Our colleagues from The Times continue to write about the inhabitants of Siberia who live permanently in a horrific frosts:

Fur, felt and food are Siberia’s holy trinity for surviving and thriving in exceptionally cold weather. "If Britain is getting a dose of our weather, then tell people to put on a fur coat and hat - real, of course", - says Galina Ivanovna, 62, who stands at her outdoor market stall in Novosibirsk for six hours a day. In temperatures as low as minus 38C,she has little appetite for animal rights.

"Wear valenki, boots made from wool felt, and put on lots of woollen clothes underneath", she adds. "You need good thick gloves, like the ones I sell, and make sure you protect your neck with a really warm scarf. Thick, long socks too. Above all, eat a good breakfast before you go out. I usually have fried potatoes cooked in lard and a mug of lemon tea with three sugars".

Obviously, journalists are trying to inspire the freezing UK citizens. We hope they are successful.

Peeing Panda Fountain. Photos by Dmitry Kobsev.

Architectural Festival "Green City" was held in the Altay Mountains (Russia) in early August. Participants built architectural objects from materials that can be found at the scene. According to organizers, this is one of the principles of eco-architecture. The aim of the festival was to create a model architecture that is able to blend with the environment.

Our colleague Dmitry Kobsev, who visited architectural festival, said metkere.com, that he was impressed by impractical objects, like The Temple of Wind or The City of Flowers. "This is a bare idea, a sort of concept, not a claim for housing", - said Dmitry Kobsev.

Related article: "We are the Champions" in Altay Language.

Helen Zille is the Mayor of Cape Town and leader of the Democratic Alliance political party, South Africa’s official opposition. Helen Zille has reached the final shortlist of 11 world mayors in the World Mayor Award, and she is the only remaining mayor of an African city.

In her interview for metkere.com Helen Zille told about environmental sustainability, the preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and her vision for the future of Cape Town.

— What are you working on now?

— At the moment I am focused on getting the first phase of our Bus Rapid Transit System for Cape Town underway, and also on improving the rate at which we deliver housing opportunities.

— What was the main problem for the city in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup?

— The biggest challenge has always been, and still is, ensuring that we have adequate funding from central government for the major infrastructure investments we have to make, so that the City is not left with huge debts after the event is finished.

— This year Novosibirsk was the best place to watch total solar eclipse. Local residents and tourists were pretty disappointed in actions of the city administration in that period. What would you do if total eclipse had happened in Cape Town?

— I would first consult with a broad range of stakeholders to establish what is required by the public, and then look at what we could do within practical constraints to meet the demand.

— You are finalist for the World Mayor award. Could you give some advice to your Russian colleagues how to be a good mayor?

— I don“t think there is any one-size fits all approach — it really depends on doing the best you can, with what you have, where you are, and never giving up.

— What is your way to make the city more eco-friendly?

— We have a dedicated Environmental Resource Management Department which has formulated a range of policies to improve our environmental sustainability.

We have put various measures in place, including air-pollution by-laws and policing, major upgrades to our wastewater treatment plants to improve the quality of effluent that is released into our rivers and oceans, and investing in wind energy to reduce carbon emissions.

We also have very strictly controlled conservation areas and strong Environmental Impact Assessment laws at national government level.

— What is your vision for the future of Cape Town?

— I want to see it become a world class African city, one that can attract enough skills and capital in the global arena to sustain faster economic growth and job creation. I want to see Cape Town get to the point where economic growth is substantial enough to enable us to address our main developmental challenges.