A young tradesman with silicosis who spoke out from his hospital bed to demand a government crackdown on the toxic dust generated from cutting kitchen worktops has died aged 32 from a severe form of the lung disease.
Malik Al-Khalil was among the first UK-based stonemasons diagnosed with silicosis from cutting quartz – or engineered stone – worktops, which have become hugely popular in kitchen makeovers.
Speaking to The i Paper at the Royal Brompton Hospital in 2024, just a year after his diagnosis, he required oxygen to breathe and was unable to walk without his legs buckling.
What Trump’s Russia-Ukraine ‘energy ceasefire’ means
The US President made the surprise announcement as he continues to pressure Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries.
What did Trump announce?
On Sunday, Donald Trump wrote on social media: “Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!”
In his regular evening address, Volodymyr Zelensky said “it is only logical” to establish a ceasefire and stop the war, and an energy ceasefire was “good news for everyone”.
Andy Burnham said a ceasefire is “the best route to get energy and fuel back into world markets”.
Russia did not comment on the ceasefire deal on Sunday.
What does this mean?
However, today Zelensky said the surprise announcement was not followed through by the Kremlin.
Speaking in Warsaw, the Ukrainian president said “immediately after [Trump’s] post, Russia launched a targeted strike on a power plant in Kharkiv, causing further damage to our energy system”.
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Trump’s diesel deal
On Friday, Trump announced a diesel deal with Vladimir Putin, claiming Russia would supply more than 2.25 million barrels of diesel to the US and global markets.
Reacting to a possible deal, Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius told Sky News: “We’re not proud of it. It’s shameful, disgraceful… I’m not sure if it’s even under way or if it’s just a political claim.”
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The latest updates after man dies in Yorkshire tiger attack
Yorkshire Wildlife Park has said it will remain closed on Monday as investigations continue into the death on Saturday.
What happened?
- Emergency services were called shortly after 1.30pm on 10 October.
- A witness claimed that a man had entered the tiger enclosure “to play” with the animal.
- One witness told he saw the man “dancing happily with his headphones in” 20 minutes before entering the enclosure.
- Police said the man was pronounced dead at the scene, and his family have been informed.
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The sequence of events
- Reports that a man jumped into the tiger enclosure at the wildlife park began circulating on social media on Saturday afternoon.
- The park confirmed emergency services were contacted after a man entered the enclosure and was “attacked” by the tiger after 1.30pm.
- Emergency services attended, with two ambulances and a helicopter rushing to the scene.
- Videos circulating online appear to show a man being pawed at and grappled by a tiger in the enclosure.
- One video also appeared to show him wagging a finger at the tiger in an apparent attempt to stop the attack.
The latest updates
The park was evacuated after the incident on Saturday, and a message to ticket holders on Monday morning said anyone with a booking would be offered the chance to reschedule.
The wildlife park said Altai, the Amur tiger involved in the incident, will not be euthanised. Members of park staff who were “deeply affected” by the incident were receiving specialist support.
How remnants of a hurricane will affect UK weather this week
The UK is set for a week of warmer weather, with particularly mild night-time temperatures and conditions getting windier towards the middle of the week.
The forecast this week
Just as autumn beds in, the UK is set to turn milder again this week with the remnants of Hurricane Isaias which hit the US on Saturday.
Day temperatures will be average but the nights will feel warmer, with parts of England forecast to stay as high as 18°C on Monday night.
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What to expect and when
Mild weather returns
Early in the week, temperatures will be slightly above average, reaching the low 20s on Tuesday.
Wet and windy
Early in the week, expect showers, while mid-week will seek some strong winds, with possible gales in Scotland.
Mixed end to the week
Thursday could see temperatures above 20°C again, though this will decline again by Friday.
Comedian and actor Russell Brand has arrived at Southwark Crown Court today with his wife for the start of his trial on rape and sexual assault charges.
What are the charges against him?
Brand, 51, is accused of groping women and forcing them into sexual acts in allegations spanning 10 years from 1999 to 2009.
He denies three charges of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one allegation of indecent assault, made by six women.
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The story in pictures
What happens now
- The hearing began at 9.30am today.
- Jury selection is expected to begin for a trial, which could last up to 10 weeks.
- Brand pleaded not guilty to the charges during pre-trial hearings and is currently on bail.
- The case is being overseen by High Court judge Mr Justice Bennathan.
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Closer look at accusations
- Previous hearings have heard Brand accused of raping a woman in a hotel room at the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth.
- He has also been accused of grabbing a TV worker’s breasts and forcing her into a sex act in a toilet, and kissing and groping a radio station worker.
- Brand has denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty in a pre-trial hearing.
NHS rolls out new prescriptions alerts – what we know
The latest feature follows the launch of the “Amazon-style” prescription tracker on the NHS app, which officials said has been used by almost 2.9 million people.
