Deals of the day -- mergers and acquisitions

June 4 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals involving European, U.S. and Asian companies were reported by 2000 GMT on Monday:

** BP said on Monday it would press ahead and sell a stake in its Russian venture, dismissing a threat by its billionaire partners to block a deal that would enable the Kremlin to tighten its grip on the country's vast energy sector.

** U.S. private equity firm Warburg Pincus LLC has agreed to buy a controlling stake in Indian financial services company Future Capital Holdings for 5.5 billion rupees ($98.8 million), a source with direct knowledge said.

** Salesforce.com Inc will buy Buddy Media, which helps big brands manage Facebook and Twitter pages, for about $689 million, in the latest sign that the social media marketing sector may be a new battlefield for large tech companies.

** Hero MotoCorp, India's largest two-wheeled vehicle manufacturer, has approved a proposal to merge the investment arm of its parent into the automaker, the company said, 18 months after it announced its split from Honda Motor .

** Comedian and talk show host Bill Maher purchased a minority ownership stake in the New York Mets Major League Baseball team, according to media reports late on Sunday.

** Health insurer WellPoint Inc plans to buy contact-lens and eyewear retailer 1-800 Contacts Inc for a transaction value close to $900 million, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.

** Vanguard Natural Resources LLC will spend $445 million to buy natural gas acreage in Arkansas and Oklahoma that has become cheaper due to weak prices for the fuel.

** German publisher Axel Springer and Switzerland's Ringier agreed on Monday to pay $267 million to buy 75 percent of Poland's top Internet portal Onet.pl from Polish broadcaster TVN to boost their position in eastern Europe.

** Lab-testing company Laboratory Corp of America Holdings will buy smaller rival Medtox Scientific Inc for $27 a share, or about $245 million, in cash.

** Natural resources company Forestar Group Inc said it will buy Credo Petroleum Corp for $146 million in cash, more than doubling its proven oil and natural gas reserves estimates.