March 25 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Monday:
** EU anti-trust regulators said they had opened an investigation into U.S. aluminum firm Novelis Inc's NVLXC.UL plans to buy processor Aleris Corps TXPACA.UL .
Platinum miner Lonmin LMI.L does not have sufficient liquidity to fund the new projects needed to avoid shaft closures and job losses, it said as it urged shareholders to back its proposed takeover by Sibanye-Stillwater SGLJ.J .
U.S. funds Varde Partners and BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) BLK.N plan to submit rival bids for troubled Italian lender Banca Carige CRGI.MI by mid-April, three sources close to the matter said.
Canadian utility Enmax Corp ENMAX.UL said it will buy Emera Inc's EMA.TO electric transmission and distribution unit for $959 million.
Scout24 G24n.DE , the Germany-based autos and property marketplace, expressed an interest in acquisitions if eBay Inc EBAY.O sells its classifieds business following pressure from activist investors to do so.
A private equity-led consortium agreed to buy Inmarsat Plc ISA.L for about $3.4 billion in cash after the British satellite operator last year rebuffed a slightly lower bid from U.S. rival EchoStar SATS.O .
EU anti-trust regulators approved the acquisition by Danish Agro of Konekesko's KESKOB.HE agricultural machinery distribution businesses in Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Shuaa Capital SHUA.DU and Abu Dhabi Financial Group (ADFG) have mandated UBS UBSG.S and JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM) JPM.N as advisers on a potential merger between the United Arab Emirates investment firms, an ADFG spokesman said.
Majestic Wine Plc WINEW.L said it would sell assets, close stores and review its dividend as part of a wider plan to invest more and focus on its online Naked Wines business.
Mike Ashley's Sports Direct SPD.L said it was considering buying the whole of Debenhams DEB.L as an alternative to the restructuring options being pursued by the ailing department store chain's directors.
Dutch food ingredients company Corbion CORB.AS said it plans to acquire Granotec do Brazil for $45 million, in a bid to boost further its expansion in food ingredients in Latin America.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc (NYSE:TMO) TMO.N , the world's largest maker of scientific instruments, said on Sunday it has agreed to buy Brammer Bio in a roughly $1.7 billion cash deal.
Uber Technologies Inc UBER.UL is set to offer over $3 billion to buy Dubai-based rival Careem Networks FZ, two sources familiar with the deal told Reuters, in a deal that will strengthen its operations in the Middle East.