Novel to the screen. while many will stay dry in the coming days, the chance of more showers for england and wales today and tomorrow. details coming up. good morning. it s friday, the 22nd of april. our top story. a man has been declared as an official person of interest by portuguese authorities, in connection with the disappearance of madeleine mccann in 2007. the suspect hasn t been named, but prosecutors say they are acting on the request of the german authorities. simon jones has more. next month, it will be 15 years since madeleine mccann disappeared. what happened to her remains a mystery, despite numerous international investigations. it s been agony for her parents. they ve always clung to the hope that their daughter is still alive. but the authorities in germany strongly believe madeleine was murdered.
Referred to as christian b, a convicted rapist, in connection with madeleine s disappearance. he s currently in jail. officers say he was regularly living in the algarve between 1995 and 2007. he has always denied any involvement. there have been tv appeals for information, but the authorities have never had enough evidence to charge him. madeleine went missing from a holiday apartment on may 3rd, 2007, while her parents were having dinner at a nearby restaurant. injuly 2013, the met police opened its own investigation, saying it had new evidence and new witnesses. and it was injune 2020, that german police first revealed they had a suspect. there have been searches in portugal, but no breakthrough. in less than two weeks, a statute of limitations would take effect, meaning under portuguese law, it would no longer be possible to make someone a person of interest.
This is bbc news. i m victoria fritz, with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. president zelenskyy denies russia s claims that mariupol has been captured. he says the city continues to resist. translation: russia, you are makin: translation: russia, you are making your translation: russia, you are making your country translation: russia, you are making your country borrowed | making your country borrowed thanit making your country borrowed than it has ever been, since the civil war, it is better to see peace now. kyiv prepares for the possible return of russian troops. the city s mayor warns those who fled to stay away. portugese prosecutors investigating the disappearance of madeline mccann say they ve identified an official suspect, 15 years after she went missing. and, a bbc investigation uncovers why thousands of german nationals have migrated to paraguay in the last 12 months.
Significant but that does not seem to be the motivation, you suggest? clearly there is a pressure. everyone clearly there is a pressure. everyone has known the statute of limitations will apply a particular pressure. limitations will apply a particular pressure, given the 15 year limit is only a pressure, given the 15 year limit is only a week pressure, given the 15 year limit is only a week away. but that has been known only a week away. but that has been known and only a week away. but that has been known and talked about for months now known and talked about for months now i known and talked about for months now ithink known and talked about for months now. i think the issue known and talked about for months now. ithink the issue here is known and talked about for months now. i think the issue here is that of the now. i think the issue here is that of the german police have been able to share of the german police have been able to share the evidence, the informati
Our best no others have. so i think this is our best chance, given what we know about, our best chance, given what we know about, welt, our best chance, given what we know about, well, notwithstanding the caution about, well, notwithstanding the caution that the german police were saying caution that the german police were saying about how they may not be able to saying about how they may not be able to take it forward, there has been able to take it forward, there has been a able to take it forward, there has been a confidence within the german police been a confidence within the german police team involved in this, there has been police team involved in this, there has been an police team involved in this, there has been an absolute confidence with the german prosecutor. and having worked the german prosecutor. and having worked with german police in the past, worked with german police in the past, i worked with german police in the past, i wouldn t take that