Everest guards may shoot to stop Olympic protesters

An official said Nepalese soldiers and police guarding the slopes of Mount Everest are authorised to shoot to stop any protests during China’s Olympic torch run to the summit.

Chinese climbers plan to take the torch to the summit of Everest in the first few days of May. Everest is the world’s highest peak and on the border between Nepal and Tibet. During that time, other climbers will be banned from the mountain’s higher elevations.