A recent study showed that Mars was warm and wet billions of years ago. The finding contrasts with another theory that this era was mainly cold and icy. The result has implications for the idea that life could have developed on the planet at this time.

Whether Mars was once habitable is a fascinating and intensely researched topic of interest over many decades. Mars, like the Earth, is about 4.5 billion years old and its geological history is divided into different epochs of time.

The latest paper relates to Mars during a time called the Noachian epoch, which extended from about 4.1 to 3.7 billion years ago. This was during a stage in solar system history called the Late Heavy Bombardment (LHB). Evidence for truly cataclysmic meteorite impacts during the LHB are found on many bodies throughout the solar system.

Two obvious scars from this era on Mars are the enormous Hellas and Argyre impact basins; both are well over a thousand miles across and each possesses enough volume to hold all the water in the Mediterranean with room to spare.

One might not imagine such a time being conducive to the existence of fragile lifeforms, yet it is likely to be the era in which Mars was most habitable. Evidence of landforms sculpted by water from this time is plentiful and include dried-up river valleys, lake beds, ancient coastlines and river deltas.

The prevailing climatic conditions of the Noachian are still a matter of intense debate. Two alternative scenarios are
typically posited: that this time was cold and icy, with occasional melting of large volumes of frozen water by meteorite impact and volcanic eruptions, or that it was warm, wet and largely ice-free.

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Signs of ancient life may have been found in Martian rock – new study

Brightening Sun

All stars, including the Sun, brighten with age. In the early solar system, during the Noachian, the Sun was about 30% dimmer than it is today, so less heat was reaching Mars (and all the planets). To sustain a warm, wet climate at this time, the Martian atmosphere would have needed to be very substantial – much thicker than it is today – and abundant in greenhouse gases like CO2.

But when reaching high enough atmospheric pressure, CO2 tends to condense out of the air to form clouds and reduce the greenhouse effect. Given these issues, the cold, icy scenario is perhaps more believable.

One of the main science goals of the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover, which landed spectacularly in February 2021, is to seek evidence to support either of these two scenarios, and the new
paper using data from Perseverance may have done just that.

Perseverance landed at the Martian location of Jezero crater, which was selected as the landing site because it once contained a lake. Views of the crater from orbit show several distinct fan-shaped deposits emanating from channels carved through the crater walls by flowing water. Within these channels are abundant deposits of clay minerals.

The new paper details recent analysis of aluminium-rich clay pebbles, called kaolinite, located within one of the ancient flow channels. The pebbles appear to have been subjected to intense weathering and chemical alteration by water during the Noachian.

While this is perhaps not surprising for a known ancient watery environment, what is interesting is that these clays are strongly depleted in iron and magnesium, and enriched in titanium and aluminium.

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Are we the Martians? The intriguing idea that life on Earth began on the red planet

This is important because it means these rocks were less likely to have been altered in a hydrothermal environment, where scalding hot water was temporarily released by melting ice caused by volcanism or a meteorite impact.

Instead, they appear to have been altered under modest temperatures and persistent heavy rainfall. The authors found distinct similarities between the chemical composition of these clay pebbles with similar clays found on Earth dating from periods in our planet’s history when the climate was much warmer and wetter.

The paper concludes that these kaolinite pebbles were altered under high rainfall conditions comparable to “past greenhouse climates on Earth” and that they “likely represent some of the wettest intervals and possibly most habitable portions of Mars’ history”.

Furthermore, the paper concludes that these conditions may have persisted over time periods ranging from thousands to millions of years. Perseverance recently made headlines also for the discovery of possible biosignatures in samples it collected last year, also from within Jezero crater.

These precious samples have now been cached in special sealed containers on the rover for collection by a future Mars sample return mission. Unfortunately, the mission has recently been cancelled by Nasa and so what vital evidence they may or may not contain will probably not be examined in an Earth-based laboratory for many years.

Crucial to this future analysis is the so-called “Knoll criterion” – a concept formulated by astrobiologist Andrew Knoll, which states that for something to be evidence of life, an observation has to not just be explicable by biology; it has to be inexplicable without it. Whether these samples ever satisfy the Knoll criterion will only be known if they can be brought to Earth.

