Glencore yesterday announced plans to acquire global agri-business Viterra for C$6.1 billion, a deal that will potentially require regulatory approval in Canada, Australia and Europe.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has approved Visy Industries Australia’s acquisition of HP’s PET and plastic assets, with a warning that companies should not act too quickly in appointing receivers for unapproved mergers.

South Africa’s Competition Commission has prohibited two linked transactions in the horseracing industry because of concerns they would further increase the market share of the industry’s dominant player.

Deutsche Börse says it will appeal against the European Commission’s prohibition of its US$9 billion merger with NYSE Euronext – which has yet to join in the appeal.

Logistics company United Parcel Service (UPS) has agreed to buy its competitor TNT for €5.2 billion, after the target rejected an initial lower offer. Rival Deutsche Post says the tie-up will raise competition concerns in the EU.

Canada’s largest telecoms company, Bell Canada Enterprises, has announced plans to acquire television company Astral Media, in a deal that will require approval from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and Competition Bureau.

Cisco has agreed to buy software company NDS for US$5 billion to increase its presence in the video communications market, a deal that requires antitrust clearance in the US and other jurisdictions.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has withdrawn its administrative complaint against powder paint rivals Graco and Illinois Tool Works in favour of trying to reach a settlement agreement over the companies’ proposed merger.

The European Commission yesterday extended its review of IAG’s proposed acquisition of Lufthansa subsidiary BMI, after the British Airways owner approached it with concessions.

US mining group Molycorp last week announced plans to acquire Canadian rare earth processor Neo Material Technologies for C$1.3 billion (€996 million). The merger will combine the owner of the largest rare-earth deposit outside of China with a leading rare earth processing technology company.

South Africa today cleared Wal-Mart’s acquisition of Massmart, with “innovative” conditions that present a new framework for addressing public interest concerns in merger cases.

Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) today unconditionally cleared the US$12.5 billion merger between Google and Motorola Mobility, saying that although concerns over possible patent abuse remain, these concerns are not merger-specific.

T-Mobile and Sprint Nextel have asked the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ‘stop the clock’ on its review of Verizon Wireless’s bid to buy US$3.6 billion in wireless spectrum, seeking full disclosure of the deals the company has made with cable operators.

Wal-Mart and Massmart have cleared the final hurdle required to operate in Namibia, after the country’s Ministry of Trade and Industry approved the merger with conditions.

China and the US have imposed more structural commitments on the US$4.5 billion merger between Western Digital and Hitachi, with China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) taking the tougher stance and ordering to keep the two businesses separate for at least two years.