Sharon resumes breathing on his own

PRIME Minister Ariel Sharon resumed breathing on his own yesterday and moved his right hand and leg in response to stimulation as doctors started weaning him off the sedatives keeping him in a coma.

Mr Sharon's chief neurosurgeon, Dr Felix Umansky, said the leader's response to pain stimulation was a "very important" sign, but it was too early to assess Mr Sharon's ability to think and reason after suffering a massive stroke last Wednesday. It will take days to wean the 77-year-old premier off sedatives.

By yesterday afternoon, Mr Sharon had begun breathing on his own, though he was still on a respirator to assist him, said Dr Shlomo Mor-Yosef, director of Hadassah Hospital.