New York - US stocks made their strongest gains in a month Tuesday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that government action could pull the US economy out of a severe recession by later this year.

Testifying to the US Senate Banking Committee, the central bank chief said that the success of the 787-billion-dollar stimulus package would be essential to ending a downward economic spiral.

New York  - HJ Heinz Co, the world's biggest ketchup maker, posted higher-than-expected third-quarter profits Tuesday and said net income climbed 11 per cent to
242.3 million dollars from the previous year.

The Pittsburgh-based company said the growth was a result of higher pricing and increased sales of ketchup and its Classico pasta sauces, which also showed that consumers in recession-hit countries were eating at home more frequently.

New York, Feb. 24 : A remarkably high level of optimism among Americans about President Obama's leadership has provided him substantial political clout to counter the nation's economic challenges and opposition by nearly all the republicans in the Congress, a survey reveals.

New York, Feb 24: After giving a glimpse of her new beau, Hugh Hefner's ex-girlfriend Bridget Marquardt has now launched a preview of her new Travel Channel series.

New York, Feb 24 : The 2009 Academy Awards have boosted the tumbling viewers ratings, as the number of people who tuned into their TVs to watch `Slumdog Millionaire' being crowned the best film at the Oscars was much higher than last year's figures.

The annual Oscars drew an estimated 36.3 million viewers, up 4.3 million from last-year''s record low.

It also stands as the most-watched entertainment program of any kind of the past two years, reports the New York Daily News.

New York, Feb 24 : American actor Tom Cruise was seen having an awkward moment while talking to his ex, Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, at Creative Artists Agency head Bryan Lourd''s house party on February 20.

According to reports, Cruise was talking with MGM head Mary Parent and producer John Goldwyn in Lourd''s living room when Cruz approached him.

"Penelope tapped him on the shoulder and timidly asked, `Tom?'" the New York Post quoted a source as saying.

"Tom turned around, got visibly flustered and awkwardly said, `Oh, hey. Hi,' and gave her a small, distant hug before turning back around to his friends. It was weird," the source added.