East Timor President regains consciousness

Sydney: East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta has regained consciousness from a drug-induced coma after suffering a gun shot wound 10 days ago in an assassination attempt.

He has started talking to his family in an Australian hospital, where doctors are satisfied with his progress, according to a spokeswoman for the hospital.

Nobel laureate Ramos-Horta was shot and critically wounded at his home in Dili last week in an attack by rebel soldiers. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao escaped injury in another shooting the same day.

Followers of the rebel leader Alfredo Reinado, who was slain in the attack, are believed to be responsible for the assassination attempt, which claimed 37 other lives and caused a state of emergency to be declared in the region.