Airbnb said its current-quarter bookings could be hit by the delta variant of the coronavirus and a slowing pace of vaccination in the united states. The news sends its shares down more than 4 percent.

World Business Watch: Airbnb warns of Coronavirus' Delta variant impact on bookings

<p>An Airbnb host has been suspended for rejecting the booking of a probable customer because they revealed they have had the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.</p>

<p>Steve Carey discovered an Airbnb he liked and decided to talk to the owner, also known as ‘superhost’. However, the host&nbsp;asked Carey if he had been vaccinated and Carey admitted "we've both had our first [shot]".</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-rape-victim-paid-7-million-as-settlement-by-airbnb-392213" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-rape-victim-paid-7-million-as-settlement-by-airbnb-392213&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiQg96W-fPxAhVnzjgGHbCjAT8QFjAAegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0E7BASpREEETWjfv7kgRmz" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-rape-victim-paid-7-million-as-settlement-by-airbnb-392213" target="_blank">New York: Rape victim paid $7 million as 'settlement' by&nbsp;Airbnb</a></strong></p>

<p>Upon hearing this, the host refused to accept the booking as she believes the people who have the first dose can infect other people with the coronavirus, as she believes vaccinated people can be a carrier of the disease to unvaccinated people.</p>

<p>"I'm not accepting any vaccinated people due to reports of adverse reactions,"&nbsp;the host said. "It's also transmitting to unvaccinated people and causing them to become unwell. I’m afraid it’s way too experimental at this stage and I need to protect my other guests. I’m so sorry for any inconvenience."</p>

<p>Furious, Carey decided to contact Airbnb but the support person claimed there was nothing mentioned in company policies or terms and conditions that prevented hosts from refusing vaccinated people.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/airbnb-to-lay-off-25-of-its-employees-296912" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/airbnb-to-lay-off-25-of-its-employees-296912&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiQg96W-fPxAhVnzjgGHbCjAT8QFjABegQICBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0UUSBYRX34oGUz7Qh_5y6I" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/airbnb-to-lay-off-25-of-its-employees-296912" target="_blank">Airbnb&nbsp;to lay off 25% of its employees</a></strong></p>

<p>"Having completed our investigation of this matter, we have suspended the listing in question,"&nbsp;Airbnb’s head of public policy for Australia, Derek Nolan, told the Guardian Australia. "It's important that everyone closely follows official health guidance from local authorities as we all continue to do our part to combat COVID-19."</p>

<p>The customer, meanwhile, said he hopes Airbnb provides better information to guests as well as hosts from next time.</p>

<p>"My complaint was never with the Airbnb host, who correctly believed that she was acting within the guidelines, or lack of them, provided by Airbnb," he said. "Now that Airbnb has clarified things, she can decide for herself whether she wants to adhere to them."</p>


An Airbnb host has been suspended for rejecting the booking of a probable customer because they revealed they have had the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

An Airbnb host has been suspended for rejecting the booking of a probable customer because they revealed they have had the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Steve Carey discovered an Airbnb he liked and decided to talk to the owner, also known as ‘superhost’. However, the host asked Carey if he had been vaccinated and Carey admitted "we've both had our first [shot]". Also read | New York: Rape victim paid $7 million as 'settlement' by Airbnb Upon hearing this, the host refused to accept the booking as she believes the people who have the first dose can infect other people with the coronavirus, as she believes vaccinated people can be a carrier of the disease to unvaccinated people. "I'm not accepting any vaccinated people due to reports of adverse reactions," the host said. "It's also transmitting to unvaccinated people and causing them to become unwell. I’m afraid it’s way too experimental at this stage and I need to protect my other guests. I’m so sorry for any inconvenience." Furious, Carey decided to contact Airbnb but the support person claimed there was nothing mentioned in company policies or terms and conditions that prevented hosts from refusing vaccinated people. Also read | Airbnb to lay off 25% of its employees "Having completed our investigation of this matter, we have suspended the listing in question," Airbnb’s head of public policy for Australia, Derek Nolan, told the Guardian Australia. "It's important that everyone closely follows official health guidance from local authorities as we all continue to do our part to combat COVID-19." The customer, meanwhile, said he hopes Airbnb provides better information to guests as well as hosts from next time. "My complaint was never with the Airbnb host, who correctly believed that she was acting within the guidelines, or lack of them, provided by Airbnb," he said. "Now that Airbnb has clarified things, she can decide for herself whether she wants to adhere to them."

Effect of fake news: Airbnb host rejects booking of couple for being vaccinated

<p class="MsoNormal">Airbnb has paid an Australian tourist $7 million after it was revealed that she was raped in a rental property near Times Square in Manhattan, New York.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">The traveller was visiting New York City with her friends to celebrate New Year’s Eve in 2015 and revealed her tragic story while she was interviewed about safety standards in the vacation rental company.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-set-to-scrap-almost-100-years-old-loophole-allowing-child-marriage-by-back-door-391971">Britain set to scrap almost 100 years old loophole allowing child marriage ‘by back door’</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">As per the media reports, the tourist had picked up keys to the rental property from a nearby shop, as instructed by the owner. Later, when she returned to the property alone after a New Year party, she was attacked by a stranger, who has been identified as a 24-year-old Junior Lee, and was raped on knifepoint.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">The local police found the set of keys with the perpetrator who was then charged with predatory sexual assault but has not pleaded guilty. The offender is still in police custody.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-sexual-abuse-normalised-in-uk-schools-390921"><strong>WATCH |</strong></a></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-sexual-abuse-normalised-in-uk-schools-390921/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p class="MsoNormal">After the attack, the traveller was shifted to a hotel and her mother was flown in from Australia to support her daughter. Airbnb also offered to cover all health and counselling costs for the victim.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">The $7 million settlement was made to make sure the victim never sues or blames Airbnb for the tragedy. However, the company claims they welcome people to speak freely about their tragic experiences as part of the settlements.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">"We proactively reached out to the NYPD after the attack to offer our assistance for their investigation, and we helped get her into a hotel. The priority for our company and our executives was supporting the survivor and doing right by someone who had endured trauma," a spokesperson of Airbnb told a local media house.</p>


Airbnb has paid an Australian tourist $7 million after it was revealed that she was raped in a rental property near Times Square in Manhattan, New York. The traveller was visiting New York City with her friends to celebrate New Year’s Eve in 2015 and revealed her tragic story while she was interviewed about safety standards in the vacation rental company.

Airbnb has paid an Australian tourist $7 million after it was revealed that she was raped in a rental property near Times Square in Manhattan, New York. The traveller was visiting New York City with her friends to celebrate New Year’s Eve in 2015 and revealed her tragic story while she was interviewed about safety standards in the vacation rental company. Also read | Britain set to scrap almost 100 years old loophole allowing child marriage ‘by back door’ As per the media reports, the tourist had picked up keys to the rental property from a nearby shop, as instructed by the owner. Later, when she returned to the property alone after a New Year party, she was attacked by a stranger, who has been identified as a 24-year-old Junior Lee, and was raped on knifepoint. The local police found the set of keys with the perpetrator who was then charged with predatory sexual assault but has not pleaded guilty. The offender is still in police custody. WATCH | After the attack, the traveller was shifted to a hotel and her mother was flown in from Australia to support her daughter. Airbnb also offered to cover all health and counselling costs for the victim. The $7 million settlement was made to make sure the victim never sues or blames Airbnb for the tragedy. However, the company claims they welcome people to speak freely about their tragic experiences as part of the settlements. "We proactively reached out to the NYPD after the attack to offer our assistance for their investigation, and we helped get her into a hotel. The priority for our company and our executives was supporting the survivor and doing right by someone who had endured trauma," a spokesperson of Airbnb told a local media house.