Either way, it is quite striking to imagine a time on Mars, billions of years before the first humans walked the Earth, that a tropical climate with – possibly – a living ecosystem once existed in the now desolate and wind-swept landscape of Jezero crater.

A Gogglebox star was absent from the latest episode of the Channel 4 show

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A popular Gogglebox star was conspicuously absent during the latest episode, and their family promptly provided an explanation.

The enduring Channel 4 programme returned to screens on Friday evening (February 13) for another instalment. Back offering their opinions on recent television were favourites such as Pete and Sophie Sandiford and Ellie and Izzi Warner.

The Plummer brothers, Tremaine, Twaine, and Tristan, who joined the show in 2016, also made a return. However, instead of the usual trio, only Tremaine and Tristan were present on the sofa.

Prior to the episode airing, the brothers explained Twaine’s absence on Instagram. In the video, they said: “It’s just the two T’s today as Twaine left us to go on holiday. So we’ve got a new member of the team now,” before introducing their adorable dog.

The post was captioned: “Meet the new member of the team… @trissy101 @trem_vi Brand new #Gogglebox tonight at 9pm on @channel4.”, reports the Mirror.

Fans quickly filled the comments section with messages of support, and even Twaine responded, saying: “Wish I was there,” accompanied by sad face emojis. Another person wrote: “Enjoy the holiday you are missed tonight.”

Another fan remarked: “Happy Friday looking forward to watching you tonight. Hope he’s gone somewhere that’s sunny and dry.”

A third follower declared: “He’s another good-looking Plummer I’m glad you’re back with us we don’t see enough of you guys.”

The Plummer brothers made their Gogglebox debut a decade ago – and it didn’t take them long to become firm favourites with viewers. Over the years, the brothers – who are based in Bristol – have had fans in stitches thanks to their witty banter and one-liners and comical takes on the telly highlights.

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website**

Beyond the television programme though, Tremaine – who is the eldest of the three siblings – hosts a breakfast radio show on Bristol’s Ujima FM. Tristan has pursued a professional footballing career from 2007 as well, alongside other brother Twaine.

Meanwhile Gogglebox welcomed several fresh faces to its line-up last year, including Jake and Calum from Glasgow and the Gordon family from Surrey.

Additional new stars featured the likes of married couple Andrew and Alfie from the Cotswolds and mother-and-daughter-in-law duo Sara and Lara from Yorkshire.

Gogglebox airs every Friday at 9pm on Channel 4.

It appears the planned meeting did not go ahead, as Epstein did not end up flying to the Libyan capital

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor spoke to a Libyan contact to help arrange a meeting for Jeffrey Epstein with the country’s dictator Colonel Gaddafi in Tripoli, emails appear to show.

Messages within the latest release of the US Department of Justice’s Epstein files, from the autumn of 2010, show the disgraced financier contacted royal aide David Stern saying “i want to go to tripoli lets organize with pa”.

The paedophile then sends another email to Mr Stern, writing: “people that have seen the father, have asked me if i want to meet him as he does not know where to put his money as opposed to what to do with it, currencies etc, I wondered if Pa should make the intro instead.”

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The emails were first unearthed from the Epstein files by Channel 4 News, which reported “the father” refers to the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi – who was overthrown and killed in 2011 – to distinguish him from his well-known son Saif.

It appears Mr Stern then consulted Andrew, in a reply dated the following day, October 8 2010, writing: “He is thinking about the best approach and will discuss with me when I see him next on 17th Oct in Hong Kong (he is leaving today for Asia).”

The former Duke of York made an official visit to China in October 2010 and was the UK’s trade envoy at the time.

Later emails from “The Duke”, signed “A”, to Epstein’s address say “I will call you later this evening after I have had my chat with my Libyan contact to see what we can arrange for you in Tripoli.”

The same day, November 4 2010, “A” follows up to Epstein writing “Libya fixed. Call me whenever.”

The emails come as Thames Valley Police on Wednesday said it had held discussions with specialists from the Crown Prosecution Service about allegations that Andrew shared confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with Epstein.

It appears the planned meeting did not go ahead, as Epstein did not end up flying to the Libyan capital, Channel 4 News reported.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been contacted for comment.

British holidaymakers seeking long-haul winter sun can expect better value this year, with new data revealing tourist items are cheaper in two out of three popular destinations compared to last year.

