In this episode of The Morning Rundown, hosts Maya and David cover a busy news cycle spanning U.S. politics, global health, public safety, and technology. From a surprise shake-up at the top of the intelligence community to a record-breaking disease outbreak and a landmark rocket launch, the episode moves quickly through stories with real consequences.

Listeners will come away with a clearer picture of what Tulsi Gabbard's departure as Director of National Intelligence actually signals, why the Congo Ebola outbreak demands attention beyond the headlines, and what the latest developments in AI-powered search reveal about how far the technology still has to go.

• Tulsi Gabbard exits as DNI: She cited her husband's cancer diagnosis, but Reuters reports the White House played a role in her departure, raising questions about the intelligence community's leadership and national security continuity.
• GOP friction with Trump: Growing tensions within the Republican Party add another layer of instability to the current political landscape.
• Congo Ebola outbreak: Now the third largest on record with nearly 750 cases and 177 deaths, the outbreak has prompted a legally contested CDC policy blocking green card holders from affected countries from re-entering the U.S.
• Southern California evacuation: Roughly 40,000 residents were forced to evacuate due to the risk of a chemical tank explosion, underscoring ongoing industrial safety concerns in the region.
• SpaceX Starship V3 and Google AI: SpaceX launched its most advanced Starship yet on Flight 12, just two days after announcing plans to go public. Meanwhile, Google's AI Overviews showed surprising fragility when simple search terms caused the system to break down, highlighting real concerns about prompt injection vulnerabilities.

The episode also includes a tribute to hip-hop pioneer Rob Base, who passed away at 59, remembered for his enduring contribution to the culture through tracks like It Takes Two.