New York: Rape victim paid $7 million as 'settlement' by Airbnb

<p>The year 2020 will always be remembered as the most trying year for mankind. Pandemic, economic crisis, deaths of icons and job losses effected people world over. Not only was it a trying year for poor, but even the rich suffered it seems. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan created quite a stir on social media on Wednesday. Not for film but for putting up his Delhi home on Airbnb.<br />
<br />
Yes you read that right. Now you can rent Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan's house in New Delhi for a night via Airbnb. The house is located in Delhi's post Panchsheel Park and is now open to host guest and cinema enthusiasts.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
All one has to do is enter a contest which entails fans to send in a write up explaining "what an open arms welcome means to them" &nbsp;and "how a warm, inviting welcome helps them belong while they are away from home."</p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CHuWNwaFhpL/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk)</a></p>
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<p>The house, according the website, has photos of the Khan family adorning the walls. "From a peek into their time as a young couple to glimpses into their enchanting world today, the home is a living, breathing witness to the Khan family’s life together," states the website. The house has been redesigned by Gauti Khan herself.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Our Delhi home is filled with memories of our early days, what we collected over the years and all the things we love as a family. Through my collaboration with <a href="https://twitter.com/Airbnb_in?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@airbnb_in</a>, get a chance to be our guest :) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HomewithOpenArms?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HomewithOpenArms</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AirbnbPartner?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AirbnbPartner</a><a href="https://t.co/Z8hbOyFxXx">https://t.co/Z8hbOyFxXx</a> <a href="https://t.co/SZ6Drlan5N">pic.twitter.com/SZ6Drlan5N</a></p>
— Gauri Khan (@gaurikhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/gaurikhan/status/1328978655402287104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The guests also will get to have a festive meal that is typical in the Khan household and get to watch a movie marathon of some of SRK's best films till date.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
While fans did show excitement a the prospect, Twitter had interesting observations to make.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This pandemic's hit so hard, even Shah Rukh Khan has had to rent out his house to make ends meet <a href="https://t.co/0a7T2pIZcZ">https://t.co/0a7T2pIZcZ</a></p>
— Sahil Rizwan (@SahilRiz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SahilRiz/status/1328964647081414658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">If you go by his recent choice of movies, it hit him a few years back.</p>
— Mannangatti (@thorthumundu) <a href="https://twitter.com/thorthumundu/status/1329024873054670850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">tbh it makes sense i don't have money else i'd pakka spend it on shit like this <a href="https://t.co/D7npXEeFCB">https://t.co/D7npXEeFCB</a></p>
— Shreemi Verma (@shreemiverma) <a href="https://twitter.com/shreemiverma/status/1328963860565536768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The guests will also get a return gift during the 'send-off'.&nbsp;</p>


The year 2020 will always be remembered as the most trying year for mankind. Pandemic, economic crisis, deaths of icons and job losses effected people world over.

The year 2020 will always be remembered as the most trying year for mankind. Pandemic, economic crisis, deaths of icons and job losses effected people world over. Not only was it a trying year for poor, but even the rich suffered it seems. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan created quite a stir on social media on Wednesday. Not for film but for putting up his Delhi home on Airbnb. Yes you read that right. Now you can rent Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan's house in New Delhi for a night via Airbnb. The house is located in Delhi's post Panchsheel Park and is now open to host guest and cinema enthusiasts. All one has to do is enter a contest which entails fans to send in a write up explaining "what an open arms welcome means to them" and "how a warm, inviting welcome helps them belong while they are away from home." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) × The house, according the website, has photos of the Khan family adorning the walls. "From a peek into their time as a young couple to glimpses into their enchanting world today, the home is a living, breathing witness to the Khan family’s life together," states the website. The house has been redesigned by Gauti Khan herself. Our Delhi home is filled with memories of our early days, what we collected over the years and all the things we love as a family. Through my collaboration with @airbnb_in, get a chance to be our guest :) #HomewithOpenArms #AirbnbPartnerhttps://t.co/Z8hbOyFxXx pic.twitter.com/SZ6Drlan5N — Gauri Khan (@gaurikhan) November 18, 2020 × The guests also will get to have a festive meal that is typical in the Khan household and get to watch a movie marathon of some of SRK's best films till date. While fans did show excitement a the prospect, Twitter had interesting observations to make. This pandemic's hit so hard, even Shah Rukh Khan has had to rent out his house to make ends meet https://t.co/0a7T2pIZcZ — Sahil Rizwan (@SahilRiz) November 18, 2020 × If you go by his recent choice of movies, it hit him a few years back. — Mannangatti (@thorthumundu) November 18, 2020 × tbh it makes sense i don't have money else i'd pakka spend it on shit like this https://t.co/D7npXEeFCB — Shreemi Verma (@shreemiverma) November 18, 2020 × The guests will also get a return gift during the 'send-off'.

You can now spend a night at Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan's Delhi home. Here's how

<p>Airbnb is set to lay off about 25 per cent of its workforce as the coronavirus pandemic ravages the travel industry.</p>

<p>The rental startup on Tuesday said nearly 1,900 employees will be let go worldwide, out of 7,500.</p>

<p>"We are collectively living through the most harrowing crisis of our lifetime, and as it began to unfold, global travel came to a standstill," Airbnb CEO and cofounder Brian Chesky said in a letter to employees.</p>

<p>"I am truly sorry. Please know this is not your fault. The world will never stop seeking the qualities and talents that you brought to Airbnb," he further wrote.</p>

<p>He added that Airbnb's business has been "hit hard" and revenue this year is expected to be less than half of what the company earned in 2019.</p>

<p>Airbnb has also reportedly delayed plans for a Wall Street debut this year.</p>

<p>In the US, Airbnb said it will cover 12 months of health insurance for its employees through COBRA. In all other countries, it will cover health insurance costs through the end of this year.</p>

<p>It's said many of Airbnb hosts are struggling to make mortgage payments and pay bills due to coronavirus-related cancellations.</p>


Airbnb is set to lay off about 25 per cent of its workforce as the coronavirus pandemic ravages the travel industry. The rental startup on Tuesday said nearly 1,900 employees will be let go worldwide, out of 7,500.

