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The unexpected return of two William Hartnell episodes to the BBC archive has sent shockwaves of excitement through the Whovian community. For the first time since 1965, fans can now enjoy the first quarter of the 12-part adventure 'The Daleks' Master Plan.'The surviving five episodes are now on iPlayer, and the first three make for a stirring introduction to the adventure, with large impressive sets for the Earth control centre and the Dalek ship, contrasting with the dense forbidding foliage of the planet Kembel. Frequent tight closeup shots from director Douglas Camfield on the faces of the cast add to a claustrophobic feel in the jungle sequences.At the time, Hartnell was not to know that within a year he would be 'renewed' as the lead of the show by Patrick Troughton. Hartnell's health problems, reputation for being difficult on set and frequent flubbing of lines during a production schedule that allowed little leeway for second takes has tainted his tenure in the role.Here, especially in the opener, we get to see him in some of his strongest moments as the Doctor. With Stephen (Peter Purves) incapacitated by the poison he picked up in Troy, and Katarina (Adrienne Hill) little more than a hollow vessel of a character, Hartnell has much more to do than usual. The actor gets to show the gleeful side of his nature as he delights at his own invention of the magnetic chair and his ingenuity at repelling – at least initially – boarders to the spaceship.Rediscovering episode one also means we can enjoy beloved children's television presenter Brian Cant flexing his acting chops in something other than Playschool, and all three episodes prominently feature Nicholas Courtney, who would go on to play Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart for 40 years, as Bret Vyon. A highlight is the Addams family-esque kookiness of the aliens making up the Dalek council, which is certainly preferable to the somewhat cliched prison planet savages set-up of part three.The biggest mystery, of course, is how these episodes have ended up surviving. Film is Fabulous, the people who secured them, have said they are respecting the wishes of the estate of the person who was holding and keeping them anonymous. Perhaps the most intriguing thing is that, given it was never sold overseas, the missing episodes of the Daleks' Master Plan were among the least likely to ever be found, but two episodes were sitting in those film cans all along. Who knows what else might still be out there?

Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a comprehensive report titled None Can Run Away, concluding that Burkina Faso’s military, its allied Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDPs), and the al‑Qaeda‑linked Jama’at Nusrat al‑Islam wa al‑Muslimin (JNIM) have perpetrated war crimes and crimes against humanity since the coup that brought the junta to power in September 2022. Through in‑person and telephone interviews with more than 450 witnesses across Burkina Faso, Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Mali, HRW verified 57 distinct incidents involving wilful killing, attacks on civilians and civilian objects, pillage, looting, and forced displacement. The report estimates that 1,837 civilians were killed between January 2023 and August 2025, with over 1,200 deaths directly linked to government forces. The United Nations estimates that the conflict has displaced approximately two million people, underscoring a humanitarian crisis of regional magnitude. Among the deadliest attacks, the military and VDP militias slaughtered more than 400 civilians across 16 villages near the northern town of Djibo in December 2023. In November 2023, allied militias killed 13 Fulani civilians—including six women and four children—in the western village of Basse, employing methods described by survivors as “blindfolded, hands tied, and riddled with bullets.” JNIM’s own atrocities were highlighted by the August 24, 2024 massacre in Barsalogho, where at least 133 civilians, many of them children, were shot indiscriminately. HRW’s findings point to a systematic targeting of the Fulani ethnic group, whom the junta accuses of supporting armed insurgents, resulting in what the report characterises as an ethnic cleansing of entire communities. HRW calls for urgent investigations into President Ibrahim Traoré, the supreme commander of the armed forces, and six senior military commanders for “grave abuses.” The organization also urges scrutiny of Iyad Ag Ghaly, JNIM’s supreme leader wanted by the International Criminal Court, and four of his commanders under the principle of command responsibility. “The scale of atrocities taking place in Burkina Faso is mind‑boggling, as is the lack of global attention to this crisis,” said Philippe Bolopion, executive director of HRW. “The junta is committing horrific abuses itself, failing to hold those responsible on all sides to account, and curtailing reporting to obscure the suffering of civilians caught in the violence.” Survivors recount harrowing details: a 41‑year‑old father described his son’s body “shot in the back of the neck,” while a 39‑year‑old witness to the Barsalogho attack said, “People were falling like flies. They came to exterminate us. They did not spare anyone.” These revelations amplify calls from the international community for accountability and for renewed humanitarian assistance to the millions displaced by the protracted Sahel conflict.

