Investment firm D.E. Shaw & Co. intends to deliver "a requisition" to Orient-Express Hotels, and is calling for a special meeting to let shareholders decide if the company's current governance structure needs to be revised. D.E. Shaw is "unaware of any other company whose supervoting shares are held by the company itself and not by a third party with an economic interest in the issuer of such supervoting shares." It also said it has "never seen a more unresponsive corporate-governance structure," and that the board should welcome the opportunity to ascertain the views of shareholders on such a fundamental issue. D.E. Shaw currently holds 3,218,678 shares (7.6% of the total outstanding).

Small Ventures USA plans to discuss the possibility of a buyout of the coal-mining company, contingent on the participation of management. Small Ventures said it believed that National Coal's stock was undervalued, due to an increase in the market value of coal and related futures contracts. Small Ventures has not yet had substantive conversations regarding a buyout with the company, nor has it made substantial steps toward arranging such a buyout with other parties. Small Ventures currently holds 2,011,843 shares (6.2%).

William Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management reported ownership of 3,137,650 shares (8.8%). Pershing Square may meet with Longs' management, shareholders or other relevant parties to discuss the company's strategy, assets, operations, capital structure, governance, management or strategic plans.

A group of funds managed by Mario Gabelli's Gamco Investors (GBL) reported increasing its stake to 14.42 million shares (6.11%), from the 12.7 million (5.11%) reported in January.

Edward Lampert raised his stake to 77.68 million shares (44%), after buying 6.4 million shares from June 2 to July 30 for more than $70 million.

A group of funds managed by Mario Gabelli's Gamco Investors reported ownership of 4,336,760 shares (5.57%), after buying 1,474,600 from June 4 to August 1 at $2.92 to $8.43 a share.

The billionaire financier George Soros reported that an affiliated fund had acquired $12.15 million more in the senior convertible notes of Audiocodes. The 2% senior convertible notes due 2024 have a conversion price of $18.71 a share. Soros Fund Management reported total ownership via a Form 4 of $117.7 million in the notes.

BRNC and Allis-Chalmers Energy entered into a merger agreement providing for BRNC's acquisition by Allis-Chalmers. BRNC stockholders would get $200 million in cash and 16,846,500 shares of Allis-Chalmers common stock. In 13D filings, Third Avenue Management, Alpine Associates and Wexford Capital have publicly opposed the merger, all stating that Allis-Chalmers' offer isn't adequate and that each intends to vote against the deal.