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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Break-ups are never easy. But one could be on the cards for Google’s $2tn empire. On Tuesday, the US Department of Justice recommended splitting up the company — spanning its Chrome browser, Play app store and Android operating system — as one of several options to remediate the Big Tech group’s “anti-competitive conduct”. The suggestion follows a landmark court decision in August when a federal judge, Amit Mehta, branded Google a “monopolist”. He said deals it had made with wireless carriers, browser developers and device manufacturers, including Apple, had helped to tighten its hold over the online search market.

Google is under fire on other fronts, too. On Monday another federal judge said the business must open up its Play shopfront for apps to competition. A separate lawsuit argues that the company uses unfair practices to dominate the market for online advertising technology. The cases all feed into the belief that Google’s size is a problem for the tech sector. But it makes more sense to target the company’s ability to entrench its power than to break it up.

Google’s strength in online search — where it handles over 90 per cent of queries — has been underpinned by a network effect. As it has grown, it has collected more user data, allowing it to sharpen its search tools and, in effect, drive more traffic to its site. That has been a boon for its ad-driven revenue model, which has helped it to deliver innovative products from which Google’s users and marketers all benefit. The problem, then, is less about how big it has become, and more about its ability to raise barriers to entry.

Forcing Google to strip away Chrome or Android — which help to promote its search tool — risks being ineffective and too retrospective. A break-up will have little impact if it can still make deals to be the default search engine. Even when users have the choice they still tend to opt for Google’s search tool over the likes of Microsoft’s Bing. A misguided focus on size is also not the best message to send to other rapidly scaling tech businesses.

Time is another factor. A final decision on how to sanction Google may not come until August 2025. An appeal could add years. By the time any remedy even hits the business, technology and market dynamics could have shifted. As it is, users have been complaining over recent years about apparently declining quality in Google’s search results. New generative AI search tools are also gaining market share. Microsoft, which was ordered to be split up in 2000 for squeezing competition, is a good example. That case was overturned, but the software firm’s dominance fell anyway as it failed to innovate and mobile technology grew.

So what should be done? The DoJ is better off focusing on other, forward-looking remedies it proposed on Tuesday. That includes curtailing Google’s ability to strike contracts with other tech companies to set its search tool as default. These deals prevent other search businesses from scaling up.

Encouraging tech firms to provide a choice of possible search engines, including AI-driven ones might help too. Asking Google to share a portion of its data trove could also support new entrants and help level the playing field for companies trying to build up generative AI search tools. But data privacy concerns abound.

Investors do not appear to be too concerned about the threat of a split for now. The looming presidential election also adds to the uncertainties surrounding the eventual outcome of the case. Either way, talk of breaking up Google is an oversimplified answer to a complex problem.

Indian tycoon Ratan Tata has died aged 86, says the Tata Group, the conglomerate he led for more than two decades.

Tata was one of India’s most internationally recognised business leaders.

The Tata Group is one of India’s largest companies, with annual revenues in excess of $100bn.

In a statement announcing Tata’s death, the current chairman of Tata Sons described him as a “truly uncommon leader”.

Natarajan Chandrasekaran added: “On behalf of the entire Tata family, I extend our deepest condolences to his loved ones. His legacy will continue to inspire us as we strive to uphold the principles he so passionately championed.”

During his tenure as chairman of the Tata Group, the conglomerate made several high-profile acquisitions, including the takeover of Anglo-Dutch steelmaker Corus, UK-based car brands Jaguar and Land Rover, and Tetley, the world’s second-largest tea company.

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EU countries have approved providing Ukraine with a loan of up to €35bn before the end of the year as part of a G7 plan to fund Kyiv’s defence against Russian aggression.

A majority of EU ambassadors on Wednesday backed the issuance of a loan guaranteed by the bloc’s common budget, according to people familiar with the matter. The decision comes after months of wrangling over how to structure their share of a $50bn plan by the G7 to support Ukraine.

The option of raising money against the EU budget was announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen when she travelled to Ukraine last month, as a way to circumvent objections from countries opposed to further aid for Kyiv.

Under the G7 plan, the entirety of the $50bn loan will be repaid by profits from Russian state assets frozen in the west in response to Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. More than €200bn of those assets are immobilised in the EU.

It remains unclear whether the US will be able to join the G7 scheme and reduce the EU’s share from €35bn. The UK, Canada and Japan are also part of the G7 fundraising effort. 

