July 18 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in

the Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories

and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- Darden Restaurants ( DRI ) agreed to buy Chuy's Holdings

for about $605 million, adding a Tex-Mex restaurant

chain to a portfolio that includes Olive Garden ( DRI ), LongHorn

Steakhouse and more.

- Beyond Meat, the purveyor of plant-based meat substitutes,

has engaged with a group of bondholders to initiate discussions

about a balance-sheet restructuring.

- San Diego-based pet food retailer Petco named

Joel Anderson as its chief executive, formerly of discount

retailer Five Below, effective July 29.

- The International Longshoremen's Association, which

represents workers at ports from Maine to Texas, is warning that

time is running out to secure a new longshore labor deal before

the current contract expires on September 30 and that a strike

"is becoming more likely."

- JD Vance delivered a heavy dose of populism and

promotion of Donald Trump in an address in the Fiserv Forum

arena on Wednesday when he debuted as the Republican

vice-presidential nominee and likely heir-apparent as GOP

leader.

- Hedge-fund billionaire Kenneth Griffin paid $44.6 million

for a nearly complete Stegosaurus skeleton at Sotheby's, the

most ever paid for a fossil at auction.

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)