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N.J.’s Christie Says Layoffs Out for Cutting Budget (Update3) New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said he’s unable to lay off or furlough unionized state workers to help close an $11 billion budget gap.

Biden Condemns Israel’s East Jerusalem Housing Plan (Update1) Vice President Joe Biden condemned Israel’s announcement that it plans to construct new housing in East Jerusalem, saying it threatens to undermine efforts to restart the peace process.

Kidney Donors Don’t Shorten Their Lives by Giving Up Organ People who donate a kidney in the U.S. don’t die any faster than nondonors long term, according to a large study that looked at donors over 15 years.

Body of Sequent President Found in River, Police Say (Update1) The body of Douglas Schantz, president of AGL Resources Inc.’s Sequent Energy Management LLP, was found in the Mississippi River, the New Orleans Police Department said.

InterMune Wins Panel’s Backing for Novel Lung Therapy (Update1) InterMune Inc. won a U.S. panel’s backing to introduce the first treatment for a deadly lung disease that afflicts about 100,000 Americans.

Jihad Jane Indicted in Pennsylvania for Murder Plot (Update1) A Pennsylvania woman who used the alias Jihad Jane plotted to recruit jihadist fighters and conspired to commit murders overseas, according to an indictment unsealed in Philadelphia.

U.S. Stocks Resume Gains, Led by Telephone, Industrial Shares U.S. stocks resumed their advance as shares of telephone and industrial companies posted the biggest gains among 10 groups in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.

Marsh & McLennan Said to Get Private-Equity Bid for Kroll Unit Marsh & McLennan Cos., the world’s second-biggest insurance broker, received an offer for its Kroll security unit that values the subsidiary at $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion, said a person familiar with the matter.

‘Cinderella’ Valley Vintners May Go Broke After Quake (Update3) Chile’s strongest earthquake in 50 years may bankrupt smaller winemakers after vines collapsed, casks broke apart and millions of liters were spilled, a former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. banker-turned-winemaker said.

U.S. Stocks Erase Gain on Concern Rally Outpaced Economy U.S. stocks erased gains after the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index came within 0.5 percent of its high for the year as investors speculated the economy is not improving enough to justify a further advance.

Carlyle Is Said to Seek Buyers for Arinc; May Fetch $1 Billion Carlyle Group, the world’s second- largest private-equity firm, hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to seek buyers for its Arinc Inc. defense and aviation business, said people with knowledge of the matter.

Bill to Extend Jobless Benefits Clears Senate Procedural Hurdle A $138 billion plan to extend unemployment benefits through the rest of this year cleared a procedural hurdle in the U.S. Senate as lawmakers moved closer to putting the measure to a final vote.

Time Warner Cable Urges U.S. to Block TV Blackouts (Update2) Time Warner Cable Inc. plans to ask U.S. regulators to block broadcasters from cutting signals during fee disagreements, aiming to avoid disruptions such as Walt Disney Co.’s blackout of the Academy Awards.

Papandreou Says Obama ‘Supportive’ of Measures to Stem Crisis Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said U.S. President Barack Obama expressed support for the measures being taken to deal with the fiscal crisis in Greece.

CBS Producer Admits Guilt in Letterman Extortion Case (Update1) CBS Corp. television producer Robert “Joe” Halderman pleaded guilty to trying to extort $2 million from David Letterman with a threat to disclose information about the talk show host’s sex life.

Obama Job Losses May Turn on 300,000 March Payrolls (Update1) The U.S. may add as many as 300,000 jobs in March, the most in four years, setting the stage for what some economists say will be sustained employment gains.

Obama Criticizes Insurers in Bid to Sell Health Plan (Update2) President Barack Obama and his top health official are stepping up attacks on the nation’s insurers in an effort to sway public opinion and persuade lawmakers to back U.S. health-care legislation.

Emerging-Market Stocks May Retreat 15%, Aberdeen’s Kaloo Says Emerging-market stocks will drop as much as 15 percent this year as earnings miss estimates and global growth slows, said Devan Kaloo, who oversees $22 billion at Aberdeen Asset Management Plc.

Swaps Traders Bet India Budget Measures Will Work: Chart of Day Investors are betting India will trim its budget deficit, bringing the country’s risk of default closer to that of its investment-grade Asian peer group, according to Nomura Holdings Inc.

Severe Storms, Tornadoes May Strike Midwest, Meteorologist Says More tornadoes and other damaging storms may strike the Midwest this spring because cooler temperatures are on course to clash with warmer air pushed into the central U.S. by El Nino, according to a meteorologist.

