Russian President Vladimir Putin will on Wednesday meet with the leaders of Venezuela and Cuba, Moscow's traditional allies in South America, the Kremlin said Tuesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin will address the grandest ever annual Victory Day parade in Moscow on Friday, evoking the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II to rally support for his troops fighting in Ukraine.

South Africa's Democratic Alliance has launched a legal challenge against the Employment Equity Amendment Act, arguing it's unconstitutional and discriminatory. The DA contends the law, designed to boost hiring of Black people and other groups, could deter foreign investment and increase unemployment. The ANC defends the law as a necessary measure to correct structural imbalances and ensure equal opportunity.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian that Moscow wants a fair nuclear deal between the United States and Iran and was ready to help advance talks, the Kremlin said. The two countries have held three rounds since April 12, their highest-level contact since the United States withdrew from a landmark deal with Iran in 2018, during Donald Trump's first term as president.

Tim Friede, a former truck mechanic, intentionally subjected himself to numerous snakebites over two decades, aiming to develop immunity. His unusual experiment led to a breakthrough in antivenom research. Scientists discovered broadly neutralizing antibodies in Friede's blood, paving the way for a universal antivenom that could protect against various venomous snakes and save thousands of lives annually.

Concerns are rising in Taiwan regarding energy security amidst China's increasing military drills. Heavily reliant on LNG imports, Taiwan faces vulnerability to a potential marine blockade. Experts suggest energy facilities would be primary targets, crippling essential services.

China said on Tuesday it would welcome EU chiefs Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen for visits as part of events marking 50 years of ties between Beijing and the bloc. Chinese President Xi Jinping also exchanged congratulatory messages with Costa and von der Leyen on Tuesday to mark 50 years of formal relations with the EU, state broadcaster CCTV said.

UN chief Antonio Guterres is concerned by reports that Sudanese paramilitaries for the first time struck Port Sudan, the seat of the army-aligned government during the country's two-year war, a spokesman said Monday. In the conflict's early days, the government relocated from Khartoum to Port Sudan, which until Sunday had been spared the violence.

A sudden storm caused four boats to capsize on the Wu River in Guizhou province, China, resulting in the tragic death of 10 people. Over 80 individuals were thrown into the river due to the severe weather conditions during a popular tourist destination's peak holiday season.

South Africa continues to grapple with a severe rhino poaching crisis, as over 100 rhinos were killed in the first quarter of this year, with a majority of the incidents occurring within national parks. The persistent threat to these endangered animals is evident, despite efforts to combat criminal syndicates involved in poaching.

Ukrainian attacks killed three people in the Russian border region of Kursk on Monday, the regional governor said. A Ukrainian FPV-drone attacked a Lada Largus car... unfortunately as a result of the hit two women were killed, Kursk Governor Alexander Khinstein said in a post on Telegram.

Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema was inaugurated as Gabon's president, promising economic diversification and reforms after a period of transition following the 2023 coup. Nguema secured a landslide victory in the April 12 election with 94.85% of the vote. He aims to address high unemployment, infrastructure deficits, and over-reliance on oil, opening Gabon to foreign investment.