New York - US stocks rose Friday, after two days of major declines, despite a sharp hike in unemployment and massive losses reported from major automakers.

The Wall Street rally was attributed to speculation that the Federal Reserve would lower interest rates next month to combat a surging unemployment rate. The US Labour Department reported Friday that unemployment climbed to 6.5 per cent in October, after another 240,000 jobs were lost in a worsening sign for the economy.

Amman - King Abdullah II of Jordan met with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the Red Sea port of Aqaba on Friday, stressing the need for continuing peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians despite US and Israeli elections.

"The monarch underlined the need for continuing negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians to reach a comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution despite the new developments relating to the US and Israeli elections," a royal court statement said.

Washington - President-elect Barack Obama is having a hard time delivering on one of the very first promises he made after winning the White House - a promise to his young daughters.

To reward his two girls, 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha, for putting up with his time away on the rigorous campaign trail, he said in his victory speech Tuesday night that they would be getting a new puppy to bring to the White House.

Olga Kurylenko - the new, hot, delicious and sassy Bond babe - seems determined to remain single, and claims that she is ‘not interested in men.’

After the recent break-up of her second marriage to American mobile phone mogul Damien Gabrielle, the Ukrainian-born model and actress has made it a point that she would rather be alone. Olga left Gabrielle as she felt he was jealous of her blossoming career.

The ‘Karzzz’ concert of singer, composer and actor Himesh Reshammiya will be aired by Star Plus on November 9. The concert, presented in association with T-Series, was held at Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai on October 12.

Those present at the concert included the chairman and managing director of T-Series, Bhushan Kumar, T-Series' Vinod Bhanushali, the ‘Karzzzz’ leading lady Shweta Kumar, Ajay Kapoor and the team of ‘Karzzzz’.

After pursuing US rights to an untitled Barack Obama documentary produced by actor Edward Norton for several months, HBO has finally closed the deal running into seven-figures.

The deal with HBO was negotiated by Endeavor Independent and Andrew Hurwitz. HBO plans to air the feature-length documentary next year.

The project was financed by GOOD, Green Film Co. Citi Prods., and Norton’s Class 5 Films. The Obama campaign was approached in early 2006 for the documentary chronicling the new president-elect’s history in politics.