A 50-strong delegation of journalists left Beijing for Lhasa on Friday to report the Olympic torch relay there on Saturday.

An official with the Information Office of China's State Council, said the group included staff from 29 overseas news organizations, including BBC, Reuters, AP and AFP, as well as the Xinhua News Agency, China Central Television, and China Daily from China's mainland.

During their stay in Lhasa, the journalists will also cover the social and economic development of Tibet Autonomous Region, plus the torch relay activity.

The delegation is scheduled to return on Sunday.

The Information Office of the State Council said China cordially welcomed journalists from around the world to cover the Beijing Olympic Games and the torch relay activities.

The Beijing Organizing Committee of the Games of the 29th Olympiad (BOCOG) announced the torch relay schedule in Tibet was cut to one day on June 21 from the original three days of June 19 to 21.

In the one-day Lhasa leg, the flame kindled on the top of Mount Qomolangma on May 8, will join the the main torch.

(Xinhua News Agency June 20, 2008)