Arafat slips deeper into coma

Ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s condition worsened overnight, hospital officials said and the coma he has been in for almost a week has deepened.

General Christian Estripeau, spokesman for the Percy Military Hospital outside Paris, said the deterioration in the Palestinian leader’s condition marks “a significant stage” and that the prognosis was uncertain.

“President Yasser Arafat’s health has worsened during the night,” Estripeau said. His coma, that had lead to his admission to the intensive care unit, became deeper this morning.

"This marks a significant stage toward a development for which we reserve our prognosis.”