Olympics boost for Paris and other urban transformation stories you need to read

As the Olympic Games gets underway in Paris on 26 July, new analysis reveals it will likely boost the French economy, through ticket sales and tourism.

The country's National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) estimates the Paris Games will increase growth in the third quarter to 0.5%, up from 0.3% in the second quarter, Reuters reports.

INSEE economist Dorian Roucher compared this impact to the effect the London 2012 Olympics had on the British economy.

However, some travel companies reported lower bookings than expected as higher costs of accommodation appeared to deter some travellers.

The International Olympic Committee previously predicted a $12.2 billion boost to the Île-de-France region around Paris from hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Singapore has been named the world's "safest city" for tourists, according to a study by Forbes Advisor.

The research analyzed 60 cities and assigned safety scores from 0 to 100, with Singapore scoring 0 points.

Singapore had the lowest natural disaster risk and the second lowest health and infrastructure risks. It also ranked second lowest in digital security risk.

Tokyo and Toronto were ranked second and third safest cities for travellers, with Tokyo having the lowest health security risk, while Sydney and Zürich completed the top five.

A record-breaking heat wave is hitting cities in the western United States. Around 30 million people were under heat advisories or excessive heat warnings until 24 July, with temperatures reaching over 110°F (43°C). States affected include California, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

A global tech outage linked to issues at cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike and Microsoft impacted operations at airports, airlines, banks and media outlets on 19 July, as major city airports across the globe affected.

Parts of Toronto were hit by flash flooding due to torrential rain on 16 July, with traffic disrupted and power outages affecting residents. Airlines were also forced to reduce services.

At least six people died as torrential rain caused mudslides and flooding in China's megacity Chongqing, according to Chinese state media.

In June, China's new home prices experienced the fastest decline in nine years. New home prices dropped by 4.5% from the previous year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics analyzed by Reuters. Property investment in China fell 10.1% in the first half of 2024 from a year earlier.

The Spanish government has announced a crackdown on short-term and seasonal holiday lettings. Platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com will be investigated to verify if they have licences, said consumer rights minister Pablo Bustinduy.

In June, house prices in Australia increased for the 17th consecutive month. CoreLogic, a property consultant, reported that home prices climbed 0.7% in June from May when it gained 0.8%. Prices are up 8.0% on a year earlier.

Involving local and regional governments in multilateral decision-making processes so they can suggest solutions to the major challenges facing the world would transform global governance, writes Andras Szorenyi, Senior Policy Advisor, Geneva Cities Hub. Cities can play an important role in complementing and extending the actions of central governments, helping to deliver crucial targets such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals or the Paris Agreement.

Young people across the world are experiencing rising levels of distress, with youth anxiety and depression at its highest since the 2010s. Action at all levels of society – from parents to policy-makers – is needed to shift this trend. Two experts speaking during the ‘Less Play, More Talk?’ session at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2024 outlined what we can do to re-shape our cities to respond to the interconnected problems of climate change and youth mental ill-health.