Google has fired the opening shot in a battle for Britain’s restaurant booking market, rolling out an artificial intelligence tool that allows diners to secure a table without ever leaving the search bar.

The feature, which went live on Friday, invites users to describe the sort of meal they are after in plain language. Google’s AI then trawls the web for real-time availability and returns a shortlist of bookable options within seconds, collapsing what was once a multi-step hunt into a single query.

It represents a marked departure from the traditional search experience. Rather than directing punters off to comparison sites or third-party platforms, Google is now intent on keeping the entire customer journey, from the first idle thought about dinner through to a confirmed reservation, firmly within its own walls.

The Silicon Valley giant said appetite for smarter dining tools is growing sharply, pointing to a 140 per cent rise this year in search queries such as “when to book a table” as consumers demand faster and more tailored recommendations.

Listings will be drawn from partners including TheFork, Sevenrooms and DesignMyNight, yet the interface, and crucially the customer relationship, will sit squarely with Google. That raises awkward questions about who ultimately owns the diner and who profits from the transaction.

The move sets Google on a direct collision course with established players such as OpenTable, whose business has long depended on playing intermediary between restaurants and hungry customers. By intercepting users at the point of search and ushering them through to booking, Google threatens to disintermediate those platforms altogether and squeeze their margins in the process.

More broadly, the launch signals the dawn of a new phase in the AI race, one defined not by chatbots answering questions but by agents quietly completing tasks on the user’s behalf. The ultimate prize is a search engine that functions as a digital concierge, and for Google, controlling bookings delivers a rich seam of behavioural data that can be fed back into its advertising and recommendation machinery.

Britain, with its densely packed restaurant scene and enthusiastic take-up of online reservation platforms, offers an ideal proving ground before the technology is extended to adjacent sectors such as travel and live events. For the incumbents of the booking world, the writing may already be on the wall.

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Railway infrastructure company Vishal Nirmiti has received approval from the capital markets regulator Sebi to launch its IPO, paving the way for the civil engineering and infrastructure player to tap the primary market. The IPO comprises a fresh issue of Rs 125 crore along with an offer for sale of up to 0.15 crore equity shares by existing shareholders. The shares are proposed to be listed on both the BSE and NSE.

The proceeds from the fresh issue are expected to be used primarily to fund working capital requirements and reduce debt, with Rs 65 crore earmarked for working capital and Rs 20 crore for loan repayment.

Incorporated in 1994, Vishal Nirmiti operates across manufacturing and EPC segments, with a strong focus on railway infrastructure.

The company manufactures pre-stressed concrete sleepers for railways and undertakes fabrication of mild steel pipes and related components for irrigation and hydro projects. It also executes EPC contracts across railways, renewable energy and industrial infrastructure.

The company has a pan-India presence with operational facilities across multiple states and is led by a promoter group with over four decades of industry experience.

Its business model spans both manufacturing of infrastructure components and execution of large-scale projects, providing diversification across revenue streams.
Financially, the company has reported strong growth, with revenue rising 31% and profit after tax jumping significantly in the last financial year, indicating improving operating leverage and execution momentum.

Crescent Investments and Forshaw Group scheme would include 814 homes

Three huge apartment blocks could soon be built next to the River Irwell in Salford. The scheme, tabled by Crescent Investments LLC Limited and Forshaw Group, would deliver 814 new homes to the area.

The site is called Riverside Place and was once home to McDonald’s, KFC, and a Grosvenor Casino. Permission for demolition of the retail park, off Regent Road and Ordsall Lane, was approved in 2023 and the land has long been earmarked for redevelopment.

The proposal would see one, two and three bedroom flats built across the three tower blocks that will be between 21 and 36 storeys in height.

The scheme also includes a two-storey community pavilion designed to accommodate a mix of commercial, retail, hospitality and community uses. All this will be built on 6,000sqm of newly created ‘high-quality’ public space.

The area would also see improved links between Salford Quays and Manchester city centre; better pedestrian and cycle routes; and a landscaped ramp and seating connecting directly to the waterfront.

The scheme is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs and £1.7m in council tax revenue to invest locally, according to developers.

The vision for the project read: “The plans for Riverside Place support Salford Council’s ambitions for high density, residential-led growth in the ‘Ordsall Waterfront area’ as set out in the Salford Local Plan (2023). The new development would contribute directly to the city’s goal of building 9,000 homes across Ordsall, Quays, Pendleton and Charlestown by 2042.

“The site also plays an important role in bringing to life Salford City Council’s Irwell River Park Connectivity and Movement Strategy (2025), by delivering part of an active travel route for both pedestrians and cyclists along the riverside – enhancing the corridor between Salford Quays and Manchester City Centre.”

If the plans are approved by Salford council, the phased construction is expected to take three to four years to be completed.

To find all the planning applications, traffic diversions, road layout changes, alcohol licence applications and more in your community, visit the Public Notices Portal.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd. shares surged more than 7% Friday as the Australian radiopharmaceutical company received a key regulatory boost in the United States, highlighting its growing role in precision oncology diagnostics and therapeutics.

