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Aviva boss Amanda Blanc on lookout for more takeovers By CALUM MUIRHEAD Updated: 21:50 GMT, 7 December 2024 e-mail View comments Aviva boss Amanda Blanc has more takeover targets in her sights after the insurer's swoop on its rival Direct Line last week. Blanc, 57, is eyeing up potential expansion areas in Aviva's business, such as its protection and health arm, according to a source close to the matter. It comes after Aviva clinched an initial deal to snap up troubled Direct Line for £3.6 billion after sweetening a £3.3 billion offer that had been rejected. The takeover, which offers Direct Line shareholders a mixture of cash and shares, will give them a 12.5 per cent stake in Aviva. Expansion plans: Aviva boss Amanda Blanc It marks the third bid for the insurer in less than 12 months, with Direct Line having fended off a takeover attempt by Belgian rival Ageas earlier this year. The offer comes weeks after Direct Line's boss Adam Winslow, who took over at the start of March, announced the business was cutting 550 jobs as part of a £100 million cost-saving programme to revive its fortunes. Blanc's attempt to snap up Direct Line pits her against her ex-colleague. The two are said to have 'bad blood' after Winslow left Aviva for Direct Line. If the takeover goes ahead he is expected to leave when the deal is completed. A City source said: 'There's no way he's staying on.' Since she took over as Aviva boss in 2020, Blanc has revived the fortunes of the insurer by spearheading a string of deals including the sale of several of its non-core businesses overseas. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Aviva set to buy Direct Line as insurance giant prepares... Direct Line founder Sir Peter Wood says Aviva must raise its... Share this article Share HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP How to choose the best (and cheapest) stocks and shares Isa and the right DIY investing account In March this year, Blanc faced speculation that Aviva itself could be a takeover target, but she responded with a share buyback and a dividend rise, cheering investors. The stock has also risen by 10 per cent this year. DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS AJ Bell AJ Bell Easy investing and ready-made portfolios Learn More Learn More Hargreaves Lansdown Hargreaves Lansdown Free fund dealing and investment ideas Learn More Learn More interactive investor interactive investor Flat-fee investing from £4.99 per month Learn More Learn More Saxo Saxo Get £200 back in trading fees Learn More Learn More Trading 212 Trading 212 Free dealing and no account fee Learn More Learn More Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence. Compare the best investing account for you Share or comment on this article: Aviva boss Amanda Blanc on lookout for more takeovers e-mail Add comment Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.Washington: Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, passed away at the age of 100. The Carter Center announced his death, noting that he had been battling melanoma. Carter was the oldest living former president at the time of his passing. Carter, who served as president from 1977 to 1981, was known for his humanitarian efforts and his commitment to peace and democracy. He made history as the third US president to visit India, a significant diplomatic move during his tenure in 1978. Born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, Carter was a peanut farmer before entering politics. His presidency was marked by significant achievements, including the Camp David Accords, which brokered peace between Egypt and Israel3. Despite facing challenges such as the Iran hostage crisis and economic difficulties, Carter’s post-presidential years were distinguished by his dedication to humanitarian causes. After leaving office, Carter founded the Carter Center, which focused on global health, democracy, and human rights. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts in advancing peace and human rights worldwide. Carter’s legacy is one of integrity, compassion, and service. He remained active in public life well into his 90s, continuing his work with Habitat for Humanity and teaching Sunday school in his hometown. Tributes have poured in from around the world, with leaders and citizens alike honoring his contributions to global peace and humanitarianism. President Joe Biden described Carter as a “remarkable leader” and a “role model and friend”. Carter is survived by his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Public observances will be held in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., followed by a private interment in Plains, Georgia.BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and that government forces had withdrawn from the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The capture of Homs is a major victory for insurgents, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama , as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said Homs falling into rebel hands would be a game-changer. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. For the first time in the country's long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad's status Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine . Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad's forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. No details were immediately available. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama , the country’s fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists." The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. ____ Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated Presswowjili v3 。

