Hello, im matthew amroliwala, welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. We start this hour in ukraine because president zelensky says, a fierce battle is under way in the kharkiv region, after russia launched a surprise attack. Small groups of troops with armoured vehicles pushed through the front line military sources say they advanced a kilometre, before being pushed back there are reports of sustained russian shelling. Ukraines Defence Ministry says, reinforcements have been sent to the region. Heres president zelensky. Russia started a new wave of Offensive Actions in the kharkiv region. Ukrainianforces Offensive Actions in the kharkiv region. Ukrainian forces met them there with brigades and artillery fire. It is important to understand that they can increase and bring more forces in this direction. It is a fact. Lets get the latest from our ukraine correspondent james waterhouse. This appears to have taken ukraine by surprise. I this appears to have taken ukraine by surprise by surprise. I think that kyiv would disa. Ree by surprise. I think that kyiv would disagree with by surprise. I think that kyiv would disagree with that, by surprise. I think that kyiv would disagree with that, what by surprise. I think that kyiv would disagree with that, what they by surprise. I think that kyiv would disagree with that, what they are i disagree with that, what they are saying is that we were anticipating a operation such as this, they are nevertheless having to move reserve troops into the North Eastern kharkiv region. It is centring around our town where 3000 people live, and are currently being evacuated. It has long been anticipated for the past few weeks that russia will try to mount some kind of offensive in this area, around 35,000 troops are thought to have gathered across the border inside russia. I think we are some way short of that, but moscow has been pretty upfront about its desire to establish a so called buffer zone to establish a so called buffer zone to increase the gap between the troops. Ukrainian forces have been increasingly shelling the russian region to the slight nervousness of western allies. Clearly, russia wants to increase that gap but fighting is about shaping as well. If you have these Russian Forces drawing ukrainian troops, trying to make further incursions, if they were to deploy them further behind it could amount to something more. I dont think many ukrainian or or western circles are expecting the city of kharkiv itself, the second biggest city to fall. Simply because the number of Russian Troops we are talking about andy losses that have been sustained so far. Briefly, where are we when it comes to weapons . We know that deadlock in washington was broken recently, where are we when it comes to ukraine defending itself . It is where are we when it comes to ukraine defending itself . It is a bit murky at ukraine defending itself . It is a bit murky at the ukraine defending itself . It is a bit murky at the moment, ukraine defending itself . It is a bit murky at the moment, we i ukraine defending itself . It is a bit murky at the moment, we know some of that western health is arriving. We dont know what. 0ne arriving. We dont know what. One would imagine it would be mostly artillery shells because americans had their stockpiles in europe itself, this unlocking of western aid wont be realised immediately and wants it all arrives, does medium range missiles, air Defence Systems to counter air superiority, the goal of ukraine is simply to symbolise the front the goal of ukraine is simply to symbolise the fron the goal of ukraine is simply to symbolise the front thank you. Lets no live to symbolise the front thank you. Lets go live to leeds symbolise the front thank you. Lets go live to leeds Court Symbolise the front thank you. Lets go live to leeds court house, symbolise the front thank you. Lets go live to leeds court house, the i go live to leeds court house, the police giving their reaction after the man who shot and killed the female pc has been sentenced to a0 years. Female pc has been sentenced to 40 ears. �. , female pc has been sentenced to 40 ears. ~. ,. Female pc has been sentenced to 40 ears. , years. Against the Police Officers there is no years. Against the Police Officers there is no hiding years. Against the Police Officers there is no hiding place. Years. Against the Police Officers there is no hiding place. We years. Against the Police Officers there is no hiding place. We will| there is no hiding place. We will hunt you down where ever you seek to hide and we will find you, we will bring you tojustice. Hide and we will find you, we will bring you to justice. I would like to thank people who have been helpful over the last 20 years, the original Investigation Team who did a first class investigation, the subsequent generations of detectives who have handed on the pattern of responsibility to hunt down the killers. Right up to the team in the present day who have worked tirelessly for the past eight years to extradite the suspects from pakistan. Alongside us, our colleagues from the cps who have been with us every step of the journey, our colleagues from the National Crime agency who worked behind the scenes to locate him and bring him back. Colleagues in the foreign