Airbnb is set to lay off about 25 per cent of its workforce as the coronavirus pandemic ravages the travel industry. The rental startup on Tuesday said nearly 1,900 employees will be let go worldwide, out of 7,500. "We are collectively living through the most harrowing crisis of our lifetime, and as it began to unfold, global travel came to a standstill," Airbnb CEO and cofounder Brian Chesky said in a letter to employees. "I am truly sorry. Please know this is not your fault. The world will never stop seeking the qualities and talents that you brought to Airbnb," he further wrote. He added that Airbnb's business has been "hit hard" and revenue this year is expected to be less than half of what the company earned in 2019. Airbnb has also reportedly delayed plans for a Wall Street debut this year. In the US, Airbnb said it will cover 12 months of health insurance for its employees through COBRA. In all other countries, it will cover health insurance costs through the end of this year. It's said many of Airbnb hosts are struggling to make mortgage payments and pay bills due to coronavirus-related cancellations.

Airbnb to lay off 25% of its employees

<p>The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/bigger-challenges-lie-ahead-as-un-completes-73-years-173140">United Nations</a> has identified <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/bigger-challenges-lie-ahead-as-un-completes-73-years-173140">US </a>companies such as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/airbnb-bans-party-houses-after-halloween-shooting-in-california-259567">Airbnb</a>, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/expedia-chief-dara-khosrowshahi-set-to-be-new-uber-ceo-reports-19571">Expedia </a>and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-launches-appeal-against-24-billion-euro-eu-fine-20088">TripAdvisor </a>among 112 firms linked to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trumps-west-asia-plan-most-of-west-bank-recognised-as-israel-277297">Israeli </a>settlements which are considered illegal under international law.</p>

<p>The UN report comes in response to a 2016 UN Human Rights Council resolution calling for a "database for all businesses engaged in specific activities related to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory".</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Trump's West Asia Plan: Most Of West Bank Recognised As Israel</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trumps-west-asia-plan-most-of-west-bank-recognised-as-israel-277297/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>The UN rights office said that listing companies in the database was "not, and does not purport to be, a judicial or quasi-judicial process".</p>

<p>Among the businesses on the list are a range of large international companies, including <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/airbnb-bans-party-houses-after-halloween-shooting-in-california-259567">Airbnb</a>, Alstom, Booking.com and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/motorola-dynatac-meet-the-worlds-first-cellphone-11061">Motorola </a>Solutions.</p>

<p>"I am conscious this issue has been, and will continue to be, highly contentious," UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-policy-shift-united-states-backs-israeli-settlements-on-west-bank-263029">In policy shift, United States backs Israeli settlements in West Bank</a></strong></p>

<p>But she added that the findings had been subject to an "extensive and meticulous review process" and the report "reflects the serious consideration that has been given to this unprecedented and highly complex mandate".</p>

<p>The move was cheered by the Palestinians but slammed as "shameful" by Israel, where officials fear the list could be used to boycott firms with ties to the settlements.</p>

<p>Israel's Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-warns-hamas-after-deadly-west-bank-attacks-184607">Benjamin Netanyahu</a> rejected the list and called it a ''contemptible effort."</p>

<p>"Whoever boycotts us will be boycotted," he added.</p>

<p>Foreign Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-foreign-minister-israel-katz-postpones-dubai-visit-over-security-reasons-273798">Israel Katz</a> labelled the move "a shameful surrender to pressure from countries and organisations who want to harm Israel."</p>

<p>His Palestinian counterpart <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/palestinians-say-us-ambassador-helps-israel-to-annex-part-of-west-bank-226063">Riyad al-Maliki </a>meanwhile described the publication as "a victory for international law and diplomatic efforts."</p>

<p>Israeli settlements established in occupied Palestinian territory are considered to violate international law, and have long been seen as a major obstacle to peace, since they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state.</p>


The United Nations has identified US companies such as Airbnb, Expedia and TripAdvisor among 112 firms linked to Israeli settlements which are considered illegal under international law.

The United Nations has identified US companies such as Airbnb, Expedia and TripAdvisor among 112 firms linked to Israeli settlements which are considered illegal under international law. The UN report comes in response to a 2016 UN Human Rights Council resolution calling for a "database for all businesses engaged in specific activities related to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory". Watch: Trump's West Asia Plan: Most Of West Bank Recognised As Israel The UN rights office said that listing companies in the database was "not, and does not purport to be, a judicial or quasi-judicial process". Among the businesses on the list are a range of large international companies, including Airbnb, Alstom, Booking.com and Motorola Solutions. "I am conscious this issue has been, and will continue to be, highly contentious," UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said. Also read: In policy shift, United States backs Israeli settlements in West Bank But she added that the findings had been subject to an "extensive and meticulous review process" and the report "reflects the serious consideration that has been given to this unprecedented and highly complex mandate". The move was cheered by the Palestinians but slammed as "shameful" by Israel, where officials fear the list could be used to boycott firms with ties to the settlements. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the list and called it a ''contemptible effort." "Whoever boycotts us will be boycotted," he added. Foreign Minister Israel Katz labelled the move "a shameful surrender to pressure from countries and organisations who want to harm Israel." His Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki meanwhile described the publication as "a victory for international law and diplomatic efforts." Israeli settlements established in occupied Palestinian territory are considered to violate international law, and have long been seen as a major obstacle to peace, since they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state.

UN report identifies 112 firms linked to Israeli settlements

Airbnb Inc. reportedly lost $322 million in the first nine months of 2019 on rising costs, raising questions about its valuation going into an initial public offering later this year.

WION Wallet: 'Airbnb lost money in first 9 months of 2019' Reports

Airbnb is halting check-ins at all of its Beijing listings until March due to the Coronavirus outbreak and local policies in China

Coronavirus Outbreak: Airbnb To Suspend Beijing Check-Ins

<p>US&nbsp;home-sharing site&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/suspects-held-in-halloween-shooting-at-california-airbnb-262454">Airbnb</a>&nbsp;on Thursday won its battle to&nbsp;remain&nbsp;exempt&nbsp;from&nbsp;onerous&nbsp;European&nbsp;property&nbsp;regulations, as the EU's top court ruled it was an online platform and not a&nbsp;property&nbsp;agent.</p>

<p>The case came before the Court of Justice of the&nbsp;European&nbsp;Union (CJEU) following a complaint by French tourism association AHTOP.</p>

<p>The issue underlines the quandary regulators face in dealing with new online services venturing into traditional businesses, but not subjected to the same&nbsp;rules.</p>

<p>For&nbsp;Airbnb, the French case is significant as the International Olympic Committee has agreed to promote the company for accommodation during the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/russia-recieves-a-four-year-olympic-ban-266130">2024 Olympics</a> in Paris.</p>

<p>Judges in essence accepted the company's arguments that it is an online platform and not a&nbsp;property&nbsp;agent.</p>

<p>"The nature of the links between the intermediation service and the provision of accommodation did not justify departing&nbsp;from&nbsp;the classification of that intermediation service as an 'information society service'," the CJEU said.</p>

<p>The court also faulted France for not notifying the&nbsp;European&nbsp;Commission, the EU executive, of the requirement for&nbsp;Airbnb&nbsp;to hold an estate agent's professional licence.</p>

<p>Airbnb&nbsp;welcomed the judgment.</p>

<p>"We want to be good partners to everyone and already we have worked with more than 500 governments to help hosts share their homes, follow the&nbsp;rules&nbsp;and pay tax," it said in a statement.</p>

<p>Airbnb&nbsp;has in recent years dueled with hoteliers and authorities in cities&nbsp;from&nbsp;New York to Amsterdam, Berlin and Paris, accused of worsening housing shortages and pushing out lower income residents.</p>

<p>The case is C-390/18&nbsp;Airbnb&nbsp;Ireland.</p>


US home-sharing site Airbnb on Thursday won its battle to remain exempt from onerous European property regulations, as the EU's top court ruled it was an online platform and not a property agent.

