NatWest Group is closing in on a £2.5bn takeover of Evelyn Partners, the wealth management group, in what would be its biggest corporate takeover since its taxpayer bailout in 2008.
Sky News has learnt that NatWest, which returned to full private ownership last year, is this weekend in advanced talks to acquire Evelyn from its private equity backers.
NatWest is understood to have seen off competition from rival bidder Barclays in recent days, following a new round of offers submitted last week.
City sources said that NatWest was expected to pay between £2.5bn and £3bn to buy Evelyn, which offers a broad range of wealth management services to thousands of customers.
An announcement confirming the deal could come in the early part of next week.
Buying Evelyn, which was previously known as Tilney Smith & Williamson, will strengthen NatWest’s presence in one of the areas identified by Paul Thwaite, its chief executive, as a priority for the bank.
NatWest, which is expected to report strong full-year results at the end of next week, has embarked on a simplification drive since Mr Thwaite took over in 2023.
Analysts said that buying Evelyn would represent a logical strategic move for NatWest’s Coutts arm as well as its affluent customer segment.
Although it is a sizeable deal, a price of under £3bn is modest in the context of NatWest’s market capitalisation of almost £52bn.
Its shares have risen by close to 50% during the last year.
Barclays was also keen to buy Evelyn, although it is said to have backed away from a deal after acknowledging the price that rival NatWest was prepared to pay for the business.
Royal Bank of Canada had been linked to a bid, although it was unclear whether it formally tabled an offer this week.
Evelyn had close to £65bn in assets under management as of last August, when it reported half-year results, making it a significant player in the sector in the UK.
The auction of Evelyn comes amid a torrent of corporate activity in the wealth management sector.
Demographics and the drive to push Britons into longer-term saving, investment and financial planning have driven growth across large parts of the industry in recent years – a trend which is expected to continue.
Canaccord Genuity’s wealth arm is also on the block and could fetch a price of over £1bn.
Acquiring Evelyn will also trigger a return to NatWest for Evelyn’s chief executive, Paul Geddes, if he remains involved with the business.
Mr Geddes joined the then Royal Bank of Scotland before the financial crisis, running its insurance arm, which included brands such as Direct Line and Churchill.
He oversaw its spinoff from the high street lender, which at the time was under majority government ownership.
Evelyn is owned by the private equity firms Permira and Warburg Pincus, having merged their respective firms Tilney and Smith & Williamson in 2020.
Last year, Evelyn’s professional services arm was sold to the buyout firm Apax Partners.
The auction of the wealth management business is being handled by bankers at Evercore.
NatWest and Barclays both declined to comment, while Permira has been contacted for comment.
“Real Time” host Bill Maher criticized celebrity “virtue-signaling” at the 2026 Grammys, calling out singer Billie Eilish’s anti-ICE speech.
“You don’t know facts,” Maher said of the singer during Friday’s episode of his HBO show.
Eilish, who won Song of the Year at the music award show, condemned ICE during her acceptance speech. The 24-year-old went viral when she declared, “No one is illegal on stolen land.”
Maher picked apart a transcript of Eilish’s speech, which began with the singer saying, “It’s hard to know what to say.”
Billie Eilish (right) was among the musicians to criticize the Trump administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the Grammy Awards on Sunday. (Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)
“Then, don’t say anything, ‘cause you don’t know things,” he charged. “You didn’t go to school, I don’t think, and you don’t know facts.”
However, Maher admitted he agreed with Eilish on one subject, before roasting her credibility on immigration.
“She said, ‘Keep fighting and protesting and speaking up.’ I totally agree with that,” Maher continued. “She said, ‘Voices still matter. People matter.’”
“And I would just say so does knowledge,” he added.
It was “pretty great” that a tribe in California asked for Eilish’s house after her speech, the host argued.
He then confronted his panel with a follow-up question to the singer’s speech.
“What’s the practical next step if you say there is no such thing as illegal people on stolen land?” Maher asked. “Do we just go back to living in teepees?”
Kevin O’Leary visits “Outnumbered” at Fox News Channel Studios on April 18, 2024, in New York City; Billie Eilish attends the 68th Grammy Awards on Feb. 1, 2026, in Los Angeles, California.(Roy Rochlin/Getty Images; Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
One of Maher’s panelists, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, said his kids “forced” him to watch the Grammys. He ridiculed what he called “all bulls—.”
