Sharon now breathing on his own

Jerusalem: After doctors began waking Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon from his medically-induced coma, he immediately began breathing on his own.

This was confirmed by officials of the Haddasah Medical Centre in Jerusalem on Monday.

The doctors had decided to reduce the dosage of medicine after reviewing the latest CT scan of Sharon's brain earlier in the day. This will help them assess the damage caused to his brain by the stroke.

Doctors say there's not been much change in his 'critical but stable' condition. Neurologists also say that Sharon may have suffered some brain damage which might impair his ability to think normally.

"The prime minister started immediately to breathe independently but he's still hooked up to a respirator," Dr Shlomo Mor-Yosef, the director of the hospital said, adding that Sharon remains in critical condition.

Sharon had undergone three surgeries to drain blood from his brain on Thursday following a massive stroke.

After withdrawing the sedatives, doctors were to pass their assessment of brain damage to Attorney General Meni Mazuz.

"They will inform us the moment they wake him up from the sedation and they will know what systems were damaged and what his situation is," Israeli justice ministry spokesman Jacob Galanti said.

If doctors determine that Sharon is permanently incapacitated, then the Cabinet would immediately meet to choose a new Prime Minister from the five sitting Cabinet ministers from Sharon's Kadima Party who are also lawmakers, a group that includes Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, a potential political heir.

(With inputs from Reuters)