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Here are the top reads in deals and financial services over the last 24 hours,

Departure: The head of Royal Bank of Canada’s U.S. capital markets arm has left the bank, ceding the way to new co-heads of the business. Story (James Bradshaw, for subscribers)

Private equity: GFL Environmental Inc. didn’t set out to be the target of Canada’s largest private management buyout, but it happened anyway. Little more than five months ago, Patrick Dovigi, founder and chief executive of the Canadian waste-management giant, was fixed on taking his fast-growing company public in a share offering expected to be worth as much as $1-billion. Story (Jacqueline Nelson, for subscribers)

Executive appointments: Thomson Reuters Corp. is reshuffling its executive ranks by appointing Brian Peccarelli and Neil Masterson as co-chief operating officers. The news and information giant is in the midst of a complex reorganization after striking a US$17-billion deal in January with Blackstone Group LP to spin out its financial and risk arm – the company’s largest division. Story (James Bradshaw)

Mining sector: Euro Sun Mining Inc. and Lundin Mining Corp. are increasing the cash component of their roughly $1.5-billion takeover proposal for Nevsun Resources Ltd., but the Vancouver-based base metals miner is still showing little interest in being acquired. Story (Nial McGee)

Proxy fight: Herschel Segal, the Montreal retailing veteran seeking to force out the board at DavidsTea Inc., insists retail investors remain receptive to his effort after two proxy-advisory firms came out against the takeover plan. In separate reports over the weekend, Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) both recommended investors vote to elect management’s incumbent slate of six directors and reject the dissident’s proposal. Story (Nicolas Van Praet, for subscribers)

Mortgages: Real estate developer Fortress Real Developments Inc. is facing a flurry of legal actions from mortgage lenders who have filed applications to foreclose on land earmarked for development projects. Story (Janet McFarland, for subscribers)

MORE IN DEALS

Software deal: Microsoft Corp. is buying GitHub Inc. for US$7.5 billion in stock, bringing in house a community of 28 million programmers who publish code openly and extending a shift away from a strategy of shrouding its software in secrecy. Story

Drug sector: Bayer launched a €6-billion (US$9-billion) rights issue on Sunday, a cornerstone of the financing package for its planned US$81-billion takeover of seeds maker Monsanto. Story

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Glassman: Investment firm Catalyst Capital Group Inc. is in extended talks to sell part of a Canadian biotech company it owns after the Chinese partnership that had agreed to buy it fell apart. Story

WHAT WE’RE READING ELSEWHERE

Trading: The New York Stock Exchange has come out swinging against a regulatory pilot program supported by influential pension fund managers and aimed at addressing a controversial practice. Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, the California Public Employees’ Pension System and a group of pensions representing billions in assets came out last week in support of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s transaction fee pilot, which aims to end the payment of rebates to brokers with price caps and limits on payments to market-makers and brokers. Institutional Investor

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