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Voters dejected by the presidential election results need to find a way to give back and remain involved, Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday as they celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Clinton presidential library. The former president urged audience members in a packed theater to remain engaged and find ways to communicate with those they disagree with despite a divisive political time. The two spoke about a month after former President Donald Trump's win over Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election. “We’re just passing through, and we all need to just calm down and do something that builds people up instead of tears them down,” Bill Clinton said. Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state who was defeated by Trump in the 2016 election, said she understands the next couple of years are going to be challenging for voters who don't agree with the decisions being made. "In addition to staying involved and staying aware, it’s important to find something that makes you feel good about the day because if you’re in a constant state of agitation about our political situation, it is really going to shorten your life," she said. The Clintons spoke during a panel discussion with journalist Laura Ling, who the former president helped free in 2009 when she was detained in North Korea with another journalist. The event was held as part of a weekend of activities marking the of the Clinton Presidential Library's opening in Little Rock. The library is preparing to of its exhibits and an expansion that will include Hillary Clinton's personal archives. Hillary Clinton said part of the goal is to modernize the facility and expand it to make it a more open, inviting place for people for convene and make connections. When asked about advice he would give for people disappointed by the election results, Bill Clinton said people need to continue working toward bringing people together and improving others' lives. “If that's the way you keep score, then you ought to be trying to run up the score,” he said. “Not lamenting the fact that somebody else is winning a different game because they keep score a different way." “And in addition, figure out what we can do to win again,” Hillary Clinton added, eliciting cheers. The program featured a panel discussion with cast members of the hit NBC show “The West Wing” and former Clinton White House staffers. The weekend amounted to a reunion of former Clinton White House staffers, supporters and close friends, including former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and adviser James Carville. McAuliffe said he and Carville ate Friday at Doe's Eat Place, a downtown restaurant that was popular with Clinton aides and reporters during Clinton's 1992 White House run. He said he viewed the library and its planned expansion as important for the future. “This is not only about the past, but it's more importantly about the future," McAuliffe said. “We just went through a very tough election, and people are all saying we've got to get back to the Clinton model.”None

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“What happens is you’re everywhere,” says a leader of ' o’ (“The Forces of Heaven”), the new grouping aligned to Javier Milei, with a chuckle. And he adds: “A moment after ‘Gordo Dan’ said that we were the ‘armed’ wing, he clarified that the weapons were mobile phones.” And the fascist aesthetic of the march? “It was not fascist. It was Roman, the Roman Empire, the cradle of Western civilisation, which is what we defend,” clarified the leader. In ‘ ’ there is no concern at all about the repercussions of last weekend’s launch. On the contrary, it amused them. Although they repeat that it was not an intentional search for attention, they know that they achieved the desired impact. Not only did all of Argentina’s new portals talk about it, it also attracted the attention of foreign media outlets such as or Reuters. Mission accomplished. There were no internal reproaches. The launching of the group, sources emphasise, was approved by the two people in charge of the government: presidential advisor Santiago Caputo and presidential chief-of-staff Karina Milei. “Nobody takes a step without their approval,” clarified the leader, clearing up speculation about a possible internal conflict. Beyond the indignation generated by the qualification of “armed wing” and the scenography, the presentation of the new La Libertad Avanza grouping opens up another line of discussion linked to the political construction in 2025. Up to now, in Buenos Aires Province, the “armed wing” seemed to be exclusively in the hands of Sebastián Pareja, the ruling party’s leader in the region. However, an X-ray of the leaders behind calls this monopoly into question. Agustín Laje, one of the guest speakers at the launch, said that the three corners of Argentina’s right wing are working together: the liberals, the conservatives and the patriots (or nationalists). However, there are others to focus on too. The presence of ultra-Catholic conservatives and leaders who are taking their first steps in the big leagues, stand out in particular. The launch event’s flyer listed 19 names, in addition to Laje. According to the members of the space, the “undisputed” reference points of are Parisini, Agustín Romo, Lucas Luna, Nahuel Sotelo, Santiago Santurio and Alejandro Álvarez. The rest are second- or third-line. When asked to whom this group responds, some answer that it is , others that it is Santiago Caputo. The truth is that Parisini, the Twitter star turned media entrepreneur (he is a minority partner of Carajo SA, a company in which there are also two partners of Blender SA) can be described as the executive branch of the presidential advisor’s orders. Parisini has the visibility and the power to attract Milei’s target audience. From social networks and with his streaming programme ‘ ,’ he is an all-terrain entertainer in the libertarian universe. Although he does not