Dalai Lama to step down as Tibetan political leader

The Dalai Lama has announced his plan to retire as political head of the exiled Tibetan movement, saying that the time had come for his replacement by a "freely elected" leader. The Dalai Lama, whose more significant role is as the movement's spiritual leader, said that he would seek an amendment allowing him to resign his political office when the exiled Tibetan parliament meets next week.