ISRAEL

Reuters: Sharon recovering after minor stroke

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's condition improved on Monday after he was hospitalised overnight for a minor stroke that raised questions about how long he could dominate Israeli politics.

The hefty 77-year-old former general, battling for re-election after pulling Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip and remaking Israel's political landscape, was rushed to hospital on Sunday and stayed overnight for tests.

"I am fine. I guess I should have taken a few days off," Sharon told Israeli media overnight after his stroke. "There are people who are already interested in a replacement? Well, maybe it's too soon. I'm still here, no?"