Jan 24 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1430 GMT on Wednesday:
** Facebook Inc FB.O is buying a software firm that specializes in authenticating government-issued identification cards, the two companies said, a step that may help the social media company learn more about the people who buy ads on its network.
Microsemi Corp MSCC.O, the largest U.S. commercial supplier of military and aerospace semiconductor equipment, is exploring its options, including a possible sale, after it received a takeover approach, a person familiar with the matter said.
Weinstein Co has entered into exclusive negotiations to sell the studio with a group of investors led by former Obama administration official Maria Contreras-Sweet, a source familiar with the matter said.
POSCO 005490.KS, South Korea's top steelmaker, said it will set up two joint ventures to produce lithium-ion battery materials with China's Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt 603799.SS, one of China's top cobalt producers.
A.P. Moller-Maersk MAERSKb.CO has been in talks with Norway's Aker ASA AKER.OL, Odfjell Drilling ODLL.OL and Borr Drilling BDRILL.OL, seeking a partnership for its drilling unit Maersk Drilling, Danish business daily Borsen reported citing unnamed sources.
Six local Italian utilities have approved a long-awaited merger plan to create a group with more than 400 million euros ($493 million) in revenue rooted in the northern Lombardy region.
French oil and gas company Total TOTF.PA has agreed to buy Samson Offshore Anchor LLC, in a deal which Total said would strengthen its presence in the Gulf of Mexico region.
Russian second-largest lender VTB VTBR.MM will consider acquiring mid-sized Vozrozhdenie bank VZRZ.MM, VTB head Andrei Kostin said, according to Russian news agencies.
China's state-owned enterprises will face more mergers and bankruptcies as the government overhauls the lumbering state sector, the head of the country's state asset regulator told Reuters.
Malaysia's edotco Group is eyeing an entry into markets such as Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, and will tap funds to set itself up for more deals in the region, the telecommunications tower services unit of Axiata AXIA.KL, the country's largest mobile operator.
Russia's En+ Group ENPLq.L, which manages businessman Oleg Deripaska's aluminium and hydropower businesses, plans to close a deal with Glencore GLEN.L to convert its stake in aluminium producer Rusal 0486.HK into En+ by the end of the first quarter, En+ Chief Executive Maxim Sokov told Reuters.
Canada's second-biggest marijuana producer Aurora Cannabis Inc ACB.TO has agreed to buy smaller rival CanniMed Therapeutics Inc CMED.TO for C$1.1 billion ($852 million) creating the world's largest weed producer by market value.