SBS News In Depth Folgen

The latest diplomatic crisis between Israel and Australia is threatening to undermine a 76-year relationship. The Albanese government's decision to recognise a Palestinian state in an upcoming meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, combined with its denial of a visa for an Israeli politician, has led to significant backlash. The Israeli government is accusing the Australian government of inciting antisemitism and has now revoked visas for Australian diplomats in the occupied West Bank.

United States President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have held a meeting at the White House. The leaders have expressed hopes that trilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin could be on the cards in the hope of ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Wednesday August 20th is World Mosquito Day - and it may seem strange to set aside a day for an insect which accounts for around a million deaths a year. Nearly 700 million people contract mosquito-borne illnesses every year. The mosquitoes act as vectors, carrying bacteria, viruses, and parasites that cause illness in humans. Malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, Zika virus, West Nile virus, and Japanese encephalitis are some of the most prominent diseases spread by mosquitoes. Things have improved, however - according to one survey, nearly half the world population was at significant risk from malaria in the 19th century with a 10% mortality among those infected. Today, it's feared global warming could potentially lead to a wider spread of mosquito-borne diseases due to increased mosquito populations and geographic range. Professor Beth McGraw is the head of biology at Penn State University in the US - she admits having a special day for such a killer seems odd at first glance.