Daily Archives: April 27, 2011

Harvard Fellow Is New Leader Of Tibetans-In-Exile

Published April 27, 2011

Longtime Harvard Law research fellow and Medford resident Lobsang Sangay has been elected leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile.

Lobsang Sangay, here in front of the Tibetan flag, is the new prime minister of the country's government-in-exile. (AP)

Lobsang Sangay, here in front of the Tibetan flag, is the new prime minister of the country's government-in-exile. (AP)

Sangay, who was the frontrunner for Kalon Tripa, or prime minister, won with 55 percent of the vote, besting two other final candidates.

WBUR’s Bob Oakes and Lisa Tobin spoke with the 43-year-old recently. Tibet is under China’s control, and, as prime minister, Sangay stressed he’d seek to “reach out to the Chinese government, to have a dialogue, to resolve the issue peacefully and non-violently.”

The position, based in Dharamsala, India, does not come with the usual trappings of high government office. The current prime minister is a monk and the job pays $400 a month. Sangay, though, is undaunted.

“I’m willing and happy to give up the comfort and privileges of the People’s Republic of Cambridge and go to India and serve my people,” he said.

WBUR tried to reach Sangay earlier today. His cellphone voicemail, unsurprisingly, was full.

Mass. Man Goes To Beach, Returns With Brother

Published April 27, 2011

Lots of beach-goers this summer will scour the sand for pretty shells, sand dollars, loose change. Few, you’d think, would ever find their own brother.

But that’s what happened to two Massachusetts brothers on a Waikiki, Hawaii, beach earlier this month, according to the AP.

A hotel employee, Joe Parker, offered to snap a picture of Rick Hill’s family. They got to talking about their shared Boston accent and played the Name Game to see if they knew similar people. Turns out, they both knew Dickie Halligan because Halligan was both of their fathers. The AP writes:

Hill says he felt chills. Halligan was his father. Parker said Halligan was his father too. The men were half-brothers.

Parker called the encounter “mind blowing.”

Both men knew they had a brother, but never expected to meet.

Last time I went to the beach all I came back with was a sunburn.

Wednesday Morning: House Votes Against Unions

Published April 27, 2011

House lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a measure giving cities and towns more control over employee health insurance last night. Union leaders say the proposal takes away their collective bargaining rights.

The mayor of Lawrence is under fire and opponents are calling for him to resign. The Globe claims Mayor William Lantigua is the focus of a corruption investigation by the FBI and some Lawrence residents are mounting a campaign to remove him from office.

Once a reliable rubber stamp for the governor, the Governor’s Council has grown increasingly fractured and contentious. Barbara Lenk, the latest Supreme Judicial Court nominee by Gov. Deval Patrick, comes before the council today.

Students called for local colleges to improve their handling of sexual assaults at a rally yesterday outside Boston City Hall. Some students and advocates charge that many universities take too long to investigate incidents and fail to promote an environment that’s safe for all.

If you live in Medford, you might know the man taking over part of the Dalai Lama’s job. Lobsang Sangay, the Harvard University acadmeic, was elected prime minister of the Tibetan government in exile yesterday.

The Bruins are headed back to Boston, forced to play for the series in a decisive Game 7 against Montreal tomorrow tonight after a 2-1 loss in Montreal last night. Penalties killed the Bruins — the Habs capitalized twice in 5-on-3 action.

What we’re following: We’ll continue to report on a new method of evaluating teachers in Massachusetts, rising gas prices and Lenk’s Governor’s Council hearing.