have a formal position in the government, he frequently visits the Casa Rosada. Accused of leading an army of trolls – see a recent report by magazine – Parisini’s role seems to be that of disciplining anyone who moves half a centimetre away from the Executive’s ideological line. is the president of the La Libertad Avanza caucus in the lower house of the Buenos Aires Province Legislature and one of Milei’s “historical” backers. For a long time he was in charge of the communications for the space, a task he still performs in a secondary role. The launching of took place in San Miguel, Romo’s hometown and where his father serves as a municipal councillor for La Libertad Avanza. The event was the confirmation of the alliance with the De La Torre brothers (Joaquín, the former mayor, and Pablo, former undersecretary of Childhood, Family and Adolescence who was fired in May). Libertarianism grew around the time of the debate over the legalisation of abortion and San Miguel, one of the few districts fervently opposing the bill, was a political shelter of sorts. Romo recognises himself as a Catholic, but his thing is politics: he talks to everyone and has a direct line to the “iron triangle” (Javier, Karina and Santiago). entered the Buenos Aires Province lower house in 2021 with José Luis Espert, but he immediately became a Milei militant. His growth has been exponential: from provincial lawmaker to caucus leader to, today, Secretary of Worship and Civilization at the Foreign Ministry. Concerned about territorial battles, in 2022 Sotelo created an organisation called La Julio Argentino, from where a good part of the new leaders of come from. There are those who speculate that, from now on, this grouping will be dissolved. As with Romo and Parisini, Sotelo’s agenda is that of the new ultra-right. Catholic and conservative, he rejects “gender ideology,” questions the “interference” of multilateral organisations in Argentina and speaks out against the UN’s 2030 Agenda. is undersecretary of university policies at the Human Capital Ministry. The ongoing higher education conflict, one of the most important flashpoints in the first stage of Milei’s government, put all eyes on him. The official never backed down – aligned to his political bosses, he is as “ (“anti-leftist”) as the rest of the group. His link dates back to the 2023 campaign. Álvarez reportedly met Parisini through Twitter (today X) and they forged a close relationship. When Education Secretary Carlos Torrendel summoned him to join his team, Álvarez consulted with Parisini and they have been working together ever since. The trust between them is such that Parisini’s girlfriend, María Belén Casas, was appointed to his department. She is now undersecretary of University Policies. She started taking care of his signature and now she is Álvarez’s chief-of-staff. Pro-life national deputy is, together with Sotelo, the leading figure in ultra-Catholic activism. He entered politics during the abortion debate with the religious organisation Frente Joven (which subsequently managed to get several of its members into Milei’s government). The religious dimension always appears in his speeches, including at this week’s event, when he talked about the Maccabees being subjugated during the Greek empire. Santurio is not usually in the news for his parliamentary activity. In the lower house, the deputy is aligned with the positions of the national executive without much fuss. His main activity, it seems, is in the political construction of a right-wing, Catholic and conservative force. He has a very good relationship with Human Capital Minister Sandra Pettovello and his own organisation called Ciudadanos. , alias ,’ is part of Milei’s gang on social media. He has been known to the group for years and his name was in the news in 2023 when his candidacy for a seat in the Mercosur Parliament was withdrawn after he declared “‘nobody wants to vote for a disabled person,” in reference to handicapped ex-PRO candidate Franco Rinaldi. The punishment, however, was mediatic – he never stopped working for La Libertad Avanza. His record includes a stint in the Chamber of Deputies of Buenos Aires Province and, following Milei’s triumph in the election, he was appointed director of the state company Intercargo. “There is nobody who works as hard as he does to be out of a job,” joked an acquaintance. Throughout his first term in office, Luna was a frequent visitor to the Casa Rosada. In October, moreover, he was appointed as the coordinator of La Libertad Avanza in Tres de Febrero, a gesture interpreted as an affront against the mayor, PRO ally Diego Valenzuela. Others listed in the launch event’s flyers include and , the latter better known as .’ Without official positions in government or La Libertad Avanza, they could be defined as the government’s “loyal entertainers.” Pérez is the owner of the YouTube channel BreakPoint, with a direct line to the government. He covered Milei’s campaign from the inside and worked in the offices of legislator Ramiro Marra. Pazos is the co-host of Parisini’s streaming programme on Blender. , the co-founder of , Fernando Cerimedo’s media outlet, also has a profile. In December, 2023, he was called by the Executive to take charge of public media and while he bills the state as a self-employed consultant, his job is to “align the communication strategy” of the Presidency. He will be the key for in the capital. , who answers to the De La Torre Brothers, served as security minister in San Miguel and was previously aligned to Juntos por el Cambio. At this week’s launch, he said are “right-wing – we defend family, the homeland and God.” Other names involved in the new group include Quilmes councillor , La Plata parliamentarian , ANSES official , Florencio Varela councillor , Frente Joven member , Córdoba-based advisor , and , and – the so-called from Lomas de Zamora. Ads Space Ads Space