Google deal

Google is close to a deal with the Justice De partment that would allow it to buy airline ticketing software com pany ITA for $700 mil lion, while requiring that the software remain available to Google rivals, according to a source close to the talks.

Better days

Initial claims for un employment benefits slipped 10,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 382,000, the Labor Department said.

Madoff suits

Pictet & Cie and Ban que J. Safra, two Geneva- based private banks, were sued for $156 mil lion and 60 million, re spectively, by Irving Pi card, the trustee liquidating the former in vestment firm of con man Bernard Madoff.

Top Dish

Dish Network, led by billllionaire Charlie Ergen can go ahead with its $320 million purchase of Blockbus ter Inc., a bankruptcy judge ruled.

Expedia split

Expedia will spin off TripAdvisor, which con trols 18 travel and ad brands, into a publicly traded company. Expe dia shares surged as much as 17 percent in late trading.