“The fact is, it’s a complicated history,” Christie said.
“People got screwed along the way. Yes, we agree with that,” the Republican conceded. “But if what we’re going to do today is say these pronouncements and then have no real solution behind that pronouncement, it’s all bulls—.”
Meanwhile, Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s former deputy prime minister and a self-identifying progressive, shared what “really bugs” her about the Grammys controversy.
Billie Eilish indirectly condemned ICE raids during an acceptance speech on Sunday.(Scott Olson/Getty Images; Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
“I thought it was powerful that some of those award winners at the Grammys did speak about ICE,” Freeland countered.
“And I agree with you broadly, Bill, that celebrities should not be the leaders of political movements. But I think it would have been wrong for them not to comment on this really horrible thing happening,” she continued.
Earlier in the show, Maher compared Eilish’s remarks to the “from the river to the sea” slogan often heard during “Free Palestine” protests.
“The people of Los Angeles will not move, and neither will all Israelis from Gaza,” Maher asserted.
“We have to deal with the future, not just the past,” he posited.
Fox News Digital reached out to Eilish’s representative for comment and did not hear back in time for publication.
Stephanie Samsel is a digital production assistant at Fox News Digital. She has previously written for Campus Reform and the Media Research Center, covering political bias in education and entertainment. Follow her on X @StephSamsel.
In the school, madam ji showed her magic to the children, did a stage-breaking dance, the boys also danced a lot after seeing it.
Viral Video: The atmosphere was completely filled with enthusiasm in a school program when Madam ji gave a tremendous dance performance on the stage. As soon as the music started, his energetic movements, confidence and expressions made the children dance. Seeing Madam ji’s stage-breaking dance, students were seen clapping, while boys too could not stop themselves from dancing. The video of this performance is going viral on social media. People are calling it a great example of teachers’ talent and positive energy. Many users say that such moments strengthen the relationship between teachers and children and also make the school environment pleasant. You also see..
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Turning Point: Pakistan defeated Netherlands in a thrilling match in the ICC T20 World Cup. Coming in the end, Faheem Ashraf’s fast innings saved the team from upset.
Faheem Ashraf saved Pakistan from reverses.
New Delhi. What an amazing start the ICC T20 World Cup has been. In the first match, a breath-taking match was seen between Pakistan and Netherlands. After winning the toss, Salman Ali decided to bowl first. With the help of three wickets from Salman Mirza and 2 wickets each from Sam Ayub, Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz, Netherlands were successful in getting all out for 147 runs. After losing 7 wickets for 114 runs while chasing the target, in the end Faheem Ashraf’s quick innings saved the team from becoming a victim of a major upset. 24 runs scored on 5 balls in the 19th over turned the entire match.
Pakistan cricket team was close to another embarrassing defeat in an ICC event but narrowly escaped. After winning the toss, captain Salman Aga decided to bowl first. Netherlands batted well but in the end lost the chance to score big due to disintegration of the batting order. Michael Levitt and Bas de Leede scored quick runs for the team while captain Scott Edwards’ inning of 37 runs took the team to the score of 147 runs. Amidst all this, De Leede’s 30 runs were also important.
Who put Pakistan in trouble?
Aryan Dutt took early wickets for Netherlands but nothing special happened in the match till the power play. Pakistan was easily moving towards the target. Paul van Meekeren took the wicket of Sahebzada Fahran who was playing on 47 runs and then Babar Azam also walked away after losing his wicket. From 2 wickets for 98 runs, Pakistan’s score became 7 wickets for 114 runs.
How the match changed in 5 balls
Pakistan needed 29 runs from the last 12 balls. The Netherlands team had control over the match. Van Beek came in to bowl the 19th over of the innings against Faheem Ashraf and everything changed from here. Faheem hit a strong six on the first ball. Returned on strike with 2 runs on the next ball. Then he hit a six but no runs were scored on the next ball. After this, Faheem scored 24 runs in the over by hitting a six and a four. The map of the match changed in 5 balls. Playing an inning of 29 runs on 11 balls, this player who came at number 8 made the impossible possible.
