Iran Ignites, AI Gets a Watchdog, and the Met Gala Goes Sideways

In this episode of The Morning Rundown, hosts Maya and David cover three major stories shaping the news cycle: Iran's missile and drone strikes on the UAE and the US military response in the Strait of Hormuz, the White House's emerging plan to vet AI models before public release, and the controversy surrounding Jeff Bezos's sponsorship of the 2026 Met Gala.Listeners will come away with a clearer picture of why escalating Middle East tensions are affecting commodity prices and global markets, what government oversight of AI could mean for the tech industry, and how the Musk versus OpenAI trial is centering on a disputed thirty-billion-dollar valuation. The episode also unpacks the cultural contradictions on display at the Met Gala, where celebrity boycott calls gave way to red carpet appearances.Iran-UAE conflict: Iran launched missiles and drones at the UAE, the US sank seven Iranian boats in the Strait of Hormuz, yet US markets edged higher as traders bet on a fragile ceasefire holding.AI oversight: The White House is weighing a formal vetting process for AI models before they reach the public, raising questions about innovation, liability, and who controls emerging technology.Musk vs. OpenAI: The trial is getting increasingly personal, with a thirty-billion-dollar valuation of Greg Brockman's role at the center of the dispute.Australia rate hike: The Reserve Bank of Australia raised rates again, with officials explicitly citing Middle East conflict as a driver of commodity price inflation.Met Gala controversy: Taraji P. Henson and Bella Hadid publicly criticized celebrities for attending a Bezos-sponsored event, while most attendees showed up anyway, and Bad Bunny arrived in full elderly-man prosthetics.