and home office and also the officials in pakistan who helped us navigate some Uncharted Waters in terms of foreign jurisdictions and Global Politics. I think it has shown that it is a team effort, justice is everywhere, regardless of Global Politics or International Judicial boundaries. Lastly, most importantly, i would like to thank theirfamilies of sharon importantly, i would like to thank their families of Sharon Beshenivsky and teresa for all their patients and teresa for all their patients and putting their confidence and trust in us. I know it has been hard for you all these years, hopefully now this result can hopefully give you some closure which has been long awaited. Next year marks the 20th Anniversary of sharons passing. We will celebrate that in terms of a Memorial Service for sharon, as we do for all ourfallen Memorial Service for sharon, as we do for all our fallen colleagues. We will always remember her and keep her close in our hearts. Thank you. As a Police Officer, this must have hit home as a Police Officer, this must have hit home more as a Police Officer, this must have hit home more and as a Police Officer, this must have hit home more and to as a Police Officer, this must have hit home more and to see as a Police Officer, this must havel hit home more and to see 20 years leter hit home more and to see 20 years later this hit home more and to see 20 years later this conviction, hit home more and to see 20 years later this conviction, how hit home more and to see 20 years later this conviction, how does hit home more and to see 20 years later this conviction, how does it i later this conviction, how does it make later this conviction, how does it make you later this conviction, how does it make you feel later this conviction, how does it make you feel as later this conviction, how does it make you feel as a later this conviction, how does it make you feel as a police later this conviction, how does iti make you feel as a Police Officer . It is make you feel as a Police Officer . It is one make you feel as a Police Officer . It is one of make you feel as a Police Officer . It is one of those make you feel as a Police Officer . It is one of those moments make you feel as a Police Officer . It is one of those Moments Whenl make you feel as a Police Officer . It is one of those moments when many of us remember where we were when it happened, it feels like yesterday. I was a young detective at the time and i remember it. Ithink was a young detective at the time and i remember it. I think it is really sad when Police Officers are attacked and killed, so it is important that we get justice and justices seem to be done. I think we have seen that hour justices seem to be done. I think we have seen tha have seen that how do you feel . Relief, tinged have seen that how do you feel . Relief, tinged with have seen that how do you feel . Relief, tinged with satisfaction, | relief, tinged with satisfaction, necessarily all those emotions are bought back again because we have to relive the details that has been tucked away for 20 years. 0verwhelmingly relief and satisfaction. There the police answering a couple of questions, talking in the end of their satisfaction and the outcome today that jail term, their satisfaction and the outcome today thatjail term, a minimum of 40 years for piran ditta khan, the ringleader of the gang, paying tribute to the family of Sharon Beshenivsky and her colleagues on the day. Forjust the strength they have had to endure for over 20 years to reach today. Talking about their relief about getting to this moment, tinged with the sadness of having to relive the awful details of that day. The latest News Conference from the police after the conclusion of that court case. Israels Prime Minister has said again he intends to press ahead with its assault on rafah in the gaza strip. Us President Joe Biden has repeatedly warned against the operation, saying that it would cross a red line but Benjamin Netanyahu says he hopes to overcome his differences with the president. More than a million palestinians are sheltering in the city and america has already � paused a shipment of munitions, in protest at israels plans. The Israel Defense forces, say, they have enough weaponry for an assault and an attack, is the only way to fully defeat hamas. Paul adams has the latest, from jerusalem. The fifth day of israels Ground Operation in the south. Israel still calling this limited troops yet to enter rafahs overcrowded streets. But tanks and troops are massed nearby. The threat of an all out assault still feels real. Joe biden has warned israel not to do it and threatened to withhold weapons, but israels Prime Minister says hes determined to destroy what is left of hamas. You know, we often had our agreements, but weve had our disagreements. Weve been able to overcome them. I hope we can overcome them now, but we will do what we have to do to protect our country. Israel is heavily dependent on american weaponry with the ministry of defence celebrating the arrival of everything from jeeps to smart bombs. Joe bidens threat to suspend deliveries carries rare symbolic weight, but how much does it really matter . When we speak about difficulties within the idf, it would be for the long range or the medium