New research by Cleanview and a subsequent confirmation from Google reveal that the tech giant is collaborating with Crusade Energy to develop a 933‑megawatt natural‑gas power plant in the sparsely populated Armstrong County of the Texas panhandle. The facility will serve the Goodnight AI‑focused datacenter campus, signaling a notable departure from Google’s long‑standing clean‑energy narrative.The plant, slated for off‑grid operation, is intended to power at least two buildings on the Goodnight site. Satellite imagery commissioned by Cleanview shows construction already under way, following a permit application filed in January.According to the 465‑page permit filing, the plant could emit as much as 4.5 million tons of carbon dioxide per year—roughly the same amount released annually by the entire city of San Francisco. This emission level underscores the environmental stakes of the project.Cleanview founder Michael Thomas described the venture as “one of the first direct investments in fossil‑fuel infrastructure” he has seen from Google, suggesting a strategic pivot away from the company’s historic climate leadership.When queried, Google spokesperson Chrissy Moy did not deny the partnership but clarified that “we don’t have a contract in place for the plant in Texas.” She noted that negotiations are ongoing and pointed to a separate wind‑farm partnership with Serena Energy in the region. Crusoe Energy declined to comment.The Texas project is Google’s third known involvement with gas‑fuel facilities in recent months. Earlier in October, the company announced an agreement to purchase power from a gas plant in Illinois, and documents obtained in May revealed exploratory talks on a large‑scale gas project in Nebraska.Despite the shift, Google maintains that natural gas does not conflict with its climate objectives. The firm argues it is moving from a strategy of buying carbon credits to one of “building the grid” to secure carbon‑free energy for its operations.At a recent energy conference in Houston, Google’s head of advanced energy, Michael Terrell, declined to elaborate on how natural gas aligns with the company’s sustainability roadmap.From carbon‑free promises to “climate moonshots”Google has long positioned itself as a climate leader, setting a 2020 goal to achieve net‑zero carbon emissions across all operations by 2030 and investing heavily in wind, solar, geothermal and nuclear projects. However, the rapid expansion of AI workloads has strained those commitments.The 2023 sustainability report noted that Google was no longer “maintaining operational carbon neutrality,” and a 2024 update reported a 48 % rise in greenhouse‑gas emissions since 2019, driven largely by datacenter energy demand.By 2025, the company reframed its emissions targets as “climate moonshots,” acknowledging the growing complexity of meeting its 2030 ambitions amid AI‑driven uncertainties.Google is not alone in this trend. Competitors such as Meta, Amazon and Microsoft have also turned to natural‑gas‑powered facilities to meet the soaring energy needs of their AI infrastructures, highlighting a broader industry tension between rapid AI deployment and climate pledges.Thomas of Cleanview summed up the situation: “The race to build AI is creating a new tension with climate goals that these hyperscalers have long championed.”

The Washington Wizards faced criticism on social media after an April Fools' Day in-game promotion during their loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. A fan was brought on to the court for a blindfolded half-court shot promoted as being worth $10,000. Although the shot missed, arena staff and performers reacted as if it had gone in and briefly presented the fan with a ceremonial check as part of a scripted skit.Video of the sequence circulated online, leading to questions about whether the fan had been misled. Critics, including Jemele Hill and Andrew Brandt, expressed outrage, with Hill calling it "unhinged" and Brandt saying it was "on-brand" for the Wizards' season.The Wizards apologized on Thursday, stating that the segment was pre-planned and that all participants were aware of the joke. The team said, "We apologize for last night's April Fools' joke that left many wondering if we had misled a fan. The skit involving our mascot and other members of our performance team was scripted and intended to celebrate the day. All participants were in on the joke, but we missed the mark."The team remains "committed to providing a positive experience to all who attend our games." The Wizards lost the game 153-131 and are 17-59 this season, dead last in the Eastern Conference.

NASA's Artemis II mission is on track to make history as four astronauts prepare to leave Earth's orbit and embark on a journey towards the moon. This 10-day voyage marks a significant milestone in the US space agency's ambitious plan to land humans back on the lunar surface this decade and establish a permanent presence there.The crew, consisting of three Americans and one Canadian, launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday. After a series of tests and preparations, they are set to perform a translunar injection burn, a six-minute engine firing that will send the Orion spacecraft on its path to the moon.During their journey, the astronauts will loop around the back of the moon, becoming the four people to travel the farthest from Earth in history. They will then use the moon's gravity to launch back home. This mission is expected to break the record for distance traveled away from Earth, currently held by the Apollo 13 crew, who reached 248,655 miles (400,171km) in 1970.The Artemis II mission is a crucial test of NASA's capabilities, with future missions aiming to land astronauts on the moon's south pole as early as 2028. The US is in a new space race with China, which plans to send a crewed mission to the same lunar region as early as 2030. NASA's long-term goal is to build a lunar base that can house a permanent human presence, bringing humanity closer to living on the moon and Mars.

