The Monocle Daily – November 28, 2025

Episode Overview

Host Andrew Muller is joined by Monocle correspondents Carlotta Rebello and Fernando Augusto Pacheco for a brisk, sharp-witted take on the day’s international headlines. This episode spotlights three major stories: Jakarta becoming the world’s largest megacity, the Louvre increasing ticket prices for non-EU visitors, and Brazilian telenovelas pushing for global audience domination. Alongside the headlining topics, the show delivers a signature blend of humor, cultural insight, and headline dissection, including a satirical weekly roundup.

1. Jakarta Overtakes Tokyo as the World’s Largest Megacity

Starts at 04:14

Key Points & Insights

• Jakarta now the world’s most populous city with 42 million inhabitants, overtaking Tokyo, due to a UN reclassification of urban/rural boundaries.
• Nine out of the ten biggest cities are in Asia, with Cairo being the only exception outside Asia.
• Rapid urbanization is most intense in Africa and Asia.

Discussion Highlights:

• Changing Status of Megacities

  • Fernando Augusto Pacheco: “We used to be top ten, but not anymore.” [05:15] on São Paulo's new 13th place
  • The panel discusses how some megacities are seeing growth slow or decline, while Asian cities surge ahead.

• Demographic Trends

  • Carlotta Rebello: “By 2050, 68% of the world population would live in cities… in 1950, only 2.5 billion people lived in cities.” [06:06]
  • Urbanization is described as “one of the biggest demographic shifts in human history.”

• Drivers of Urbanization

  • Andrew Muller questions whether migration to megacities is by choice or necessity. [07:36]
  • Fernando: “Personally, I think it's both… If you want to have a good career, it is a good idea to move to a big city. The difference is, it doesn’t need to be New York or London these days.” [08:02]

• Future of Megacities

  • Concerns about sustainability as cities like Jakarta literally sink (prompting Indonesia’s plan to build a new capital), and Tehran faces possible evacuation due to environmental collapse. [08:59]
  • Carlotta: “Sometimes it's just as simple as the actual timing of things. You cannot build at a pace that matches the demographic movements…” [09:32]

2. The Louvre Hikes Ticket Prices for Non-EU Visitors

Starts at 10:56

Key Points & Insights

• Louvre ticket prices to rise from €22 to €32 for visitors from outside the European Economic Area.
• Funds will be used for security upgrades, particularly following a recent museum heist.
• Satirical assertion that the price hike “is basically an American/British tax” to “wind up” those visitor groups. [12:44]

Discussion Highlights:

• Fernando: “I would make it cheaper for locals, for Parisians even... so in that sense it feels a little bit discriminatory, I have to say.” [11:52]
• Carlotta argues that higher fees for non-EU visitors are justified because “a lot of the funding... are EU funds, so EU citizens have paid for it in a different way with their taxes.” [13:00]
• London model praised for keeping museums free for all, with charges for special exhibitions. [14:50]
• Fernando: “I like the model, but I don’t think it’s the perfect model as well.” [15:06]

Notable Quote

“They have literally just done this to wind up the Americans and the British, which I genuinely think is just altogether commendable.”
— Andrew Muller [12:49]

• Security upgrades post-heist are discussed as necessary to protect both the Louvre’s integrity and visitor experience. [15:27]

3. Brazilian Telenovelas Eye International Expansion

Starts at 16:15

Key Points & Insights

• Brazil’s iconic telenovelas are set for English-language adaptations, targeting the US and broader global markets.
• Telenovelas remain highly popular in Brazil and Portugal, influencing domestic production styles.
• Format differences likely for US audience adaptation: Brazilian telenovelas typically run a fixed 200 episodes, unlike ongoing Western soaps.

Discussion Highlights:

• Fernando: “Five years ago… a lot of people in Brazil, they were saying, is this the death of the telenovela? … That is not the case.” [17:17]
• Despite streaming, telenovelas thrive—even among youth, albeit via mobile devices.
• Carlotta describes Portugal as “one of the biggest markets for Brazilian telenovelas… It started in the late 70s… the power, the soft power of the Brazilian telenovela.” [18:03]
• On adaptation for the US:
  Fernando: “They might not understand the way we do telenovela, which… is like 200 episodes… and then we move on.” [19:46]

Notable Moments

• The telenovela "Avenida Brasil" cited as a cultural phenomenon that reflected the emerging middle class in Brazil; even disrupted a presidential address.
• Fernando’s recommendation: “A próxima vítima… four wealthy kind of Italian-Brazilian sisters… that’s iconic.” [21:56]

4. Special Report: The National Newspaper and Abu Dhabi as Media Hub

Starts at 22:42

Key Points & Insights

• Featuring Mina Al Arabi, editor in chief of The National (UAE).
• The National: an English-language paper launched in 2008, relaunched for a regional/global audience in 2016.
• Most readership is international (55–60% outside UAE), underscoring the region’s global media relevance.
• Abu Dhabi discussed as a growing regional media and convening hub, attracting global journalists and outlets.
• Editorial diversity and audience digital engagement highlighted as key strengths. [24:00–28:45]

Notable Quote

“You are at the perch of a city and a country that is such a global hub… our newsroom… over 30 nationalities working together.”
— Mina Al Arabi [22:50]

5. Weekly Satirical Wrap: "What We Learned"

Starts at 29:48

Tone & Highlights

Andrew Muller offers a wry digest of the week’s most bizarre headlines, ranging from conspiracy theorist claims to peculiar political developments—with tongue firmly in cheek.

• Recaps Candace Owens’ wild conspiracy claims involving Emmanuel Macron and the French secret service. [30:42]
• Playful skewering of US political machinations, military investigation absurdities, and—most surreal—news of a Namibian politician named Adolf Hitler winning re-election.
• Memorable closing moment:

  “That is it for this edition of the Monocle Daily… Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.”

Notable Quotes & Moments With Timestamps

• “By 2050, 68% of the world population would live in cities… in 1950, only 2.5 billion people lived in cities.” — Carlotta Rebello [06:06]
• “Personally, I think it’s both… If you want to have a good career, it is a good idea to move to a big city.” — Fernando Augusto Pacheco [08:02]
• “They have literally just done this to wind up the Americans and the British…” — Andrew Muller [12:49]
• “Five years ago… is this the death of the telenovela? … That is not the case.” — Fernando Augusto Pacheco [17:17]
• “Portugal is perhaps one of the biggest markets for Brazilian telenovelas…” — Carlotta Rebello [18:03]
• “You are at the perch of a city and a country that is such a global hub…” — Mina Al Arabi [22:50]

Overall Tone, Style & Experience

The episode brims with Monocle’s typical mix of urbane wit, cultural curiosity, and internationalism. Andrew Muller’s sardonic humor complements Carlotta and Fernando’s expert insights. The show moves effortlessly from statistical analysis and sociological implications to absurdist satire, making for a lively, engaging listen even as it brings clarity to complex global trends.

For listeners wanting sharp perspective on the world’s shifting urban landscapes, cultural institutions’ balancing acts, and the enduring global allure of Brazilian melodrama, this episode of The Monocle Daily delivers both substance and smiles.