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Rina Chandran
Asia correspondent
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Dear reader,

The coronavirus is enabling cities to imagine a different future.

In Amsterdam, officials are looking to revive tourism while making sure it does not hurt residents fed up with drunken visitors, with a plan to target those seeking the city’s cultural and historical offerings instead, reports Karolin Schaps.

"If tourists only want to smoke weed, drink too much alcohol and visit the Red Light District, please stay home," said Amsterdam's deputy mayor, Victor Everhardt.

A pedestrian walks on a bridge past signs warning of a 95-euro fine for drinking in public in Amsterdam's Red Light district, June 24, 2021. Thomson Reuters Foundation/Karolin Schaps

The pandemic has also spurred more cycling worldwide - even in India's notoriously congested urban hubs, where a federal programme has boosted bike sales and greater interest in cycling, despite the lack of dedicated bike lanes and harassment of female cyclists, reports correspondent Anuradha Nagaraj.

"The time is ideal for a revolutionary change - from cycle for sport to cycle for transport," said Kunal Kumar, head of the Smart Cities Mission, which runs the cycling initiative in India.

And while summer conjures images of lazing on the beach or splashing in a pool, Black and ethnic minorities have long lagged in swimming rates, a result of uneven access to beaches and water sports.

Peigh Asante (L) and Nathaniel Cole, co-founders of London-based swimming club and school Swim Dem Crew, are pictured swimming in the sea. Handout courtesy of Sebastian Barros via THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION

The reasons can range from financial constraints and a lack of nearby pools, to suitable hair accessories or modest swimwear, report Lin Taylor and Carey Biron.

"Swimming is a key life skill. And we don't want certain communities to be precluded from being able to access that as a result of misconceptions and systemic inequalities," said Mike Hawkes, inclusion and safety partner at Swim England.

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