(Adds Nestle, Mednax, Talpa; Updates Nippon Life Insurance)
Dec 1 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2100 GMT on Friday:
** Talpa, the investment vehicle of Dutch tycoon John de Mol, has agreed to sell its stake in Telegraaf Media Group (TMG) TLGNc.AS to Mediahuis, TMG said. Swiss food giant Nestle NESN.S and the private equity owners of German drug firm Stada STAGn.DE are both preparing tentative bids for Merck (NYSE:MRK) KgaA's MRCG.DE consumer health unit, several sources told Reuters. Mednax Inc MD.N , a U.S. healthcare network operator targeted by activist hedge fund Elliott Management Corp, is fielding acquisition interest from several private equity firms, according to people familiar with the matter. Banco Santander SAN.MC said it had sold its U.S. unit Totalbank to Chile's BCI BCI.SN for $528 million as part of moves to sell non-core assets it inherited when it bought Banco Popular. Australia's competition watchdog dropped its opposition to a $4.7 billion takeover offer for lottery owner Tatts Group TTS.AX from horse-race betting firm Tabcorp Holdings TAH.AX , clearing the regulatory path for a long-pending deal. South Korea's AJ Networks Co 095570.KS said it was considering the sale of its stake in rental car company AJ Rent A Car 068400.KS and other options to beef up its competitiveness. Barclays BARC.L will sell a 7 percent stake in Johannesburg-based Barclays Africa Group on Dec. 5, the British bank said, the latest and likely last in a series of such sales as it ends more than 90 years as a major presence on the continent. Germany's Bayer BAYGn.DE said that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) had no national security concerns about the drugmaker's planned takeover of U.S. seeds group Monsanto (NYSE:MON) MON.N , giving its go-ahead. Nippon Life Insurance Co has reached a deal to acquire 24.75 percent of U.S. investment firm TCW Group Inc from U.S. asset manager Carlyle Group LP CG.O , the companies said. Altice ATCA.AS has agreed to sell its Swiss telecommunications solutions business and Data Center operations, the telecoms and cable company said, as it seeks to reduce its 50 billion euro ($59.6 billion) debt burden. Lufthansa LHAG.DE has offered concessions to ease EU concerns about its plan to buy Air Berlin assets, aiming to avert a collapse of the deal that could unravel the insolvent carrier's carve-up. Chipmaker Intel INTC.O has cut its stake in Dutch semiconductor equipment supplier ASML ASML.AS to 4.96 percent, according to a filing published by the Dutch Financial Markets Authority. South Africa's Shoprite SHPJ.J confirmed that Steinhoff's African subsidiary SRRJ.J has exercised call options to acquire a 23.1 percent stake and 50.6 percent voting control in Africa's largest grocer. Sports apparel seller Billabong International Ltd BBG.AX confirmed on Friday it has received an indicative takeover proposal from Boardriders Inc, which values the company at about A$198 million ($150 million).