Olympic torch arrives in Muscat in only stop in the Middle East

Muscat: The Olympic torch arrived in Muscat on Monday, its only stop in the Middle East on its way to the host city for the games, Beijing.

Oman's Sports Minister Ali bin Massoud bin Ali Al Sunaidi and Chinese diplomats received the torch when it arrived in the early hours of the morning.

The parade is scheduled for the evening, with around 80 athletes relaying the flame in a 20 kilometre run along a route which takes in several historical sites in the city.

The torch is expected to get a rare protest-free outing in Muscat, in a relay that has been persistently met with human rights protests in almost every city on its route.