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 MUSCAT, Oman (AP) - Thousands cheered and some danced with traditional daggers along the Olympic torch's path through Oman's capital Monday, a festive greeting that contrasted with disrupting protests elsewhere on the flame's global journey.
Under tight security, about 80 torchbearers ferried the flame down into the heart of this hilly Persian Gulf sultanate's capital, passing under historic stone arches and alongside the old souk, before winding along the edge of the Gulf coast against the backdrop of spectacular mountains.
The rare carnival-like atmosphere in tightly controlled Oman was a welcome respite for Olympic organizers seeking to avoid protests over China's human rights record that marked torch stops Paris, London and San Francisco.
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