If the Chinese state television CCTV had not announced that the images were being broadcast from Tibet, the average viewer could have thought the Olympic flame was being carried through a typical Chinese city in the mountains. The Olympic torch was carried by Chinese athletes and the spectators were also Chinese. There was not a Tibetan in sight.

The Olympic torch set out from Norbulingka, starting its journey in Tibet's capital Lhasa, literally means "place of the gods", on Saturday.

The Olympic flame reached the top of Mount Everest on Thursday, an emotional moment for China and the crowning of the Beijing Olympics torch relay that was dogged by anti-Chinese protests on its world tour.

The Beijing Olympics torch relay was held on Tuesday behind closed doors under blanket security in Indonesia amid Chinese anger at protests over its human rights record.

A Japanese Buddhist temple is refusing to host the Olympic torch relay when it comes to Japan next week, to protest China's crackdown on Tibetan unrest.

Following a 22-hour stay in Pakistan, where it was kept off the streets, the Olympic Torch heads to India. In New Delhi, thousands of security personnel have being mobilized to protect the traveling symbol of the games.

Countries across Asia are stepping up security as the Olympic torch relay comes to the region this week with stops in Pakistan, India, Thailand and several other nations.

The Olympic torch arrived in Oman Monday where it is expected to have a protest-free visit - the torch's sole Middle East stop on its way to Beijing.

The Olympic torch relay in Oman's Muscat, the ninth stop of its global journey, started on Monday afternoon.

The Olympic torch, symbol of this summer's 2008 Games in Beijing, arrived on Monday for an expected trouble-free relay in Oman, its sole stop in the Middle East on its way to China.

Argentine athletes and celebrities have carried the Olympic torch through downtown Buenos Aires, past hundreds of China supporters and protesters.

Federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson says he would not be surprised if the Olympic torch relay is cancelled before it gets to Canberra later this month.