US home-sharing site Airbnb on Thursday won its battle to remain exempt from onerous European property regulations, as the EU's top court ruled it was an online platform and not a property agent. The case came before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) following a complaint by French tourism association AHTOP. The issue underlines the quandary regulators face in dealing with new online services venturing into traditional businesses, but not subjected to the same rules. For Airbnb, the French case is significant as the International Olympic Committee has agreed to promote the company for accommodation during the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Judges in essence accepted the company's arguments that it is an online platform and not a property agent. "The nature of the links between the intermediation service and the provision of accommodation did not justify departing from the classification of that intermediation service as an 'information society service'," the CJEU said. The court also faulted France for not notifying the European Commission, the EU executive, of the requirement for Airbnb to hold an estate agent's professional licence. Airbnb welcomed the judgment. "We want to be good partners to everyone and already we have worked with more than 500 governments to help hosts share their homes, follow the rules and pay tax," it said in a statement. Airbnb has in recent years dueled with hoteliers and authorities in cities from New York to Amsterdam, Berlin and Paris, accused of worsening housing shortages and pushing out lower income residents. The case is C-390/18 Airbnb Ireland.

Airbnb wins fight to remain exempt from European property rules

<p>California authorities on Friday were holding four suspects charged with murder and conspiracy in connection with a deadly shooting at a Halloween costume party hosted at an Airbnb rental house in California.</p>

<p>The Contra County Sheriff's office said on Thursday the four men were arrested along with a fifth man, who was charged with being an accessory to the crime and was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail. The suspects range in age from 21 to 30.</p>

<p>The Oct. 31 shooting, which left five dead and several others wounded, occurred at a party attended by more than 100 people at a house booked through Airbnb Inc in Orinda, less than 20 miles (30 km) east of San Francisco.</p>

<p>The incident prompted Airbnb to ban "party houses" and institute stricter guest conduct policies.</p>

<p>"Extraordinary cooperation among multiple law enforcement agencies led to these arrests and a small measure of justice for the true victims,” Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston said in the statement.</p>

<p>Livingston also said two of the deceased victims inside the house had been armed and the investigation was ongoing.</p>


California authorities on Friday were holding four suspects charged with murder and conspiracy in connection with a deadly shooting at a Halloween costume party hosted at an Airbnb rental house in California.

California authorities on Friday were holding four suspects charged with murder and conspiracy in connection with a deadly shooting at a Halloween costume party hosted at an Airbnb rental house in California. The Contra County Sheriff's office said on Thursday the four men were arrested along with a fifth man, who was charged with being an accessory to the crime and was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail. The suspects range in age from 21 to 30. The Oct. 31 shooting, which left five dead and several others wounded, occurred at a party attended by more than 100 people at a house booked through Airbnb Inc in Orinda, less than 20 miles (30 km) east of San Francisco. The incident prompted Airbnb to ban "party houses" and institute stricter guest conduct policies. "Extraordinary cooperation among multiple law enforcement agencies led to these arrests and a small measure of justice for the true victims,” Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston said in the statement. Livingston also said two of the deceased victims inside the house had been armed and the investigation was ongoing.

Suspects held in Halloween shooting at California Airbnb

<p>Four people were shot dead at a crowded Halloween costume party at a house in Orinda in Northern California, the county sheriff's office said on Friday.</p>

<p>The shooting took place around 10:45 p.m. on Thursday at a house party with more than 100 people attending in an expensive neighbourhood of Orinda, a small city across the bay from San Francisco, the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office said in a statement.</p>

<p>Four people died in the shooting and several other people were injured, the statement said. The sheriff's office has not publicly identified the victims or any suspects.</p>

<p>Video footage broadcast by ABC7 News showed a person on a stretcher being loaded into an ambulance and young people who appeared to be party guests, including some in costumes, walking in the street outside the house.</p>

<p>"Our whole neighbourhood heard it and then people were screaming and fleeing," Chris Gade, who lives near the house, told reporters, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.</p>

<p>The party took place in a short-term rental home and had been advertised on social media, the Chronicle reported. The host of the party had rented it through the online listings service Airbnb and had told the house's owner she was holding a reunion for only 12 people, the Chronicle reported, citing the house's owner, Michael Wang.</p>

<p>Airbnb said it had removed the house from its website and had banned the person who had rented it from using the platform, the Chronicle reported.</p>


Four people were shot dead at a crowded Halloween costume party at a house in Orinda in Northern California, the county sheriff's office said on Friday. The shooting took place around 10:45 p.

Four people were shot dead at a crowded Halloween costume party at a house in Orinda in Northern California, the county sheriff's office said on Friday. The shooting took place around 10:45 p.m. on Thursday at a house party with more than 100 people attending in an expensive neighbourhood of Orinda, a small city across the bay from San Francisco, the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office said in a statement. Four people died in the shooting and several other people were injured, the statement said. The sheriff's office has not publicly identified the victims or any suspects. Video footage broadcast by ABC7 News showed a person on a stretcher being loaded into an ambulance and young people who appeared to be party guests, including some in costumes, walking in the street outside the house. "Our whole neighbourhood heard it and then people were screaming and fleeing," Chris Gade, who lives near the house, told reporters, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The party took place in a short-term rental home and had been advertised on social media, the Chronicle reported. The host of the party had rented it through the online listings service Airbnb and had told the house's owner she was holding a reunion for only 12 people, the Chronicle reported, citing the house's owner, Michael Wang. Airbnb said it had removed the house from its website and had banned the person who had rented it from using the platform, the Chronicle reported.

Four people shot dead at Halloween party at Airbnb rental in California

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidKTn9EbzouEyP" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>Airbnb Inc banned "party houses" on Saturday after five people were killed in a shooting at a large Halloween gathering inside a rental home in Northern California that was advertised on the online listing service.</p>

<p>Police were still searching for the shooter who opened fire on Thursday night at the costume party, which authorities say was attended by more than 100 people at the house in Orinda, less than 20 miles (30 km) east of San Francisco.</p>

<p>The death toll rose to five when a 19-year-old victim died of her wounds at a hospital, the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office said on late on Friday.</p>

<p>The party host rented the home through Airbnb and told its owner she was holding a reunion for only a dozen people, the San Francisco Chronicle reported citing the owner, Michael Wang.</p>

<p>"Starting today, we are banning 'party houses' and we are redoubling our efforts to combat unauthorised parties and get rid of abusive host and guest conduct, including conduct that leads to the terrible events we saw in Orinda," Airbnb co-founder and chief executive Brian Chesky said on Twitter.</p>

<p>The company was expanding manual screening of "high-risk reservations" flagged by its risk detection technology, and was creating a house party "rapid response team," Chesky added, without elaborating.</p>

<p>Valued at $31 billion (£23.97 billion) in its most recent private fundraising round, Airbnb said in September that it planned to become a publicly listed company in 2020, making it one of the biggest names considering a stock market float next year.</p>

<p>Orinda police received noise complaints about the party at 9:19 p.m. and 10:25 p.m. local time, and at 10:48 p.m. an officer was dispatched to the address, the sheriff's office said in a statement. The suspect opened fire about two minutes later.</p>

<p>Police have not publicly identified any suspects, and the sheriff's office said on Saturday that it had no further details of the incident.</p>

<p>Authorities identified the victims who died as: Oshiana Tompkins, 19; Tiyon Farley, 22; Omar Taylor, 24; Ramon Hill Jr., 23; and Javin County, 29.</p>

<p>Several other people were wounded, police said, without giving an exact number. Some of the victims transported themselves to the hospital in the chaos after the shooting which sent young people, including some in Halloween costumes, fleeing from the scene.</p>


Airbnb Inc banned "party houses" on Saturday after five people were killed in a shooting at a large Halloween gathering inside a rental home in Northern California that was advertised on the online listing service.

