IN BRIEF

SAN FRANCISCO

China government counters Google bid to skirt censorship

Google's attempted detour around China's Internet censorship rules was met with countermeasures Tuesday by the communist government, which blocked people on the mainland from seeing search results dealing with such forbidden topics as the pro-democracy movement.

China's maneuver, and its public rebuke of Google's decision to stop censoring searches for the government, rattled some of the company's investors, advertisers and users.

The chief concern is whether Google poisoned its business in one of the world's most promising Internet markets. One analyst critical of Google's move predicted the maneuver will cause the company's stock to fall by as much as $50 -- or about 10 percent -- in the coming weeks.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.

Hard Rock International announces Atlantic City plans

Drawn by the possibility of entering the nation's second-largest gambling market at a discount price, Hard Rock International announced plans Tuesday to build a $300 million hotel-casino on the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

The Florida-based company would partner with New York-based Och-Ziff Real Estate at the southern end of the city, at the foot of the Black Horse Pike, one of three main entranceways to Atlantic City. Hard Rock said it has not yet determined how many hotel rooms it would build.

Hard Rock, which operates 13 casinos around the world, said it supports a bill introduced Monday in New Jersey's legislature that would permit new casinos with as few as 200 rooms, down from the current 500-room minimum.

Hard Rock International is wholly owned by the Seminole Indian tribe of Florida.

The company said its project would include "an ultramodern gaming floor, luxury hotel, world-class dining and entertainment," a beachfront pool and a spa.

It said it would cost at least $300 million to build the complex on largely vacant land that it still needs to buy.

WASHINGTON

Low interest rates needed to spur recovery, Fed official says

Record-low interest rates are still needed to energize the economic recovery, a Federal Reserve official said Tuesday.

Janet Yellen, head of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and President Barack Obama's top pick to be vice chair of the central bank, said the sluggish recovery she anticipates means unemployment will stay high for years.

The jobless rate -- now at 9.7 percent -- will dip only to 9.25 percent by the end of 2010, then to 8 percent by the end of 2011, she said, calling the scenario a "very disappointing prospect."

WASHINGTON

Existing-home sales decline for third straight month

Sales of existing homes fell for a third straight month in February, pushing sales down to the lowest level since last July. There is concern the fragile housing rebound is faltering, making it harder for the overall economy to recover.

The National Association of Realtors said Tuesday that sales of previously occupied homes dropped 0.6 percent in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.02 million.

The weakness in sales depressed prices with the median home price dropping almost 2 percent from a year ago to $165,100.

Sales activity varied across the country. In the Midwest, sales jumped almost 3 percent, and were up more than 2 percent in the Northeast. In the South, sales fell about 1 percent, and were down almost 5 percent in the West.

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt.

New top boss takes reins at
ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's

Here's the scoop: Ben & Jerry's ice cream has a new boss.

Jostein Solheim, a veteran executive with parent company Unilever, has been named CEO of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream. He succeeds Walt Freese, who recently stepped down after eight years in the job. Solheim has worked for Unilever for 14 years.

Based in South Burlington, Ben & Jerry's is known for its quirky flavors and support for social causes.