Sharon critical; may already be dead.

The battle of words and spin is here, too. While there is no official word of his death, it appears possible. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, you can rest assured that it is very busy.

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.

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

Ariel Sharon dead