Amnesty International on Saturday urged Jordan to free six political activists charged with insulting King Abdullah II, saying that at least three of them were beaten during interrogation.

The human rights watchdog "is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of six pro-reform activists held for 'insulting' the king," it said in a statement.

More than 15,000 people in Jordan, including opposition Islamists and trade unionists, held a peaceful sit-in near the border with Israel on Friday to mark Land Day.

Waving Jordanian and Palestinian flags, the demonstrators carried banners reading: "Freedom for Jerusalem and freedom for Palestine," and "Jerusalem, here we come," as they gathered in Kafrein, some 10 kilometers (six miles) from the border crossing and barely a kilometer and a half (a mile) from the frontier.

One of Beirut’s most well-established bookshops, Librairie El Bourj, is to host the official launch of UAE-based writer, author and communicator Alexander McNabb’s Olives – A Violent Romance from 5pm on Thursday 29th March 2012 with a talk by the author followed by a reading and book signing.

The novel is set in Jordan, where British journalist Paul Stokes moves to live and work on a contract to produce a magazine for the Ministry of Natural Resources. The Israelis are competing for dwindling water resources as Jordan and Palestine face drought. Daoud Dajani has the solution to Jordan’s water problems and is bidding against the British for the privatisation of Jordan’s water network. When Paul befriends Dajani’s sister, Aisha, British intelligence agent Gerald Lynch realises Paul offers access to the man threatening to drain Israel’s water supply and snatch the bid from the British. Blackmailed by Lynch into spying on Dajani, his movements seemingly linked to a series of bombings, Paul is pitched into a terrifying fight for survival that forces him to betray everyone around him. Even the woman he comes to love.

Jordan has arrested 10 Syrians who claimed they were army defectors after they left a designated area in the northern city of Mafraq, a security official said.

"They were arrested last week and currently under interrogation," he told Agence France Presse.

Nearly 1,000 Syrians demonstrated Friday in the Jordanian capital against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, demanding "freedom" in the neighboring country.

"We will not bow. God damn you Bashar," read a banner carried by the demonstrators, outside the Syrian embassy in western Amman.

The United Nations Friday launched an appeal for 84 million dollars (63 million euros) to help Syrian refugees who have fled abroad because of the current fighting.

Turkey has taken in some 17,000 refugees, Lebanon 16,000, Jordan about 8,500, with Iraq welcoming an unknown number, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a statement.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi held a meeting on Monday with Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani during a pastoral visit to the Gulf State.

The patriarch also held a meeting with Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani at the Emiri Diwan, the National News Agency reported.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday held talks with King Abdullah II of Jordan, wrapping up a three-day visit to the kingdom.

After the meeting, al-Rahi said he sensed Abdullah’s keenness on avoiding violence in the region and encouraging dialogue aimed at reaching political settlements.

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil revealed that a plan to invest in Lebanon’s water wealth has been reached in cooperation with several local and international powers, reported As Safir newspaper on Saturday.

He told the newspaper: “The long-term strategic and national plan extends until 2035 at a cost of USD 9 billion.”

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi stated on Thursday that Lebanon “knows how to assume its responsibilities.”

He said ahead of his official visit to Jordan: “The Lebanese state does not need to take orders from others on how to run its affairs.”