The tragic death of 16 Sherpas on the Nepal side of Mount Everest last Friday is having immediate repercussions on the business of climbing the world's highest peak. Today, Nepali officials responded to a petition presented by a representative body of the Sherpa climbing community to the Ministry of Tourism, the government agency that oversees climbing and trekking in the Everest region.

The petition lists 13 demands that the Sherpa say must be met if they are to continue facilitating the climbing season. If their demands are not met by April 28, they say, Sherpas on the mountain would declare a general strike, rendering any summit attempts by the expeditions assembled at Everest Base Camp impossible.

The government said today