What you need to know
- Millions of NHS app users in England can now get alerts on their phones and smartwatches when their prescriptions are ready. Thousands of pharmacies are already live with the service.
- The update will help tackle unnecessary calls or premature trips to the chemist to pick up medication, NHS England said.
- Health innovation minister James Frith urged people to enable push alert notifications on the NHS app to benefit from the new feature.
Embracing new technology
Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, said it would free up staff time from answering phone calls and encourage more patients to use the NHS app.
“Pharmacies want to do all they can to embrace new technology and make the vital services they offer as easy and convenient as possible for patients to access,” he said.
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Welcome progress
It’s something many people have been asking for, and alongside other non-digital ways of accessing information and support, can help make it easier for patients to get the information they need in a way that works for them.
Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association
The likely benefits cuts after PM hints at shake-up
Two reviews due this autumn will shape what comes next for universal credit and personal independence payments (PIP).
Andy Burnham said his Government will show “the same boldness as we did on the triple lock” in responding to youth unemployment.
What could Milburn recommend?
Alan Milburn, a former health secretary, is examining why nearly one million 16- to 24-year-olds are not in education, employment or training .
The group’s out-of-work and disability benefits reportedly cost the government around £8.1bn a year.
His review is expected to recommend wholesale changes to get young people into work and bring down the benefits bill.
But Burnham told the Labour conference that savings would come not from “crude cuts” but from “investing in people in their success”.
Universal credit health element
Ministers are considering removing the universal credit health element for under-25s and replacing it with an intensive back-to-work scheme.
Young people who fail to take up intensive support to help them into work will face benefit sanctions, The i Paper understands
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Personal independence payments
PIP helps with the extra living costs of a long-term condition or disability, whether or not you work.
It is now claimed by four million people, with spending forecast to rise from £28.5bn this year to £41.5bn by 2030-31.
The Timms Review is looking at ways to improve PIP and reduce costs.
has reported that the Government is considering new eligibility criteria, though people with the most severe conditions would not be affected.
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What happens next?
- Parliament is expected to debate the Timms proposals before the end of the year, with the Government responding soon after.
- Milburn’s review is likely to be published shortly after the Budget, with savings not expected until 2027.
It is likely to require primary legislation, which provides scope for a Labour rebellion.
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Sacha Baron Cohen to star in Tarantino’s West End play
star Sacha Baron Cohen will headline when it premieres in London next year.
Quentin Tarantino said he was “keen with anticipation to give the West End a great night out”.
What we know so far
The production marks Tarantino’s first play written for the stage – which he will also direct.
Set in 1830s Europe, has been billed as a “rambunctious comedy of deception and disguise inspired by the grand swashbuckling epics of stage and screen”.
What did Baron Cohen say?
Baron Cohen, best known for comedy characters including Borat and Ali G said: “Quentin called, I said yes before he even got to say his first ‘motherf**ker.”
He added: “When the best director in the world calls, you don’t ask questions. I am beyond delighted that we will be losing our West End virginity together. I have made him [a] promise not to be gentle.”
How can you see it?
- It will premiere at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End on 18 March, 2027.
- Tickets go on sale on Monday 12 October.
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He was diagnosed with silicosis after just five years of cutting quartz in a London workshop. The material has been blamed for an alarming rise in a rapid and deadly form of silicosis among workmen.
Mr Al-Khalil, who fled from the war in Syria and arrived in the UK in 2014, died in Hillingdon Hospital in October 2025, an inquest opening at West London Coroner’s Court heard.
His death was recorded as silicoproteinosis – also known as acute silicosis – due to dust exposure and respiratory tract infection.
Silicoproteinosis is a severe, progressive form of the lung disease associated with high exposure to silica dust. He had been living at a care home in Southall at the time of his death.
Lydia Brown, the senior coroner, said: “This man was exposed to silica dust through his employment.
“I am deeply concerned regarding this and this is not the first case that has come to west London’s attention.”
She said she would notify the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) who may “wish to look into it along with the other cases”. The HSE has started initial enquiries to decide if it can investigate.
Mr Al-Khalil was determined to speak out in 2024 because he wanted to warn other young tradesmen of the dangers of cutting engineered stone – and to demand a Government crackdown on the material. “Of course it should be banned,” he said at the time.
He described being caked from head to toe in deadly white dust while he inhaled, working at firms that flouted safety regulations on cutting stone.
That same year, The i Paper revealed the first UK cases of silicosis among workers cutting engineered stone. The weight of medical evidence continues to grow – and the death toll.
Killer Kitchens campaign has new urgency
The Killer Kitchens campaign was launched as a result of the rising cases of silicosis linked to engineered stone to demand stronger protections for workers like Mr Al-Khalil.