Washington had premised its participation in the G7 loan on the EU extending the length of its sanctions regime from 6 months to 36 months in order to guarantee that the Russian assets remained frozen and put the repayment scheme on a more predictable footing.

“The scale of our participation depends on the strength of EU assurances that the Russian reserves will remain immobilised” until Moscow pays for the destruction it has carried out in Ukraine, a US official said.

But Hungary and Slovakia on Wednesday blocked that change to the EU’s sanctions regime, casting the US participation into doubt, said two people familiar with the decision.

The leaders of Hungary and Slovakia have indicated their preference for former US president and Republican candidate Donald Trump to win the November 5 election. Trump has said that if he is returned to the White House, he would cease aid to Ukraine.

Malta abstained on the €35bn loan raising concerns over its neutrality, but the decision did not require unanimity. The European parliament will also need to approve the loan later this month.

HERE are the top 12 toys for Christmas that have been revealed – including Bluey and Disney must-haves.

As the festive season approaches, The Entertainer has announced its top toy predictions for Christmas 2024 that start from just £8.

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The toyshop’s highly-anticipated list contains a mix of 12 exciting and educational toys suiting all budgets.

From interactive pets and snuggly toys to racetracks and blasters, the predictions feature gifts for children of all ages to make it easier for parents.

On the list, exclusive to The Entertainer, is bound to be a hit on Christmas Day with Bluey’s Escape Convertible Playset that’s only £19.99.

And a Gold Fugglers is at the cheaper end of the scale, with the product only setting buyers back by £8.

Whereas the most expensive toy on the list, Hatchimals Alive! Mystery Hatch Pufficorn Electronic Pet, will set you back £64.99.

The Entertainer’s top toy picks for Christmas 2024 are:

Gold Fugglers – exclusive to The Entertainer, £8

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The Fuggler Gold Fuggler – Reek-O Soft Toy is available exclusively at The Entertainer for £8.

Fugglers are funny-ugly monsters that will ruin your life and warm your heart with their mischievous antics and straight-up bonkers appearance.

You can recognise these creepy creatures with their human-like teeth, vacant eyes and disturbing demeanour.

Totally Tracks Loop Race Track, £12.50

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Build your very own glowing loop track with this incredible 165-piece set.

The snap tracks are easy to assemble. Just click them together for fun glow in the dark adventures.

Turn out the lights, press down on the light-up car, and watch it make its way around the glow tracks.

Early Learning Centre Wooden Little Town Figure of Eight Playset – exclusive to The Entertainer, was £34.99 now £14.99

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With over 30 wooden pieces included in this fun set, you can set up your town with shops, signposts, trees and people.

It includes 15 pieces of track, one bridge, one engine, three train carriages, four trees, two buildings, three signposts, a traffic light, one pony and two people. 

The train set can be picked up from The Entertainer, Early Learning Centre and Marks and Spencer for £14.99.

Bluey’s Escape Convertible Playset – exclusive to The Entertainer, £19.99

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The car that Bluey and Bingo draw in the Bluey episode ‘Escape’ has been brought to life in this great figure and vehicle playset.

Bluey’s Escape Convertible comes with four accessories – food and drink for a road trip and a camera to capture the journey.

It also comes with a fun sticker sheet of drawings done by Bluey and Bingo from the ‘Escape’ episode.

The play set can be picked up from The Entertainer and Early Learning Centre for £19.99.

Disney Lilo & Stitch Crack Me Up Interactive Soft Toy, £25.00

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This cheerful, interactive Disney Stitch Soft Toy sits 11 inches tall, and plays the familiar sounds of Stitch’s giggles and chuckles inspired by Disney‘s Lilo & Stitch.

Just pick him up and give him a shake to activate fun sounds and motion.

It’s available at The Enetertain for just £25.

However, it can also be picked up from Very.com and Hamleys.com for 1p less at £24.99.

Happyland Limited Edition Gold London Bus, to mark Early Learning Centre’s 50th anniversary, £27.99

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This limited edition Happyland Golden London Bus is specially created to celebrate 50 years of Early Learning Centre.

There are only 3,150 buses available.

Ideal for imaginative play, your little ones can drive over the bridges, around roundabouts, and through the tunnels.

While they drive the bus, they can push the buttons for fun sounds.

It costs £27.99, but shoppers could opt for the original red version instead, which is £4 less at £23.99.

