The briefing for Friday, July 10.

Germany has reached an agreement with the United States to purchase American-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, marking a significant transfer of military technology between NATO allies. Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced the deal Thursday after negotiations at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, saying the long-range weapons will be stationed in Germany.

The Tomahawk cruise missile, in the U.S. military's inventory since the 1980s, has an impressive range of approximately 1,000 miles and uses precision guidance systems to strike targets deep inside enemy territory. The missiles fly about 100 feet off the ground, making them harder to detect by defense systems. Merz told parliament the agreement 'will close an important strategic gap in our defense,' while emphasizing Germany would simultaneously work to develop European weapons systems.

The deal represents a broader shift in American military technology sharing with European allies following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. President Donald Trump's administration has expanded such transfers, with Trump announcing Wednesday that the U.S. would give Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air defense systems. The move signals growing U.S. willingness to share advanced military capabilities as European security concerns intensify.

A federal appeals court upheld Illinois' ban on semiautomatic weapons Thursday in a 2-1 decision that keeps restrictions on AR-15 rifles and similar firearms in place. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reversed a lower court ruling, finding that the state's Protect Illinois Communities Act does not violate the Second Amendment and its restrictions are 'consistent with the principles that underpin our Nation's tradition of firearm regulation.'

The law, signed by Democratic Governor JB Pritzker in 2023, bans AR-15 rifles and similar guns, large-capacity magazines, and various attachments. It was passed six months after a 2022 shooting in Highland Park where a gunman killed seven people and injured more than three dozen at an Independence Day parade. The majority opinion directly addressed claims that semiautomatic weapons aren't responsible for mass shootings, stating 'the undisputed record evidence undercuts that claim, showing that the presence of assault weapons and large-capacity magazines is strongly correlated with the severity of the societal problem.'

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, which sought to block the ban, announced plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Chief Judge Michael Brennan dissented, arguing that governments cannot ban 'firearms commonly owned for self-defense' and that 'the people have overwhelmingly chosen the AR-15 rifle and its magazine as their weapon of choice.' The Supreme Court announced last month it would consider whether bans on semiautomatic rifles violate the Second Amendment, setting up a likely high court review of similar restrictions.

Multiple Democratic candidates launched campaigns Thursday to replace Graham Platner on Maine's Senate ballot after the progressive nominee announced he would withdraw from the race following a sexual assault allegation. Platner, who denies the allegation from a former girlfriend published by Politico earlier this week, said Wednesday he's suspending his campaign but won't formally file withdrawal paperwork until assured his replacement will be selected through an 'open and democratic' process.

The Maine Democratic Party must select a new candidate by July 27 under state law, leaving less than four months before the general election against longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins. Former state Senate president Troy Jackson quickly launched his campaign with backing from Our Revolution, the organization founded by Bernie Sanders. Also entering the race are Nirav Shah, former director of Maine's CDC who came in second in this year's governor primary; David Kleban, co-founder of Maine Beer Company; Secretary of State Shenna Bellows; and climate activist Bre Wood.

The party announced it will hold a nominating convention involving hundreds of delegates to choose Platner's replacement, though details on timing and format remain unclear. Platner's collapse exposes deep rifts between Maine's progressive base and party establishment, with tensions dating to his primary victory over Governor Janet Mills, who was handpicked by Democratic leaders. Political observers warn that perceived establishment maneuvering in selecting a replacement could alienate Platner's passionate base of more than 15,000 supporters, potentially dampening Democratic enthusiasm in a race considered crucial for Senate control.

China successfully recovered the first stage of a rocket after launch Friday, marking a breakthrough for its space program and challenging American dominance in reusable launch technology. The Long March 10B rocket lifted off from Hainan Island at 12:15 local time, and approximately six minutes after separating from the upper stage, its booster returned vertically and was recovered on a floating platform in the sea, according to state media.

The achievement signals China may be closing the gap with SpaceX and Blue Origin in cost-reducing reusable rocket technology. SpaceX first landed a reusable Falcon 9 booster from orbital flight in December 2015 and now launches about 150 times annually with boosters capable of dozens of reuses. By recovering and reusing the booster—generally the most valuable part of a rocket—launch costs for satellites and space exploration can be significantly reduced.

The Long March 10B can carry payloads of at least 16 metric tons to low-Earth orbit, compared to the Falcon 9's maximum payload of 22,800 kilograms. Unlike SpaceX's autonomous landing system, the Chinese rocket uses 'landing hooks' that catch a net attached to the floating platform. Shares in Chinese space firms jumped following the news, with China Spacesat and China Satellite Communications each rising 10%, the daily limit under the country's financial regulations.

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh released the names of leaders for five task forces that will evaluate and recommend changes to the central bank's operations. The roster announced Thursday includes venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, Harvard economist Raj Chetty, and former Bank of England governor Mervyn King among a mix of public officials and business leaders who will co-lead different review groups.

Warsh called for 'regime change' at the Fed last year while under consideration to replace former chair Jerome Powell, and has since sought to reduce communication about interest rate thinking and shrink the central bank's $6.7 trillion in government bond holdings. However, the selection of established figures in economics and business, rather than longtime Fed critics, suggests Warsh aims to persuade fellow officials of changes rather than impose them. 'The U.S. economy has changed significantly over the last generation, and never more so than right now,' Warsh said in a statement.

The five task forces will focus on different operational areas. Andreessen will co-lead a group examining how artificial intelligence and new technologies affect productivity and jobs, joined by Microsoft Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and Stanford economist Charles Jones. Chetty will oversee evaluation of Fed data sources alongside former Walmart CEO Doug McMillon and University of Chicago economist Kevin Murphy. Other task forces will examine the Fed's balance sheet, inflation frameworks, and communications strategies, each supported by Fed staff.

The European Union accused Meta on Friday of breaching its social media law by designing Facebook and Instagram to hook users, demanding the company disable 'key addictive features' like infinite scrolling and video autoplay. The European Commission issued fresh charges against Meta Platforms under the Digital Services Act, the 27-nation bloc's strict digital rulebook requiring tech platforms to protect internet users under threat of hefty fines.

The commission said Meta failed to properly assess risks its design features pose to users' physical and mental health, including minors. While the company offers tools to manage Facebook and Instagram use, regulators found they were 'easily overridden, dismissed, or technically challenging to use.' The preliminary findings demand Meta implement design changes so addictive features aren't turned on by default, and improve screen time controls that currently require excessive technical expertise and effort from parents.

Meta now has the chance to respond before the commission issues its final decision, which could result in fines up to 6% of global annual revenue. The company said the findings don't recognize steps already taken to protect teens, including Teen Accounts that automatically activate protections and give parents control over nighttime access and daily screen time limits. The charges represent the latest in an investigation opened in 2024 over concerns Meta wasn't doing enough to protect children online, including preventing underage sign-ups and identifying users below the 13-year minimum age.