What happened
Homelessness Minister Rushanara Ali (pictured above) has resigned following allegations that she evicted tenants from a property she owns and re-listed it weeks later with a £700 monthly rent increase.

Who said what
The East London MP, who previously pledged to oppose unreasonable rent hikes, said in a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer: "It is with a heavy heart that I offer you my resignation." Ali insisted that she had acted legally and "took (her) responsibilities and duties seriously", but acknowledged her position had become a "distraction".

Ali "had been under pressure" for ending a tenancy while claiming the property was for sale, then re-letting it at a higher rent when it didn't sell, said The Guardian. Her resignation will "make it harder for Sir Keir to get back on the front foot", said Daniel Martin in The Telegraph, after his authority was "damaged by reversals over welfare reform earlier this summer".

What next?
Labour has introduced legislation to ban the very tactic Ali is accused of using. The Renters' Rights Bill, set to take effect next year, will prevent landlords from raising rent after ending a tenancy in order to sell a property and will eliminate fixed-term tenancies.

What happened
More than 10,000 European hotels are taking legal action against Booking.com for charging "excessive commissions" and using its "best price" pledge to stop them offering lower rates on other sites. The damages could be worth up to €1.5 billion in France alone. Last year 70% of Europe's hotel bookings were made via Booking.com, according to an estimate by The Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Cafes in Europe.

Who said what
Booking.com shows how a digital platform can conquer an entire sector by creating a "winner takes all" dynamic, Rupprecht Podszun, director of the institute for competition law at Düsseldorf's Heinrich Heine University, told The Guardian. "As it gained control of the market, Booking.com was able to increase its commission rates and exert much greater pressure on hoteliers' margins," Véronique Siegel, president of the hotels division of French hospitality sector association Umih, told public broadcaster France Inter.

What next?
The litigation "will be an uphill battle", said The Guardian. Booking.com did away with the best price clause last year, but, regardless of the outcome of the case, hotels will remain dependent on sites like it for reach and visibility.

Imagine an event with all the fun of a wedding, but none of the commitment, stress or family drama: you've just imagined the latest entry to the Indian party scene.

At a "fake wedding", people gather "to enjoy a wedding party minus the actual marriage”, said the BBC – and the trend is spreading beyond India's shores.

There are "dazzling lights, glittering outfits, Bollywood hits, a lavish spread of food and an atmosphere soaked in celebration". It all feels "extravagant, emotional and larger than life", but there's no bride and groom, "just the party".

These "judgement-free" ceremonies offer the wedding experience "without drama", said media platform Curly Tales. Fake weddings chime with young people's desire to find reasons to celebrate.

And the trend is already evolving. At some fake weddings the organisers divide attendees into a "groom's team" or "bride's team"; at others there's "no alcohol, just a themed celebration", said the BBC. Fake Indian weddings are also "taking over Dubai", according to Curly Tales, where ticketed parties are "decked out with dhols, DJs, dance-offs and full-blown wedding decor".

In India's big cities – Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru – ticket prices for fake weddings start at about 1,500 rupees (£13), but they can be as high as 15,000 rupees or more. This is great news for India's $130 billion (£97 billion) wedding industry.

It's already clear that there's real appeal in faking it. And why not, said Curly Tales, when you can swerve the "social minefield" of relatives asking "questions about your career, relationships or why you're not next in line"? The "only thing expected of you" is to "show up, dress well and have fun".