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The man suspected of abducting Madeleine McCann won’t face any charges in the foreseeable future, a prosecutor has told Sky News.

German drifter Christian B, who cannot be fully identified under his country’s privacy law, is expected to be freed from an unrelated jail sentence this year while police in three countries continue to search for evidence against him.

Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said: “There is currently no prospect of an indictment in the Maddie case.

“As things stand, the accused Christian B’s imprisonment will end in early September.”

Madeleine, aged three, was asleep with her younger twin siblings in the family’s Portuguese rented holiday apartment before mother Kate discovered her missing at around 10pm on 3 May, 2007.

Her parents were dining nearby on the complex with friends and taking turns to check on all their sleeping children every half an hour.

A man, who is a suspect in the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann in Portugal, stands next to his lawyer Friedrich Fuelscher at his trial on unrelated sexual assault charges in Braunschweig, Germany, October 2, 2024. Christian B., is charged with three counts of aggravated rape and two counts of sexual abuse of children in Portugal between June 2007 and December 2000. Moritz Frankenberg/Pool via REUTERS
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Christian B at his trial on unrelated sexual assault charges in Germany last year. Pic: Reuters

Madeleine’s disappearance has become the world’s most mysterious missing child case.

Philipp Marquort, one of Christian B’s defence lawyers, welcomed the prosecutor’s pessimism about bringing charges.

He said: “This confirms the suspicions that we have repeatedly expressed, namely that there is no reliable evidence against our client.

“We regret that we have not yet been granted access to the investigation files. We have not yet been able to effectively counter the public prejudice arising from statements made by the prosecutor’s office.”

Christian B, 47, is in jail and coming to the end of his sentence for the rape of an elderly American woman in Praia da Luz, the Portuguese resort where Madeleine disappeared.

In October, he was acquitted on a series of rape and indecent assault charges after a non-jury trial in Germany, in which several references were made to his status as the main suspect in the Madeleine case.

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File photo dated 30/04/17 of Kate and Gerry McCann, whose daughter Madeleine disappeared from a holiday flat in Portugal seventeen years ago. They have released a statement on the 17th anniversary of her disappearance, saying "the absence still aches". Earlier this week, it was confirmed that up to a further ..192,000 has been granted by the Home Office for the Scotland Yard investigation into Madeleine's disappearance. Issue date: Friday May 3, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story POLICE Portugal. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire....
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Kate and Gerry McCann. Pic: PA

The prosecutor said he was awaiting the court’s written judgment before launching an appeal against the acquittal. He believes the trial judges were biased against the prosecution.

If successful, he could apply for a new arrest warrant for Christian B to keep him in custody until a retrial with new judges.

He said: “We hope that the Federal Court of Justice will decide before the end of the accused’s imprisonment. If the Federal Court follows our legal opinion, we could apply for a new arrest warrant for the accused’s offences, so that the accused would then remain in custody beyond September 2025.

Mr Marquort said the defence team would oppose the prosecution’s appeal against the acquittal.

Prosecutor Mr Wolters has said in the past that he believes Madeleine is dead and that Christian B was responsible for her death. The suspect denies any involvement.

The case against Christian B is purely circumstantial; he’s alleged to have confessed to a friend that he abducted Madeleine, he has convictions for sex crimes against children, he was living in the area at the time, his mobile phone was close by when the young girl vanished and he re-registered one of his vehicles the next day.

The prosecutor won’t say what evidence he has to convince him Madeleine is dead, but he admitted he is still trying to find forensic evidence to link Christian B to the girl.

Christian B is acquitted of sex attacks not related to the Madeleine McCann case
Image:
Christian B coming to the end of his sentence for the rape of an elderly woman

Jim Gamble, former head of the UK Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre, said he had expected the prosecutor to charge Christian B soon.

“He’s implied the whole way through that he has something more than the public are aware of,” he said.

“He’s made fairly definitive statements about whether Madeleine is alive or dead so you would expect their strategy to have been to charge him sooner rather than later.

“From what he’s said today I wonder if we’re witnessing the re-positioning of something to manage the disappointment that’ll come.”

Mr Wolters, who is based in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, is investigating the case with the help of Portuguese police and detectives from Scotland Yard.

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‘Let’s do a deal’: Zelenskyy touts Ukraine’s rare earth stores to Trump

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'Let's do a deal': Zelenskyy touts Ukraine's rare earth stores to Trump

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told Donald Trump “let’s do a deal” as he offered the US a partnership over Ukraine’s stores of rare earth and minerals.

Earlier this week, Mr Trump said he wanted Ukraine to supply the US with critical resources in exchange for financial support in its war with Russia.

In an interview with Reuters on Friday, Mr Zelenskyy said: “If we are talking about a deal, then let’s do a deal, we are only for it.”

While emphasising that Kyiv was not proposing “giving away” its resources, he said he was open to a mutually beneficial partnership to develop them jointly.

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Ukrainian forces seize land inside Russia

Rare earths are a group of 17 metals that are vital in the production of high-performance magnets, electric motors and consumer electronics.

