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Wildlife in Texas and other southern states has been battered by the once-in-a-century winter storm which crippled the region. “[Bats] burned through their energy reserves as they tried to wake up and get away from the cold and ice. And there aren’t any insects out there for them to eat yet,” said Kate Rugroden, an Arlington-based rehabilitation specialist, told AP, as she described a effort to save the winged creatures. “Animals can respond to events like this by moving elsewhere, but if it’s beyond your flight range or your walking range you have to hunker down,” Dr. Perry Barboza, a wildlife specialist from Texas A&M University, explained. “Some animals like small birds can do it just a night or two. The duration becomes the killer,” he said. Volunteers have done what they can to save animal populations and tide them over until the storm passes. Last week, media reported a large-scale effort to save over 2,500 stunned sea turtles on Texas’ South Padre Island and … [Read more...] about Texas Cold Snap Reportedly Proving Deadly for State’s Birds, Gators, Bats and Turtles

REUTERS: LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault is exploring ways to reopen negotiations on the French luxury goods giant's US$16.2 billion acquisition of U.S. jewelry chain Tiffany & Co , as U.S. social unrest and the coronavirus pandemic weigh on the retail sector, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. LVMH agreed to acquire Tiffany in November, but the deal has yet to close, pending regulatory approvals. Arnault said at the time Tiffany would "thrive for centuries to come" under LVMH. Arnault has been in talks with his advisers this week to identify ways to pressure Tiffany to lower the agreed price of US$135 per share in cash, the sources said. He is considering whether he can argue that the New York-based company is in breach of its obligations under the merger agreement, they said. LVMH has not yet settled on a strategy to pursue a deal price cut and has not asked Tiffany to reopen negotiations, according to the sources. It is not clear whether it will do so and what … [Read more...] about LVMH’s Arnault mulls ways to renegotiate deal with Tiffany -sources

REUTERS: French luxury goods group LVMH's US$16.2 billion takeover of Tiffany & Co is looking less certain as the jeweler grapples with a deteriorating situation in the U.S. market brought on by a global pandemic and severe social unrest, fashion trade publication WWD reported on Tuesday. Tiffany's shares closed down nearly 9per cent after the news. LVMH's board called a meeting in Paris on Tuesday night to discuss the matter, WWD reported, citing sources. LVMH's board is concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic and protests linked to the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, according to the report. The French company's board also voiced concerns about Tiffany's ability to cover all its debt covenants at the end of the transaction, which was expected to be concluded mid-year, WWD reported. Tiffany did not immediately respond to a request for comment and LVMH declined to comment. Louis Vuitton owner LVMH agreed in November to buy Tiffany for … [Read more...] about LVMH’s takeover of Tiffany seen as uncertain: WWD