Yasser Arafat's health takes dramatic turn for worse

PALESTINIAN president Yasser Arafat's health took a dramatic turn for the worse yesterday, as an ambulance rushed to his West Bank headquarters amid unconfirmed reports he had collapsed.

Israel Radio said Arafat had lost consciousness, but a senior Palestinian official said that was untrue.

Palestinian officials have repeatedly said Arafat is recovering from a bout of "stomach flu", but he has not appeared in public for days, fuelling speculation over the seriousness of his condition.