Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions

July 23 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Wednesday:

Chevron CVX.N cut 575 positions in the Houston area after it completed its $55 billion merger with Hess, a Texas Workforce Commission filing revealed on Wednesday. nL4N3TK1S8

One Rock Capital Partners, a U.S. private equity firm, is one of the few remaining bidders for BP's BP.L Castrol lubricants business, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter. nL4N3TK1S8

China's Zijin Mining 601899.SS is the front-runner to acquire Barrick Mining's Tongon gold mine in northern Ivory Coast for up to $500 million, two sources close to the matter told Reuters. nL8N3TJ0JI

Sony Group 6758.T is exploring a sale of its unit that provides cellular chipsets for connected devices, as the group shifts its focus to the entertainment segment, according to three people familiar with the matter. nL6N3TK04U

Pernod Ricard PERP.PA said it agreed to sell its Imperial Blue whisky business division to Indian liquor maker Tilaknagar Industries TILK.NS, as the French spirits maker boosts its focus on premium labels in its portfolio. nS8N3SG08G

The Italian government is closely following news about a possible sale of truckmaker Iveco Group IVG.MI to India's Tata Motors TAMO.NS, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso told a parliamentary hearing. nL8N3SS0HI

Botswana is seeking to take a controlling stake in De Beers as Anglo American AAL.L prepares to divest from the diamond giant, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing the country's mining minister. nL4N3TK1GA

Brazilian food delivery app iFood, owned by Dutch technology investor Prosus PRX.AS, is in advanced talks to buy meal voucher company Alelo for about 5 billion reais ($904.75 million), reported Valor Economico newspaper, citing sources.nS0N3TD0BI

A handful of private equity firms, including Clearlake Capital, Platinum Equity and EQT, have submitted bids to buy Forward Air FWRD.O, three sources familiar with the matter said, as the process to sell the U.S. trucker picks up speed. nL1N3TK0MN

California government officials are trying to find a buyer for Valero Energy's VLO.N Benicia refinery near San Francisco, three sources familiar with the matter said, an unusual effort as the clock ticks down on the company's planned closure of the facility in April. nL6N3TI0OW

Northern Trust NTRS.O has not entertained any discussions about a sale of the asset and wealth manager, Chief Executive Mike O'Grady told analysts during a post-earnings conference call. nL4N3TK17V

Corpay CPAY.N will buy British peer Alpha Group ALPH.L in a $2.2 billion (1.6 billion pounds) cash deal, the U.S.-based business payments firm said, to expand in the fast-growing private markets. nL4N3TK0TO

London-based buyout firm CapVest Partners is in talks to acquire a majority stake in German drugmaker Stada Arzneimittel, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday. nL4N3TK0OB

Zara founder Amancio Ortega's investment vehicle Pontegadea Inversiones has agreed to acquire a 49% stake in PD Ports from Brookfield Asset Management , the British ports and logistics company said on Tuesday. nL6N3TK0AM

Amazon has reached a deal to buy San Francisco-based Bee, a startup making an artificial intelligence-enabled bracelet to listen in on and transcribe conversations. nL6N3TJ0TT

Brazilian software company Totvs has agreed to buy StoneCo's Linx unit in a deal worth 3.05 billion reais ($547.90 million), it said on Tuesday, adding that it expects the move to strengthen its position in the retail segment. nL1N3TJ0A1

Kazakhstan's Halyk Bank has agreed to a deal to buy a 49% stake in Uzbek payment provider Click for $176.4 million in exchange for Click purchasing a 49% stake in Halyk's Uzbek subsidiary, Tenge Bank, for $60.76 million, the companies said. nL8N3TK0FG

South Africa's Competition Tribunal has approved Canal+'s CAN.L 35 billion rand ($2 billion) takeover offer for TV broadcaster MultiChoice MCGJ.J, subject to agreed conditions, the companies said. nL4N3TK0IH