Despicable Me 4 The Ultimate Fart Blaster, £29.99

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Unlock hilarious farting fun with this Despicable Me 4 The Ultimate Fart Blaster.

With this hilarious gadget from the movie, your little ones will let it rip and have loads of laughs pranking their friends and family. 

The toy can play 15 different funny fart sounds.

It costs just £29.99 at The Entertainer or 1p more at Argos.

Hot Wheels Power Shift Motorised Raceway Playset – exclusive to The Entertainer, was £59.99 now £29.99

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Kids can blast their cars up, down and around this Hot Wheels Power Shift Motorised raceway playset.

It includes a motorised booster for stunts and crashing action and 1 Hot Wheels vehicle for out-of-the-box play.

It costs £29.99 at The Entertainer.

Pets Alive Mama Duck Surprise Electronic Pet by ZURU, £29.99

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This toy allows kids to look after their very own duckling family.

The Mama Duck can hatch her very own family. 

Attach the baby ducklings onto Mama Duck’s tail and watch them follow as Mama Duck quacks and waddles.

The toy costs £29.99 at The Entertainer but can also be picked up from Asda for a penny more at £30.

Disney Bitzee Interactive Pet, £39.99

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Your kids can explore the world of Disney like never before with the Disney Bitzee Interactive Pet.

Bitzee Disney characters respond to swipes, tilts and taps with cute sounds and reactions at every interaction.

It costs £34.99 at The Entertainer but can be picked up for £10 at John Lewis for £24.99.

BeyBlade Extreme Playset, was £44.99 now £35.99

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This toy marks the next generation of Beyblade.

This Beyblade X Xtreme Battle Stadium Set has all you need to begin your quest for Beymastery.

When the gear of the top engages the stadium’s X-Celerator Rail, it can super-accelerate into an Xtreme Dash, rocketing it around the arena for crushing collisions. 

The toy costs £35.99 at The Entertainer and can also be picked up at Argos for £45.

Hatchimals Alive! Mystery Hatch Pufficorn Electronic Pet, £64.99

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Featuring an exciting hatching experience with mist, lights and over 100 sounds and reactions, these Hatchimals are a must-have. 

Inside every Mystery Hatch Hatchimals egg is 1 of 2 characters. Cuddle, tap, lift and rock the egg to encourage your character to hatch — the egg lights up and rocks and you’ll even hear your Hatchimal reacting from inside.

Once your egg has been given enough love, gather family and friends and prepare for the ultimate hatching experience.

The toy costs £64.99 at The Entertainer and can also be picked up at Argos for £65.

You can discover The Entertainer’s full range of Christmas toys and games in-store and online at www.thetoyshop.com.

Argos has also revealed its top toys list for Christmas 2024 with fewer than 100 days left until Christmas day.

The list contains a mix of 20 nostalgic, interactive and character themed toys, which range in price from £16 to £89.99.

This year, Argos has seen searches for Furby up 237%, revealing the rising demand for 90’s toys.

The toys featured in the list are designed to encourage kids to get creative and immerse themselves in a world of play.

A Polly Pocket Dolphin Aquarium Compact is on the cheaper end of the scale, with this product only setting buyers back £16.

Whereas the most expensive toy on the list, the LEGO Wicked Emerald City, which launches on October 1, will set you back £89.99.

To make sure you’re getting the best price available on the market, don’t forget to use comparison sites such as Pricespy.co.uk and CamelCamelCamel.

Another helpful site, PriceHistory.co.uk, will be able to let you know if Argos has ever stocked the same toys for less.

Prices can also vary day to day and by what deals are on at the time, plus remember you might pay for delivery if you’re ordering online.

Money-Saving Tips from Gemma Bird: Save £2k Before Christmas

IF youre’ looking to save cash, you’ve come to the right place, as here, Gemma Bird has shared her top tips that’ll save you £2k before Christmas.

• Set a budget: Track your spending and create a realistic budget.
• Cut unnecessary costs: Cancel unused subscriptions and avoid impulse buys.
• Meal planning: Plan meals to reduce grocery bills and avoid takeaways.
• Sell unwanted items: Declutter and sell items online for extra cash.
• Cashback and discounts: Use cashback sites and hunt for discount codes.
• DIY gifts: Make personalised gifts to save money and add a personal touch.
• Pick up a seasonal shift: A really easy way to pick up a bit of extra cash in the winter is to find yourself some seasonal work.

