145;Google, Yahoo tie hurts competition146;

8220;Competition between both these two search companies has provided a necessary check to any potential market abuses, and has helped to ensure that publishers and content generators are capable of earning an equitable and fair return on their content,8221; the group said in a statement.

8220;W.A.N. strenuously opposes Google8217;s attempt to take over a portion of Yahoo8217;s content advertising and syndicated search business,8221; the newspaper group said.

The newspaper association expressed concern the deal was announced as publishers battled Google over copyright issues.

The group also argued that 8220;with respect to paid search ads, the deal can be perceived as an agreement to fix prices.8221;

Google usually charges between 20 and 35 per cent more than Yahoo on average, the group said, citing a study that found that 8220;prices on Yahoo will increase by an average of 22 per cent under the deal.8221;

Although Google and Yahoo said the deal would only be in effect in the United States and Canada, the World Association of Newspapers said it would hurt Yahoo8217;s effort to compete vigorously against Google and give Google a valuable window into Yahoo8217;s ad business.

8220;The proposed deal will fatally weaken Yahoo as a competitor to Google,8221; said the newspaper group, in calling on European antitrust authorities to scrutinize it.