CNN has been going on for a couple of hours now on this. He fainted earlier today and is in critical condition in his compound. They say his health is "deteriorating rapidly" and that Arafat's aids are being called together as well as doctors being called in from all over the Middle East. An NBC news producer is on now, saying it might be complications from the flu.
UPDATE at the break...
AP: Arafat Collapses, Loses Consciousness
Oct 27, 6:16 PM (ET)
By MOHAMMED DARAGHMEH
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - Yasser Arafat collapsed Wednesday evening, was unconscious for about 10 minutes and remained in a "very difficult situation," Palestinian officials said. A team of Jordanian doctors was urgently summoned to treat the ailing Palestinian leader.
Arafat had been eating soup during a meeting with Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and another official between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. (2 p.m. or 3 p.m. EDT) when he vomited, according to a bodyguard who was in the compound at the time.
Arafat was brought to the clinic inside the compound, where he collapsed and was unconscious for about 10 minutes, the guard said. His doctors were urgently summoned.
On news that Arafata's health was worsening, scores of top Palestinian officials descended on his Ramallah compound. Israeli security officials said his wife, Suha, who lives in France, was expected to arrive Thursday.
And Lou Dobbs just confirmed he is "critically ill".
UPDATE II: bumblebums has found a link to al jazeera claiming it is a mild case of the flu and nothing to be worried about. Meanwhile, CNN is going to do a report in a minute on the ramifications of his imminent death.
UPDATE III: Lou has someone on now saying he has talked to Arafat's senior associate who claims he is NOT on his deathbed and his illness is not as serious as CNN had been reporting. This might well be overblown...