Follow these practical tips from Gemma Bird to boost your savings before the festive season!

Images courtesy of @puntodos_studio

From JustLuxe Content Partner MensGear

Un Hospedaje en el Pigüe, or A Lodging in the Pigüe by Mestizo Estudio Arquitectura, is a tranquil retreat in the Ecuadorian Amazon. It perches horizontally over a southeast ravine situated on a 2.5-hectare family-owned lot near the village of El Calvario in the Pastaza province of Ecuador.

The lodge is a blend of industrial and organic materials. It perches on the slope via repurposed metal pipes from the oil industry. It also uses wire mesh, rods, and natural elements of wood, stone, and bamboo, seamlessly blending with its surrounding wildlife. Meanwhile, the large living Pigüe tree integrated into the structure allows it to harmonize with the dense rainforest.

A Lodging in the Pigüe features a facade made of recycled materials. Its main wall consists of a welded wire mesh formwork filled with broken rocks or stones. Bamboo and wood cover the ceilings, and glass panels separate communal and private areas. These expansive glazing also allow natural light inside while offering a fully immersive experience of the natural Amazonian environment.

Meanwhile, its extended roof protects against heavy rains and winds. The pilings of recycled pipes also protect the structure from moisture and enable the installation of biofilters for wastewater treatment. The space created below the lodge offers natural vegetation regeneration that also helps stabilize the slopy terrain.

Aside from the open deck, A Lodging in the Pigüe has a cantilevered netted seating area outside. Here, guests can lounge and thoroughly soak in their surroundings. This place is designed to offer rest with direct interaction with its natural habitat.

Learn More Here

More From MensGear:

Hello and welcome to Working It. I’m Bethan, deputy editor of FT work and careers, standing in for Isabel this week.

Yesterday, John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton won the Nobel Prize for Physics for “foundational discoveries” in machine learning and artificial intelligence. Hinton quit Google last year so he could speak more freely about the risks of AI, and he used his acceptance speech to do just that.

The technology, he said, will be “wonderful in many respects”. But we should worry about “bad consequences”. Things could get “out of control”, he added, “we have no experience of what it’s like to have things smarter than us.”

I’m sure Hinton wasn’t talking about recruitment. But the nature of this technology means every sector is already being changed profoundly — including the world of work.

In the past few months, I’ve been reporting on the state of the jobs market — whether employers can find the right people, what jobseekers experience, and whether it is fair and equitable. AI has come up in nearly every conversation I’ve had. More on that below.

Will automation make applying for jobs harder?

In a recent interview, a jobseeker told me a story that made me think.

Struggling, like many candidates, to land an interview, she’d turned to an AI tool that scanned her CV. When she read its automated recommendations, she was surprised. Many of the skills she thought she had included in her resume were flagged as missing.

The problem, it appeared, was that she’d used terms that inferred skills or experience — like the name of employer — but hadn’t clearly articulated specific aptitudes, as they appeared in the job description, in the way automated screening would easily pick up.

“It was a bit of a eureka moment,” she told me. “I realised that unless I used these specific terms, I’d be missed.”

I thought this experience really reflected the weirdness facing job hunters today. You try hard to fluff up your CV and write a characterful cover letter, thoughtfully showcasing your skills. Then it gets fed into a black box and rejected, based on seemingly inscrutable criteria. Are you applying to a person or an automated process? For jobseekers, the uncertainty can feel like shouting into a void.

In the past, stories of mysterious robots were often purely speculative, says recruitment specialist Hung Lee. But increasingly they are more than rumours. Recent product innovations, he tells me, include AI screening assistants — tools he describes as “basically AIs” that “compare CVs (or job applications) against job descriptions” and rank them in order of suitability.

“Previously debunked myths” about automated application processes — such as the idea “that employers had technology that could read CVs and auto-reject them” — are “now becoming reality,” he tells me. And this is leading to an “innovation arms race . . . between tech-enabled candidates and tech-enabled recruiters” as jobseekers learn to tailor their CVs to meet the requirements of the automated screening.

Although most recruitment professionals recognise change is happening, this doesn’t yet amount to an impermeable AI-powered barrier between you and your dream job. According to research by Hays, a recruitment company, in March this year, 4 per cent of organisations — and 11 per cent of very large organisations — said they were currently using AI to evaluate applications, by scoring candidates or scanning CVs. The number is growing: 16 per cent of organisations said they would increase their use of AI to evaluate applications in the future, rising to 36 per cent among very large organisations.

