Yasser Arafat loses consciousness: Israeli public radio

JERUSALEM, Oct 27 (AFP) - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, 75, has lost consciousness, Israeli public radio reported late Wednesday, quoting Palestinian sources.
He lost consciousness "several hours ago", it said.
Arafat`s senior adviser Nabil Abu Rudeina, meanwhile, confirmed that a team of doctors was examining the veteran Palestinian leader.
"A team of Tunisian and Palestinian doctors is examining the president," Abu Rudeina said in a statement read out to journalists in front of Arafat`s headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah.
He said Arafat "needs more rest because of his fatigue" and added that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan`s King Abdullah II had offered to send doctors.
A source close to the Palestinian Authority said earlier that Mahmoud Abbas, the PLO`s No 2, and premier Ahmed Qorei were also at the bedside of Arafat, 75, who officially has been suffering from a severe bout of flu.

10/27/2004 20:55 GMT - AFP