Ananova:

A Russian mayor has banned his staff from making excuses for not doing their jobs.

Alexander Kuzmin, mayor of Megion in Siberia, said officials must stop using phrases such as "I don't know" and "it's lunch time".

Mr Kuzmin said city officials should help improve people's lives and solve their problems, not make excuses.

The list of 27 forbidden phrases includes "there's no money", "we're having lunch", "the working day is over", "somebody else has the documents" and "I think I was off sick at the time".

Mr Kuzmin warned in a statement that "the use of these expressions by city administration officials while speaking to the head of the city will speed their departure".

He said he was taking action as he was tired of civil servants telling him that problems were impossible to solve, rather than offering practical solutions.