanded its F-35A stealth fighter aircraft deployment amid persistent Russian military activities near the country. Learn more.

• Trump backs sending citizens to El Salvador prison: President Trump has signaled his support for sending American citizens to El Salvador's notorious super prison. Read his full remarks.

• South Korea arrests Chinese students: Police in South Korea, a key United States treaty ally in Northeast Asia, caught two Chinese teenagers for illegally photographing fighter aircraft near a major air base. Know more.

The rundown: Federal workers who lost their jobs as part of recent mass layoffs recommended by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are being thrown into a "brutally competitive" job market, experts told Newsweek.

Why it matters: The federal workforce shrank by 10,000 jobs in February and another 4,000 in March due to DOGE's cuts, according to the latest data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Last month, the country's unemployment rate edged up again to 4.2 percent, while job openings were down from 7.8 million in February and 8.4 million in March 2024 to 7.6 million. According to the company's study, a majority, 68 percent, of federal workers actively looking for a new job on the Indeed platform in February had at least a bachelor's degree, compared to just over one-third of all federal workers—showing the impact of DOGE's cuts on highly educated employees.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Federal Workers Raise Privacy Concerns Amid Return to Office Order

TL/DR: "This is not your normal 'let's start looking for a job' situation," said Amanda Goodall, a self-proclaimed "labor market nerd," career coach and founder of The Job Chick.

What happens now? Indeed economist Allison Shrivastava told Newsweek that with the U.S. economy facing a looming shortage of skilled workers in various fields ranging from health care to engineering, "workers with experience and skills that are in demand will likely be able to be absorbed into the private sector with limited disruption.”

Deeper reading Fired Federal Workers Flood 'Brutally Competitive' Job Market

The rundown: China will fight the U.S. "to the end" if President Donald Trump continues his trade war, its foreign ministry has said.

Why it matters: Trump threatened a further 50-percent tariff on Chinese goods from Wednesday unless Beijing walked back its 34-percent tariff and other non-tariff countermeasures against the U.S. China was retaliating against an additional 34-percent tariff from Trump, who said he was reciprocating existing trade barriers imposed by China against the U.S. On Monday, Trump posted to his Truth Social platform that he would also terminate "all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us" unless it dropped its 34-percent tariffs. The trade war may cause Western businesses to rethink their supply chains and pull back from China. These companies include Apple, which plans to shift more of its iPhone manufacturing to India instead, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Why China Tariffs Are Bad News for US Housing Market

TL/DR: The China-U.S. trade war and Trump's tariffs on trading partners across the world fueled severe volatility in the global markets as investors fear the economic fallout, particularly a recession in the U.S.

What happens now? The White House has shown no signs of backing down, with Trump threatening to raise tariffs again from Wednesday unless China reverses its measures. Beijing has pledged to continue retaliating, setting the stage for a prolonged economic standoff that could raise prices on consumer goods and disrupt the U.S. retail sector in the coming months.

Deeper reading China Makes Trump Trade War Vow: 'To the End'

The rundown: A group of hackers that previously targeted President Trump has pledged to take aim at Elon Musk for the next month. Here's what to know.

Why it matters: DonRoad Team, which previously claimed responsibility for taking down several Trump-associated websites, announced Monday it would begin hitting sites linked to Musk. The group has previously claimed responsibility for targeting The Trump Organization's website, along with the Tesla and SpaceX email servers in March, all of which temporarily reported global failures at the time. Musk has increasing become a target of backlash as a result of his prominent role in the Trump administration as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency. His tech companies, such as Tesla, SpaceX, and X, formerly Twitter, have become rallying points for his critics.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Elon Musk Quits Live Stream After Gamer Trolling

TL/DR: Musk remains popular with many Americans, but his approval rating has dipped underwater

What happens now? "In the next few hours, we will be suspending all websites affiliated with Elon Musk companies for a full month," the hackers said in a 9.34 pm ET post on messaging service Telegram.

Deeper reading Hackers to Target Elon Musk For a 'Full Month': What to Know

The rundown: China's latest round of military drills around Taiwan has once again drawn attention to one of the most consequential unknowns in global security: if Beijing invades, would President Trump try to stop it? Know here.

Why it matters: Last week, the Chinese military's Eastern Theater Command conducted two days of exercises around Taiwan, describing them as a "severe warning." Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory, though the Chinese Communist Party has never governed there. President Xi Jinping has repeatedly said unification with the democratic island is inevitable and has not ruled out the use of force. Pressed in February on whether he would defend Taiwan, Trump told Reuters he would not comment on the matter, saying, "I don't want to ever put myself in that position." But the president has raised doubts in Taiwan after accusing the island of "stealing" America's chip industry and suggesting it should pay the U.S. for its national defense support.

Read more in-depth coverage:
China Tests Trump With Major War Games Around Taiwan

TL/DR: Taiwan sits along the so-called first island chain, a series of U.S.-aligned territories seen by military planners as key to containing Chinese naval expansion.

What happens now? Admiral Samuel Paparo, his successor, recently described China's exercises around Taiwan as more than just saber-rattling. "They are rehearsals," he said—dress rehearsals, in his words, for a future move against the island.

Deeper reading Would Donald Trump Defend Taiwan?

The rundown: The Trump administration will be seeking the death penalty "whenever possible," Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Sunday. Find out more.

Why it matters: Bondi announced on Tuesday that she will be directing federal prosecutors to pursue capital punishment for Luigi Mangione. Mangione, 26, is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a hotel in Manhattan in December 2024. He was apprehended in Altoona, Pennsylvania, following a five-day search. Bondi said the administration is following a directive issued by President Trump. "The president's directive was very clear," Bondi told Fox News Sunday. "We are to seek the death penalty when possible. And, you know, it hadn't been done in four years."

Read more in-depth coverage:
Are Executions in the US On the Rise? How 2025 Compares to 2024

TL/DR: Trump signed an executive order on January 20 entitled "Restoring the Death Penalty and Protecting Public Safety." The order directs the attorney general to seek the death penalty "for all crimes of a severity demanding its use."

What happens now? Mangione is expected to be back in federal court on April 18. His next appearance in his New York state case is scheduled for June 26.

Deeper reading Trump Admin to Ramp Up Death Penalty Cases