Active in sports journalism for more than 15 years. Worked in cricket website of Etv Bharat, ZEE News. Was the sports head of Dainik Jagran website. Covered the Olympics, Commonwealth, Cricket and Football World Cups. October…read more
More than 80 flood warnings are in place along with over 250 alerts as relentless rain continues to lash Britain.
The Environment Agency (EA) has issued 82 warnings for England, meaning flooding is expected, mainly concentrated in the South West and Midlands.
A further 253 flood alerts are in force, meaning flooding is possible, stretching from North Yorkshire to Cornwall, and from the Welsh borders to Norfolk.
Natural Resources Wales has another 11 flood alerts in place across the border.
Image:A flood warning and alert map for 7 February, 2026. Pic: Environment Agency
Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service also warned that levels in the River Dene had “risen to a state where flooding is imminent”.
The EA issues flood warnings 30 minutes to two hours before flooding, according to its website.
It issues them when flooding is expected from rivers, from heavy rains that could cause flash floods, and from high tides and surges coupled with strong winds at sea.
More wet weatheris predicted for large areas of the country on Saturday, including blustery showers in the South West and heavy showers in South Wales.
Image:Floodwater covers a road near to Harbridge in Hampshire. Pic: PA
Sunday offers a more mixed picture, with showers and some sunshine, before wet and windy conditions resume at the start of next week.
Rain has fallen every day of 2026 in southwest England and South Wales, the Met Office announced this week.
Both regions have faced 50% more rainfall than usual for January, the forecaster said.
Meanwhile, the South East received nearly a third of its average February rainfall in just the first three days of the month.
More rain to come – and it could get colder
So far, February is continuing where January left off – grey and wet. Cornwall had its wettest January on record and other parts of the British Isles weren’t far behind. If you feel the rain has been relentless, you’d be right. Many places, including Exeter Airport, have recorded rainfall every single day this year.
And all that cloud means very little sunshine, adding to the gloomy feel. Aberdeen went nearly two weeks without a glimmer of brightness, and at the moment eastern Scotland has recorded just 1% of their monthly sunshine for February.
In just the first five days of February, the city of Aberdeen has also recorded more than their usual monthly rainfall. And the Isle of Wight isn’t far behind, currently at 97% of their February rainfall and rising. For context, you would expect them to be around 18% at this stage of the month.
So what’s going on? The culprit, as it often the case with our weather, is the jet stream. This fast-moving ribbon of air high in our atmosphere steers areas of low pressure around on the ground.
Instead of flowing nicely from west to east, it’s currently meandering down to the south and this wavy jet has led to blocked weather patterns. Scandinavia is under a large area of high pressure, with settled and largely dry conditions, but we’ve been stuck with low after low, and a dominant southeasterly airflow has sent bands of showery rain northwards across the country.
The jet stream’s southerly position has also meant a lot more rain across southern parts of the UK. It turns out northwest Scotland has been quietly enjoying the best of the dry and bright weather.
When is it going to improve? There will be some drier and brighter spells between the rainbands but the overall unsettled outlook continues right into next month, not good news for those places already struggling.
Until the weather pattern “unblocks”, there is more rain to come. And things could turn colder with a risk of wintry hazards towards the end of next week.
If it’s any consolation, we’re not alone with these exceptional rainfall totals. A succession of storms has battered Iberia, with Storm Marta the latest to affect Portugal, Spain and Gibraltar this weekend, following on a very wet January which saw some places receive three times the normal rainfall.
“Unfortunately, there’s no end in sight,” said Dan Stroud, operational meteorologist with the Met Office.
His colleague Alex Deakin said the trend continued on Friday.
He said: “Friday’s been a very soggy day across a good chunk of the country, cold wind continuing to feed in the cloud and the moisture across north-east England and eastern Scotland.”
Speaking earlier this week, Mr Stroud blamed a “big area of high pressure” for the sustained bleakness.
Image:Floodwater cover fields near to Harbridge in Hampshire. Pic: PA
He said: “Very little in the way of change, and the reason for it really is that we’ve got a big area of high pressure way out to the far north and east of the country, and that’s stopping areas of low pressure from moving through.
“Until that area of high pressure sort of shifts out of the way, we’re not really going to see much of a change in the forecast.
“At the same time, we’ve got the jet stream way to the south, bringing exceptional wet weather to Spain and Portugal.”
