Google acquired seven robotics firms in the past six months to create manufacturing and logistics robots for a project under Android founder Andy Rubin to compete with Amazon's flying delivery drones.

Russia-based platform for publishing and viewing educational content BeSmart.net will receive USD4 million in total investment over the next three years from Hong Kong's Education Matrix.

Japanese electronics conglomerate Sony Corp. may spend JPY10 billion on a chip plant it intends to buy from Renesas Electronics Corp. Sony is reportedly increasing its chip output to boost its profits.

Chinese investment firm Sailing Capital Management has launched a USD821 million (CNY5 billion) cross-border buyout fund through Shanghai Sailing Industrial Capital, a subsidiary of the company.

American retail chain Abercrombie & Fitch's shares increased by 5.8% to USD35.99 per share after activist investor Engaged Capital urged the firm to change its leadership and explore a possible sale.

Washington-based tech company Microsoft Corp sold a record offering of USD8 billion of bonds in dollars and euros to fund general corporate purposes, according to regulatory filings today.

Swiss banking group Credit Suisse has put up for sale its remaining limited partnership interests in leveraged buyout firm DLJ Merchant Banking Partners. British private equity firm Coller Capital will be acquiring the assets.

The stock of India-based Mahindra Holidays rose 5% after the company announced it had sold all its shares in two hotel firms in Austria for an undisclosed sum.

Washington-based organic salad chain Sweetgreen has received USD22 million in funding from investment fund Revolution Growth to help grow the company's brand in new markets.

Ben Venue Laboratories, a subsidiary of German Boehringer Ingelheim in the US, has engaged Bank of American Merill Lynch to advise it on a proposed sale of its sterile injectable drugs business.

Yahoo has purchased Los Angeles-based Dreamworks Animation-incubated mobile video app Ptch, which will shut down on January 2, 2014, in a deal with yet undisclosed financial terms.

Wikimedia Foundation Inc., operator of the world's #5 website Wikipedia, on Tuesday began its new crowdfunding campaign. The foundation seeks to raise USD50 million, up from the USD30 million it raised last year.

Brazil-based antivirus startup PSafe raised USD20 million in a Series C investment round led by Qihoo 360, to be used for building the firm's technology and awareness marketing.

Ireland's Ryanair on Tuesday announced that it won't participate in Italian airline Alitalia's EUR300 million emergency cash call. Other carriers including Lufthansa, Etihad Airways, Aeroflot and Alitalia shareholder Air France-KLM have also turned down the deal.

A new GBP10 billion privatization program will see Britain's 40% stake in cross-channel rail operator Eurostar sold off to help pay down UK's debts.

Brisbane-based private equity fund manager Blue Sky Alternative Investments Ltd plans a USD25.59 million fundraising by the end of 2013 through a series of share sales.

If the Australian federal government does not boost Qantas Airways Ltd's credit ratings, the national carrier may sell its shares in its frequent flyer division or Jetstar's Asian arm, the Australian Financial Review (AFR) reported.

An article published by the New York Times said that the Versace deal may not please investors. Versace valued itself at over EUR1 billion (USD1.36 billion), which is 14 times its current-year EBITDA at EUR70 million.

Newsweek plans to return back to print with a 64-page weekly publication, according to Editor-in-Chief Jim Impoco in an interview with the New York Times.

Japan's Toshiba Corp. and German real estate major Gagfah SAS entered a joint venture to sell energy directly to residents in Germany. The deal could bring in a revenue of USD184 million to USD233 million to the Japanese conglomerate.

The shares of Australia-based electronics seller Dick Smith Holdings Ltd lifted on its debut on Wednesday after securing USD315 million in its initial public offering.

According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the approved merger of American Airlines and US Airways to form the largest airline by revenues in the world is not good news for passengers.

Germany's Douglas Holding AG has began the process of divesting Hussel, the biggest confectionery chain in the country. After being taken private, Douglas committed to actively managing its portfolio through acquisitions and divestments.

Private equity firm Sycamore Partners LLC is reportedly leading the bids for Men's Warehouse's discounted apparel and accessories store K&G. Sycamore is also in advanced talks to takeover Jones Group Inc.

The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported on tuesday including Adcock Ingram, Energa, Nordea Bank, Alitalia, Ben Venue, TIM Participacoes, Douglas, Mercator, Novartis, OncoMed, Kerning and Malaysia Airports

US-based processor giant Intel acquired private hackathon organizer Hacker League for an undisclosed amount, in a deal that will merge the latter with Mashery, an Intel company.

Columbus Nova, a New York-based multi-strategy investment firm, announced today that it will acquire a controlling interest in the CIFC.

China's biggest hydroelectric dam contractor Sinohydro Group Ltd. will be investing up to USD39.2 million in an hydroelectric project in Laos. The said company will also be investing USD724 million in a construction project in Shandong province.

Portugal is raising EUR578 million (USD783 million) in the initial public offering of its postal service CTT-Correios de Portugal SA. The Portuguese government is divesting its 70% stake in the mail service.

Top credit ranking Johnson & Johnson reportedly sold USD3.5 billion in a six-part bond issue, its first offering in the last two years. Proceeds from the deal will be used to pay the health care product manufacturer's outstanding debt.