London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 21, 2025

Here are the London Daily top news stories of the day: First up, Scotland's drug death epidemic may have peaked

New data suggests a decline in drug-related deaths for the first time since 2013.

However, concerns remain as the pool of people most at risk of dying from drug abuse may have shrunk due to the catastrophic impact of drugs.

Next, UK pay settlements have hit a 6% high, the highest since 1991.

British employers offered the biggest annual pay rises in 32 years during the three months to the end of January.

But with double-digit inflation looming, these increases may still not be enough.

Nurses in England have agreed to pause planned strike action and enter "intensive talks" with the British government on pay and conditions, marking the first sign of a potential breakthrough in a long-running dispute.

Britain's economy has received an unexpected bounce.

A recent survey shows a surprise return to growth by businesses this month, raising the likelihood of another Bank of England interest rate hike in March.

This could help the country sidestep a long recession.

In other news, the UK is facing a shortage of vegetables, particularly tomatoes, due to disrupted harvests in southern Europe and north Africa.

This has prompted major grocers to limit customer purchases in order to help conserve supplies.

A four-day working week trial by several firms has been hailed as a major breakthrough, with most firms reporting that they will stick with the new schedule.

The number of sick days taken by staff during the trial fell by around two-thirds, while almost two in five said they were less stressed.

Despite £30bn less borrowing than predicted this year, the chancellor suggests that his upcoming budget will not contain significant giveaways.

Strong income tax receipts and lower than expected spending on energy support have helped ease some pressure.

Two major UK grocers, Tesco and Aldi, are limiting sales of certain fruits and vegetables due to shortages of fresh produce.

Customers are being asked to limit their purchases of tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, as the stores struggle to maintain adequate supplies.

New figures reveal that taxpayers spent over £10 million on fees for diplomats' children at UK schools, with the Foreign Office spending nearly £372,000 sending the children of top diplomats to Eton in 2021/22.

Finally, China is expressing concern over the Ukraine conflict and has called on certain countries to stop "fuelling the fire." This comes after Joe Biden vowed that "Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia" during a speech in Warsaw....

References
  1. Scotland’s drug death epidemic may have peaked, data suggests
  2. UK pay settlements hit 6%, highest since 1991: XpertHR
  3. Nurses in England pause strikes to enter pay talks with government
  4. UK economy's unexpected bounce spurs more BoE rate hike talk
  5. Where are the tomatoes? Britain faces shortage as imports hit
  6. 'Major breakthrough': Most firms say they'll stick with a four-day working week after successful trial
  7. Jeremy Hunt to 'stick to plan' despite £30bn less borrowing in year to date than predicted
  8. Tesco and Aldi limit sales of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers
  9. Taxpayers spent £10.5m on fees for diplomats' children at UK schools
  10. China says certain countries must stop 'fueling the fire' in Ukraine
  11. "Ukraine Will Never Be A Victory For Russia": Joe Biden
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
×