MERGERS/DEALS

** Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO) is looking to acquire wealth management businesses in the UK as part of a global expansion of its private banking arm, the head of advisory at its UK wealth unit said. [ID:nL8290458]

** Gulf investor Hassan bin Ali al-Nuaimi, a nephew of the ruler of Ajman, part of the United Arab Emirates, submitted an offer for Christian Lacroix, the administrator for the French fashion house said. [ID:nL8361048]

** Biggest Nordic telecoms firm TeliaSonera (TLSN.ST) said it has crossed the 90 percent level of ownership of Estonian operator Eesti Telekom ETLAT.TL in its buy out bid. [ID:nL8554335]

** Insolvent German luxury fashion house Escada ESCG.DE has attracted interest from more than 10 potential investors, a source close to the matter said. [ID:nL8318912]

** Canada's Vector Aerospace Corp RNO.TO said a special committee of independent directors formed in response to a hostile bid from its largest shareholder has instructed the company not to complete a valuation in connection with the bid. [ID:nBNG476199]

** Banco Popolare (BAPO.MI) has had contacts with Barclays (BARC.L) over the possible sale of the Italian bank's merchant bank Efibanca, a financial source said. [ID:nL8691148]

** Junior oil and gas company Yangarra Resources Ltd YAN.V said it filed a proposal with its creditors to restructure under the Canadian Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, including a plan to merge with privately held Athabaska Energy Ltd. [ID:nBNG475107]

** A U.S. bankruptcy court judge approved the sale of the Sun-Times Media Group SUTMQ.PK to local investors, giving its flagship Chicago Sun-Times newspaper a chance for survival. [ID:nN08526899] (Compiled by Tina Kwan in Singapore; Amit Kumar and Renju Jose in Bangalore) ((amit.kumar.edit@thomsonreuters.com; within U.S. +1 646 223 8780; outside U.S. +91 4135 5800; Reuters Messaging: amit.kumar.edit@thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))