A Post Office Travel Money report identifies Asia as offering the best value, with seven of the top ten most affordable locations.

Vietnam’s Hoi An stands out as the most budget-friendly for UK visitors among 30 destinations analysed. Its coastal city costs have fallen by 10.9 per cent since last autumn, driven by minor local price drops and the weakening dong currency.

South Africa’s Cape Town, where a basket of 10 tourist staples was 8 per cent higher than in Hoi An, was ranked the second cheapest destination after a 0.3 per cent year-on-year fall in costs.

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The goods analysed include a cup of filter coffee in a cafe or bar, a small bottle or tube of insect repellent, and a three-course evening meal for two adults with a bottle of house wine.

Local prices in third-placed Bali, Indonesia, have risen by 10.8 per cent since last autumn, but an 11.3 per cent fall in the value of its currency – the rupiah – against the pound means costs have dropped by 0.5 per cent for visitors from the UK.

Mombasa, Kenya, was ranked fourth, with Tokyo, Japan, taking fifth place.

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Laura Plunkett, head of travel money at the Post Office, said: “Although sterling has fallen from its high point earlier this year and there are concerns about possible volatility this autumn, it’s important to note that it is stronger against most currencies than a year ago.

“Furthermore, local prices are stable in most of the destinations we surveyed, with falls in over 40 per cent of them, so the prospects for winter sun holidaymakers look bright – especially in many Far Eastern and Caribbean countries where a combination of these factors means reduced prices for British travellers.”

Malinin had come in for some criticism at these Games, particularly around his performance in the team event, in which he was outscored by Kagiyama in the short program before errors in the free skate – in which he had not originally been expected to compete – almost allowed Japan to scoop gold.

Reacting to the pressure, Malinin’s team took him out of the Olympic bubble to train 35 miles away in Bergamo before the men’s event as they hoped it would help him reset.

And his cleaned-up performance in the individual short program – finishing five points ahead of the field – seemed like that that of a man in no mood to lose his two-and-a-half-year unbeaten competition streak.

His lead into the free skate was ominous – this is where Malinin dominates. At the Grand Prix Final, he was third after the short but still finished 30 points clear of the field after the free, landing seven quads.

Usually, he has such an advantage because of a deadly combination of fearlessness and ability. His program for the free skate has a much higher technical score than any of his rivals, and judges will give extra credit for ambition while also rewarding with a higher component score.

But this was a timid routine. The quad axel subbed for a single, a quad loop reduced to a double. Dreams, turned to rubble.

On his quad salchow, he only executed a double, then fell. Reality hit, just like the ice.

Malinin’s free skate was the 15th best of the night. It earned just 156.33 points, more than 40 behind Shaidorov.

He performed a backflip for the crowd’s entertainment, but it seemed like a forlorn call to the good times of only last week.

In the team event he had also landed the first legal backflip at an Olympic Games since US champion Terry Kubicka in 1976 – after which it was banned for safety reasons.

Thanks in part to skaters like France’s Surya Bonaly – who performed the move illegally but successfully at Nagano 1998 – the backflip is now legal again.

Malinin became the first to land it at the Games on only one foot and did the flip again in the short program.

But really, none of that mattered. And after the scores came in, Malinin went straight to Shaidorov to congratulate him.

This is Kazakhstan’s first Winter Olympic gold medal since Lillehammer 1994, when Vladimir Smirnov won the men’s 50km cross-country skiing. That was 10 years before Shaidorov, 21, was born.

After a slight slip on the quad lutz, Shaidorov kept his head when all about were losing theirs and produced two clean quad techniques of his own.

All hail the new Quad God.

He is expected to say: “We are not the Britain of the Brexit years anymore”

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Europe must relinquish its overdependence on the United States, Sir Keir Starmer is to tell a major defence summit grappling with antagonism from President Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister will also argue for the UK to move closer to the European Union, saying turning inwards such as in the Brexit years would amount to a “surrender” of control in a perilous era for geopolitics.

Sir Keir is rubbing shoulders with around 50 world leaders at the Munich Security Conference, where he has already met with Germany’s Friedrich Merz and France’s Emmanuel Macron.

The leaders have also met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss efforts to end the conflict between Ukraine and Russia as the four-year anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion nears.

