Son born to Jordan royal couple

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Jordan’s queen gave birth to a boy – her fourth child – Sunday, coinciding with the 43rd birthday of the baby’s father, King Abdullah II, the Royal Palace announced.

Queen Rania, 34, and baby Prince Hashem were in good health, said a palace statement carried by the official Petra news agency.

The statement asked Jordanians to give money to charities rather than sending flowers or publishing expensive congratulation advertisements.

Sunday was a national holiday in Jordan to mark the King’s birthday.
King Abdullah and Palestinian-born Rania, who were married in 1993, have three other children: 10-year-old Hussein, and two girls, Iman, eight, and Salma, four.