Birmingham Crown Court heard how Aimee Betro, 45, flew from the US to murder shopkeeper Sikander Ali at point-blank range outside his home in the Yardley area of the city in September 2019. Prosecutors alleged that Betro hid her identity using a niqab when she tried to shoot Mr Ali - but the gun jammed, allowing him to flee. Betro - originally from Wisconsin - was part of a plot orchestrated by co-conspirators Mohammed Nabil Nazir, 31, and his father, Mohammed Aslam, 56, who were in a violent feud with Mr Ali's family. During her trial, Betro said she had travelled to the UK on two previous occasions, having met Nazir on a dating app. Asked why she had paid a third visit to the UK, arriving at Manchester Airport from Atlanta around two weeks before the shooting, Betro told jurors: "To celebrate my birthday, and I won tickets for another boat party in London." The court was shown CCTV of Betro waiting for 45 minutes outside Mr Ali's house on the night of 7 September 2019. As Mr Ali arrived home, Betro approached him with a firearm, but the gun failed to fire. Mr Ali is seen jumping back into his car and reversing away, clipping Betro's driver's side door in the process. The court heard Betro then goaded Mr Ali's father, Aslat Mahumad, with whom her co-conspirators had a feud, through text messages including: "Where are you hiding?", "Stop playing hide and seek, you are lucky it jammed," and asking him to meet her at a nearby Asda. Jurors were told co-conspirators Nazir and Aslam had been injured during disorder at Mr Mahumad's clothing boutique in Birmingham in July 2018, leading them to conspire to have someone kill him or a member of his family. In the early hours of the next morning and just hours after the failed shooting, Betro booked a taxi and returned to Mr Ali's home, where she fired three shots at the property, which was empty at the time. She then fled back to the US the next day before becoming involved in another of Nazir's plots to get revenge on a rival. Read more from Sadiya Chowdhury:Two terminally ill people give their views on assisted dying voteTeen who murdered his family will not be given whole-life order Prosecutors also said Betro sent three parcels full of ammunition and gun parts to the UK on 16 October 2019. The court heard the parts, which were wrapped in foil and paper inside three cardboard boxes, were addressed to a man from Derby, with Nazir tipping off the police with the intent to frame him. While the packages were intercepted and the man arrested as part of what the prosecution said was Nazir's "devious scheme", his involvement in the plan eventually came to light, and he was released without charge. Betro, it said, was seen at a post office 100 miles away from her home address in the US posting the parcels under a fake name. In the case of each of those three packages, Betro's DNA has been found on the gun parts and ammunition inside them. Betro had claimed it was all a coincidence, saying the woman on the CCTV was another American who looked, dressed and sounded like her. It was alleged that Betro was in Armenia when Nazir and Aslam were jailed for 32 years and 10 years respectively in November 2024, but was extradited in January this year to face her own criminal proceedings. Jurors deliberated for almost 21 hours before convicting Betro of conspiracy to murder, possessing a self-loading pistol with intent to cause fear of violence, and a charge of illegally importing ammunition. She was found guilty by majority verdicts on the conspiracy to murder and firearm charges, and by a unanimous verdict on the ammunition charge. Speaking to Sky News, Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Orencas, from West Midlands Police's Major Crime Unit, called Betro's crime "a brazen attempt," adding that there "doesn't seem to be a whole lot of effort to avoid detection". "I think she fell foul of a really slick, dynamic law enforcement operation over here," he said. "I don't know whether that was her perspective from America, that that's how we operate, but zero tolerance around firearms, criminality on these shores." Betro was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 21 August. Hannah Sidaway, specialist prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service in the West Midlands, said: "Only Betro knows what truly motivated her or what she sought to gain from becoming embroiled in a crime that meant she travelled hundreds of miles from Wisconsin to Birmingham to execute an attack on a man she did not know."