Tiger Woods, the renowned golfer, has entered a not guilty plea in his DUI case in Florida. This development comes after a sheriff's report detailed his impaired state and the presence of opioid pills at the scene of the crash.According to the Martin County Sheriff's Office report, Woods's eyes were bloodshot and glassy, his pupils were dilated, and he exhibited slow and lethargic movements. Two white pills identified as hydrocodone, an opioid used for pain treatment, were found in his pocket.Woods attributed his condition to prescription medication taken earlier that morning. He informed deputies that he had been distracted by his phone and radio before the accident, which involved his Land Rover clipping a truck.The golfing legend, 50, with a history of injuries including a severe leg injury from a 2021 car crash, showed signs of impairment during a field sobriety test. He refused a urine test but agreed to a breathalyzer test, which showed no alcohol.Woods faces charges of driving under the influence, property damage, and refusal to submit to a lawful test. His arraignment is scheduled for April 23.

The Guardian’s March reading roundup gathers a diverse set of recommendations from both its writers and its readership, offering a snapshot of the titles that captured their attention over the past month.John Lanchester highlights two recent British novels that resonated with him after completing his own manuscript: Drayton and Mackenzie by Alexander Starritt, a story of friendship intertwined with business, and The New Life by Tom Crewe, which explores gay life in the 1890s. His European picks include Eurotrash by Christian Kracht, a darkly comic road‑trip tale, Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, a critique of the digital‑nomad lifestyle, and Olga Tokarczuk’s genre‑defying Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. Lanchester also notes his own recent release, Look What You Made Me Do, available from Faber for £20 via the Guardian bookshop.James, a regular Guardian reader, is immersed in Tom’s Crossing by Mark Danielewski. He describes the 1,200‑page modern western as a masterclass in character depth and meticulous detail, urging readers not to be deterred by its length.Patmeena Sabit turns to shorter forms when time is scarce, recommending Hue and Cry by James Alan McPherson for its understated humanity, Fifty‑Two Stories (a new Chekhov collection translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky) for its blend of classics and previously untranslated pieces, and Ada Limón’s poetry collection Bright Dead Things for its poignant beauty. Sabit also promotes her own work, Good People, published by Virago at £16.99.David praises Zbig: The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski, America’s Cold War Prophet by Edward Luce, calling it a dense yet illuminating autobiography that traces U.S. and global power dynamics from the 1960s to the early Trump era, and recommending a piecemeal reading approach.Arash finds profound resonance in Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy. He describes the memoir as an emotionally powerful tribute to Roy’s mother, noting its refusal to fall into gendered clichés while championing compassion and resistance against chauvinism.

The Guardian’s newest photo feature puts the spotlight on Finnish photographer Claire Aho, whose recent work erupts in vivid hues, heralding what many describe as a colour revolution in the nation’s visual culture.Through a series of carefully composed shots, Aho captures everyday Finnish scenes transformed by bold palettes, inviting viewers to reconsider familiar landscapes through a more expressive lens.Critics note that the images not only celebrate aesthetic innovation but also reflect a broader cultural momentum toward brighter, more optimistic artistic expressions across Finland.

Iraq secured the final spot in the World Cup by defeating Bolivia 2-1 in a crucial intercontinental playoff held in Mexico. The match saw Iraq's Ali Al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein score goals that sealed their first World Cup appearance in 40 years. The Iraqi team's preparations were disrupted due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Despite these challenges, they showed resilience and determination. Ali Al-Hamadi opened the scoring for Iraq in the ninth minute, with a well-taken goal from a corner kick. Bolivia equalized in the 38th minute through Ramiro Vaca's shot, which was controlled and finished by Moises Paniagua. However, Iraq regained the lead in the second half when Aymen Hussein scored a crucial goal eight minutes into the second half. Iraq's Australian coach, Graham Arnold, had initially requested a postponement of the match due to the disruptions caused by the conflict. The team's journey to Mexico was also arduous, with most players taking a three-day overland trip from Baghdad. The win ensures Iraq's participation in Group I of the World Cup, where they will face France, Senegal, and Norway. This marks a significant achievement for Iraqi football, with their last World Cup appearance being in 1986.