Airbnb Inc banned "party houses" on Saturday after five people were killed in a shooting at a large Halloween gathering inside a rental home in Northern California that was advertised on the online listing service. Police were still searching for the shooter who opened fire on Thursday night at the costume party, which authorities say was attended by more than 100 people at the house in Orinda, less than 20 miles (30 km) east of San Francisco. The death toll rose to five when a 19-year-old victim died of her wounds at a hospital, the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office said on late on Friday. The party host rented the home through Airbnb and told its owner she was holding a reunion for only a dozen people, the San Francisco Chronicle reported citing the owner, Michael Wang. "Starting today, we are banning 'party houses' and we are redoubling our efforts to combat unauthorised parties and get rid of abusive host and guest conduct, including conduct that leads to the terrible events we saw in Orinda," Airbnb co-founder and chief executive Brian Chesky said on Twitter. The company was expanding manual screening of "high-risk reservations" flagged by its risk detection technology, and was creating a house party "rapid response team," Chesky added, without elaborating. Valued at $31 billion (£23.97 billion) in its most recent private fundraising round, Airbnb said in September that it planned to become a publicly listed company in 2020, making it one of the biggest names considering a stock market float next year. Orinda police received noise complaints about the party at 9:19 p.m. and 10:25 p.m. local time, and at 10:48 p.m. an officer was dispatched to the address, the sheriff's office said in a statement. The suspect opened fire about two minutes later. Police have not publicly identified any suspects, and the sheriff's office said on Saturday that it had no further details of the incident. Authorities identified the victims who died as: Oshiana Tompkins, 19; Tiyon Farley, 22; Omar Taylor, 24; Ramon Hill Jr., 23; and Javin County, 29. Several other people were wounded, police said, without giving an exact number. Some of the victims transported themselves to the hospital in the chaos after the shooting which sent young people, including some in Halloween costumes, fleeing from the scene.

Airbnb bans 'party houses' after Halloween shooting in California

How Google made a killing from media companies' toil

Lounge with Mona Lisa: Airbnb offers night at Louvre museum

<p>Home-renting company Airbnb will invest between $100 and $200 million in SoftBank Group-backed Indian hotel start-up OYO, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters, as it dives deeper into the hotel-booking business.</p>

<p>Airbnb said earlier on Monday it has invested in OYO's latest funding round and it will look at ways to make the Indian start-up's accommodation available on its platform. It did not disclose details of the deal.</p>

<p>The investment will give US-based Airbnb access to a variety of franchised or leased hotels, helping it lure travellers who have shied away from the risks and quirks of renting a stranger's home.</p>

<p>Airbnb, last month bought HotelTonight, an app for finding hotel rooms at a discount, with an eye on a variety of travellers ahead of the US company's hotly anticipated initial public offering.</p>

<p>"Emerging markets like India and China are some of Airbnb's fastest-growing, with our growth increasingly powered by tourism to and from these markets," said Greg Greeley, president of homes, Airbnb.</p>

<p>OYO, which raised $1 billion last year from investors including SoftBank and ride-hailing firm Grab, operates in India, China, Britain, Dubai, Indonesia and Malaysia.</p>

<p>It expects revenue to more than treble every year over the next five years, as it expands locally and in international markets, a senior company executive told Reuters earlier this year.</p>

<p>"Airbnb's strong global footprints and access to local communities will open up new opportunities for OYO Hotels &amp; Homes..." said Maninder Gulati, global chief strategy officer at OYO Hotels &amp; Home.</p>


Home-renting company Airbnb will invest between $100 and $200 million in SoftBank Group-backed Indian hotel start-up OYO, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters, as it dives deeper into the hotel-booking business.

Home-renting company Airbnb will invest between $100 and $200 million in SoftBank Group-backed Indian hotel start-up OYO, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters, as it dives deeper into the hotel-booking business. Airbnb said earlier on Monday it has invested in OYO's latest funding round and it will look at ways to make the Indian start-up's accommodation available on its platform. It did not disclose details of the deal. The investment will give US-based Airbnb access to a variety of franchised or leased hotels, helping it lure travellers who have shied away from the risks and quirks of renting a stranger's home. Airbnb, last month bought HotelTonight, an app for finding hotel rooms at a discount, with an eye on a variety of travellers ahead of the US company's hotly anticipated initial public offering. "Emerging markets like India and China are some of Airbnb's fastest-growing, with our growth increasingly powered by tourism to and from these markets," said Greg Greeley, president of homes, Airbnb. OYO, which raised $1 billion last year from investors including SoftBank and ride-hailing firm Grab, operates in India, China, Britain, Dubai, Indonesia and Malaysia. It expects revenue to more than treble every year over the next five years, as it expands locally and in international markets, a senior company executive told Reuters earlier this year. "Airbnb's strong global footprints and access to local communities will open up new opportunities for OYO Hotels & Homes..." said Maninder Gulati, global chief strategy officer at OYO Hotels & Home.

Airbnb to invest $100-200 million in OYO: Report

<p>Spain may be one of the world's top tourist destinations, but many people in its biggest cities have grown exasperated with Airbnb-style rentals.</p>

<p>And now, their city councils are taking action.</p>

<p>Airbnb and other peer-to-peer rental websites have for years been credited with enabling lovers of travel and culture to find new ways to explore foreign lands.</p>

<p>However, complaints have abounded in Spain that greedy landlords are throwing out long-term tenants in order to cash in on the tourist flow and that the short-term leases are pushing up the rent.</p>

<p>By introducing a slew of new rules, Madrid's leftwing city hall plans to make it impossible for short-term rental companies to rent out 95 per cent of apartments in the Spanish capital by the end of the year.</p>

<p>To get a holiday rental licence homeowners will have to prove their property has a separate entrance from the rest of the building -- a condition that is in most cases impossible to fulfil.</p>

<p>Homeowners who rent their primary residence for less than three months a year will be exempt.</p>

<p>"We are aware that this is a very restrictive condition, and that is our intention," Madrid's city councillor for sustainable urban development, Jose Manuel Calvo, told AFP.</p>

