Nepal: Son of Everest pioneer reaches famed summit

Peter Hillary, the son of one of the first two men to climb Mount Everest, reached the summit Saturday, the sponsors of his expedition said.

Hillary, 47, reached the top of the world’s highest mountain with American climbers Pete Athans, Brent Bishop and Nepali Sherpa guides Nima Tashi, Dawa Nuru Sherpa, Da Sonan and Kami Sherpa, the National Geographic Society said on its Internet site, citing a satellite phone conversation with the climbing party.

The climbers spent about 40 minutes on the 29,035-foot summit, it said.

It was Peter Hillary’s second successful ascent of Mount Everest, which was first conquered by his father Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay on May 29, 1953.

Rough weather forced the younger Hillary and his team to postpone their assault on the summit last weekend. But conditions were favorable on Saturday, enabling them to make a successful final push, the site said.

Iran: Judiciary bans media reporting on U.S. talks

In a bold move against reformers, Iran’s hard-line judiciary banned the media Saturday from making any mention about prospects for talks with the United States.

The order emphasized that all foreign policy decisions were directed by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose backers face growing resistance from groups seeking a more moderate outlook.

Conservative forces have closed dozens of pro-reform publications in recent years. But the latest decree marks the first time a specific issue has been declared off-limits and subject to criminal prosecution.

The decision, reported by the official Islamic Republic News Agency, apparently seeks to muzzle debate about possible contacts with Washington.