April 4 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions...

April 4 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 0930 GMT on Thursday:

** Japan's Mitsui & Co 8031.T said it had teamed up with Rohto Pharmaceutical Co 4527.T to buy Eu Yan Sang International in a deal valuing the Singapore-based traditional Chinese medicines firm at S$800 million ($594 million).

** Britain's antitrust watchdog said that Spreadex's completed acquisition of sports betting rival Sporting Index's consumer-facing arm raised competition concerns and gave them time for a solution before it deepened its investigation.

** Former Gucci chief executive Marco Bizzarri said he would invest in Italian fashion brand Elisabetta Franchi, taking a stake up to 23% of the company.

** Applus' board of directors has issued a favourable opinion on the takeover bids launched by funds Apollo and Amber, but prefer the latter as the offer price is higher, the Spanish company said in a filing with stock market regulator CNMV.

** Russian steelmaker Severstal CHMF.MM has bought the distribution business of metals trader A Grupp, Severstal said without disclosing the size of the deal.

** Members of Paramount Global's PARA.O board agreed on Wednesday to enter into exclusive merger talks with Skydance Media, favoring the independent studio over a $26 billion offer from private equity firm Apollo Global Management APO.N , a person familiar with the matter said.

** Britain's competition regulator said it would need to open an in-depth investigation into the merger between Vodafone's VOD.L UK operation and Hutchison's 0001.HK Three UK after the parties did not offer remedies to ease the regulator's competition concerns.

** Australian insurer Suncorp Group (SUN) said it would sell its New Zealand life insurance business to Resolution Life for NZ$410 million ($246.53 million), sending its shares to a more than 16-year high.

** Mexican broadcaster Televisa TLEVISACPO.MX said on Wednesday it reached an agreement with AT&T for its stake in satellite TV unit Sky Mexico, giving Televisa full control of the firm.

** The ethics adviser to Norway's $1.6 trillion sovereign-wealth fund is assessing whether to recommend the investor to divest its multi-billion dollar stake in mining giant Rio Tinto (RIO) for environmental concerns, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.