Improvement work finished on Wednesday to the 108-km highway to Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak, in readiness for the Olympic torch relay.

The highway was built from a makeshift road between Xigaze Prefecture and Qomolangma Base Camp. Work began last June, cost 150 million yuan (21 million U.S. dollars). Over 95 percent the road side has been covered by grass

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2008)