France’s Vivendi SA (EPA:VIV) said two bidders had placed binding offers to buy its 53% in Maroc Telecom SA (EPA:IAM).

The vendor did not disclose the names of Maroc Telecom’s suitors, but UAE-based Emirates Telecommunications Corp (ABD:ETISALAT), or Etisalat, and Qatari Ooredoo (DOH:QTEL), formerly known as Qatar Telecom, or QTel, both announced in separate statements they had submitted binding offers for Vivendi’s stake.

The French telecommunications and media group said it would look into both bids during the next weeks and will make a decision that would best serve its interest and that of Maroc Telecom.

Vivendi’s Maroc Telecom stake has a current market value of EUR4.46bn (USD5.8bn), Reuters said, adding that, according to an unnamed source, the vendor would be willing to part with it for EUR5bn.

Both bidders said they had secured debt funding for their bids.

Spanish telecoms major Telefonica SA (MCE:TEF) will restart discussions with Dutch peer Royal KPN NV (AMS:KPN) in connection with a potential tie-up of their German activities in a drive to reduce costs, the Financial Times reported.

The paper quoted people close to the situation as saying that the companies’ management teams will meet to consider the possibility of combining the network used by Telefonica’s O2 Germany with the one operated by KPN’s E-Plus business.

However, any development would come after KPN finalises a EUR3bn (USD3.9bn) rights issue, which will be carried out to secure funds for debt reduction.

According to one of the sources, a network-sharing contract would be the most likely outcome, but a full merger is not excluded as an option either.

The parties did not comment on the matter, the FT said.

Marco Fossati, who holds 5% of Telecom Italia SpA (BIT:TIT), has not been approached by Hutchison Whampoa Ltd (HKG:0013) over a potential merger with the Hong Kong group’s wireless unit H3G SpA, the investor said today in an interview for the Il Sole 24 Ore.

Reuters reported previously, citing an insider, that Hutchison Whampoa was in early-stage discussions to acquire an up to 29.9% stake in Telecom Italia as part of a possible deal for H3G, also known as 3 Italia SpA. The report said that Telecom Italia could buy H3G, which is valued at between EUR1.5bn (USD2bn) and EUR2bn, via a cash-and-stock deal, with vendors including a group of Italian shareholders in holding company Telco SpA, owner of 22.4% in Telecom Italia, as well as other investors.

Fossati stated that Hutchison Whampoa’s possible interest could be prompted by its strategy to bolster its presence in the Italian mobile market. He noted that Telecom Italia should consider a possible offer if it fitted in with its objectives and if the price was right.

Commenting on a report by Il Messagero, which said that Hutchison would agree to pay EUR1.20 apiece for some Telecom Italia shares, close to their book value, Fossati stated that the multiple was unrealistic and should be much more.

On Tuesday, Telco also rejected speculations that it had been contacted by Hutchison Whampoa over a possible tie-up.

Hutchison Whampoa Ltd (HKG:0013) is likely to acquire an up to 10% interest in Telecom Italia SpA (BIT:TIT) as part of a possible deal to combine its wireless unit H3G SpA with the Italian telecommunications group, daily La Repubblica reported.

The paper, which did not cite any sources, added that such a deal would dilute the stake of holding company Telco SpA, which currently owns 22.4% in Telecom Italia, to some 20%.

On Friday, Telecom Italia said that it was in preliminary talks with Hutchison Whampoa over a possible combination with H3G, also known as 3 Italia SpA, adding that its board would discuss the issue during its meeting on 11 April. H3G is valued between EUR1.5bn (USD1.9bn) and EUR2bn, Reuters said, citing analysts’ estimates.

According to a report by another Italian daily, Il Sole 24Ore, which quoted unnamed sources, a possible deal would be in cash and stock and would give Hutchison not more than 20% in Telecom Italia. Daily La Stampa said that the owners of Telco — Telefonica SA (MCE:TEF), Assicurazioni Generali SpA (BIT:G), Intesa Sanpaolo SpA (BIT:ISP) and Mediobanca Group (BIT:MB) — would be interested in such a transaction.