Mr Zelenskyy touted the country’s reserves of titanium and uranium as Europe’s largest.

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According to the World Economic Forum, Ukraine also has the potential to become a key supplier of lithium, beryllium, manganese, gallium, zirconium, graphite, apatite, fluorite and nickel.

Showing a map of Ukraine’s mineral deposits, he then said Russia currently has control of less than 20% of the country’s mineral resources – but that includes about half its rare earth deposits.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy with the 'Plan of Victory' map. Pic: Reuters
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Zelenskyy said Ukraine has Europe’s largest stores of titanium and uranium. Pic: Reuters

Putin is not just grabbing them [minerals] along with the land, he is already thinking about how to get other partners in his alliance – North Korea, Iran… and he will give them access,” Mr Zelenskyy said.

“This is very rich land. This does not mean that we are giving it away to anyone, even to strategic partners. We are talking about partnership…

“Let’s develop this together, make money, and most importantly, it’s about the security of the Western world.”

The Ukrainian president added that Kyiv and the White House were discussing the idea of using the country’s underground gas storage sites to store American liquefied natural gas, calling it “very interesting”.

He also said he would like to discuss the US having priority when it came to rebuilding Ukraine, saying it would amount to “a lot of money for business”.

‘Not accepting Russia’s ultimatums’

He also insisted that Mr Trump must meet with him before he meets with the Russian president, “otherwise it will look like a dialogue about Ukraine without Ukraine”.

He added: “I don’t know what compromises can be discussed at the negotiating table, we have not reached that point…

“It is important for people to understand that Ukraine is negotiating, not accepting ultimatums from Russia.”

He also stressed Ukraine’s need for security guarantees from its allies as part of any settlement.

It comes as Mr Trump said he may meet with Mr Zelenskyy in the White House as early as next week. The two last met in New York in September last year.

Mr Trump also repeated his interest in meeting the Russian president with whom he said he always had a “good relationship”.

Speaking to reporters while meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Mr Trump said: “I’d like to see it end, just on a human basis. I’d like to see that end. It’s a ridiculous war.”

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Mr Zelenskyy also told Reuters in his interview that thousands of North Korean soldiers have now returned to fight Kyiv’s forces in the Kursk region of Russia.

A Ukrainian special forces commander told Sky News last month that it appeared that North Korean troops had been temporarily pulled back from the frontline after heavy losses.

The commander, who went by the codename “Puls,” claimed the forces had been seen blowing themselves up with grenades rather than risk capture.

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Hamas names three Israeli hostages it says it will release today

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Hamas names three Israeli hostages it says it will release today

Hamas has released the names of three Israeli hostages it says it will release today in the fifth such swap of a fragile ceasefire in Gaza.

The hostages are Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy, Hamas armed wing spokesperson Abu Obeida said in a Telegram post.

An Israeli official confirmed Israel had received the three names from Hamas.

In return for the captives’ release, Hamas said it expects 183 Palestinian prisoners to be released.

Jabalia, in northern Gaza, after months of Israel attacks.
Pic: Reuters/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Image:
Jabalia, in northern Gaza, after months of Israeli attacks.
Pic: Reuters/Dawoud Abu Alkas

Both Mr Ami, 56, and Mr Sharabi, 52, were taken from Kibbutz Be’eri during the 7 October attack. The cross-border attack saw around 1,200 Israelis killed and around 250 people taken hostage.

Mr Levy, 34, was abducted from the Nova music festival.

Of the Palestinian prisoners being freed, 18 have been serving life sentences, 54 were serving long sentences and the vast majority, 111, were detained in Gaza during the war.

Eli Sharabi

Mr Sharabi’s wife Lianne Sharabi was born in Bristol.

She, along with their children, 16-year-old Noiya and 13-year-old Yahel, were killed in the 7 October attack.

His brother Yossi was also killed after being taken hostage.

In a statement after news he would be released was announced, Mr Sharabi’s lawyers said the “family has already lost too much… [they] are pleased and relieved that Eli Sharabi is reportedly on the list for release by Hamas”.

It added: “It is long past time to bring Eli home.”

Or Levy

Mr Levy was captured by militants from a bomb shelter near the Nova music festival.

His wife Einav was killed during the 7 October attack. Their son Almog, a toddler, is staying with his grandparents.

Mr Levy is from the city of Rishon Lezion, where he worked as a computer programmer.

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Michael Levy speaks to Sky News about his brother

Some of Mr Levy’s family previously spoke about his kidnapping and the death of his wife.

Speaking around Hanukkah last year, his brother Michael Levy told Sky News’s Yousra Elbagir: “I have three little girls but it won’t be the same. Hanukkah is a happy holiday – you light candles, you sing and eat all sorts of things but for us it is not a real holiday without Or.”

Ohad Ben Ami

Mr Ben Ami, a father of three, was taken hostage with his wife Raz, who was released during the brief ceasefire period in November.

His daughter Ella Ben Ami previously spoke to Sky News about missing her dad Mr Ami, as she pleaded for his release.

“On the eve of Christmas, on the 24 December, it will be his birthday, and I don’t want to celebrate it without him,” she told Sky News in 2023.