Telix (ASX: TLX) stock climbed A$1.00, or 7.33%, to A$14.64 by the close of trading on the Australian Securities Exchange at 4:16 p.m. GMT+10. The move extended gains that have seen the stock rise about 31% over the past month, fueled by robust commercial performance and pipeline advancements in the fast-expanding field of targeted radiopharmaceuticals.

The rally was triggered by Telix’s announcement that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration accepted its resubmitted New Drug Application for TLX101-Px, known as Pixclara (18F-FET), an imaging agent designed to improve diagnosis and management of glioma, the most common form of primary brain cancer. The FDA set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act target action date of Sept. 11, 2026, for the potential approval.

Pixclara aims to address limitations of current imaging techniques by providing better visualization of brain tumors, potentially aiding more accurate treatment planning for patients facing this aggressive disease. Telix also filed a Marketing Authorization Application for the product, branded Pixlumi in Europe, advancing its global regulatory strategy for the asset.

“This acceptance marks another important milestone as we work to bring innovative radiopharmaceutical solutions to patients with high unmet needs,” Telix executives noted in recent communications, emphasizing the company’s dual focus on diagnostics and therapeutics.

Telix specializes in developing and commercializing targeted radiopharmaceuticals that combine radioactive isotopes with molecules designed to bind to specific cancer markers. Its portfolio includes approved imaging agents and late-stage therapeutic candidates for prostate, kidney, brain and other cancers.

The company’s flagship products — Illuccix and Gozellix, both gallium-68 PSMA-PET imaging agents for prostate cancer — drove much of its recent growth. These tools help clinicians detect and stage prostate cancer more precisely than traditional methods, guiding decisions on surgery, radiation and systemic therapies.

In its Q1 2026 business update released earlier this week, Telix reported unaudited group revenue of US$230 million, up 11% from the previous quarter and 24% year-over-year. Precision Medicine revenue, which includes Illuccix and Gozellix sales, reached US$186 million, a 16% sequential increase, reflecting strong U.S. dose volume growth and international expansion.

The company reaffirmed its full-year 2026 revenue guidance of US$950 million to US$970 million, implying continued double-digit growth following 2025’s robust performance. For the full year 2025, Telix posted revenue of approximately US$803.8 million, a 56% jump from the prior year, driven by higher Illuccix volumes and the successful U.S. launch of Gozellix after securing reimbursement.

Analysts have responded positively. Wedbush maintained an Outperform rating with a US$22 price target, while H.C. Wainwright reiterated a Buy rating at US$20. Consensus targets hover around US$21, suggesting significant upside from current levels on both ASX and Nasdaq listings. Some forecasts point to potential revenue approaching US$1.5 billion by 2028 if pipeline assets reach commercialization.

Beyond diagnostics, Telix is advancing a therapeutics pipeline that could transform its business model from primarily imaging-focused to a balanced diagnostics-and-therapy player. Its lead candidate, TLX591 (lutetium-177 rosopatamab tetraxetan), is in the ProstACT Global Phase 3 trial for PSMA-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Part 1 of the study, a lead-in safety and dosimetry evaluation, recently met its objectives with no new safety signals observed, supporting progression to the randomized portion. The therapy uses a radio-antibody drug conjugate approach to deliver targeted radiation directly to cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.

Additional candidates include TLX250 for kidney cancer and TLX101 for brain cancer therapeutics, part of a strategy to pair diagnostic imaging with companion therapies — often called “theranostics” — in a single integrated approach.

Telix has invested heavily in manufacturing and supply chain capabilities to support growth. It operates facilities in key markets and has pursued strategic acquisitions to secure isotope supply and expand production. Year-end 2025 cash stood at US$141.9 million after significant investments, with ongoing R&D guidance for 2026 set at US$200 million to US$240 million.

The radiopharmaceutical sector has attracted intense investor interest amid breakthroughs in targeted cancer treatments. Major players and newcomers alike are racing to develop agents that improve outcomes while reducing side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy or broad radiation.

Telix’s vertically integrated model — spanning development, manufacturing and commercialization — positions it to capture more value across the supply chain. The company has expanded internationally, with operations in the United States, Europe, Japan, Brazil and elsewhere, and continues seeking approvals in additional markets for Illuccix and Gozellix.

Recent corporate moves include board strengthening with new non-executive director appointments and routine securities filings, including issuance of shares upon conversion of unquoted securities and notifications regarding substantial holders.

Despite the momentum, challenges remain. Radiopharmaceutical production involves complex logistics due to short isotope half-lives, requiring sophisticated cold-chain and just-in-time manufacturing. Regulatory hurdles can delay launches, as seen with previous FDA requests for additional data on certain assets. Competition is intensifying from larger pharmaceutical companies and specialized biotech firms entering the space.

Gross margins have held steady around 53% in recent periods, though increased R&D and commercial infrastructure spending have pressured adjusted EBITDA, which came in at US$39.5 million for 2025. Management has signaled a focus on scaling efficiently while prioritizing late-stage pipeline acceleration.

Market watchers note that success in the upcoming PDUFA date for Pixclara, combined with ProstACT data readouts, could serve as major catalysts. Positive outcomes might accelerate adoption of Telix’s platform and support premium valuations typical of high-growth biotech names with approved products and robust pipelines.