Firefighters worked through the night to contain a blaze which broke out near Madrid in Spain. A man caught in the fire in Tres Cantos, near the Spanish capital, died in hospital after suffering 98% burns. Blazes also erupted across several Spanish regions, including Castile and Leon, Castile-La Mancha, Andalusia and Galicia. Spain's interior ministry declared a "pre-emergency", putting national services on standby to support firefighters. Almost 1,000 members of the country's armed forces are already helping. Temperatures are expected to reach 44C (112.2F) in some parts of the country, according to forecasters. In Portugal, more than 700 firefighters were working to control a fire in Trancoso, about 217 miles northeast of Lisbon. Smaller fires were burning further north of the country. "We are being cooked alive, this cannot continue," said Vila Real mayor Alexandre Favaios. A fire in the Portuguese city has been burning for 10 days. Firefighters were also battling several wildfires across Turkey on Tuesday, including in the northwestern province of Canakkale, forcing hundreds of residents to flee their homes. Blazes forced the temporary closure of Canakkale Airport, and also the Dardanelles Strait to shipping. Wildfires in Greece forced the evacuation of several villages and a hotel on the tourist islands of Zakynthos and Cephalonia in the Ionian Sea, along with four other parts of the mainland. "Winds are strong and the wildfire is out of control," Zakynthos mayor Yiorgos Stasinopoulos told Greek public broadcaster ERT. Read more from Sky News:US woman guilty of conspiracy to murder UK shop ownerItalian athlete, 29, dies after collapsing at World Games Red and amber heat alerts have been issued in Italy and France. Temperature records were broken on Monday in southern France, reaching 41.6C in Bordeaux compared with a previous record of 41.2C in 2019. All-time records were also broken in Bergerac, Cognac and Saint Girons, according to the national weather service, Meteo France. Global warming is giving the Mediterranean region hotter, drier summers, scientists say. Europe is warming faster than any other continent, with temperatures increasing at twice the speed of the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. Last year was the hottest year on record in Europe and globally, the monitoring agency said.

Gwent Police has launched a probe into "inappropriate and offensive" comments made online after a video was shared on Facebook last week claiming to show illegal immigrants in Newbridge. However, the bus contained members of a charitable youth group from across the UK that had been enjoying a trip to CRAI Scout Activity Park. The visitors, some of which were from Scotland, included children, families, teenagers, and group leaders. The video, which also alleged police were guarding the site, has since been deleted. Temporary Chief Superintendent Jason White said: "The video was removed but some of the posts contained inappropriate and offensive language and enquiries into the nature of the posts are ongoing. "While that work takes place, there are some mistruths circulating on social media which we'd like to correct. "The group featured in the video were visiting from another part of the country to attend a frequently used Scout camp in Newbridge and many of the people in the video are children. "The site is not used to house anyone on a permanent basis. The site is used by our dog handlers to train our police dogs when not used for visits and our officers are not guarding the location. "So, with that in mind, we're asking everyone to consider the tone and sentiment of their language but also for people to think twice about what they might read online and look for trusted voices within our communities." Read more from Sky News:Protesters face off amid concerns over women and girls' safetyWho says what on asylum hotels CRAI Scout Activity Park is a campsite and activity centre. ScoutsCymru said: "CRAI Scout Activity Park is an inclusive and welcoming campsite and activity centre in the South Wales Valleys offering a range of outdoor activities for youth and community groups. "We are aware of a racially aggravated incident targeting under-18s who were leaving after visiting our activity centre and are working closely with the police to address this situation. "We are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of everyone on site and will continue to take immediate and robust action against any behaviour that threatens this." In response to ScoutsCymru's statement on Facebook, one woman took aim at the "village idiots" who mistook the visiting group for migrants. Another woman wrote: "Where are the hundreds of comments on this post? Too ashamed to show themselves up now. "Targeting people because of the colour of their skin. What I saw on social media was a disgrace. So sorry to these children and teenagers."

