Sharon improves as Israel faces future

With Prime Minister Ariel Sharon recovering from emergency brain surgery today, his doctors said it was still too early to assess how much damage the Israeli leader has suffered from a massive stroke. Independent experts said the prognosis remained grim.

Sharon, 77, underwent five hours of emergency brain surgery yesterday that doctors said successfully stopped a haemorrhage and relieved swelling inside his skull. Doctors reported “significant improvement”, but said he remained in serious condition.