Founded in Melbourne, Telix has grown rapidly since its early days, transitioning from a development-stage company to one with commercial revenues and global reach. It maintains dual listings on the ASX and Nasdaq, broadening its investor base.

Broader industry tailwinds include rising cancer incidence, improved awareness of PSMA-PET imaging benefits, and policy support for innovative oncology therapies. Governments and payers increasingly recognize the value of precise diagnostics in reducing unnecessary procedures and optimizing treatment.

Friday’s trading volume on the ASX was elevated as investors digested the FDA news alongside the solid Q1 performance. Technical charts show the stock breaking out from recent consolidation, though it remains below all-time highs reached during earlier enthusiasm phases.

As Telix prepares for potential Pixclara approval later this year and further clinical data, attention will turn to execution on revenue guidance, margin trends and pipeline milestones. Analysts will scrutinize any commentary on manufacturing scale-up and international launches during future updates.

For now, the combination of commercial traction in prostate cancer imaging and progress toward brain cancer diagnostics has reignited optimism around Telix’s theranostics platform. With the global radiopharmaceutical market projected to expand significantly, the company appears well-placed to benefit from the shift toward personalized, targeted cancer care.

Rachel Reeves has been told by one of the world’s most influential economic bodies that Britain’s tax system is holding the country back and needs urgent surgery if the Chancellor is serious about reigniting growth.

In a pointed intervention, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has urged the Treasury to launch an “in-depth tax review to make the tax system more efficient and growth-friendly”, arguing that decades of tinkering have left Britain with a patchwork of distortions, loopholes and outdated valuations that penalise enterprise and deter investment.

The Paris-based think tank’s latest assessment will make uncomfortable reading in Downing Street. It concludes that the UK economy is being dragged down not only by the familiar headwinds of elevated borrowing costs and sluggish productivity, but by a tax code that businesses have learned to game and that ordinary taxpayers increasingly struggle to understand.

At the heart of the OECD’s recommendations is a call to broaden the VAT base, stripping out a thicket of reliefs and exemptions that economists describe as “largely inefficient and regressive”. It is the sort of reform that could finally consign to history the long-running absurdity of HMRC having to rule on whether a Jaffa Cake is a biscuit or a cake, the kind of grey area that has generated decades of tribunal cases and column inches. The OECD suggests that any additional receipts raised by closing such loopholes could be recycled to shield low-income households through targeted transfers.

Property tax comes in for similarly sharp criticism. The OECD notes that council tax bands still rest on property valuations taken in 1991, a state of affairs no government has dared to touch for fear of triggering a political backlash among homeowners whose rateable values no longer reflect the modern housing market. Successive chancellors have kicked the revaluation can down the road, leaving a levy that economists regard as one of the most distortive in the developed world.

For small and medium-sized businesses, the case for reform has long been obvious. Entrepreneurs, accountants and owner-managers have complained for years about the sheer complexity of the HMRC code, the punitive £100,000 to £125,000 tax trap that penalises aspiration, the interaction of income tax with student loan repayments, and the cliff edges that plague stamp duty. Each has become a case study in how good intentions, bolted on year after year, can produce a system nobody would design from scratch.

Britain once had a body specifically charged with addressing these frustrations. The Office of Tax Simplification, an arms-length outfit set up to cut administrative burdens, survived for 13 years before being abolished by Kwasi Kwarteng during his short-lived tenure as Chancellor. Its recommendations were frequently ignored even while it existed, and its closure was widely seen at the time as a signal that Whitehall had lost interest in serious structural reform.

The OECD’s warning lands at an awkward moment for Reeves. Several think tanks, including the Institute for Government, urged the Chancellor to pursue wholesale tax reform ahead of last year’s Budget, when she was scrambling to fill a fiscal black hole running into billions. She now faces similar pressures later this year, with the war in Iran weighing on global growth, interest rates stubbornly elevated and borrowing costs showing little sign of easing.

The report also strays into more politically charged territory, criticising the government over conflicts of interest in its dealings with business — a swipe that will inevitably be read in Westminster as a reference to the recent controversies surrounding Lord Mandelson and Labour Together, as well as the steady stream of former MPs moving into private sector roles that have raised eyebrows on both sides of the House. The OECD recommends that legally binding commitments on violations be extended to cover politicians’ post-public careers as well as their periods in office.

Among its other prescriptions, the think tank calls for a rethink of employee training subsidies funded through the apprenticeship levy, suggesting resources be redirected towards young people who are struggling to get a foothold in the labour market.

Responding to the report, a Treasury spokesperson said the government was “already reforming the tax system to make it more efficient, modern and fair”, adding that it was “tackling reliefs that are now costing far more than intended and are disproportionately benefitting the wealthy”.

Whether that amounts to the kind of root-and-branch overhaul the OECD is demanding, or simply more of the piecemeal tinkering that has brought the system to its current state, will become clearer when Reeves stands up at the despatch box later this year. For Britain’s SMEs, who bear a disproportionate share of the compliance burden, the hope will be that she finally grasps the nettle.

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