Hunter Biden’s Gun Trial Wrapping Up; Blinken Pushes for Ceasefire on Middle East Trip

The criminal trial of President Joe Biden’s son resumed on June 10 and is heading into its final stretch as jurors hear instructions from the judge. The defense and prosecution have rested their cases and Hunter Biden did not testify. Closing arguments are expected after a lunch break. Hunter Biden is facing three felony charges related to a 2018 firearm purchase. Authorities accuse him of lying to the federally licensed gun store by illegally claiming on his application that he was not a drug user at the time of purchase and then unlawfully possessing the gun for 11 days.

Israel’s dramatic weekend rescue of four hostages from the Gaza Strip, in an operation that local health officials say killed 274 Palestinians, came at a sensitive time in the 8-month-old war, as Israel and Hamas weigh a U.S. proposal for a cease-fire and the release of the remaining captives. Speaking after meeting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Hamas was the only side that had yet to agree to President Biden's plan, which Washington says already had Israel's backing before Biden announced it on May 31.

French political parties were racing to field candidates and discuss possible alliances following President Emmanuel Macron's shock decision to call a snap election after a bruising loss in Sunday's vote for the European Parliament. There is no certainty Marine Le Pen's National Rally party will end up with enough seats to run the government, after trouncing Macron's party in Sunday's European Parliament vote. Other scenarios include a wide-ranging coalition of mainstream parties.