Reuters could not immediately contact Telecom Italia, as well as spokespersons for the Italian owners of Telco for comment. A spokesman for Telefonica refused to comment.

Spanish telecom operator Telefonica SA (MCE:TEF) is mulling over additional divestments, which may include its Irish and Czech operations, assets in Central America and its minority holding in China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd (HKG:0762), Bloomberg reported, quoting people in the know.

The Irish and Czech units were tipped as being a high priority for sale.

The company has not decided yet on the disposals, which would be part of its drive to cut debt, and has not mandated banks to handle the processes, the sources said.

Telefonica had received a bid for Telefonica Czech Republic AS, which includes Slovakia, from a financial firm in 2012 but dismissed it as too low, two of the insiders told the agency.

The Spanish company shed around half of its holding in China Unicom in June, entering into a one-year-long lock-up for the remaining 5%.

Telefonica has assets in Central America in Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

Telefonica may bag EUR1bn (USD1.3bn) from its Irish and Central American businesses and also EUR1bn from a sale of a 19% stake in Telefonica Czech Republic, which would trim its holding to 50% in the Czech operator, Bloomberg said, citing estimates of FM Capital Partners Ltd. The 5% stake in China Unicom is worth USD1.6bn, the agency added.

US digital media major Yahoo! Inc (NASDAQ:YHOO) is in negotiations that could result in its acquisition of a 75% of French online video platform Dailymotion SA, wholly owned by France Telecom SA (EPA:FTE), the Wall Street Journal reported, quoting people in the know.

According to one of the insiders, the site could be valued at some USD300m (EUR232.5m) and Yahoo! might buy the remaining interest going forward.

Investments outside the United States are bound to play a key role in Yahoo’s growth, with the company aiming to strengthen its presence particularly in markets such as the UK and Germany, the firm’s CEO Marissa Mayer has repeatedly said.

France Telecom is looking for a big strategic partner for Dailymotion, ideally an American one, and a very good opportunity has come up, the French communications provider’s CEO Stephane Richard said in February, without elaborating.

Software provider Zapproved Inc announced on Monday that it has closed a USD1.45m Series B investment led by a group of technology executives and established investors

The company said the investment round will enable it to meet the growing demand for its Legal Hold Pro product, which manages legal hold notification and compliance.

Zapproved added that it will also be able to expand the product lines on its compliance platform.

Participants in the investment round included: Steven Singh, CEO of Concur Technologies Inc, an on-demand service provider of integrated travel and expense management solutions; Mark Stevens, former General Partner at Sequoia Capital; Skip Walter, founding CEO and CTO of Attenex Inc; Allen Alley, former CEO and Chair of Pixelworks; Kanth Gopalpur, General Manager and President of Monsoon Commerce; and Raj Kulkarni, founder of GemStone Systems, recently acquired by the leasing virtualization vendor VMware, according to Zapproved.

Software provider Zapproved Inc announced on Monday that it has closed a USD1.45m Series B investment led by a group of technology executives and established investors

The company said the investment round will enable it to meet the growing demand for its Legal Hold Pro product, which manages legal hold notification and compliance.

Zapproved added that it will also be able to expand the product lines on its compliance platform.

Participants in the investment round included: Steven Singh, CEO of Concur Technologies Inc, an on-demand service provider of integrated travel and expense management solutions; Mark Stevens, former General Partner at Sequoia Capital; Skip Walter, founding CEO and CTO of Attenex Inc; Allen Alley, former CEO and Chair of Pixelworks; Kanth Gopalpur, General Manager and President of Monsoon Commerce; and Raj Kulkarni, founder of GemStone Systems, recently acquired by the leasing virtualization vendor VMware, according to Zapproved.