New Mayor Kills Off Rome Bid For 2024 Olympics

Rome’s new mayor, Virginia Raggi pulled the plug on the city’s bid to host the 2024 Olympics, saying staging the summer games would bury the Italian capital under mountains of debt and Tonnes of cement. The decision represents a blow to the international olympic committee, which has already seen Boston and Hamburg abandon their 2024 bids, and is struggling to convince potential host cities that it is worth putting on the sporting extravaganza. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi had championed Rome’s challenge, but he needed the backing of the city council to press ahead. Raggi’s decision means only Paris, los Angeles and Budapest are left in the running to stage the 2024 games. Italian Olympic committee chief Giovanni Malago had been scheduled to meet Raggi on Wednesday, but he left city hall after waiting for half an hour, saying she had not turned up. Local residents welcomed the news of the withdrawal with mixed views