The campaign has secured a ban on deadly quartz dust through the HSE’s first ever regulatory guidance on quartz. The regulator has launched nationwide inspections of 1,000 firms as a result of the campaign, uncovering hundreds of breaches of health and safety law.
A new Kitemark scheme from the industry to show stone has been cut safely without exposure to deadly dust is also now being used by major kitchen makeover firms as a result of The i Paper‘s reporting.
However, following Mr Al-Khalil’s death, leading health experts have reignited calls for the Government to meet a key demand of the Killer Kitchens campaign – to set up a screening programme of the workforce.
Kevin Bampton, head of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS), called for the HSE to test and record cases of silicosis in UK workers and signpost those exposed to an “efficient diagnosis and treatment pathway in the NHS”.
“Neglect, ignorance and greed on the part of some employers is the root cause of this tragedy,” he said.
“However, the fact that workers affected by silicosis are being thrown through a pinball machine of politics and bureaucracy, undoubtedly delayed access to specialist treatment. Speed is vital.
“A targeted screening programme will save lives and save the NHS money.”
As a man-made stone, quartz has a much higher silica content than natural stone like granite or marble.
Inhaling this toxic substance leads to the incurable lung disease silicosis, as well as other respiratory diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in the long-term, raises the risk of developing lung cancer.
Silicosis has affected workers for centuries, with miners and construction workers among trades historically at risk. But with cases of engineered-stone silicosis, workers have been falling ill, and dying, at much younger ages and after less exposure time than has been the case in the past.
‘When it starts in your body, it will not stop’
Mr Al-Khalil said in 2024: “I want to let all the people working in this work know what’s happening from this material. I don’t like to see or to hear that someone is in a hospital like my situation because it’s not easy.
“This silicosis, when it starts in your body, it will not stop.”
He said he knew of nine other tradesmen, including seven from his home town in Syria, who had contracted silicosis from cutting stone worktops in the UK, where around 60 quartz workers, many in their twenties, thirties and forties, have been diagnosed with silicosis since mid-2023.
Mr Al-Khalil worked without any safety measures, such as “wet” cutting to suppress dust, or specialist respiratory protective equipment (RPE) for workers, who were instead provided with standard masks.
“Of course [it should be banned] because the silicosis is coming from this material. But this job will be for the Government. The Government should start to do something about this,” he said.
One of the firms Mr Al-Khalil worked at in west London, Yes Marble, had also employed his friend, Wessam Al-Jundi, who died aged 28 in Harefield Hospital after being referred for a lung transplant following his silicosis diagnosis. The company has now stopped trading.
The HSE and the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into Mr Al-Jundi’s death, with the HSE assuming primacy and deciding there was insufficient evidence to bring a prosecution.
West London’s coroner also opened a rare prevention of future death report into Mr Al-Jundi’s death before an inquest was held, in which she called for a “timetable for action” from the Government to act over growing numbers of silicosis cases among young kitchen workers.
An HSE spokesperson said: “We are aware of Malik Ibrahim Al-Khalil’s tragic death, and we offer our condolences to his loved ones. We are making enquiries which will determine whether we are able to open an investigation.”
My heartbreaking hospital interview with a dying man who wanted to warn others of the dangers of engineered stone
When I met Malik in July, 2024, he carried the same hopes as many young men. He wanted to get married. He hoped to pass his driving test. He dreamed about leaving London and moving to the coast. Bournemouth or Brighton. A place where the air was fresh.
“I will make myself in a new life without problem,” the 31-year old said.
But the fits of coughing that convulsed his painfully thin frame as he lay in a bed at London’s Royal Brompton Hospital told another, tragic story. Fifteen months after we met, he had died.
As he spoke to me for an hour and a half, the devastating toll silicosis had taken on his body was apparent. His weight had plummeted from 11 and a half stone to just seven and a half stone.
Doctors had told him he was too weak for a lung transplant – a procedure for patients with end-stage lung failure which can buy a few more years of survival, but is not a cure.
But Malik had bravely wanted to speak out about the dangers of silica dust to other stonemasons.
Despite the dire circumstances inflicted on him, he showed little anger towards his former employers, and faced the very real prospect of a tragically early death with humbling courage.
So did Marek Marzec, a 48-year-old stonemason I interviewed from hospital as he received palliative care a couple of months after Malik. He also tragically died in 2024, just seven months after his silicosis diagnosis.
The i Paper decided to launch the Killer Kitchens campaign to push for better protection for workers like Marek and Malik,
Earlier this year, the HSE responded to our reporting with its first ever regulatory guidance on engineered stone declaring an effective ban on the “dry cutting” of quartz without water suppressing tools.
It also launched a nationwide inspection crackdown on 1,000 firms cutting quartz kitchen worktops after our call for firmer action against rogue employers.
But more needs to be done. As Kevin Bampton told me, only a targeted screening programme will save lives before it is too late.