https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-45804749

The UK's foreign secretary has told Saudi Arabia that Britain expects urgent answers over the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

In a phone call to Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, Jeremy Hunt warned that "friendships depend on shared values".

Mr Khashoggi was last seen visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last week, and Turkey says he may have been murdered there.

Saudi Arabia denies the suggestion.

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The plot thickens.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-45797676

A firm has been stripped of NHS contracts after hundreds of tonnes of clinical waste from hospitals was allowed to pile up at its sites.

Health Minister Stephen Barclay said new arrangements have been made to replace the service by Healthcare Environmental Services (HES).

HES says although it did also collect some body parts, this anatomical waste was correctly stored as per guidelines.

It removed waste from a number of hospitals in England and Scotland.

The Environment Agency first raised the alarm about the problem at the end of July, the government said.

The government says there was "absolutely no risk" posed to the health of patients or the wider public.

Criminal investigation

In a statement to Parliament, Mr Barclay said NHS Improvement concluded that HES "failed to demonstrate that they were operating within their contractual limits.

"Consequently, 15 NHS Trusts served termination notices to HES formally to terminate their contracts at 4pm on Sunday," he said.

New arrangements have been made with Mitie to "step in and replace this service" and "NHS services continue to operate as normal", Mr Barclay told MPs.

>>3413436

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-45788402

A six-year-old boy who suffered a "catastrophic" brain injury after his birth in hospital has received £37m in compensation from the NHS.

The child contracted the herpes simplex virus at Watford General hospital, which led to a brain fever.

His barrister, Henry Witcomb QC, told London's High Court the virus "was not detected and acted upon" soon enough.

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust had previously apologised and agreed to settle his case.

The boy's solicitor said the payout was the "highest award ever" in a clinical negligence case against the NHS.

The court heard there was a two-day delay in giving the boy an antiviral drug.

It resulted in "catastrophic damage to his brain" which caused eyesight and communication problems, cognitive and movement difficulties as well as behavioural issues.

"The effects of the negligence have been tragic both for the boy and his family," Mrs Justice Lambert said.

She told the court the Trust admitted liability for what happened to the boy at an early stage and had agreed to settle his case.

'Acutely sorry'

The boy will receive a lump sum payout, plus annual, index linked and tax free payments to cover the costs of the 24-hour care he will need for life.