<p>He said certain Madrid neighbourhoods have reached "the same saturation level" as Barcelona, where a boom in holiday rentals has drained the city's housing supply and pushed up rents, sparking a backlash against tourists that saw protesters take to the streets.</p>

<p><strong>Locals out?</strong></p>

<p>There are now around 9,000 flats in Madrid that are rented out to tourists, six to seven times more than in 2013, Calvo said. Of these, about 2,000 operate without a licence.</p>

<p>In some buildings landlords have evicted all local residents in order to rent their flats to tourists for more money, Calvo explained.</p>

<p>"The consequence is that these neighbourhoods end up emptying out gradually, and this must be prevented. There is still time," he said.</p>

<p>Madrid city hall in January stopped issuing new licences for tourist apartments, and only plans to resume licensing once the new system is in place.</p>

<p><strong>Theme parks</strong></p>

<p>Other cities in Spain, the world's second most visited country after France according to the UN World Tourism Organization, are also facing a surge in the number of sharing economy short-term rentals, threatening hotel businesses.</p>

<p>In the Mediterranean port city of Valencia the number of peer-to-peer holiday apartments has soared by 30 percent since 2016.</p>

<p>While the situation is not as critical as in Madrid and Barcelona, the city's left-wing mayor wants a raft of new regulations to be approved by July.</p>

<p>"It seems important to have rules in place that, without stopping this model of the sharing economy, are compatible with cities' desire to preserve the spirit of their neighbourhoods, without becoming theme parks," the city's economic development coordinator, Julio Olmos, told AFP.</p>

<p>The plan is to apply the same laws regulating hotels to tourist rentals. In practice under the new rules, only apartments on the ground floor or first floor can be legally rented out to tourists.</p>

<p>In the old town centre, the legislation will be even tighter. There, licences will only be awarded to flats in buildings specifically designated for holiday rentals.</p>

<p><strong>Internet tracking</strong></p>

<p>To ensure the rules are respected, Madrid and Valencia plan to follow Barcelona's lead.</p>

<p>The Catalan city employs 40 people tasked with poring through holiday rental sites to ensure that properties have the proper licences.</p>

<p>Between mid-2016 and mid-2017 Barcelona city hall, headed by a former housing rights activist, ordered the closure of over 2,300-holiday rental flats.</p>

<p>Fewer than 750 have obeyed the order, with legal proceedings underway against those still resisting.</p>

<p>Airbnb has, however, removed 1,500 ads for unlicensed flats, helping to return the properties to the regular rental market.</p>

<p>Palma de Mallorca, capital of Mediterranean tourist destination the Balearic Islands, is going even further -- it is poised to ban nearly all short-term rentals of private homes like those listed on Airbnb.</p>

<p>The island city saw the number of holiday flats jump 40 percent between 2013 and 2017.&nbsp</p>

<p>The surge is blamed for a shortage of long-term rental apartments, forcing some locals and seasonal workers to live in vans and campsites in the summer because they can't find affordable housing.</p>

<p>Detached homes will be available to rent for tourists only if they are located near the airport, in industrial areas, or in buildings not designated for residential use.</p>


Airbnb and other peer-to-peer rental websites have for years been credited with enabling lovers of travel and culture to find new ways to explore foreign lands

Spain may be one of the world's top tourist destinations, but many people in its biggest cities have grown exasperated with Airbnb-style rentals. And now, their city councils are taking action. Airbnb and other peer-to-peer rental websites have for years been credited with enabling lovers of travel and culture to find new ways to explore foreign lands. However, complaints have abounded in Spain that greedy landlords are throwing out long-term tenants in order to cash in on the tourist flow and that the short-term leases are pushing up the rent. By introducing a slew of new rules, Madrid's leftwing city hall plans to make it impossible for short-term rental companies to rent out 95 per cent of apartments in the Spanish capital by the end of the year. To get a holiday rental licence homeowners will have to prove their property has a separate entrance from the rest of the building -- a condition that is in most cases impossible to fulfil. Homeowners who rent their primary residence for less than three months a year will be exempt. "We are aware that this is a very restrictive condition, and that is our intention," Madrid's city councillor for sustainable urban development, Jose Manuel Calvo, told AFP. He said certain Madrid neighbourhoods have reached "the same saturation level" as Barcelona, where a boom in holiday rentals has drained the city's housing supply and pushed up rents, sparking a backlash against tourists that saw protesters take to the streets. Locals out? There are now around 9,000 flats in Madrid that are rented out to tourists, six to seven times more than in 2013, Calvo said. Of these, about 2,000 operate without a licence. In some buildings landlords have evicted all local residents in order to rent their flats to tourists for more money, Calvo explained. "The consequence is that these neighbourhoods end up emptying out gradually, and this must be prevented. There is still time," he said. Madrid city hall in January stopped issuing new licences for tourist apartments, and only plans to resume licensing once the new system is in place. Theme parks Other cities in Spain, the world's second most visited country after France according to the UN World Tourism Organization, are also facing a surge in the number of sharing economy short-term rentals, threatening hotel businesses. In the Mediterranean port city of Valencia the number of peer-to-peer holiday apartments has soared by 30 percent since 2016. While the situation is not as critical as in Madrid and Barcelona, the city's left-wing mayor wants a raft of new regulations to be approved by July. "It seems important to have rules in place that, without stopping this model of the sharing economy, are compatible with cities' desire to preserve the spirit of their neighbourhoods, without becoming theme parks," the city's economic development coordinator, Julio Olmos, told AFP. The plan is to apply the same laws regulating hotels to tourist rentals. In practice under the new rules, only apartments on the ground floor or first floor can be legally rented out to tourists. In the old town centre, the legislation will be even tighter. There, licences will only be awarded to flats in buildings specifically designated for holiday rentals. Internet tracking To ensure the rules are respected, Madrid and Valencia plan to follow Barcelona's lead. The Catalan city employs 40 people tasked with poring through holiday rental sites to ensure that properties have the proper licences. Between mid-2016 and mid-2017 Barcelona city hall, headed by a former housing rights activist, ordered the closure of over 2,300-holiday rental flats. Fewer than 750 have obeyed the order, with legal proceedings underway against those still resisting. Airbnb has, however, removed 1,500 ads for unlicensed flats, helping to return the properties to the regular rental market. Palma de Mallorca, capital of Mediterranean tourist destination the Balearic Islands, is going even further -- it is poised to ban nearly all short-term rentals of private homes like those listed on Airbnb. The island city saw the number of holiday flats jump 40 percent between 2013 and 2017. The surge is blamed for a shortage of long-term rental apartments, forcing some locals and seasonal workers to live in vans and campsites in the summer because they can't find affordable housing. Detached homes will be available to rent for tourists only if they are located near the airport, in industrial areas, or in buildings not designated for residential use.

