South Sudan, Gaza, Taiwan
Today's three stories you should know
South Sudan
Gunmen have killed more than 70 people in South Sudan in a dispute over a gold mine, according to police. Videos shared on social platforms showed dozens of bodies scattered around the area. The site at Jebel Iraq in Central Equatoria State has previously been the scene of violence between illegal miners in a country where the industry is largely unregulated. The opposition SPLM/A-IO blamed government forces, known as the SSPDF, for the attack, while an army spokesman refused to comment to AP. South Sudan, which was formed in 2011 after splitting from Sudan, has in recent months teetered on the brink of all-out civil war, with the forces of President Salva Kiir facing off with fighters loyal to SPLM/A-IO leader Riek Machar, who was once Kiir’s vice president.
More from AP here.
Gaza
With the world focused on the Iran war and Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon, Israeli attacks are continuing on Gaza and the West Bank. At least four people were killed in Gaza today, health officials said, and two were killed in the occupied West Bank. In one of the incidents, a 22-year-old man was shot dead by soldiers near the city of Hebron. Officials said troops then took his body away. Palestinian security sources told Reuters the dead man was named Ramzi Awawada and accused Israeli soldiers of preventing medics from reaching him as he bled to death. Israeli attacks have killed more than 700 Palestinians in Gaza since an ostensible ceasefire was agreed with Hamas five months ago.
More from Reuters here.
Taiwan
Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun is to visit China in April at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, a month before U.S. President Donald Trump attends a summit in Beijing. Cheng became leader of the Kuomintang party (KMT) in October and has pledged closer ties with China, which sees Taiwan as part of its territory. Cheng should tell Xi that Taiwan “is a sovereign, independent country,” Hsu Kuo-yung, secretary-general of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, told reporters in the capital Taipei. "I also ask her to make one thing especially clear: In Taiwan, we elect our own president,” Hsu said. “And she should also ask Xi Jinping: When is China going to elect its president?"
More from DW here.