Labubus are Chinese-made cheeky-looking, sharp-toothed soft toys resembling a bear that can be fastened to handbags. Styled to resemble grinning female elves, their popularity has caused queues at toy shops, including last month at the opening of Germany's first Labubu outlet in Berlin. They are a type of plushie, defined by the Cambridge English Dictionary as "a toy made from cloth and filled with a soft material so that it is pleasant to hold, often in the form of an animal". Rihanna and Dua Lipa are among the celebrity fans pictured with them on social media, and they are now sweeping the UK. But the toys are not cheap, with one UK retailer, Labubu's, offering them at around £20 each while on the Pop Mart website, they cost between £14 and £80. Their surge in popularity has made them a target for counterfeiters and instead of forking out for the genuine article, many customers have bought cheaper versions, known as 'Lafufus', fakes that have detachable parts, including eyes, that could cause choking. Hull City Council's head of public protection, Rachel Stephenson, said the fakes are "simply not worth the risk", as they are "poorly made and haven't been subject to the same standards and checks as the real thing. "They can easily come apart, posing a serious choking hazard for small children." The council's trading standards team has seized hundreds of the toys from a number of shops around the city, and warned many more will likely still be on sale. Read more on Sky News:Administrator lined up for water firmYouth group abused after mistake Genuine Labubus have high-quality packaging, clean, precise detailing and consistent paintwork, official Pop Mart and Kasing Lung markings and retail for upwards of £17.50 each. Last weekend, thieves stole $30,000 (£22,000) worth of Labubus from a shop in Los Angeles. Labubus were created by Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung, who published an illustrated book series in 2015 called The Monsters, in which the female characters are featured.

The 29-year-old was taken to hospital after being found unconscious during the men's middle-distance competition last Friday. "Despite receiving immediate expert medical care at one of China's leading medical institutions, he passed away on 12 August 2025," a joint statement from the International World Games Association, the local organising committee (LOC) and the International Orienteering Federation (IOF) said. "The World Games family, the LOC and the IOF are struck by this tragedy and extend their heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the athlete and the whole orienteering community. "The IWGA, LOC, and IOF will continue to support the family of Mattia Debertolis and the orienteering community in every possible way." The statement did not include details about the cause of death and why the athlete collapsed. Orienteering is an outdoor navigation sport that sees participants use a map and compass to find their way across unfamiliar terrain at speed. Debertolis had competed in several world championships and world cup events, the IOF said in a statement. "Mattia was not only an elite athlete, but also a highly skilled civil engineer, with studies in progress for a PhD at the university in Stockholm, where he lived and was part of the orienteering club IFK Lidingö," it added. Read more from Sky News:The West Bank - a state of conflictCCTV shows hospital volunteer being shot dead The city of Chengdu, in China's southwestern Sichuan province, is hosting the 12th multi-sport World Games. The event features fringe sports and disciplines not contested at the Olympics.

Sky News can exclusively reveal that Steve Reed, the environment secretary, has signed off the appointment of FTI Consulting to advise on contingency plans for Thames Water to be placed into a Special Administration regime (SAR). Sources said on Tuesday that the advisory role established FTI Consulting as the frontrunner to act as the company's administrator if it fails to secure a private sector bailout - although approval of such an appointment would be decided in court. Money latest: Supermarket coffee beats big brands in taste test Thames Water, its largest group of creditors and Ofwat, the industry regulator, have been locked in talks for months about a deal that would see its lenders injecting about £5bn of new capital and writing off roughly £12bn of value across its capital structure. The discussions are said to be progressing constructively, although they appear to rely in part on the prospect of the company being granted forbearance on hundreds of millions of pounds of regulatory fines. Responding to an enquiry from Sky News on Tuesday, a government spokesperson said: "The government will always act in the national interest on these issues. "The company remains financially stable, but we have stepped up our preparations and stand ready for all eventualities, including applying for a Special Administration Regime if that were to become necessary." Insiders stressed that FTI Consulting's engagement by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) did not signal that Thames Water was about to collapse into insolvency proceedings. A SAR would ensure that customers would continue to receive water and sewage services if Thames Water collapsed, while putting taxpayers on the hook for billions of pounds in bailout costs - a scenario the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is keen to avoid at a time when the public finances are already severely constrained. The SAR process can only be instigated in the event that a company becomes insolvent, can no longer fulfil its statutory duties or breaches an enforcement order, according to insiders. Mr Reed has repeatedly stressed the government's desire to avoid taking Thames Water into temporary public ownership, but that it was ready to deal with "all eventualities". "Thames Water must meet its statutory and regulatory obligations to its customers and to the environment--it is only right that the company is subject to the same consequences as any other water company. The company remains financially stable, but we have stepped up our preparations and stand ready for all eventualities," he told the House of Commons in June. Thames Water, which has about 16m customers, serves