Mumbai is a city of contrasts. Here, the super-rich and slum dwellers live side by side. As more and more luxury skyscrapers go up, slums are forced to make way for them. Conflicts ensue. So what is life like, in a megacity with 20 million inhabitants?
In Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, more than a million people live in extremely crowded conditions. But the neighbourhood is dynamic. We meet Mahesh, 27, who was born in the slum and has never left. Today, he runs a recycling plant that employs about 20 people. Dharavi’s shadow economy is said to bring in 800 million euros a year.
However, the future of the neighbourhood is uncertain, as it sits on valuable property — located right in the city centre. With the support of local authorities, real estate magnate Babulal Varma is tearing down slums to build luxury housing for the upper classes. Will Dharavi survive? Mumbai is already one of the most populous cities in the world.
By 2035, the population is projected to rise drastically — to 30 million. The city’s inevitable expansion affects not only the people who live there, but also the forests that surround it. These include the “Sanjay Gandhi National Park”. Now, the leopards living in the park have started to make regular forays into new housing developments, looking for food. They attack stray dogs, as well as humans. As urbanization continues, the conflict between humans and wild animals is sure to become more dire.
Discover the Eifel Region with DW Travel Guide Nicole Frölich! The low mountain range in western Germany extends through parts of the federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North-Rhine Westphalia. The region has a special geological feature: volcanic activity! Nicole travels through the Eifel National Park and explores the fascinating natural beauty of the region with its geysers, volcanic lakes and dense forests.
Video timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:34 Monschau 02:16 Volcanic Activity 05:34 Eifel National Park 07:34 Ordensburg Vogelsang, Former Nazi Estate 09:00 Lake Laacher See 11:11 Maria Laach Abbey
In the summer of 2021, nature showed its destructive side: the Eifel region was hit by serious floods; locals and the tourist industry are still picking up the pieces to this day. The area is also home to a sinister place of remembrance: the former Nazi estate of Ordensburg Vogelsang, a training site for Nazi cadets during the Third Reich.Nicole’s trip to the Eifel took place in the fall of 2021. It begins in the picturesque medieval town of Monschau.
Lombardy is a region in Northern Italy. Its capital, Milan, is a global hub of fashion and finance, with many high-end shops and restaurants. Its Gothic Duomo di Milano cathedral and Santa Maria delle Grazie convent, housing Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of “The Last Supper,” testify to centuries of art and culture. North of Milan, Lake Como is an upscale alpine resort with dramatic scenery.
Throughout Nepal, large freight trucks painted by artists provide special visual entertainment for travelers along the highways and dangerous mountain roads of the Himalayas. These creatively painted scenes and sayings can be clever, witty and even profound – offering food for thought to the viewer. Former Peace Corps volunteer and UC San Diego lecturer emeritus Ron Ranson, along with filmmaker Sudarson Karki, document the Nepali custom of painting trucks with icons of their country, spiritual life, European sports teams and even major movies like “Titanic.”
Georgina Godwin sets the tone for the weekend. We gauge the mood on the ground in Kyiv as tensions with Russia increase, review the day’s papers and Monocle’s Andrew Tuck shares his thoughts for this weekend.
Boomers Daily 