European defence and the future of the transatlantic relationship are on the agenda at the conference, at a time when America’s commitment to Nato has been called into question.

Tensions flared over Mr Trump’s recent threat to take over Greenland from Nato partner Denmark, and insults directed at various leaders.

In his speech to the summit on Saturday, the Prime Minister will call for a more European defence alliance and greater autonomy for the continent.

Sir Keir will say that this should be underpinned by stronger ties between Britain and the EU.

He is expected to say: “We are not the Britain of the Brexit years anymore.

“Because we know that, in dangerous times, we would not take control by turning inward – we would surrender it. And I won’t let that happen.

“There is no British security without Europe, and no European security without Britain. That is the lesson of history – and it is today’s reality too.”

The Prime Minister will praise the US’s contribution to European security and say it remains a key ally.

But as Mr Trump’s administration has upended the international order and denigrated traditional allies in Europe, the bloc must reduce its dependence on the US and take more responsibility for its own defence, Sir Keir will suggest.

All eyes will be on whether US secretary of state Marco Rubio will take a similar approach to vice president JD Vance, who at last year’s gathering made waves by criticising European countries, including the UK, over free speech and immigration.

Mr Rubio pointed to a “new era in geopolitics” before his arrival.

The Prime Minister was allocated a seat next to the US secretary of state at the Ukraine meeting, although Mr Rubio had not arrived by the time the press left the room for the private talks to commence.

In his speech, Sir Keir will say: “I’m talking about a vision of European security and greater European autonomy, that does not herald US withdrawal but answers the call for more burden sharing in full, and remakes the ties that have served us so well.”

He will highlight Europe’s failure to make the most of its defence capabilities and call for closer UK-EU defence co-operation “to multiply our strengths and build a shared industrial base across Europe which can turbocharge our defence production”.

It comes after talks on Britain joining the EU’s new 150 billion euro (£130 billion) Security Action for Europe (Safe) rearmament fund were reported to have broken down at the end of last year, as the price for entry was thought to be too high.

“Europe is a sleeping giant. Our economies dwarf Russia’s, 10 times over,” Sir Keir will say.

“We have huge defence capabilities. Yet, too often, all of this has added up to less than the sum of its parts.

“Across Europe, fragmented industrial planning and long, drawn out procurement mechanisms have led to gaps in some areas – and massive duplication in others.”

The Labour leader will also hit out at Reform UK and the Green Party – “the peddlers of easy answers on the extreme left and the extreme right”.

He will add: “It’s striking that the different ends of the spectrum share so much. Soft on Russia and weak on Nato – if not outright opposed.

“And determined to sacrifice the longstanding relationships that we want and need to build, on the altar of their ideology.

“The future they offer is one of division and then capitulation. The lamps would go out across Europe once again. But we will not let that happen.”

Sir Keir’s trip to Germany comes after a tumultuous few weeks domestically, with his premiership rocked by controversy surrounding the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US despite his ties to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since Walford lost one of its most iconic residents.

Next week, EastEnders will be marking the anniversary of Martin Fowler’s devastating death, a moment that still feels raw for both the Square and viewers at home.

Martin was killed off during the show’s explosive 40th anniversary live episode in February 2025. And it wasn’t a quiet exit.

During a dramatic explosion at The Queen Vic, Martin became trapped under a fallen beam while trying to save his ex-wife, Stacey Slater. In heartbreaking scenes broadcast live, he was crushed beneath the debris as chaos unfolded around him.

In his final moments, Martin confessed that he still loved Stacey and asked her to marry him again. It was classic EastEnders, romantic, tragic and completely gut-wrenching.

When paramedics finally lifted the beam, the release of toxins from his crushed legs triggered cardiac arrest. Despite desperate attempts to save him, Martin died in front of Stacey.

It was a shocking end for a character who had literally grown up on the Square.

Born on-screen in 1985 to original EastEnders legends Pauline and Arthur Fowler, Martin’s death marked the end of a 40-year chapter for one of Walford’s most historic families. 

Actor James Bye, who had played Martin since 2014, chose to leave the show after 10 years to pursue new projects, including the stage production Death Comes to Pemberley. His final performance in the live episode was widely praised, with viewers and critics calling it one of the most powerful exits the show has ever delivered.