Gaza City – Every morning, university professor Hassan El-Nabih straps his briefcase and laptop to his bicycle and rides out in search of a place with electricity and an internet connection, hoping to reach his students online.
Before Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, a professor on a bicycle was not a common sight. Today, it has become a reality imposed by the war – a practical option, one of the only options, given damaged infrastructure and decimated public transport.
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“My car was severely damaged in December 2023 while it was parked in the Shujayea neighbourhood [of Gaza City],” El-Nabih said.
“I was visiting relatives when an Israeli air strike struck a nearby building … shattering both windscreens and crippling the engine. With my car unusable and fuel almost impossible to find, I had to adapt.”
The genocidal war has severely damaged the besieged enclave’s transport infrastructure, with total losses estimated at roughly $2.5bn. A joint report by the World Bank, the European Union and the United Nations found that about 81 percent of Gaza’s road network has been damaged or destroyed, leaving many areas isolated and basic transport services largely suspended.
Before the war, Gaza’s streets were buzzing with cars, motorcycles, buses and taxis, and even those without private vehicles could usually find a ride within minutes. That reality has changed dramatically after more than two years of relentless Israeli bombardment.
Many streets are blocked by huge piles of rubble or considered too dangerous to use, making motorised transport difficult, and, in some places, impossible.
‘Even walking is difficult’
Abu Mohammed Jundieh, 55, used to work as a driver using his own car, which he lost in the early days of the genocidal war.
“That car was my source of income and my only way to get around,” he said, adding that owning a vehicle has now become a distant dream.
“Prices are high, fuel is expensive, and even if you find transport, it’s hard to [pay],” he said. “Most of the cash we have is worn out, and drivers often refuse it.”
“Sometimes I have to take much longer routes just to reach my destination,” Jundieh said, referring to the destroyed streets. “Even walking is difficult now.”
There is also the ever-present threat of Israeli attack, in any type of movement by Palestinians in Gaza, or staying put.
As its use increased, the bicycle’s status changed from a simple, affordable means of transport to a rare and expensive commodity.
On Gaza City’s Jalaa Street, Abu Luay Haniyeh, 52, runs a small bicycle repair shop, its shelves filled with used parts and a few new ones and customers from all walks of life waiting to have their bicycles repaired.
There are no new bicycles for sale.
“Before the war, selling bicycles was my main business,” Abu Luay said. “Now, repairs are all I can offer.”
“People come here every day asking for bicycles, but there’s nothing … Even when a bicycle is available, most people can’t afford it.
“A bicycle that sold for less than $200 before the war now costs over $1,000,” he added.
With cars and motorcycles largely unusable due to fuel shortages and damage, some residents have turned to hand-pulled carts or limited motorcycle use where fuel is available.
For many, however, bicycles have become the most reliable and sometimes the only means of transport.
A man carries a child while riding his bicycle along a damaged street in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City [File: Jehad Alshrafi/AP Photo]
Surviving displacement, finding a source of income
Bicycles have also made an appearance in some service sectors, like delivery services.
In a large tent on al-Shifa Street, west of Gaza City, is the headquarters of Hamama Delivery. Out front is a row of bicycles, while a few broken-down motorcycles stand off to the side. Abu Nasser al-Yazji, 45, Hamama Delivery’s manager, works from here.
The company had been operating for more than 10 years before the war started, using cars and motorcycles to cover the entire Gaza Strip around the clock.
Today, the fuel shortage has made running vehicles impossible. “We had no choice but to switch entirely to bicycles,” al-Yazji said.
“Most of our motorcycles were destroyed, and around 50 of our employees were killed during the war,” he continued.
“But as unemployment increased, more people began looking for any kind of work, including delivery. That’s why our workforce actually grew.”
Now, delivery drivers have adapted their bicycles by attaching plastic vegetable crates to them as carrier baskets.
“We transport all kinds of orders … meals from restaurants, clothing from small shops, or whatever people need. We load everything into plastic crates attached to the bicycles,” al-Yazji said.
Because the streets are unlit and difficult to navigate, the company had to cut its delivery hours, no longer able to operate around the clock. Now they deliver for only about 10 hours a day.
Among those working with Hamama is Ahmad, 23, who was studying law before the war and is now running deliveries after being unable to continue his studies.