Fed-up Spanish cities are bursting Airbnb's bubble

<p>Airbnb announced on Thursday that it will start sharing information of the customers booking accommodation in China with the Chinese government.</p>

<p>Data that will share with the authorities beginning from March 30 includes passport details and booking dates.&nbsp</p>

<p>The online-home sharing giant said in its clarification the move is to comply with local laws and regulations of China.</p>

<p>"Like all businesses operating in China," the airline spokesperson reportedly said.</p>

<p>The hosts that will be listing accommodation on site will also have to share details after they start to accept bookings.</p>

<p>Hosts who don't want to share this information have to option to de-list themselves from the site using new 'deactivate my China listing' button.</p>

<p>The other hotels of China already share their guests' booking information with Chinese government and police making it a tool of surveillance for the government.</p>

<p>Airbnb is one of few companies based out of China to get hold of China's market, with reportedly 140,000 listings.<br />
&nbsp<br />
Travellers staying in private homes also required registering their accommodation details with the police within 24 hours of arriving.<br />
&nbsp</p>


Data that will share with the authorities beginning from March 30 includes passport details and booking dates

Airbnb announced on Thursday that it will start sharing information of the customers booking accommodation in China with the Chinese government. Data that will share with the authorities beginning from March 30 includes passport details and booking dates. The online-home sharing giant said in its clarification the move is to comply with local laws and regulations of China. "Like all businesses operating in China," the airline spokesperson reportedly said. The hosts that will be listing accommodation on site will also have to share details after they start to accept bookings. Hosts who don't want to share this information have to option to de-list themselves from the site using new 'deactivate my China listing' button. The other hotels of China already share their guests' booking information with Chinese government and police making it a tool of surveillance for the government. Airbnb is one of few companies based out of China to get hold of China's market, with reportedly 140,000 listings. Travellers staying in private homes also required registering their accommodation details with the police within 24 hours of arriving.

Airbnb to shares details of consumers with Chinese authorities

<p>Hollywood actor and political activist Danny Glover joined online rental marketplace <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/airbnb-new-york-in-talks-to-resolve-rental-law-lawsuit-8174">Airbnb as an adviser to engage communities</a> of color to help the website turn around its image of discrimination against non-white guests.</p>

<p>&quot;Airbnb has had its own share of challenges in this arena,&quot; Glover said on Wednesday in a post.</p>

<p>San Francisco-based Airbnb commissioned a report last year saying it will revamp its anti-discrimination policy.</p>

<p>Last month, an Airbnb host was penalized for racial discrimination under an agreement between the rental website and the California department of fair employment and housing (DFEH).</p>

<p>The host, who was later banned by Airbnb, had canceled a woman&#39;s reservation making a racist remark and was ordered to pay $5,000 in damages.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Airbnb launched a partnership with civil rights group National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to expand its services to minority groups.&nbsp;</p>


Danny Glover joined Airbnb as an adviser to engage communities of color to help the website turn around its image of discrimination against non-white guests

Hollywood actor and political activist Danny Glover joined online rental marketplace Airbnb as an adviser to engage communities of color to help the website turn around its image of discrimination against non-white guests. "Airbnb has had its own share of challenges in this arena," Glover said on Wednesday in a post. San Francisco-based Airbnb commissioned a report last year saying it will revamp its anti-discrimination policy. Last month, an Airbnb host was penalized for racial discrimination under an agreement between the rental website and the California department of fair employment and housing (DFEH). The host, who was later banned by Airbnb, had canceled a woman's reservation making a racist remark and was ordered to pay $5,000 in damages. Airbnb launched a partnership with civil rights group National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to expand its services to minority groups.

Danny Glover, actor and political activist, joins Airbnb as advisor

<p>Airbnb is in talks with the New York state to resolve a lawsuit brought by the online marketplace and homestay network challenging a law it says could expose it to penalties for advertising short-term apartment rentals, Reuters reported on Monday.</p>

<p><br />
The potential accord was revealed after US district judge Katherine Forrest in Manhattan cancelled a hearing scheduled for Monday. A source told Reuters that the hearing was adjourned so both sides could &quot;work out a consensual resolution.&quot;</p>

<p><br />
Forrest, in a one-page order, directed the parties to provide her with a status update by the end of the week.</p>

<p><br />
Airbnb filed the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court on October 21 after Governor Andrew&nbsp;<br />
Cuomo signed a law legislation that imposed fines of up to $7,500 on hosts who advertise illegal short-term rentals on platforms like Airbnb.</p>

<p><br />
Airbnb opposed the legislation, saying that the law&rsquo;s ambiguous text could allow New York authorities to apply the law to online platform like itself that host third-party listings, creating a potential risk of &nbsp;criminal liability and significant penalties,&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
The lawsuit comes in the midst of clashes between&nbsp;Airbnb and local public officials seeking to minimise the impact of short-term rentals on neighbourhoods and urban housing market space.</p>

<p><br />
The company has also filed a lawsuit in San Francisco to block a new requirement that it reject booking fees from property owners who have not registered with the city.</p>

<p><br />
Airbnb says &nbsp;it cannot legally be held responsible for how landlords use the &nbsp;platform. If required to enforce local laws on short-term rentals, the company&#39;s listing could drastically reduce in some of its biggest markets.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
(WION with inputs from Reuters)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Governor Cuomo signed a law in October that imposed fines on hosts who advertise illegal short-term rentals on platforms like Airbnb

Airbnb is in talks with the New York state to resolve a lawsuit brought by the online marketplace and homestay network challenging a law it says could expose it to penalties for advertising short-term apartment rentals, Reuters reported on Monday. The potential accord was revealed after US district judge Katherine Forrest in Manhattan cancelled a hearing scheduled for Monday. A source told Reuters that the hearing was adjourned so both sides could "work out a consensual resolution." Forrest, in a one-page order, directed the parties to provide her with a status update by the end of the week. Airbnb filed the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court on October 21 after Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a law legislation that imposed fines of up to $7,500 on hosts who advertise illegal short-term rentals on platforms like Airbnb. Airbnb opposed the legislation, saying that the law’s ambiguous text could allow New York authorities to apply the law to online platform like itself that host third-party listings, creating a potential risk of criminal liability and significant penalties, The lawsuit comes in the midst of clashes between Airbnb and local public officials seeking to minimise the impact of short-term rentals on neighbourhoods and urban housing market space. The company has also filed a lawsuit in San Francisco to block a new requirement that it reject booking fees from property owners who have not registered with the city. Airbnb says it cannot legally be held responsible for how landlords use the platform. If required to enforce local laws on short-term rentals, the company's listing could drastically reduce in some of its biggest markets. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Airbnb, New York in talks to resolve rental law lawsuit

Apartment-sharing startup Airbnb Inc. has secured a $1 billion debt facility from some big US banks to aid its new services and finance its expansion plans, a source said.<br />
<br />
JPMorgan, Citigroup Inc, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Corp led the debt deal, the source said.<br />
<br />
Airbnb, which expects to achieve profitability in 2016, raised over $100 million in a round of funding late last year.<br />
<br />
Bloomberg reported the funding deal earlier on Wednesday.<br />
<br />
Citigroup and Bank of America declined to comment.<br />
<br />
Representatives at JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley were not immediately available for comment outside regular US business hours.<br />
<br />
Priceline, Expedia and other travel companies have been facing increased pressure in their hotel bookings business from the rise of startups such as Airbnb.<br />
(Reuters)

The apartment-sharing start-up had raised $100 million in a round of funding last year