Next week’s emotional episode sees Lily struggling as the anniversary brings everything flooding back. Martin’s death left a huge hole in her life, having grown up with Martin as her father figure.

Sam steps up to support her. Sam is preparing to leave Walford and head back to Spain. But before she goes, she makes sure Lily isn’t facing such a painful day alone, as Stacey is still in Brazil.

Sam and Lily share a heartfelt conversation about Martin, loss and how life looks after someone you love is suddenly gone. And it has a big impact on Sam.

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As she comforts Lily, Sam begins to reflect on her own situation. She’s been battling breast cancer and planning to return to Spain, but the heart-to-heart makes her realise something important: she needs her family more than she’s been willing to admit.

Watching Lily navigate grief reminds Sam how fragile everything is. Life can change in a second, just like it did the night of the Vic explosion.

By the end of the episode, Sam is left questioning whether walking away is really what she wants. Is Spain the fresh start she needs, or is the support system she’s been overlooking right here in Walford?

As the Square remembers Martin Fowler, it’s clear his loss still echoes through Albert Square.

And for Sam, the anniversary might just change the course of her future too.

MORE: Sam EastEnders exit ‘confirmed’ as she confronts her illness amid decision

MORE: All EastEnders cast returns, exits and new arrivals coming up in 2026

MORE: Major EastEnders character returns after 10 years – and he’s covered in blood

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Trump administration’s drawdown of its immigration enforcement surge in the Twin Cities area has been met with relief, but state and city officials say small businesses and immigrant communities are still reeling.

Thousands of officers were sent to the Minneapolis and St. Paul area for Operation Metro Surge. The Department of Homeland Security said it was its largest immigration enforcement operation ever and dubbed it a success, but the crackdown came under increasing criticism as the situation grew more volatile.

The shooting deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers drew condemnation and raised questions over officers’ conduct, prompting changes to the operation.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, said the damage would be lasting and called on the federal government to help pay the costs.

“This unprecedented federal escalation has upended daily life, it has eroded trust and inflicted a whole lot of harm on the operation that we need to provide as a city,” Frey said Friday. “Minneapolis taxpayers should not be left to foot the bill of this situation that has been created by the federal government.”

The mayor and other Minneapolis officials outlined the ways the crackdown has strained the finances of residents, businesses and the city itself. Expenses such as staff overtime and street cleanups cost the city an extra $6 million in January, they said.

The city estimates that small businesses have lost tens of millions of dollars in revenue, and thousands of hotel room were cancelled, Frey said. Furthermore, an estimated tens of thousands of people, including school-age children, are in need of support services such as rent and food assistance.

It’s the federal government’s responsibility in any emergency to assist in the recovery, Frey said, noting it was “all the more important” when federal agencies caused the damage.

The operation leaves a mark

Following Thursday’s announcement, some residents held a vigil at a makeshift shrine that went up where Good was shot in Minneapolis.

Mark Foresman, an attendee from the suburb of St. Louis Park, said he is skeptical that the agents will leave.

“The Trump administration has created an atmosphere of distrust for government in general,” he said, suggesting the Trump administration’s tactics seemed designed to sow fear. “They’ve repeatedly been caught in lies.”.

John Schnickel, a local who attended the vigil, disputed Trump officials’ claims that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers or the operation had made Minnesota safer.

“I don’t even want one ICE person here, if they act the way they’ve been acting,” said Schnickel. “They talk about how the murder rate is down, and yet they’ve added two people to it,” he said.

Most U.S. adults say they think Trump’s immigration policies have gone too far, according to a recent AP-NORC poll.

Homan credits improved coordination

Border czar Tom Homan told reporters Thursday that “extensive engagement” with state and local officials allowed for a formal end to the operation. The White House had long accused Minnesota of protecting criminals from deportation with so-called sanctuary laws.

President Donald Trump softened his tone and dispatched Homan to reduce tensions after the Jan. 24 killing of Pretti, saying that he and Walz were on a “similar wavelength” after weeks of barbs between the two leaders.

Homan on Thursday highlighted examples of newfound cooperation with state and local entities, including law enforcement being increasingly responsive to requests for assistance and agreements on how jails handle deportable inmates.

Minnesota’s state prison system and many of its county jails have long shared information with federal immigration authorities so they can take custody of arrested immigrants.

