engagement and working together to take on challenges of regional security including addressing the threat posed by the democratic people s republic of korea. as monkeypox spreads worldwide, uk doctors say it could have a massive impact on access to sexual health services. polls close in parts of australia as two political veterans battle it out for the country s top job. and could this be the first of record breaking heatwaves across europe? hello and welcome if you re watching in the uk or around the world. relations were already difficult after finland applied to join nato, prompted by the war in ukraine. now moscow has taken action against its neighbour over energy supplies. russia s energy giant, gazprom has switched off gas deliveries it says finland is refusing to comply with a demand that it pay for energy in roubles. meanwhile, the british foreign secretary has said she wants to see ukraine s neighbour moldova armed with nato standard military equipment to guard
trade, what is coming out of this trip? biden is due to launch a new trade partnership when he goes to japan later this week and that s looking really at securing these critical supply chains, particularly when it comes to semiconductors, when it comes to semiconductors, when it comes to semiconductors, when it comes to batteries, the things that are seen to key to making sure that america and its partners in asia retain or have a competitive edge against china which is becoming dominant in that field. south korea said it is willing tojoin up dominant in that field. south korea said it is willing to join up this partnership and many others are expected to follow. to australia where polls have closed in the country s first election since 2019. it sees prime minister scott morrison go up against one of the country s longest serving politicians, labor leader anthony albanese. more than 17 million people were enrolled to vote which is compulsory for over 18s. either party will need to
cornerstone of his foreign policy and, of course, the war in ukraine has pulled his attention away and this is an attempt to say that his focus is back here on this continent. part of the us strategy now is to try and counter what it sees as a growing chinese dominance here in asia. that means working with its partners like south korea and japan on economic projects, and technological projects. yesterday we had biden go to the enormous samsung semiconductor plant where he committed to investing in the semiconductor industry, this is a key industry here in south korea where china is becoming ever more competitive. but it s more than that, biden wants south korea and south korea has committed itself to playing a bigger role, a geopolitical role, in the region, whether that means standing up to china or speaking out in defence of taiwan or even continuing its support in ukraine. more broadly on
this is bbc news. these are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world. finland says russia has cut off supplies of natural gas days after finland announced it was applying to join nato. meanwhile in ukraine, russia intensifies its attacks in the donbas region as its forces capture more territory in the south and east. the senior civil servant sue gray met with the prime minister to discuss publishing photos as part of her inquiry into downing street lockdown parties. joe biden discusses security and north korea s nuclear programme with south korea s president in seoul. today, president yoon suk yeol and i committed to strengthening our close
anthony albanese addressing those concerns in their campaigns? me’ue concerns in their campaigns? we ve seen elements concerns in their campaigns? we ve seen elements of concerns in their campaigns? we ve seen elements of it, concerns in their campaigns? we ve seen elements of it, particularly - seen elements of it, particularly from independent candidates who had been calling for greater climate change plans. australia has had. there is a serious coral bleaching going on in the great barrier reef and bushfires and other natural disasters. this and bushfires and other natural disasters. , ., , disasters. as we look at the broader international disasters. as we look at the broader international picture, disasters. as we look at the broader international picture, joe disasters. as we look at the broader international picture, joe biden - disasters. as we look at the broader international picture, joe biden is i international picture, joe biden is visiting asia to build on