Israeli PM critical after stroke
BBC
Israel's Ariel Sharon has undergone seven hours of surgery following a major stroke, and is now in a serious but stable condition, doctors say. Doctors managed to stop the bleeding in the 77-year-old's brain, the director of Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem said.
"He is stable. All his vital signs are within normal limits but his condition is severe," Shlomo Mor-Yosef said. A Cabinet meeting began as the statement was made, with Deputy PM Ehud Olmert assuming Mr Sharon's powers.
He sat next to Mr Sharon's empty chair, looking grave and exhausted, the BBC's James Reynolds in Jerusalem says. Israeli media and political figures are speculating that even if Mr Sharon recovers, his leadership is over.
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TUFI will be posting a special update on the situation shortly