The major exception is the Hennepin County Jail, which serves Minneapolis and doesn’t work with immigration authorities unless an arrest warrant has been signed by a judge. Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, who oversees the jail, insisted Friday that no policies had changed.

Frey, meanwhile, emphasized Friday that his position hasn’t changed despite Homan’s indication that agreements with state and city leaders had been made.

“We do not enforce federal immigration law, period. We do not cooperate with ICE or any agency around enforcement of federal immigration law, period,” Frey said.

Immigration enforcement will continue on a smaller scale

Homan announced last week that 700 federal officers would leave Minnesota immediately, but that still left more than 2,000 in the state. He said Thursday that a “significant drawdown” was already underway and would continue through next week.

He didn’t specify how many officers would remain, but he said enforcement would continue in the Twin Cities. Todd Lyons, ICE’s acting director, said during a congressional hearing Thursday that the agency was still searching for about 16,840 people in Minnesota who have final orders of removal.

Homan also said mass deportations will continue across the country, and that officers leaving Minnesota will report back to their stations or be assigned elsewhere.

The focus on the Twin Cities, which Trump had pushed for partly because of fraud allegations involving Somali residents, followed increased deployments in big cities and small towns run by Democrats, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte and New Orleans.

Fallout in Congress and the courts

Even though the Twin Cities operation is ending, the fallout will continue.

The Trump administration is trying to secure votes in Congress to prevent Department of Homeland Security funding from expiring at the end of the week, with Democratic lawmakers demanding restraints on immigration officers following Good and Pretti’s killings.

And there are ongoing federal investigations into the shooting of Pretti.

The effects of the Minnesota crackdown are also still playing out in court, as federal prosecutors pursue high-profile cases against protesters and deportation cases slowly proceed.

A federal judge issued a temporary emergency order Thursday, finding that immigrants detained at a federal building in Minnesota have too many barriers to legal counsel.

Former CNN host turned independent journalist Don Lemon pleaded not guilty to federal civil rights charges Friday, accused in a protest at a Minnesota church where an ICE official is a pastor.

____

Fingerhut reported from Des Moines, Iowa. Associated Press reporters Tim Sullivan in Minneapolis and Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, contributed to this report.

The billionaire founder’s wife had confessed she wasn’t a fan of chocolate before the pair wed

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Maria Franca Ferrero, the wife of the late Michele Ferrero, has died age 87, it has been announced.

The billionaire heiress to the Ferrero fortune, famously wasn’t a fan of chocolate and told her then partner Michele before they tied the knot. Despite not having a taste for it, she went on to earn the nickname as the “Nutella empress”.

It has been revealed she died at her home in Alba, Italy, in the early hours of Thursday morning, reports The Express.

The town is also home to the Ferrero factory and nicknamed the birthplace of the chocolate spread. The company, of which Maria was president, is known for iconic brands such as Nutella, Kinder, Ferrero Rocher, and Tic Tac. Italian Prime Minister Geogria Meloni paid tribute to Maria, calling her “a model of enterprise”.

She wrote on X: “Today, Maria Franca Fissolo Ferrero leaves us, a discreet and determined woman who accompanied, with intelligence and vision, one of the most extraordinary entrepreneurial stories in Italy, alongside Michele Ferrero.

“I had the pleasure of meeting her in 2018 and of getting to know up close her humanity, her sobriety, and the concrete commitment she carried forward through the Ferrero Foundation, which over the years has supported thousands of people and families.

“With her passing, Italy loses a figure who represented, with elegance and reserve, a model of enterprise that creates value without ever forgetting the community.

“To the Ferrero family, on behalf of myself and the Government, I extend our most heartfelt condolences.”

Omra Wali Jan was abused by her parents in the weeks before her tragic death.

A tot who suffered horrific abuse at the hands of her twisted parents, and later died after she was forcefully shaken by her mum, has been pictured.

Omra Wali Jan was just two-years-old when she tragically passed away with severe brain injuries caused by “extremely forceful shaking”. The little girl was beaten, burnt and bitten over a number of weeks in 2023, before a final attack in November left her fighting for her life in hospital, reports the Mirror.

The two-year-old died on February 9, 2024, when her life support was removed with the permission of the High Court. Her parents finally faced justice when they were today jailed for years for their cruelty.

