King Abdullah II of Jordan is to visit Spain and a number of Latin
American countries starting October 18, the royal court announced
Wednesday.
The monarch, who will be accompanied by Queen Rania, will visit Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Honduras and Cuba.
King Abdullah's Latin American tour has the aim of building up
"strategic ties, particularly in the economic and commercial spheres,
between Jordan and the Latin American continent which is becoming an
effective player in the world economy," the agency quoted a senior
royal court official as saying.
The Jordanian head of state will also have talks with leaders of
Spain and Latin American countries on Middle East affairs and efforts
that can be made by those countries to help maintain peace and
stability in the Middle East, he added.
The German car market is facing its worse downturn, the nation's auto industry association warned Wednesday as the deepening sense of economic gloom in the country leads to a shakeout in the industry and the prospects of big job cuts.
A comedy starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon as a couple trying to avoid their families at Christmas debuted in first place over the weekend at North American box offices, according to preliminary studio estimates issued Sunday.