Bonnie Dilber, recruiting manager at workplace tech platform Zapier, believes the idea that job applications are widely judged by AI is a “huge misconception”. While some employers will make use of tools that score candidates based on preset criteria, she says, most do not, in part because products now available are “emerging tools with lots of flaws”. Despite contending with large numbers of applications, many written with the help of AI, humans are still reading CVs, especially at smaller organisations.

I’m not sure this is reassuring for jobseekers, however. Mystery over who — or what — will review your application is not helpful. It hardly makes it easier to craft an application for the greatest chance of success.

For those wishing to “maximise conversions of applications-to-interview”, Lee’s advice is to use AI to customise a CV against specific job descriptions, then manually review it. But he advises, too, that candidates should check first if any use of AI is prohibited. Dilber says the “generic responses” of AI tools are unlikely to be the strongest submission for a competitive role.

It’s also worth remembering, of course, that the experience of being judged in faceless application processes is not totally new. The human judgment that predates any automated screening is (was?) far from perfect. Hurried hiring managers will also scan for keywords and gloss over the nuances of each candidate. When it comes to job applications, new systems are, in many ways, repeating earlier problems. The question is whether they will help solve them — or make them worse.

This week on the Working It podcast

Corporate reorganisations are always a traumatic time for staff and managers, writes Isabel Berwick. That’s true when they happen for “good” reasons — after a merger, for example; or just because a new chief executive wants to “make their mark”.

I have often been struck by how badly most reorganisations are handled (we are all imperfect humans, after all) so for this week’s episode of the podcast I called in two workplace experts. Christine Armstrong is a researcher, speaker — and also the funniest person on LinkedIn. Along with my colleague Andrew Hill, the FT’s senior business writer, we talk about the dos and don’ts of reorganisation.

Five top stories from the world of work

1. What is the point of corporate art collections? Why do big companies collect artwork? Investment and prestige have always been part of the reason, but employers are increasingly using artwork to help tempt their workers back to the office, and strengthen relationships with clients.

2. How Jane Street rode the ETF wave to ‘obscene’ riches: This deeply reported look at an under-the-radar trading company that has become incredibly profitable is packed with fascinating insights, including an unusual approach to risk and hierarchy. 

3. CEOs turn to podcasts to control their messaging: There has been an increase, of late, in the number of senior business leaders using buzzy media productions to communicate with the world. But do these new media offerings fall short of journalism that holds those in power to account?

4. The case for office pettiness: When you send a group email, do you pay much attention to the order of the names of recipients? Perhaps you should. This column shows up some of the ridiculousness of meaningless office disputes — but also acknowledges why they might matter to some.

5. Online gig platforms focus on profits as workers return to office: I’ve always been intrigued by upstart gig platforms that allow people to more easily hire themselves out for one-off tasks. So I enjoyed this look at how names such as Fiverr or Upwork are looking for new ways to boost their profitability after slowing business post-pandemic.

One more thing

Who is government? The question might sound a bit cryptic, but I really enjoyed this Washington Post series answering it. The paper has got some great writers to profile unexpected and influential public servants working for different departments of the US government — from the Department of Justice to Nasa to Veterans’ Affairs, which oversees war cemeteries. Author John Lanchester profiles the Consumer Price Index. It made me think differently about what makes up government and how we think and write about work.

And finally . . . apply for expert AI support (and help develop good governance 🏆)

Isabel Berwick writes: The Institute for the Future of Work (Ifow) is an independent research and development institute. Among other things, it’s the home of the Pissarides Review into the Future of Work and Wellbeing. We’ve covered Ifow’s previous research about the impact on workers of AI and tech in this newsletter.

Ifow is currently running an “open call” for industry partners to join its new “Responsible AI Sandbox”. Intrigued? Here’s what Ifow’s head of partnerships, Jo Marriott, says about it:

“With the need for better governance of workplace AI becoming clear . . . Ifow is looking for businesses from across sectors, which are looking for support as they adopt new technology to improve productivity.

“Within the Sandbox, firms will gain a greater understanding of the risks and opportunities of AI deployment. Through this process, Ifow is helping to shape a pro-innovation approach to AI regulation, and will provide tools and frameworks that give firms the confidence to adopt new AI technologies in ways that support both growth and ‘good work’, and comply with existing legal regimes.”

To learn more and submit an expression of interest, please visit Ifow’s application page.