Apartment-sharing startup Airbnb Inc. has secured a $1 billion debt facility from some big US banks to aid its new services and finance its expansion plans, a source said. JPMorgan, Citigroup Inc, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Corp led the debt deal, the source said. Airbnb, which expects to achieve profitability in 2016, raised over $100 million in a round of funding late last year. Bloomberg reported the funding deal earlier on Wednesday. Citigroup and Bank of America declined to comment. Representatives at JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley were not immediately available for comment outside regular US business hours. Priceline, Expedia and other travel companies have been facing increased pressure in their hotel bookings business from the rise of startups such as Airbnb. (Reuters)

Airbnb secures $1 billion debt facility from US banks

<p>European Union&nbsp;governments&nbsp;should not ban services like home-rental site&nbsp;Airbnb&nbsp;or ride-hailing app&nbsp;Uber&nbsp;except as a last resort, the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;says in new guidelines, seeking to rein in a crackdown on the &quot;sharing economy&quot;.</p>

<p>In guidelines seen by Reuters, the&nbsp;European Commission said any restrictions by&nbsp;EU&nbsp;member states on these new online services should be justified and proportionate to the public interest at stake.</p>

<p>&quot;Total bans of an activity constitute a measure of last resort that should be applied only if and where no less restrictive requirements to attain a public interest can be used,&quot; the draft document says.</p>

<p>In the case of room-renting sites like&nbsp;Airbnb, the Commission said&nbsp;banning&nbsp;short-term lets of apartments &quot;appears difficult to justify&quot; when limits on the maximum number of days apartments can be rented out would be more appropriate.</p>

<p>The guidelines will come as good news for the likes of&nbsp;Uber&nbsp;and&nbsp;Airbnb, which have faced outright bans or restrictions in some cities as established industry players complain of unfair competition.</p>

<p>Airbnb, founded in 2008, and&nbsp;Uber, launched a year later, both grew up in the hot-house San Francisco tech&nbsp;scene and almost from the start have faced regulatory battles across the United States, and&nbsp;more recently from&nbsp;around the world.</p>

<p>Both have become favourite targets of local officials and rival trade groups in&nbsp;Europe, with its tradition of strong social oversight.</p>

<p>In the &quot;sharing economy,&quot;&nbsp;customers use the internet to contract services such as ride-sharing, where amateur drivers displace professional taxi drivers, or home-sharing, which reduces hotel demand.</p>

<p>&quot;These services can fall within several sectors, falling under the regulatory burden of all of them,&quot; the Commission said.</p>

<p>A case in point is&nbsp;Uber,&nbsp;which considers itself merely a digital service connecting drivers and passengers, not&nbsp;a transport service, which would make it subject to more onerous rules on driver qualifications, road rules and insurance.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;EU&#39;s highest court is set to rule later this year or next on whether&nbsp;Uber&nbsp;is a transport company or a digital service.</p>

<p><br />
LOCAL SKIRMISHES</p>

<p>Associations of taxi drivers have staged high-profile protests against&nbsp;Uber&nbsp;in France, Britain, Portugal, Spain and many other&nbsp;European countries since 2014.</p>

<p>Last year, French prosecutors staged a&nbsp;raid of&nbsp;Uber&#39;s Paris offices in a showdown over whether the company was violating a law to curtail online taxi services.</p>

<p>Uber&nbsp;suspended its&nbsp;UberPOP service, which relies on non-professional drivers, in Brussels last October after a court ordered it shut down.</p>

<p>The company reintroduced its service in Madrid in March after beating a hasty retreat from the market in 2014 following a court ruling against it.</p>

<p>Airbnb&nbsp;has faced loud criticism from city officials in Barcelona and Paris over its impact on local housing markets.</p>

<p>On May 1, Berlin officials implemented one of the world&#39;s toughest clampdowns on&nbsp;Airbnb. City officials have promised to reject 95 per cent of requests by landlords to rent out places on a short-term basis.</p>

<p>City officials have received more than 500 legal complaints over the murky provisions of the new law. A Berlin court on June 8 is handling the case of German&nbsp;Airbnb&nbsp;competitor Wimdu, which filed suit over the new regulation.</p>

<p>German hotel association IHA said in response to the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;guidelines: &ldquo;The current legal vacuum...comes at the expense of consumers, residents and taxpayers and distorts the competition to the (disadvantage) of the heavily regulated hotel industry&rdquo;.</p>


European Union says governments should not ban services like home-rental site Airbnb or ride-hailing app Uber except as a last resort

European Union governments should not ban services like home-rental site Airbnb or ride-hailing app Uber except as a last resort, the EU says in new guidelines, seeking to rein in a crackdown on the "sharing economy". In guidelines seen by Reuters, the European Commission said any restrictions by EU member states on these new online services should be justified and proportionate to the public interest at stake. "Total bans of an activity constitute a measure of last resort that should be applied only if and where no less restrictive requirements to attain a public interest can be used," the draft document says. In the case of room-renting sites like Airbnb, the Commission said banning short-term lets of apartments "appears difficult to justify" when limits on the maximum number of days apartments can be rented out would be more appropriate. The guidelines will come as good news for the likes of Uber and Airbnb, which have faced outright bans or restrictions in some cities as established industry players complain of unfair competition. Airbnb, founded in 2008, and Uber, launched a year later, both grew up in the hot-house San Francisco tech scene and almost from the start have faced regulatory battles across the United States, and more recently from around the world. Both have become favourite targets of local officials and rival trade groups in Europe, with its tradition of strong social oversight. In the "sharing economy," customers use the internet to contract services such as ride-sharing, where amateur drivers displace professional taxi drivers, or home-sharing, which reduces hotel demand. "These services can fall within several sectors, falling under the regulatory burden of all of them," the Commission said. A case in point is Uber, which considers itself merely a digital service connecting drivers and passengers, not a transport service, which would make it subject to more onerous rules on driver qualifications, road rules and insurance. The EU's highest court is set to rule later this year or next on whether Uber is a transport company or a digital service. LOCAL SKIRMISHES Associations of taxi drivers have staged high-profile protests against Uber in France, Britain, Portugal, Spain and many other European countries since 2014. Last year, French prosecutors staged a raid of Uber's Paris offices in a showdown over whether the company was violating a law to curtail online taxi services. Uber suspended its UberPOP service, which relies on non-professional drivers, in Brussels last October after a court ordered it shut down. The company reintroduced its service in Madrid in March after beating a hasty retreat from the market in 2014 following a court ruling against it. Airbnb has faced loud criticism from city officials in Barcelona and Paris over its impact on local housing markets. On May 1, Berlin officials implemented one of the world's toughest clampdowns on Airbnb. City officials have promised to reject 95 per cent of requests by landlords to rent out places on a short-term basis. City officials have received more than 500 legal complaints over the murky provisions of the new law. A Berlin court on June 8 is handling the case of German Airbnb competitor Wimdu, which filed suit over the new regulation. German hotel association IHA said in response to the EU guidelines: “The current legal vacuum...comes at the expense of consumers, residents and taxpayers and distorts the competition to the (disadvantage) of the heavily regulated hotel industry”.

EU cautions governments against banning Uber, Airbnb

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