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Afghan boxer appears in Greek court over death of Scottish woman
WATCH: Afghan migrant leaves Athens court under heavy guard after appearing in Greece court over suitcase murder case
An Afghan man accused of murdering a Scottish charity worker and hiding her body in a suitcase has appeared before a court in Athens.
The body of Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, from Edinburgh, was discovered by a homeless man inside an abandoned building in the Kypseli district of the Greek capital on July 18.
The suspect, widely identified by Greek media as Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, an Afghan boxer, appeared before the court on Wednesday under heavy police escort. Greek authorities have not officially confirmed his identity.
The hearing was held behind closed doors, during which the suspect was assigned a court-appointed lawyer. He is expected to return to court on Thursday for a further hearing.
According to Greek police, the suspect was initially arrested on illegal weapons possession charges before prosecutors filed additional charges of murder and theft. Investigators allege he stole more than €10,000 from Ross’s bank accounts using her bank cards after her death.
Police said the suspect has admitted moving Ross’s body but denies killing her.
Investigators identified the suspect after reviewing surveillance footage recorded near the abandoned building where the suitcase containing Ross’s body was found.
Authorities also allege that after Ross’s death, the suspect used her mobile phone to send messages to her friends and family before switching it off.
Greek media reports further claim he later purchased another phone and sent messages to Ross’s friends in Athens, including his wife, while posing as an unnamed jihadist who falsely claimed responsibility for the killing because of Ross’s religion.
According to local reports, the suspect’s wife became suspicious after discovering he had not returned home and later tracked his phone to the apartment where Ross had been staying before her disappearance.
The investigation into the killing is continuing.
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Afghanistan embassy in Malaysia marks five years of IEA rule
The Embassy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Malaysia on Tuesday held a ceremony to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Islamic Emirate’s return to power. The event was attended by Malaysian government officials and diplomats, religious scholars, members of royal families, representatives of international and Islamic organizations, Afghan traders and Afghans living in Malaysia.
Naqibullah Ahmadi, the acting head of the embassy, described the anniversary as the result of the courage and sacrifices of the Afghan people and highlighted progress over the past five years in security, stability, economic growth, infrastructure and public services.
He emphasized balanced engagement with the international community and called for expanded cooperation between Afghanistan and Malaysia in trade, transit, agriculture, mining and investment.
Meanwhile, Dato’ Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman, Special Adviser to Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, congratulated Afghanistan on the fifth anniversary of the victory and emphasized the continuation of relations between the two countries.
He expressed Malaysia’s readiness to share its experience in Islamic banking, halal certification, public health, agriculture, mining and good governance.
The ceremony also featured a video presentation highlighting developments in Afghanistan over the past five years. The event concluded with prayers for lasting peace, prosperity and national unity in Afghanistan.
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Qatar’s ambassador visits Panjshir for first time, discusses development projects
Panjshir’s media office says that Mirdif Al-Qashouti, Qatar’s ambassador to Afghanistan, has visited Panjshir for the first time, following efforts by the provincial administration to attract investment and development projects.
Mohammad Agha Hakim, the governor of Panjshir, described relations between Afghanistan and Qatar as important during his meeting with the Qatari ambassador and called for increased investment by Islamic countries and Arab businessmen in the province.
Highlighting Panjshir’s potential in horticulture, agriculture and mining, he said apples, cherries, grapes and walnuts are among the province’s key products and that investment opportunities are available in these sectors. According to him, mining operations are currently underway at around 600 mines, while around 2,000 additional mines have been identified.
The Qatari ambassador described Afghanistan as a brotherly country and a longstanding friend of Qatar and reaffirmed his country’s support for Afghanistan. He said Qatar is committed to implementing various projects in Panjshir and plans to invest in establishing companies to process the province’s fresh and dried fruits.
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MoU signed to establish joint-stock company to boost investment in Afghanistan
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment and the Chamber of Industries and Mines to establish a joint-stock company aimed at financing major economic and infrastructure projects and promoting investment in Afghanistan.
The agreement was signed on Tuesday at the Government Media and Information Center in the presence of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.
Speaking at the ceremony, Baradar said the new company would provide a structured mechanism for mobilizing private capital to finance large-scale economic and infrastructure projects.
He said the private sector has a key role to play in Afghanistan’s economic growth, particularly in boosting domestic production, creating jobs, expanding exports and financing major development projects.
Baradar said the company would pool the capital of traders, industrialists and investors under an organized, transparent and legal framework, allowing their combined resources to be used for major projects.
He also said the Islamic Emirate had created a secure environment for investors and industrialists and was working to streamline administrative procedures, provide legal and economic facilities, and remove barriers to investment.
Baradar called on traders, industrialists and investors to pool their resources and jointly invest in Afghanistan’s economic development. He also urged government institutions to provide comprehensive support to the private sector.
Under the agreement, the joint-stock company will focus on implementing infrastructure projects across various sectors and is expected to create new opportunities for investment in the country.
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