The court heard that it is not clear exactly what each parent did, with the full extent of the abuse unknown, but Morsal Mohammed Naim, 32, and husband Firooz Wali Jan, 32, both admitted to child cruelty. Naim was accused of murdering Omra, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the third day of a trial.

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“Neither parent was kept in the dark,” John Elvidge KC said. “Both enabled and acquiesced in the forcible and deliberate infliction of severe injuries on Omra by one or both, over a period of time. With each extra attack, this complicity inevitably increased, permitting less and less differentiation of roles.”

Following a two-day sentencing hearing at Manchester Crown Court, Naim, of no fixed address, was jailed for nine years, while Wali Jan, of Seymour Grove, Old Trafford, was caged for six years and nine months. The judge made mention of the pair’s “sadistic behaviour” and “multiple incidents of serious cruelty” against the toddler.

While the couple did not detail exactly what they did to Omra, images and videos from Naim’s phone revealed burn injuries to Omra’s right hand, bruising to her cheek and an injury to her lip, the court was told.

On November 30, 2023, Nail was left with the child while Wali Jan went to work and phone records show the mum deleted a number of calls she made to her husband’s family in Afghanistan. Naim sent an audio message to another number at 5.44pm, which was later deleted. She then made a number of unsuccessful calls to other family members before calling a distant relative, reports Manchester Evening News.

The mum carried Omra, who was unconscious and not breathing, upstairs to a neighbour, falsely telling the woman that her child had choked on a biscuit, the court heard. An ambulance was then called. Paramedics banged on the window, but there was no response. They initially thought it was a hoax call.

Eventually, a neighbour answered and medics were able to revive the child but Omra had bruises and marks on her head and body, and was rushed to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, where a CT scan revealed she had suffered a severe brain injury involving multifocal subdural haemorrhage; extensive hypoxic brain injury; and multiple retinal haemorrhages in the right eye.

The tragic tot was intubated and ventilated, but her life support was removed with the permission of the High Court on February 9, 2024. A post mortem report concluded she died as a result of head injuries.

Mr Elvidge KC, prosecuting, asked for the court to sentence the parents on the basis that ‘all of these injuries were inflicted deliberately in the family home’, adding: “The injuries were caused with an implement used as a weapon or by biting.

“These injuries were not caused by a fleeting contact and they would have caused Omra to flinch or move away, if she could. When inflicted each injury would have caused extreme pain to Omra.” He added: “Neither parent reported these injuries to anyone or sought medical attention for them. Both parents lied about how and when injuries were inflicted and they have lied to protect each other.”

Jailing the pair for their ‘sadistic behaviour’, Mr Justice Turner said of Naim: “Although you pleaded guilty to manslaughter very late in the day, you have never admitted anything about the following – why you attacked your daughter; what form the attack took, when and in what circumstances you did so; and what you did and for how long in the aftermath.”

The judge cited multiple incidents of serious cruelty; sadistic behaviour; use of a weapon; deliberate disregard for the welfare of the victim; and failing to take steps to protect the victim.

Philip Reade, GMP’s senior investigating officer for this case, said: “Everyone who has been involved in this case has been deeply moved by the tragic circumstances of Omra’s death. The last few months of her life must have been truly miserable, being hurt by those who were meant to care for and protect her.

“This has been a challenging investigation spanning more than two years, involving countless medical and forensic experts. I would like to thank everyone for their efforts which have led to justice for Omra.

“Omra was so young, her parents should have been nurturing her, allowing her to grow into the child she would become. Instead, they completely neglected their moral duty to protect her. Their behaviour and attempts to mislead our investigation throughout have made this case even more horrifying, so we welcome the custodial sentences handed down today.

“The investigation team never knew Omra, but we have seen countless images of her when being cared for by others which show a happy, smiling, beautiful child and she is in our thoughts today and always.”

Alan Richardson of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Morsal Mohammed Naim not only shook her daughter to death, but then lied about what she had done.

“As her mum, Naim should have cared for two-year old Omra Wali Jan, and kept her safe. Instead, she inflicted the catastrophic injuries that caused Omra’s death. It is a killing almost impossible to comprehend in its cruelty and sheer senselessness […] Our thoughts are of Omra – whose young life was cut mercilessly short – and all those affected by her untimely death.”