| 1. WAYFAIR EMPLOYEES PLAN WALKOUT TO PROTEST FURNITURE SALES TO BORDER CAMPS: Employees of the Boston-based e-commerce furniture company Wayfair are planning a walkout today to protest the brand’s sales to migrant detention centers. Under the group name Wayfair Walkout, workers demand the company immediately end business with contractors operating the detention centers and establish an ethics code. NBC News: “The group sent a letter to the company’s leadership last week, signed by 547 employees, calling for the end of operations that furnish detention centers. … The company responded by saying they would not stop providing furniture to the detention centers, which have come under sharp criticism for their unsafe and dangerous conditions. Workers at Wayfair planned the strike in response to the leadership’s decision and are demanding the company donate the $86,000 in profit they claim Wayfair made from the sale to R.A.I.C.E.S., a nonprofit that provides legal services to immigrants and refugees.” 2. AIRBNB OFFERS CASTLES AND VILLAS WITH NEW ‘LUXE’ OPTION: Airbnb has debuted a new rental tier called Airbnb Luxe, which offers accommodation options that include 2,000 upscale homes and villas. The venues, which include castles in France and ski lodges in New Zealand, were selected from properties listed on Luxury Retreats, a vacation rental company that Airbnb acquired in 2017. The New York Times: “Several criteria were used to select the Luxe properties. The home’s design, location, and views must reflect a sense of place. For example, a modern villa situated above Cape Town’s Clifton Beach has custom finishes made from locally sourced materials, and houses an expansive collection of indigenous art. The activities the homes offer also figure in and should give guests an idea of the destination’s culture and way of life. At Castello di Vicarello, a medieval castle in the Tuscan countryside, guests can hike through 100 acres of land and help local farmers with the grape and olive harvests.” 3. SEBASTIAN MANISCALCO TO HOST V.M.A.S: Comedian and actor Sebastian Maniscalco will host the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards, following a hostless ceremony in 2018. The awards will take place August 26 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Variety: “Last year, Maniscalco published his best selling book Stay Hungry, followed by a stand up tour of the same name. The comedian has also sold out shows at Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall and was named the 2018 Billboard Comedian of the Year. … 2019 also marks the first year that the award show will come to New Jersey. The show has typically landed in New York and Los Angeles over its 36 year history (as well as twice in Miami and once in Las Vegas).” | 