about a quarter of the UK's population. It is drowning under close to £20bn of debt, and was previously owned by Macquarie, the Australian infrastructure and banking behemoth. Its most recent consortium of shareholders, which included the Universities Superannuation Scheme and an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, have written off the value of their investments in the company. The government's SAR process has only been tested once before, when the energy retailer Bulb failed in 2021. Bulb was ultimately sold to Octopus Energy with the taxpayer funding used to save and run the company since having been repaid. Thames Water is racing to secure a rescue plan involving funds such as Elliott Management and Silver Point Capital, with a deadline of late October to appeal to the Competition and Markets Authority against Ofwat's final determination on its next five-year spending plan. Ofwat has ruled that Thames Water can spend £20.5bn during the period from 2026, with the company arguing that it requires a further sum of approximately £4bn. Mike McTighe, a veteran corporate troubleshooter who chairs BT Group's Openreach division, has been parachuted in to work with the funds. The company said in its accounts last month that there was "material uncertainty" over whether it could be solvently recapitalised. Earlier this year, Thames Water was fined a record £123m over sewage leaks and the payment of dividends, with Ofwat lambasting the company over its performance and governance. In recent weeks, Thames Water has been engulfed in a row over the legitimacy of bonuses paid to chief executive Chris Weston and other bosses, even as it attempts to secure its survival. Under new laws, Thames Water is among half a dozen water companies which have been barred from paying bonuses this year because of their poor environmental records. The creditor group was effectively left as the sole bidder for Thames Water after the private equity firm KKR withdrew from the process, citing political and reputational risks. The Hong Kong-based investor CK Infrastructure Holdings (CKI), which already owns Northumbrian Water, has sought to re-engage in talks about a rescue deal but has gained little traction in doing so. News of FTI Consulting's appointment also comes on the same day as a "nationally significant" water shortfall was declared across swathes of the country. Last week, Sky News revealed that David Black, the Ofwat chief executive, was to step down following the publication of a government-commissioned review which recommended the regulator's abolition. He has been replaced by Chris Walters, another Ofwat executive, on an interim basis.

Jayla-Jean Mclaren died in hospital on Sunday, two days after being admitted with serious injuries. A 31-year-old man and 27-year-old woman, both from Newport on the island, were arrested on Friday on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and bailed. However, Hampshire Police said they had now been re-arrested on suspicion of murder. Detective Superintendent Rod Kenny said: "We know this case has caused considerable distress within the community and our thoughts remain with those affected by Jayla-Jean's death. "The arrests made today are just one part of a much wider set of inquiries in our investigation to establish exactly what happened to Jayla-Jean, and those inquiries remain ongoing. "We would like to reiterate that you should not speculate on this case, particularly on social media, as this could affect our investigation." Read more on Sky News:Administrator lined up for water firmYouth group abused after mistake Hampshire Police said officers were called at 11.34am on Friday to a report of a child being taken to hospital with serious injuries. In a statement previously published by the force on Thursday, her family said: "Mummy, daddy, and nanny will always love you. Fly high princess."

A Chinese Coastguard patrol boat hit a Chinese navy ship in the disputed Scarborough Shoal on Monday as they harassed a Philippines Coastguard patrol boat delivering supplies, including fuel and ice, to dozens of fishing boats. Manila's foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the actions of the Chinese boats "not only posed a grave danger to Philippine personnel and vessels, but also resulted in the unfortunate collision between the two Chinese vessels". Philippine Coastguard spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a widely-reported statement: "The [China Coastguard vessel] CCG 3104, which was chasing the [Filipino Coastguard vessel] BRP Suluan at high speed, performed a risky manoeuvre from the [Philippine] vessel's starboard quarter, leading to the impact with the PLA [People's Liberation Army] navy warship. "This resulted in substantial damage to the CCG vessel's forecastle, rendering it unseaworthy." The Philippines Armed Forces' Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner told reporters on Tuesday they believed the navy ship was trying "to ram our Philippine Coastguard (vessel). That is also (the) assessment of our Philippine Coastguard". US Ambassador to Manila, MaryKay Carlson, condemned on X what she called "latest reckless action by China directed against a Philippine vessel... and commend the Philippine Coastguard for their professionalism and their offer to render assistance". China's defence ministry and its embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On Monday, China's Coastguard said it took necessary measures to expel Philippine vessels from waters in the area. Philippine Coastguard footage showed a Chinese Coastguard ship tracking the Suluan before a Chinese navy ship, bearing the number 164 on its hull, suddenly cut across its path, colliding with it and damaging the smaller vessel's forecastle. People can be heard shouting in alarm before a loud crash at the moment of impact. Read more on Sky News:Special report: The West Bank conflictUK's 'significant' water shortageZelenskyy 'out in the cold' Pictures showed substantial damage to the front of the Chinese Coastguard vessel. It was the first known collision between Chinese vessels in the area. Both countries claim the Scarborough Shoal, a triangular chain of reefs and rocks, as well as other areas in the South China Sea. There are no confirmed reports of injuries.

