On thin ice – Rising temperatures in Lapland

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) will assess the need for harsher sanctions in response to a racist incident in Ukraine and plans to pressure leagues around the world to amend their rule books to define sanctions for racist behaviour, the new IIHF president said. Luc Tardif took office as head of the IIHF a day before the hockey world was rattled by footage of Andriy Deniskin, a forward at HC Kremenchuk in the Ukrainian Hockey League (UHL), taunting HC Donbass defenceman Jalen Smereck, who is Black, by pretending to peel and eat a banana. Smereck, 24, took a leave of absence after the incident. HC Donbass announced on Sunday it had reached a mutual agreement to terminate the American's contract.

An official Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic venue held a test ice hockey match on Monday (November 8), with the Games just months away. The match, which was held without spectators and featured local teams Beijing Arcfox and Beijing Shougang, comes amid uncertainty over the participation status of China's men's national hockey team in next year's Games. China is guaranteed a spot in the ice hockey tournament due to its status as host nation, but International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) president Luc Tardif said in September that the men's team could be prevented from playing due to its "insufficient sporting standard".

Six French police officers are set for a disciplinary hearing over a failure to prevent a horrific femicide last year. Meanwhile, The Times of India calls to "punish hatemongers" after the appearance of an app targeting Muslim women. The UK's Prince Andrew tries to avoid trial for sex trafficking thanks to a deal his accuser signed with Jeffrey Epstein. And a hockey fan alerts a team staff member to a cancerous mole – saving his life and earning a scholarship.

Early visitors to the Main Press Centre at the Beijing Winter Olympics have been delighted to discover that ice cream is served to them by robots. To buy the ice cream, one must go to the cashier to pay first and get a receipt with a QR code, which you then scan on the machine and the robot will automatically kick into action.

Scientists have long warned about the effects of rising temperatures and plastic pollution in the world's oceans. Now, recent studies show the problems are getting worse.

Winter in Lapland is no longer as cold as it used to be, with dire repercussions. The ice is melting. We meet three women whose lives in their homeland are directly affected by climate change.

We look at a Russian doping scandal involving a budding ice skating champion at the Winter Olympics. Also in Russia, a teenager is sentenced to prison for trying to blow up the Russian intelligence agency in a video game. Plus, a woman says the viral word game Wordle saved her from a terrifying home invasion and finally, we bring you the darling of the US Olympic curling team!

The war in Ukraine continues to rage while Ukrainian and Russian negotiators talk. Experts say that for now neither side is ready for a breakthrough and fear that the war will last a very long time.

Much of Western Europe continues to bake in extreme heat, with the UK expected to record its hottest day on record and wildfires burning through forests in southern France. Relief is expected later in the week.

Following several weeks of power cuts that hit large industrial producers, power has started to return to normal. A record-breaking heat wave and drought are to blame for the crisis.

Earlier this week, the superstar rapper reposted an expenses sheet from his 2006 performance at the now-shut Kool Haus in his native Toronto, in which he opened for Ice Cube.

The continent has seen temperatures rise at a rate more than double that of the rest of the world over the past thirty years. At the same time, European countries had significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions.