Google and the US Department of Justice are said to be close to reaching a legal settlement over Google's intended acquisition of travel data company ITA Software.
Leader
Microsoft vs Google: Birth of a new world
Microsoft's antitrust moves against Google are full of irony, but they could do the search giant, and the rest of us, the power of good
The $700m (£427m) deal has been under scrutiny since it was announced in July 2010. Citing "people familiar with the matter", The Wall Street Journal reports that the agreement, which would allow the purchase to go forward, is not finalised. That agreement, the Journal says, will also let the government keep an eye on Google for antitrust activities and could be made within days.
From the beginning, the proposed acquisition has faced challenges from the US Department of Justice over whether control of the travel software company would give Google too much power. Google has since set up a web page that outlines its intentions with ITA, including honouring all existing agreements with companies that make use of ITA's data and technology in their services.
For more on this ZDNet UK-selected story, see Report: Google and DOJ close to ITA settlement on CNET News.
Get the latest technology news and analysis, blogs and reviews delivered directly to your inbox with ZDNet UK's newsletters.
