Yasser Arafat hovered on the brink of death in a Paris hospital tonight - being kept alive artificially while a cleric flew from the West Bank to be by his side.

Comatose Yasser Arafat’s condition worsened today as Palestinian officials visited their critically ill leader, ignoring his wife’s angry objections.

AS Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was fighting for his life in a French hospital last night after slipping into a coma, a senior official said some of his powers had been handed to his prime minister.

Tests on Yasser Arafat showed problems with his digestion, but the Palestinian leader has recovered sufficiently to undergo further examinations that could not be performed when he was first rushed to France, an aide said.