Top Stories

Snowfall Already?

KOLOSJOKI - Yes, it's snowing already in the northernmost parts of Uralica.

The year's first snowfall was recorded in Belushya Guba, on the South Island of Novaja Zemlja, near the beginning of the month, however it was overnight, and it turned to rain in the afternoon.

But last night was a different story entirely. Several major centres in Uralica's northern areas got blanketed with an average of about two inches of snow. Although Uralican vehicles are equipped to handle all but the heaviest of snowfalls, fewer cars were on the road as people carpooled to church services and soccer matches.

It was the first consistent snowfall recorded in any major centres - Murmansk, Kolosjoki, Naryan-Mar, Tazovsky, and Mezen' all recorded snow. Surprinsingly, the snow seemed to miss Arkhangel'sk and Severodvinsk. But according to some meteorologists in Uralica, that won't last long.

"The weather forecasters are calling for snow in the Unified Port area as early as tomorrow afternoon," Jarkko Salomäki said in an interview, still decked out in shorts in spite of cooler weather in Izhevsk, where the low was 0C and the high 4C. "Apparently the Ob Bend is gonna get snow later in the week, too. Ah well, we can handle it. By the time November comes around, almost every Uralican city should have had at least frost."

Uralikan Yliopisto Expanding Course Selection

SYKTYVKAR - Dr. Ovdey Shlomov was grinning from ear to ear as he declared that, with the addition of several new sessional professors to the UY roster, the course selection the institute offers will grow starting in January 2011.

"It shouldn't be surprising that most of these expansions are going to be in the Faculty of Humanities," Shlomov said in an interview after the press conference in question. "In particular, Turkic and Central Asian Studies, Asian Language Studies, and Uralic Studies are in for the largest expansions. International Studies is being overhauled as well, but that overhaul will not be complete until May in all likelihood."

In other UY news, the university is seeking to expand its already large base of foreign affiliations, looking into exchange agreements from any willing university.

Uralican News

Fish Stocks In Upper Mezen' River Recovering

USOVUORI - Five months after the completion of the cleanup of a chemical leak emanating from a nearby defunct chemical weapons depot (and the dismantling of the same), fluvial ecologists are now saying that implanted fish stocks are starting to take hold in the upper Mezen' River, which was heavily polluted by the leak.

This is good news for fishing enthusiasts for the area, who were worried that the trout and whitefish stocks would be gone for good.

Sports

SiPS Surges, Telekom Looming

SYKTYVKAR - So Telekom Pazhga finally made SiPS drop points. Time to wonder if SiPS is gonna let this slip away, right?

WRONG.

A Joni Rasimus hat trick propelled the two-time defending Bolakliiga champs to a 5-1 thrashing of slumping Udmurtiya Izhevsk. But one can't count the 'Kom out just yet. They easily dispatched an improved but still half-rate FK Inta 2-0. With Khavkuk Shlomov still injured after having his leg broken in an international friendly back in early August, Dinamo Kirov has been struggling to keep pace with SiPS, although they have maintained a respectable third place.

In spite of the loss, FK Inta needs just two points in the last six matches to secure a place in the B-Liiga for next season. The likely drops appear to be the three "FKs Of Fail," as one foreign publisher dubbed them with a hint of malice - these are FK Kotlas, FK Kirov, and FK Syktyvkar, with FK Kirov being in last place with just 7 points this season. CSKVC Kirov can still drop down - they need no fewer than three victories to stay up.

In the Ykkönen, it is looking like Mordovia Saransk and Ural Yekaterinburg are locks for the B-Liiga for next season, but behind them is appearing an epic battle for the four playoff spots. On the other end, Lokomotiv Kotlas is already guaranteed relegation (to the Kakkonen West).

CSKA Kirov The Team To Watch This Season

KIROV - With the UIHL season now just underway, all eyes seem to be on someone other than HK Syktyvkar for a change. Although HKS did win the Kurri Trophy for topping the Uralican hockey scene, they got quite the fight from CSKA Kirov, and now everyone is left wondering whether they will bounce back this season and win it all.

"They have a good team, there's no question about that," said HKS star Matvey Kolpakov. "They have a real physical presence, and can play up-tempo hockey. Plus when you play them, you can't be afraid to goon things up a little, because that's what they do. But it's nothing bush league. Just they love a good fight once in a while is all. We've played against teams from other nations that balk at fighting, yet they use every cheap trick in the book then go and hide behind the refs. Not CSKA Kirov. Or any Uralican team for that matter."