one. For tomorrow war in gaza or tomorrow more war in lebanon, if it will happen, that will not make any difference. This week has seen a fresh wave of palestinians fleeing the fighting. Most have moved multiple times before, the war following wherever they go. Some are going north, searching for scraps of open ground, often by the sea. Places without any basic services. We take water from the sea for our children, soumya says. There are no bathrooms, no food, no tents. Look at the children. They havent had any breakfast or even seen food. Seven months of war have totally upended life in the gaza strip, displacing most of the population, creating vast new refugee camps. With ceasefire talks still deadlocked, this Desperate Movement looks set to continue. Paul adams, bbc news, jerusalem. The bbc has tracked down one of europes most wanted � People SmugglersBarzan Majeed nicknamed the scorpion. Speaking from northern iraq, he defended arranging for thousands of people, to travel to the uk, in small boats and lorries, arguing migrants are begging him for help. 0ur Reporter Sue Mitchell is part of the team that tracked him down. Shejoins me now. Just how did you do it, how did you Tracking Down . 50. Just how did you do it, how did you Tracking Down . Just how did you do it, how did you trackin down . ,. , Tracking Down . So, his phone number was found on Tracking Down . So, his phone number was found on the Tracking Down . So, his phone number was found on the phones Tracking Down . So, his phone number was found on the phones of Tracking Down . So, his phone number was found on the phones of migrantsl was found on the phones of migrants and my partner is a former British Army Officer and he has contacts in the migrant camps both in europe and the migrant camps both in europe and the middle east and we set off to try and find the scorpion, starting in nottingham where he used to live. Were searching for the boss of one of the biggest Smuggling Gangs in europe. He calls himself scorpion. Hes on the run and hes wanted by Crime Agencies across europe. We finally track him down, after eight months. A search that began in nottingham, through france, belgium and turkey, then finally to iraq, where rob and i meet him face to face. He sets out to rob shocking claims about how many people hes smuggled into the uk. May be 1,000, maybe 10,000, i dont know, i didnt count. Thousands of passengers had your number in their phones. Im telling you, yeah. Youre right, what you are saying. Nobody forced them, they wanted to. They are begging, they are begging the smugglers, please, do this, do this for us. You know, right, you know that smuggling through europe is illegal and highly dangerous you know that . Of course. And yet, you did it . Im telling you, ive done those kind of things, ive done it. The rise in these gangs has led to even more people attempting dangerous Channel Crossings in small boats. The haunting words of six year old miley. She was rescued from a dinghy as it was sinking in the channel. Others are not so lucky. Listening to that, he was quite brazen in what he was telling you, where are the authorities in this . We have passed his location on to the authorities, Barzan Majeed received a ten year sentence in the belgian courts, he was on the run so the sentence is outstanding. It is a difficult situation because we have tracked big mac tracked him down with iraq which has no extradition treaty. It creates a lot of problems authorities in europe and theyre going to try to negotiate with iraqi authorities to get him back. As you heard, these children and families are still making these dangerous journeys and Barzan Majeed is still living a life of luxury in iraq and he should face the authorities and justice should be seen to be done. Thank you very much for taking us through that. You can hear the full story in a new podcast series. � intrigue, to catch a scorpion youll find it on bbc sounds or wherever you listen to podcasts. Coming up well have the latest from Donald TrumpsHush Money Trial in new york. Well speak live to our correspondent and a republican lawyer watching the case. And harry and meghan begin a three day visit to nigeria. Well have the latest from the capital, abuja. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. You are live with bbc news. Lets head to new york. Donald trumps Hush Money Trial has resumed in new york. The former president returned to court in the last hour. He has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges of falsifying Business Records in relation to a payment made to the Adult Film ActressStormy Daniels. She finished testifying yesterday. Live now to new york and our north america correspondent, nada tawfik. Take us through it. Todays witness is very different take us through it. Todays witness is very different to take us through it. Todays witness is very different to stony take us through it. Todays witness is very different to stony daniels. L is very different to stony daniels. It is madly in wester house, a former white house aide was right outside the oval Office Working and she literally wrote a book about how much she enjoyed working with the president , she says if he was treated unfairly, the prosecution said they have been questioning her and she has been one o