U.S. Stocks Advance as Dollar Pares Gains, Treasuries Rise U.S. stocks rose, halting a global slide, and the dollar pared gains amid growing optimism an improving American economy will justify a yearlong rally in equities. Oil fell, pacing a retreat in commodities.

Gates Sees Obama War Plan Gains, Risks in Afghan Combat Zone Defense Secretary Robert Gates heard from front-line participants in the Afghan war today, pinning awards for bravery on U.S. soldiers and Marines and shaking hands with farmers selling goods in a revived market.

CBS Producer Pleads Guilty in David Letterman Extortion Case CBS Corp. Producer Robert “Joe” Halderman pleaded guilty to second-degree larceny for trying to extort $2 million from David Letterman after he drafted a screenplay treatment about the talk show host’s personal life.

Florida $650 Million Land Bond Faces Financial, Legal Challenge Florida’s plan to borrow $650 million to buy private land for Everglades restoration faces political and legal hurdles amid warnings that water managers can’t afford it.

Genital Herpes Virus Infects One in Six Americans (Update1) Genital herpes, a condition that produces painful sores and increases transmission of AIDS, has infected one in six Americans, according to a U.S. study that shows prevention efforts haven’t stopped outbreaks.

SEC Economist Leaving Amid Short-Sale Rules Conflict (Update1) The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s top economist is leaving the agency after Chairman Mary Schapiro merged his office with another and passed short- selling rules that hedge funds said ignored financial analysis.

Comerica Raises $800 Million in Stock Sale to Repay TARP Funds Comerica Inc. raised $800 million from equity investors to repay federal bailout funds, becoming the latest U.S. bank to sell stock this year to exit the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Bowles Says Deficits Will Make U.S. ‘Second-Rate’ (Update2) Erskine Bowles, co-chairman of the commission on U.S. deficit reduction, said entitlement programs such as Social Security will turn the nation into a “second- rate power” if their costs aren’t reduced.

AIG, Citigroup, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Shares Surge in U.S. American International Group Inc. surged, leading gains by financial companies bailed out by the U.S. government, on speculation the insurer will sell more assets after raising $51 billion through deals.

Banks Unfairly Avoid Debt Reporting Rule, Dealers Say (Update1) The Regional Bond Dealers Association asked the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and Federal Reserve to end reporting of so-called agency debt trades until bank-affiliated brokers also must comply, saying some are seeking to avoid disclosures.

AIG Shares Surge on Speculation Insurer May Sell More Assets American International Group Inc., the insurer rescued by the U.S., climbed for a fourth day, jumping 11 percent, on speculation the firm may sell more assets after announcing deals to divest two units for $51 billion.

Minnesota Vikings Player Kevin Williams Denies Taking Steroids Minnesota Vikings player Kevin Williams, who’s suing the National Football League over leaked drug test results, testified today at a trial that he never took steroids.

Continental Open to Merger Should Competition Dictate (Update2) Continental Airlines Inc., after calling off a merger with United Airlines two years ago, would resume consolidation efforts to remain competitive, Chief Executive Officer Jeff Smisek said.

TCW Returns to Mortgage Bonds It Sold After Declines (Update1) TCW Group Inc., the money manager whose staff was shaken up as it fired its chief investment officer in December, has become a buyer of the types of government-backed mortgage securities it rushed to sell earlier this year.

Cisco Unveils $90,000 Network Router to Lure Carriers (Update2) Cisco Systems Inc., seeking to boost sales to phone carriers, will start selling an Internet router that lets Web users download video, songs and other data faster.

General Growth Investors Add $3.93 Billion to Plan (Update2) General Growth Properties Inc. said its biggest debt and equity holders offered to jointly invest $3.93 billion in the company, bolstering a plan with Brookfield Asset Management Inc. to bring the mall owner out of bankruptcy.

Toyota Reviewing U.S. Report of Accelerating Prius (Update1) Toyota Motor Corp., struggling to regain a reputation for quality after unintended acceleration forced millions of vehicle recalls, will investigate a report in California of a Prius hybrid car that sped out of control.

Eurostar Failures Bolster Deutsche Bahn’s Tunnel Bid (Update2) Groupe Eurotunnel SA said the breakdown of Eurostar Group Ltd. trains before Christmas has bolstered the case for operators including Deutsche Bahn AG to be given access to its undersea link between England and France.

East Europe Leads Stock Gains Since Post-Lehman Low (Update4) East European and Central Asian stocks led gains in the year since global equities bottomed out following the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.

Iraq Politicians Maneuver for Power Ahead of Results (Update1) Political maneuvering was under way in Iraq before initial results from the parliamentary election are announced, with early indications that no party would win a majority and tough coalition bargaining lies ahead.