Tomsk

Russian authorities have killed more than 3,400 dangerous brown bears since the start of the year as encounters with people increase across regions. Tomsk Oblast is now paying for bear culls, Novosibirsk Oblast has announced a hunt for 354 bears, and the Far East is using electric fencing to keep bears away from dumps and villages. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev said the government is preparing measures in response to bear attacks in several regions, while media advise readers how to survive an encounter with the predator.

President Vladimir Putin has signed a decision transferring land belonging to a Tomsk university into the ownership of the Altai Republic. The move, reported by Bankfax, hands control of the territories to the regional authorities in Gorno-Altaysk. The transfer is drawing attention in Russia as it changes the status of federally held academic land and could affect how the plots are used in the remote mountain region.

A local Tomsk news outlet published an astrological forecast for October 9, noting that the Moon would be 'void of course' until 11:10 and advising readers on how the day's zodiac sign influences plans and decisions. Such daily horoscope columns remain a regular feature of regional Russian news sites, and readers continue to follow them for guidance on the day ahead.