Emergency session to swear in new Palestinian president

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.

The session will be held at 9am Irish time in the West Bank city of Ramallah, said Bassem Barhoum, the parliament secretary.

Under Palestinian law, the parliament speaker, Rauhi Fattouh, is to be sworn in as president and serve as caretaker for 60 days, until elections are held.

Arafat died earlier today in a French hospital.