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Six further areas are experiencing prolonged dry weather following the driest six months to July since 1976. Many river flows and water reservoir levels in England continue to recede compared to June despite some storms and showers in July, which helped mask that it was still the fifth-warmest July on record. Drier conditions have returned in August and now parts of the country are bracing for the fourth heatwave of 2025, with today's amber alert covering the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, and the South East. Temperatures are forecast to rise above 30C (86F) in some areas, possibly even soaring past 35C (95F) in the south, threatening this year's heat record of 35.8C (95.4F) in Faversham, Kent, on 1 July. A milder yellow heat health alert is in place for the South West, North East, North West, Yorkshire and The Humber. The alerts by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are due to be in place from 9am today until 6pm tomorrow, and put more pressure on struggling public water supplies and navigational waterways. Check the weather forecast where you are 'We are calling on everyone to play their part' The National Drought Group (NDG), which includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers' Union, Canal & River Trust, anglers, and conservation experts, met at the start of the week to highlight the water-saving measures each sector is taking. The group praised the public for reducing their daily usage, after Yorkshire Water reported a 10% reduction in domestic demand following the introduction of their hosepipe ban, which saved up to 80 million litres per day. "The situation is nationally significant, and we are calling on everyone to play their part and help reduce the pressure on our water environment," said Helen Wakeham, NDG chair and director of water at the Environment Agency. "Water companies must continue to quickly fix leaks and lead the way in saving water. "We know the challenges farmers are facing and will continue to work with them, other land users, and businesses to ensure everyone acts sustainably." The rainfall at the end of July was welcomed by growers, even though the dry weather is set to have an impact on the harvest, with the National Farmers Union (NFU) noting how water shortages have impacted the growing season. "Some farms are reporting a significant drop in yields, which is financially devastating for the farm business and could have impacts for the UK's overall harvest," NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos said. Ms Hallos said investment in water infrastructure and a more effective planning system was urgently needed "to avoid the swing between extreme drought and flooding and to secure water supplies for food production". Read more:What is a heat-health alert?How heatwaves affect your healthWhere are hosepipe bans in place? The dry weather also impacts the health of the waterways, as low water levels reduce oxygen levels in the water, which can lead to fish deaths, more algae growth, and could prevent wildlife from moving up or downstream. Water minister Emma Hardy said the government is "urgently stepping up its response" to respond to dry weather, including investment in new reservoirs, but called on firms to do their bit. "Water companies must now take action to follow their drought plans," she said. "We face a growing water shortage in the next decade," the minister warned, which she said is why building new reservoirs - something the government has criticised the previous administration for not doing - is so important. The hot and dry conditions have also led to warnings of wildfires, following blazes near Wimborne in Dorset and at Edinburgh's Arthur's Seat over the weekend. The cost of farm fires in the UK increased by 37% to an estimated £110.3m in 2023, according to the National Farmer's Union (NFU) Mutual's latest data. Ms Hallos said: "We're urging everyone enjoying the countryside this summer to play their part and be fire-aware, so these shared spaces remain safe and accessible for all: follow the Countryside Code, avoid open fires and report any signs of fire immediately. "Protecting our farmland means protecting our food, our environment and our rural way of life." Sadiq Khan issued an air quality alert for London as temperatures started to rise this morning. "City Hall has triggered a high air pollution alert for Tuesday 12 August as hot weather is expected to increase pollutant levels," the Mayor of London posted on X. "We're urging Londoners to look after themselves, stop their engines idling, and refrain from burning wood or garden waste."