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China Cancels International Portion of Beijing Paralympic Torch Relay


Chinese organizers have canceled the international portion of the Beijing Paralympic torch relay, and shortened the domestic legs.

Wednesday's announcement comes after international legs of the Olympic torch relay were plagued by violent protests against China's Tibet policy.

However, organizers say the Paralympic relay route was changed because the government is focusing on relief work following a deadly earthquake on May 12. It killed 70,000 people and left millions displaced in Sichuan province.

The first-ever international Paralympic torch relay had been scheduled to visit upcoming Olympic host cities London, England, Vancouver, Canada and Sochi, Russia as well as Hong Kong before the September sixth to 17th Paralympics.

Four Chinese cities, Chengdu, Chongqing, Urumqi and Tianjin, were also removed from the original 16-stop schedule for the domestic relay.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

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