Good morning and welcome back to another edition of The Morning Scoop, your rapid roundup of the biggest stories making headlines around the world today. From breaking news and royal updates to entertainment, politics, and viral moments everyone’s talking about, here’s everything you need to know to start your day.
Karmelo Anthony sentenced for 2025 stabbing of Austin Metcalf
Karmelo Anthony has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after being found guilty of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Texas. Prosecutors argued that Anthony fatally stabbed Metcalf during an argument in the stadium bleachers after refusing to leave an area reserved for Metcalf’s team. A jury rejected Anthony’s claim that he acted in self-defence and convicted him of murder following a trial that attracted national attention. Anthony, who was 17 at the time of the stabbing, faced a possible life sentence but was ultimately given 35 years behind bars.
Lawsuit attempts to stop White House UFC event
A lawsuit has been filed in an attempt to stop UFC Freedom 250, a high-profile mixed martial arts event scheduled to take place on the White House South Lawn this weekend. The legal challenge, brought by the watchdog group Public Integrity Project, argues that federal officials unlawfully approved the event, claiming it violates longstanding rules against sporting events on White House grounds and improperly uses public land for the benefit of a private, for-profit company.
The Trump administration, meanwhile, has asked a federal judge to dismiss the challenge, insisting the event is fully legal and forms part of celebrations marking America’s 250th anniversary.
Air Canada pilot accused of flying for 17 years without proper license
A former Air Canada captain has been charged after authorities alleged he spent nearly 17 years flying large passenger aircraft without holding the licence legally required for the role. Canadian police claim Geoffrey Wall flew more than 900 domestic and international flights between 2009 and 2025, operating aircraft including Boeing 767s, 777s and 787s despite lacking the Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) required for captains of major commercial airliners.
Investigators allege Wall used fraudulent documents to conceal the issue, earning approximately CAD $2.9 million during his time as a captain. Air Canada says he did hold a valid commercial pilot licence and successfully passed regular flight competency checks throughout his career, insisting passenger safety was never compromised.
NASA reveals Artemis III crew
NASA has unveiled the four-person crew for its Artemis III mission, a major milestone in the agency’s ambitious plan to return humans to the Moon and eventually establish a long-term lunar presence. The crew will be led by veteran astronaut Randy Bresnik and includes Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, marking the first time a European astronaut has been assigned to an Artemis mission.
Scheduled for launch in 2027, Artemis III will not land on the Moon itself but will instead conduct a series of complex docking tests in Earth orbit involving NASA’s Orion spacecraft and lunar landers being developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Bill Gates to testify in congressional panel’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is to testify before a congressional panel investigating the network and connections of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The closed-door session, led by the House Oversight Committee, will focus on Gates’ meetings and communications with Epstein between 2011 and 2014, years after Epstein’s conviction for soliciting a minor. Gates has repeatedly described the relationship as a “huge mistake” and insists he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal activities.
That’s all for today, folks. See you tomorrow for more!