“At the beginning, it was physically exhausting,” Ahmad said. “I never imagined I’d be so grateful for owning a bicycle.
“In the first days of the war, my mother told me to buy one,” he continued. “She felt movement would soon become impossible.”
“During displacement, there are no cars and no transport,” he said. “You move with a few bags, and the bicycle helps you carry them and stay with your family while you’re trying to reach a safer place.”
What began as a way to survive displacement later became his only source of income.
“Now, securing transport is almost impossible,” Ahmad said. “If you don’t have a bicycle, you’re nearly stuck.”
With the announcement of the framework of the interim trade deal between India and America, another thing has caught everyone’s attention. The new map of India released by the Trump government of America has made Pakistan uncomfortable and a new discussion has started at the international level. In the map released by the US Trade Representative Office while giving information about the trade deal, the entire Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin have been shown as part of India.
However, India has always clearly stated that Jammu and Kashmir is its integral part and there is no need for the approval of any outside country for this. Despite this, the release of such a map by America is being considered a big political and diplomatic blow for Pakistan.
From tree nuts and dried distillers’ grains to red sorghum and fresh and processed fruit, the US-India Agreement will provide new market access for American products. pic.twitter.com/mqpP10LJp1
— United States Trade Representative (@USTradeRep) February 6, 2026
Why is this map important?
Till now, American government agencies had been adopting a balanced approach regarding PoK in the maps, so that objections from Pakistan could be avoided. But in this latest map of the Trump administration, Pakistan’s claims have been completely ignored. This is the reason why this step is being considered different from America’s old policy. Its timing is also very important. Recently there were long talks between India and America regarding trade deal. Earlier, the Trump administration had imposed a tariff of up to 50 percent on India, which was the highest among allied countries. Now under the interim agreement it has been reduced to 18 percent, which has brought great relief to Indian exporters.
Aksai Chin was also shown as part of India
Another special thing about this map is that Aksai Chin has also been shown as a part of India. This is the same area which China has been claiming for a long time. Earlier, India had many times objected to wrong maps issued by foreign agencies. This step of the Trump administration is being considered as recognition of the same objections of India.
Experts’ response
Strategic affairs experts have appreciated this step. Retired Major Gaurav Arya wrote on social media that this is a great step by America. Many people say that this is a big blow to Pakistan’s recent diplomatic efforts.
India benefits from trade deal
This interim trade deal has provided relief to India in sectors like steel, aluminium, pharma, auto and auto parts. At the same time, India has fully protected its interests on sensitive issues like agriculture and dairy.
Report by news outlet says that first meeting of board tasked with governing Gaza will take place on February 19.
Published On 7 Feb 20267 Feb 2026
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United States President Donald Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace”, tasked with overseeing governance in the Gaza Strip as part of a US-led peace plan, will convene in Washington, DC, later this month for its first meeting, according to online news outlet Axios.
The outlet, quoting a US official and diplomats from four countries who are part of the board, reported on Friday that plans for the meeting on February 19 – which will also serve as a fundraising event for the reconstruction of Gaza amid Israel’s genocide in the enclave – are still tentative and could change.
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Axios reports that the meeting is scheduled for the day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Trump at the White House.
The news outlet notes that if Netanyahu attends the Board of Peace meeting, it will be his first meeting with Arab and Muslim leaders since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza on October 7, 2023.
The White House and the State Department did not comment on the report.
Critics have likened Trump’s peace board to a colonial administrative authority and have accused the US president of wanting to see the United Nations replaced with an international body of his own liking.
Trump has offered seats on the board to figures such as Netanyahu, the subject of an International Criminal Court warrant for suspected war crimes in Gaza.
Tony Blair, the former British prime minister known for spearheading support for the disastrous and bloody US invasion of Iraq, is also on the board.
Trump has suggested that the board could help address other conflicts far beyond Gaza, undermining traditional forums for international diplomacy and cooperation, such as the UN, whose criticism has long been the subject of US and Israeli ire.
The US president and his allies, such as son-in-law Jared Kushner, have often spoken about Gaza as a potential future hub of tech innovation, real estate development and international investment, while the political status and legal rights of Palestinians, as well as accountability for war crimes committed by Israeli forces against Gaza’s population, have largely been an afterthought.
