Israeli doctors say Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has begun breathing on his own as they gradually bring him out of a medically-induced coma.
A spokesman (Ron Kromer) for Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem says doctors have begun reducing the anesthetics that have kept Mr. Sharon in a state of deep unconsciousness since he suffered a brain hemorrhage five days ago.
The spokesman says doctors will try to inform the public about the prime minister's condition later today (Monday).
The crash of a military plane in northwestern Iran has killed at least 11 people, including one of the country's top commanders. (Initial reports said 13 people were killed.)
The official IRNA news agency says Ahmed Kazemi, commander of ground forces for Iran's Revolutionary Guards, and several other senior officers were killed when the (Falcon) jet they were traveling in crashed while attempting to land today (Monday) at Orumiyah, near the Turkish border.
It was not clear how many people were on board the plane. Officials say they are investigating.
China has revised its economic growth for 2004 upwards, after a nationwide study found the economy was much larger than previously thought.
China's National Bureau of Statistics said today (Monday) the country's gross domestic product rose 10-point-one percent in 2004, up sharply from the earlier estimate of nine-point-five percent.
The revision was in line with data released last month that raised the value of China's economic output in 2004 by 16-percent. Officials said the original figures had underestimated the size of the country's huge services sector.
Listen to our World News for details.