Ariel Sharon, the Israeli Prime Minister, was today undergoing further surgery - fighting for his life as his closest allies began to realise that his political career was over.
He had been under heavy sedation and connected to a respirator after what was officially described as an "extensive" stroke, the second in three weeks, and a massive brain haemorrhage.
The fresh surgery followed what doctors said was a "rise in cranial pressure".
Mr Sharon's illness, which aides privately accept spells the end of his five-year premiership and more than a half a century of operating at the centre of Israeli military and political life, leaves the biggest political vacuum in the country since the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin a decade ago.
p/s.. sorry guys, due to my high level of disgust and hatred to dis figure, I dun even dare to put
his pic in my blog..
I'm very sorry.
Kennedy: A personal problem, a political crisis
Charles Kennedy admits he is being treated for alcoholism. Admission sparks Liberal Democrat leadership contest
Charles Kennedy was fighting for his political life last night after admitting he was being treated for alcoholism and calling a leadership election. The Liberal Democrat leader was forced into his gamble to head off media revelations about an alcohol problem that has been rumoured at Westminster but which he has consistently denied.
He suffered another blow to his authority when it emerged that 11 of his 23-strong shadow cabinet had signed a private letter saying he had lost their support and his position had become untenable. That could prove more damaging than his disclosure that he had been fighting alcoholism for the past 18 months.
Mr Kennedy's decision to urge his critics to "put up or shut up" threw the spotlight on potential challengers. Some MPs said Mr Kennedy would be "dead meat" if a challenger emerged, which would trigger a postal ballot among the party's 75,000 members.
Mark Oaten, the home affairs spokesman, and Sir Menzies Campbell, the party's deputy leader, said they would not run. But Simon Hughes, the president, refused to rule himself out. Some
insiders said Mr Kennedy might yet be persuaded by the party's so-called "men in sandals" to stand down voluntarily after losing the backing of senior figures who might now find it difficult to serve under him.Allies praised Mr Kennedy's honesty but he still had to fend off allegations that he had persistently lied to the media. Even yesterday, his aides were dismissing the claims but made a U-turn when they learnt that ITV News was going to reveal how he said to senior colleagues in 2004: "I am an alcoholic."
RULER OF DUBAI SHEIKH MAKTOUM B. RASHID AL MAKTOUM PASSED AWAY
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Sheik Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the emir of Dubai and one of the world's foremost owners and breeders of thoroughbred horses, died Wednesday in Australia. He was 62.
Sheik Maktoum, also prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, was succeeded by his younger brother, Crown Prince Sheik Mohammed, the defense minister of the UAE, a federation of seven Gulf states.
Sheik Maktoum, visiting Australia for the prestigious Magic Millions yearling sales, died at the exclusive Palazzo Versace hotel on Australia's Gold Coast, police said.
Authorities in Dubai would not give the cause of death. Australian police would say only that the emir did not die of suspicious causes. Australian media speculated he died of a heart attack, and Al-Jazeera TV said he was believed to have a history of heart problems.
funeral of Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum will take place on Thursday morning at Umm Hurair cemetery in Bur Dubai.
The ceremony will be held after his body arrives back from Australia. The funeral prayer will be read at the Zabeel mosque in Dubai at 10am.
Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the Maktoum family will accept condolences at Sheikh Mohammed’s palace in Zabeel for three days starting tomorrow.
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