There have been a lot of twists and turns since Yahoo first announced plans to outsource its search advertising business to Google earlier this summer, but according to an Associated Press report, the deal could come as early as this week.

The deal came under scrutiny from the Justice Department after many in the online advertising industry complained that it would likely decrease competition and raise prices for marketers. Both Google and Yahoo have refuted that claim, and many see this current showdown as a test of Google's clout in Washington.

There is no early word on whether Justice will block the deal or let it proceed.

Meanwhile, search as a whole continues to grow despite the current economic crisis.