Russian warships en route to Cuba after Putin warns of arming West's enemies – National and international news – ENJ June 6, 2024 –

Biden says he won't pardon Hunter if convicted.

Russian warships en route to Cuba after Putin warned of arming Western enemies.

NATIONAL NEWS

Biden says he won't pardon Hunter if convicted

In an interview near the D-Day memorial in Normandy, France, President Biden told ABC's John Muir that he will not forgive his son Hunter if he is convicted in his ongoing federal trial.

Hunter is currently facing charges that he lied to a federally licensed gun dealer; making a false claim on his application to buy a gun (pretending not to use drugs); and illegal possession of a weapon for 11 days. He could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted of all charges. However, he is unlikely to receive the maximum sentence as a first-time offender.

The trial in Delaware has just completed its fourth day. So far, the jury has heard testimony from Kathleen Buhle (Hunter's ex-wife), Zoe Chestnut (an ex-girlfriend) and Auntie Biden (widow of Hunter's brother Beau, with whom Hunter had a brief relationship after his brother's death). All three women testified about Hunter's use of crack cocaine from 2016-2018.

The gun store owner who sold Hunter the gun in October 2018 also testified. It was Hallie Biden who discovered the gun Hunter had purchased. Afraid of what he might do with it, she threw it in a bin behind a grocery store. The jury also heard from the elderly man who found the gun while collecting cans, as well as members of law enforcement.

The prosecution expects to close the case tomorrow.

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).

NEW INTERNATIONAL

Russian warships en route to Cuba after Putin warned of arming Western enemies

In recent days, many countries that supply Ukraine with weapons have given them permission to use their weapons to strike inside Russian territory. President Biden was one of the final obstacles for him allow attacks on Russia with American weapons, after weeks of pressure. Biden urged the Ukrainians to limit their attacks with US weapons in the Russian border region near Kharkiv, where the Russians are currently advancing their lines. Other allies have placed no meaningful limits on the Russian targets Ukraine can strike, nor on how deep inside Russia they can strike.

The US also warned Ukraine stop attacks on Russian radar systems, which function as early warning systems in the event of a nuclear launch towards Russia. Despite this warning, Ukraine apparently has continued to target Russian air defense systems and radars.

Putin warns the West, sends ships to Cuba

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned today that Russia could retaliate by supplying similar long-range weapons to countries that could use them to strike Western targets.

“If someone thinks that it is possible to supply such weapons in a war zone to attack our territory and create problems for us, why do we not have the right to supply weapons of the same class to regions of the world where there will be attacks. in the sensitive facilities of those countries?” Putin said. “That is, the response can be asymmetric. We will think about it.” These comments were couched in a hypothetical, and Putin did not name any specific countries he might consider supplying weapons to.

Putin also warned Ukraine's allies against complacency about the potential for nuclear escalation over Ukraine.

“For some reason, the West believes that Russia will never use it [nuclear weapons]”, said Putin. “We have a nuclear doctrine, look what it says. If someone's actions threaten our sovereignty and territorial integrity, we consider it possible to use all the means at our disposal. This should not be taken lightly, superficially.”

A few hours after Putin's statements to the press, Cuba announced that four Russian warships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will arrive in Cuban waters next week. Cuban officials say none of the ships will carry nuclear weapons and insist their presence “does not represent a threat to the region.”

This show of force by Putin is reminiscent of the events leading up to this The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev installed nuclear weapons in Cuba. This was Khrushchev's response to the deployment of nuclear weapons by the US in Turkey, which at the time bordered the Soviet Union.

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).