Ms Ami was previously one of the first to tell the world what happened on 7 October, calling an Israeli TV channel while hiding.

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Ella Ben Ami: ‘I miss my Dad and I need my Dad with me’ this Christmas Eve

Row over aid access

Earlier on Friday, Hamas accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire accord and held off announcing the names of the Israeli hostages until the deadline had passed.

The militant group claimed Israel delayed the entry of hundreds of trucks carrying food and other humanitarian supplies agreed under the truce deal and held back all but a fraction of the tents and mobile homes needed to provide people shelter in the devastated enclave.

“This demonstrates clear manipulation of relief and shelter priorities,” Hamas said in a statement.

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Trump 100 Day 17: Can Trump take over the Gaza Strip?

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COGAT, the Israeli military agency that is overseeing the aid deliveries into Gaza, denied the accusation.

It added Israel would “not tolerate violations by Hamas”.

The claims and counter-claims highlight the fragility and uncertainty of the ceasefire.

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Gaza ceasefire deal explained

This has been heightened by US President Donald Trump recently saying the US could take over Gaza and move the Palestinian population out.

Israel’s air and ground war in Gaza has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, and displaced the majority of the strip’s population.

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Fragile ceasefire deal

So far, 13 of the 33 female, older male and child hostages set to be released in the first phase of the multi-phase agreement have returned to Israel.

Five Thai hostages have also been released.

Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been released in exchange, often returning to large crowds.

Work on the second stage of the agreement, aimed at the release of around 60 male hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, has begun.

An Israeli negotiating team was expected to fly to Doha today, according to media reports.

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‘Let’s do a deal’: Zelenskyy touts Ukraine’s rare earth stores to Trump

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'Let's do a deal': Zelenskyy touts Ukraine's rare earth stores to Trump

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told Donald Trump “let’s do a deal” as he offered the US a partnership over Ukraine’s stores of rare earth and minerals.

Earlier this week, Mr Trump said he wanted Ukraine to supply the US with critical resources in exchange for financial support in its war with Russia.

In an interview with Reuters on Friday, Mr Zelenskyy said: “If we are talking about a deal, then let’s do a deal, we are only for it.”

While emphasising that Kyiv was not proposing “giving away” its resources, he said he was open to a mutually beneficial partnership to develop them jointly.

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Ukrainian forces seize land inside Russia

Rare earths are a group of 17 metals that are vital in the production of high-performance magnets, electric motors and consumer electronics.

Mr Zelenskyy touted the country’s reserves of titanium and uranium as Europe’s largest.

More on Donald Trump

According to the World Economic Forum, Ukraine also has the potential to become a key supplier of lithium, beryllium, manganese, gallium, zirconium, graphite, apatite, fluorite and nickel.

Showing a map of Ukraine’s mineral deposits, he then said Russia currently has control of less than 20% of the country’s mineral resources – but that includes about half its rare earth deposits.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy with the 'Plan of Victory' map. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Zelenskyy said Ukraine has Europe’s largest stores of titanium and uranium. Pic: Reuters

Putin is not just grabbing them [minerals] along with the land, he is already thinking about how to get other partners in his alliance – North Korea, Iran… and he will give them access,” Mr Zelenskyy said.

“This is very rich land. This does not mean that we are giving it away to anyone, even to strategic partners. We are talking about partnership…

“Let’s develop this together, make money, and most importantly, it’s about the security of the Western world.”

The Ukrainian president added that Kyiv and the White House were discussing the idea of using the country’s underground gas storage sites to store American liquefied natural gas, calling it “very interesting”.

He also said he would like to discuss the US having priority when it came to rebuilding Ukraine, saying it would amount to “a lot of money for business”.

‘Not accepting Russia’s ultimatums’

He also insisted that Mr Trump must meet with him before he meets with the Russian president, “otherwise it will look like a dialogue about Ukraine without Ukraine”.

He added: “I don’t know what compromises can be discussed at the negotiating table, we have not reached that point…

“It is important for people to understand that Ukraine is negotiating, not accepting ultimatums from Russia.”

He also stressed Ukraine’s need for security guarantees from its allies as part of any settlement.

It comes as Mr Trump said he may meet with Mr Zelenskyy in the White House as early as next week. The two last met in New York in September last year.

Mr Trump also repeated his interest in meeting the Russian president with whom he said he always had a “good relationship”.

Speaking to reporters while meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Mr Trump said: “I’d like to see it end, just on a human basis. I’d like to see that end. It’s a ridiculous war.”

Read more:
Ukraine peacekeeping force without US troops would be ‘mistake’
Lammy promises £55m for Ukraine during visit

Mr Zelenskyy also told Reuters in his interview that thousands of North Korean soldiers have now returned to fight Kyiv’s forces in the Kursk region of Russia.

A Ukrainian special forces commander told Sky News last month that it appeared that North Korean troops had been temporarily pulled back from the frontline after heavy losses.

The commander, who went by the codename “Puls,” claimed the forces had been seen blowing themselves up with grenades rather than risk capture.

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