The body of Yasser Arafat, revered as the champion of Palestinian statehood and reviled as an opportunistic terrorist, was flown to Egypt tonight as the Middle East attempted to move forward in the search for peace.

Top candidates to succeed Yasser Arafat as Palestinian leader:

The Palestinian parliament is to convene for an emergency session later today to swear in a new Palestinian Authority president, in place of Yasser Arafat, a parliament official said.

WITH Yasser Arafat in "the final phase of his life", the Palestinian leader's political heirs completed his burial arrangements yesterday and made plans for a funeral as soon as tomorrow.

With Yasser Arafat in “the final phase of his life”, the Palestinian leader’s political heirs completed his burial arrangements today and made plans for a funeral as soon as Friday.

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.

Senior Palestinian leaders including Ahmed Qureia and Mahmoud Abbas arrived in France tonight in a bid to check on the medical status of Yasser Arafat.