News: AZS Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions

(Adds Centrica, Signa, Blackstone, Archer-Daniels-Midland, Varun Beverages; Updates Yahsat)

Dec 19 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1430 GMT on Tuesday:

		** Centrica's British Gas  CNA.L  and E.ON	
were given the go-ahead to continue their legal battle over 

Britain's financial support for Octopus Energy to acquire collapsed energy supplier Bulb.

		** Insolvent European property company Signa is holding 
talks to potentially sell its stake in New York's Chrysler 

Building and is shedding its private jet, its administrator said, a significant development in the salvaging of founder Rene Benko's real estate empire.

		** Blackstone Inc  BX.N  will sell its entire 23.59% 
stake valued at $833 million in India's largest real estate 

investment trust Embassy Office Parks EMBA.NS , four years after it was first listed, according to a term sheet seen by Reuters and a person with direct knowledge.

		** U.S. agribusiness Archer-Daniels-Midland  ADM.N  said 
it would buy UK-based flavor and ingredient firm FDL, as the 

company looks to expand its nutrition business.

		** Pepsi India bottler Varun Beverages  VARB.NS  said it 
will buy South Africa-based The Beverage Company in a deal 

valued at 13.2 billion rupees ($158.71 million), enabling it an entry into Africa's largest market.

		** Abu Dhabi satellite operator Yahsat  YAHSAT.AD  and 
geographic data and analytics provider Bayanat  BAYANAT.AD  have 

agreed an all-share merger to create the region's first AI-powered space technology company, they said.

** Cevian Capital has taken a 1.3% stake in UBS UBSG.S , worth around 1.2 billion euros ($1.31 billion), the activist investor group said.

** Investors in Australian lithium producer Allkem (AKE) voted to accept a $10.6 billion merger offer from U.S. giant Livent LTHM.N that would create one of the world's biggest lithium companies.

** Sony Group Corp's 6758.T Indian unit said that it has not yet agreed to prolong a merger deadline with India's Zee Entertainment Enterprises ZEE.NS , days after the latter sought an extension.

** Chile's SQM SQMA.SN has teamed up with Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart, to make a sweetened A$1.7 billion ($1.14 billion) bid for Australian lithium developer Azure Minerals (AZS) , the three parties said.

** Mexico's Grupo Carso reached an agreement to indirectly purchase for $530 million a 50% stake in the offshore, shallow water Ichalkil and Pokoch oil fields, according to a company filing published on Monday.

** Nippon Steel 5401.T shares sank more than 5% early after it clinched a deal to buy U.S. Steel X.N for $14.9 billion in cash.