Voice of Asia E-paper January 19, 2018

Page 1

VOICE OF ASIA 1

Connect with us today! Visit us Online @ www.voiceofasiaonline.com

713-774-5140

VOICE OF ASIA voiceofasiaonline.com

Serving Harris, Fort Bend and Surrounding Counties for 30 years

Vol. 31 No. 3 • Friday, January 19, 2018

Published Weekly from Houston

Execution date set for first Indian-origin deathrow prisoner in US

P

ENNSYLVANIA - The execution date of the first death-row IndianAmerican prisoner convicted of killing a baby and her Indian grandmother has been set for next month. Raghunandan Yandamuri, 32, in 2014 was given death penalty for kidnapping and killing a 61-year-old elderly Indian woman and her 10-month grand-daughter. It was seen as part of a botched kidnappingfor-ransom plot. Yandamuri's execution date has been set for February 23 by local correctional authorities. However, he is likely to get a reprieve because of a 2015 moratorium on death penalty by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. Yandamuri is the first IndianAmerican to face death penalty. Federal authorities alleged that killings were part of a botched kidnapping-for-ransom plot. A native of Andhra Pradesh, Yandamuri had come to the US on a H-1B visa. He holds an advanced degree in electrical and computer science engineering. Following his conviction, he asked that death penalty be imposed upon him. Later he appealed his sentence, but lost his appeal last April. The local Times Herald yesterday reported that even though his execution by lethal injection is set for February 23,

FRIDAY, January JANUARY 2719, &2018 28

24 Pages (2 sections) 50 cents

SEE AD INSIDE

713-774-5140 • E-mail: voiceasia@aol.com

UN must step up pressure on Pakistan EW YORK | AFP | 17 January 2018 - Returning from a UN Security Council visit to Afghanistan, US Ambassador Nikki Haley on Wednesday stressed the Kabul government wants world powers to step up pressure on Pakistan.

N

Haley joined the 14 other council envoys for talks with top Afghan leaders in Kabul at the weekend as the government considers holding peace talks with the Taliban to end decades of insurgency.

Raghunandan Yandamuri, 29 he might get a reprieve because a death penalty moratorium previously was put in place by Governor Tom Wolf. "The law provides that when the governor does not sign a warrant of execution within the specified time period, the secretary of corrections has 30 days within which to issue a notice of execution," Pennsylvania Department of Corrections said in a news release. According to the report, Wolf imposed a moratorium on the death penalty in 2015. State officials are awaiting the results of a study conducted by the Pennsylvania Task Force and Advisory Committee on Capital Punishment, before moving forward with any executions. Pennsylvania has not seen any executions in the last nearly 20 years. Since 1976, three persons have been executed in the States between 1995 and 1999.

"They feel confident that the Taliban will be coming to the table," Haley told reporters at UN headquarters. While the peace talks will be Afghan-led, the Kabul government did request that the Security Council weigh in to bring Pakistan onboard. "They did ask us for consensus to put further pressure on Pakistan to come to the table Continued on page 10

Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the UN, is seen in this handout photograph shaking hand with Afghan chief executive Abdullah Abdullah (C) during a UN Security Council visit to Kabul that ended January 15 (AFP Photo)

Houston Indians celebrate Makar Sankranti, Lohri Kite flying featured at winter festival Read community story on page 3

Family enjoying kite flying at HMM celebrations. (Photo: Pradnya S. Joshi)

Over 45 Years of Combined Experience

Call (281) 893-8644 www.sharmalaws.net

14411 Cornerstone Village Dr, Houston, TX 77014

• IMMIGRATION LAW • PERSONAL INJURY / ACCIDENT • CRIMINAL DEFENSE Licensed in both Texas State and Federal Court • FAMILY LAW

Mala Sharma has received 10 Best Attorneys by American Institute of Personal Injur y Attorneys and Top 40 Under 40 for Civil Plaintiff Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers. Sharda Sharma, JD, CPA has received the Top 40 Under 40 by the National Advocates, and Mr. Sharma has received the Clients’ Choice Award by AVVO. Anjali Sharma has been awarded for her Pro Bono Legal Services

Try our Brunch buffet

W’kana now at 13346 Briar Forest Dr as

W’KANA XPRESS

on Saturday and Sunday from 11.30 till 3.00 pm

Full Service Restaurant with Lunch Specials and Separate Dinner Menu

Tandoor specials, Curries of India, Biryani and lots more!

For Corporate Lunches, Catering, Graduation, Weddings or Backyard events, contact Chef Sunil @ 832-886-4291

SARAH DeMERCHANT

IS DEVOTED TO OUR COMMUNITY Pol ad by Sarah DeMerchant campaign, Harry Truong Treasurer

SARAH

DeMERCHANT FOR TEXAS STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 26 SUGAR LAND

Happy Birthday Sarah and Good Luck!


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
Voice of Asia E-paper January 19, 2018 by VoiceOf Asia - Issuu