Ariel Sharon dies

[mourningdove92]

JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the most powerful Israeli leader in 50 years, has died. He was 77.

Sharon was declared dead by physicians at Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital before 1 p.m. Israeli time <6 a.m. EST>, Middle East Newsline reported. Authorities have already been notified of the death, and a government announcement was expected to be issued over the next hour.
http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/06/front2453741.9118055557.html

pray for Israel

[Cooley Hurd]

1. still nothing on CNN or MSNBC...

...fwiw.

[AngryAmish]

2. Why aren't you watching Fox?

just kidding.

[Cooley Hurd]

6. ...because of my blood pressure.

;)

[rsmith6621]

18. After They Cover The Missing Blonde in.......

Arruba.....then they will cover Sharon.....

[Cooley Hurd]

22. The "miracle" miner is blonde...

...does that count? ;)

[ewagner]

3. I don't know how to react

When he took the hard-line by going to the Temple Mound, I hated what he did....I just don't know what to make of him now.

RIP Sharon.

[zanne]

23. The Temple Mound incident was an insult....

Shortly after, the violence erupted again. I think he was nothing but a warmonger and Israel AND Palestine are better off without him.

[Freddie Stubbs]

39. He dared to visit a site considered holy to the Jews and Muslims?

Some people were just looking for an excuse for mayhem.

[sabra]

4. this is not being reported anywhere else?

[Cooley Hurd]

7. Drudge headline now says conflicting reports on Sharon's death...

CNN & MSNBC carrying McCloy medical news conference.:shrug:

[Norquist Nemesis]

27. AP only has alert his surgery has ended

No other info :shrug:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/APNEWSALERT?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=INTERNATIONAL

[ncrainbowgrrl]

10. not that I've seen.

Reports are that he's just out of the 3rd surgery.

[superconnected]

33. It's on the front of yahoo news.

[sabra]

35. that he passed away?

[superconnected]

37. Not now, but that's what I read there first - that he died

then I came here to see opinions here.

Now it's saying he's out of brain surgery.

[RockaFowler]

5. This is awful

I know there was no way he could have come out of this, but at least I thought I could hope a little

[QuettaKid]

11. Why is it awful when a war criminal dies?

Sabra and Shatila. 'nuff said. Nothing on the Haaretz website.

[wixomblues]

20. Such ignorance and hate.

The man is not a war criminal. You show little understanding of the middle east, or the conflict.

[QuettaKid]

25. whatever. nt.

.

[Bruce McAuley]

24. I agree, he was a butcher of people..

My first reaction when I saw the headline was, "Good!".
On edit, maybe everything he did was justified by self defense, but he was NOT a man of Peace.

Bruce

[superconnected]

36. I'm wondering the same thing too.

I consider him a war monger.

[myrna minx]

8. My prayers are with his family and for the Middle East.

Oh dear. I hope we can muddle through this.

[rainbow4321]

9. Israeli newspaper has this: "clinically dead"

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/7461.htm

CONFIRMED: PM ARIEL SHARON IS (AT LEAST CLINICALLY) DEAD


Reliable sources indicate to Israel Insider that PM Ariel Sharon died at 11 am. Israeli media channels still report his condition is "very grave." Director of Hadassah Hospital Shlomo Mor-Yosef officially denies "rumors" of death and says Sharon's condition is "serious but stable."

Channel 10 reports those closest to Sharon as saying he has suffered "brain damage." A likely explanation to reconcile the two reports is that Sharon has suffered brain death -- the lack of cerebral activity -- but that his heart continues beating, while he remains anesthetized and respirated.

Mor-Yosef, briefing journalists at the hospital's gate, said that "the prime minister is suffering from low intracranial pressure, and is heavily sedated. He will be respirated for at least the next 24 hours. All the parameters that we can check are as expected, following an operation of this type."

He said he came out to counter rumors of Sharon's death. "I came out to update you and to refute the rumors flooding the country," he said, referring to rumors claiming that Sharon had already died, and that the news is being delayed for one reason or another.

[Cooley Hurd]

16. I believe that's from yesterday...

...although I wouldn't dispute that Sharon is clinically dead, given the massive damage from the cerebral hemorrhage.

[DS1]

12. Said they took him out of surgery at 9 a.m. EST

on NYT.

[Loonman]

13. He was a man who loved his people

The only nice thing I can say.

[savemefromdumbya]

21. not all his people

[muriel_volestrangler]

14. Supposedly 4 hours ago, but others say the op has finished

Doctors have finished an emergency operation on Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, but results are not yet clear, a hospital spokeswoman has said.

Mr Sharon, 77, was rushed into the operating theatre after a scan revealed fresh bleeding in his brain.
...
At 1210 (1010 GMT) on Friday, hospital director Shlomo Mor-Yosef told reporters Mr Sharon had returned to the operating theatre.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4586488.stm

I think World Tribune isn't the most reliable 'news' site we have. Until a genuine bit of the world media confirms this, this is speculation and rumour.

[PA Democrat]

15. Vice Premier Ehud Olmert expected to succeed Sharon

Anyone have any information on Olmert?

[Pert_UK]

17. BBC's latest news ticker still says he's alive...nothing on google...

I'm dubious about this story.

[...of J.Temperance]

19. BBC and SKY News still saying that he's alive and critically ill

So I'll wait until the BBC says something.

However, Sharon will probably be dead by tomorrow. Although politically I didn't agree with many of his views, I wish him no harm and I wish him a safe journey into the next life.

[savemefromdumbya]

26. not dead yet?

going maybe

[Tace]

28. World Tribune Cites Middle East Newsline -- But MEN Is NOT Reporting Death

I'm holding off until we see confirmation.

[yellowcanine]

29. It's a good thing the Senate isn't in session. Fristy would be announcing

that he won't declare him dead until he sees the videotape and can make his own judgement, "speaking not as a Senator, but as a medical doctor."

[jonnyblitz]

30. CNN just reported "awaiting update from hospital"(paraphrase)

didn't say anything about death...

[HuffleClaw]

31. I am not dead yet, I can dance and I can sing...

...I am not dead yet
I can do the Highland Fling

I am not dead yet
No need to go to bed
No need to call the doctor
Cause I'm not yet dead.

- from Spamalot

[Marnieworld]

34. "I feel happy"

I can't help but hear that voice from Holy Grail. I'm not dead yet!

[Cooley Hurd]

32. Sharon NOT dead - Dr's just said he's still critical, but stable...

World Tribune gets it wrong...

[allemand]

38. Hospital: CT shows significant improvement, inter-cranial pressure normal

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/ShTickers.html

[ncrainbowgrrl]

40. Locking.

This appears to be the only report of this news and other more recent news is claming that he has come out of surgery and had significant improvement.