The Take

Al Jazeera

The Take is a daily interview-driven international news podcast hosted by award-winning journalist Malika Bilal. Each episode focuses on conversations with journalists and people directly impacted by the news of the day, offering our listeners the context necessary to understand what's in the headlines. With millions of global listens, it's clear the conversations we're having on The Take are worth hearing. And critics think so too. The show has won the Online Journalism Awards, the Signal Awards, Lovie Awards, and Anthem Awards, among others.

  • 22 minutes 13 seconds
    What Israel’s shattered ceasefire means for Gaza

    Gaza’s fragile ceasefire is over. Israel launched overnight strikes on Tuesday, which have killed more than 400 people and injured hundreds more. Many were children, and more are still under the rubble. Why did this happen now, and what will the end of Israel’s ceasefire with Hamas mean for Palestinians in Gaza?

    In this episode:

    • Diana Buttu (@dianabuttu), human rights lawyer and analyst

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker, Sonia Bhagat and Chloe K. Li with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Remas Alhawari, Sarí el-Khalili, Amy Walters and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz.

    Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, FacebookThreads and YouTube

    18 March 2025, 11:26 pm
  • 23 minutes 42 seconds
    What’s next after US strikes on Yemen?

    US air strikes in Yemen have killed at least 53 people and injured more than 100. The strikes came after United States President Donald Trump warned the Houthis to stop their attacks on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea. What does the future hold for Yemen?

    In this episode: 

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and Chloe K. Li with Amy Walters, Melanie Marich, Hanah Shokeir, Remas Alhawari, and Natasha Del Toro. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz.

    Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, FacebookThreads and YouTube

    18 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 24 minutes 50 seconds
    Why was Rodrigo Duterte arrested by the ICC?

    Once hailed as the Philippines's strongman and infamous for his so-called "war on drugs", former President Rodrigo Duterte now sits behind bars. He made history this week as the first former Asian head of state to be arrested by the International Criminal Court. What does his arrest mean for the victims, supporters and the global fight against crimes against humanity?

    In this episode:

    • Carlos Conde, (@carloshconde), Senior Researcher, Human Rights Watch

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker, Sonia Bhagat, and Ashish Malhotra with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Amy Walters, Chloe K. Li, Melanie Marich, Hanah Shokeir, Remas Alhawari, and our host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. 

    The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Ashish Malhotra, Khaled Soltan, Amy Walters, and Noor Wazwaz. Our editorial interns are Remas Alhawari, Melanie Marich, and Hanah Shokeir. Our guest host is Kevin Hirten. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Aya Elmileik is lead of audience engagement.

    Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, FacebookThreads and YouTube

    17 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 5 minutes 5 seconds
    US attacks Yemen, Israel blockade of Gaza aid enters third week

    We're coming to you on Sundays with weekly roundups as Israel's war in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria continues. Ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel remained at an impasse. A crackdown on Palestinians in the US intensified. It is day 527 of the war in Gaza, where more than 48,453 Palestinians have been killed.

    In this episode:

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced and mixed by David Enders. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik and Adam Abou-Gad is our engagement producer. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio.

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, FacebookThreads and YouTube

    16 March 2025, 10:04 am
  • 21 minutes 4 seconds
    Another Take: Is a ‘new Nakba’ happening in Gaza?

    Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on May 15, 2023. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.

    May 15th is when Palestinians mark ‘the catastrophe’, or their forced expulsion from the land that became the state of Israel. Those living in Gaza say every day is an ongoing catastrophe. About 70% of Gazans are Palestinian refugees. For the last 16 years, Israel and Egypt have imposed a blockade on Gaza. Travel is heavily controlled, jobs are scarce and the threat of escalation of violence is constant. While the older generations still dream of a return to their homeland, the younger generations say their futures have been stolen. 

    In this episode:

    Episode credits:

    This episode was updated by Sarí el-Khalili. The original production team was Miranda Lin, Khaled Soltan, and our host, Malika Bilal. 

    Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Aya Elmileik is lead of audience engagement. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, FacebookThreads and YouTube

    15 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 23 minutes 44 seconds
    Why are students protesting in Serbia?

    How did Serbia’s students prompt a national movement for change? They’re leading countrywide protests after a railway station collapse killed 15 people last November. The protests have grown beyond demands for resignations, calling for structural change. Will they pull it off?

    In this episode:

    • Anđela Milivojević (@djandjava), Investigative Journalist

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Sonia Bhagat, and Amy Walters, with Ashish Malhotra, Chloe K. Li, Hanah Shokeir, Melanie Marich, Remas Alhawari, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz.

    Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, FacebookThreads and YouTube

    14 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 23 minutes 36 seconds
    Mahmoud Khalil and Trump’s war on pro-Palestinian activism

    What led to the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent pro-Palestine activist at Columbia University? Although he is a United States permanent resident, Khalil is facing deportation. The Trump administration says it's part of a broader effort to combat anti-Semitism, but critics see a chilling attack on political speech, with deportation being used as a weapon to silence dissent. US President Donald Trump says Khalil is the first of many to come. What happens next?

    In this episode:

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra, Sonia Bhagat, and Tamara Khandaker with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hanah Shokeir, Melanie Marich, Remas Alhawari, Khaled Soltan, and Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Alexandra Locke.

    Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, FacebookThreads and YouTube

    13 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 23 minutes 23 seconds
    With or without tariffs, China’s global rise is under way

    Is this China’s renaissance? Despite a trade war with the United States, China seems to be bounding into a high-tech future, making moves diplomatically, militarily and technologically. But some Chinese regions are facing a weakening economy and the effects of rapid urbanisation. Will China keep rising?

    In this episode:

    • Tony Cheng (@TLCBkk), Al Jazeera Correspondent

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Amy Walters and Sarí el-Khalili, with Khaled Soltan, Hanah Shokeir, Melanie Marich, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Alexandra Locke.

    Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, FacebookThreads and YouTube

    12 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 24 minutes 2 seconds
    What is behind the clashes in Syria?

    With hundreds dead after days of fighting between armed supporters of former leader Bashar al-Assad and government forces, the worst violence since al-Assad's fall, Syrians are grappling with how to move forward. Days ahead of the 14th anniversary of Syria's uprising, the country faces an uncertain path forward.

    In this episode:

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and Chloe K. Li with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hanah Shokeir, Melanie Marich and our guest host, Manuel Rápalo. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. 

    Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, FacebookThreads and YouTube

    11 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 21 minutes 34 seconds
    Is the world ready for the next pandemic?

    The clock is ticking down to the next pandemic, which could be deadlier than the last, as new zoonotic diseases emerge and global vaccine inequity persists. Five years since COVID-19, what lessons have we learned and what needs to change before it’s too late?

    In this episode:

    • Drew Ambrose (@drew_ambrose), Al Jazeera journalist, “Flatten the Curve”

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li, Ashish Malhotra, and Tamara Khandaker, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Amy Walters, Sarí el-Khalili, Marcos Bartolomé, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz.

    The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Ashish Malhotra, Khaled Soltan, Amy Walters, and Noor Wazwaz. Our editorial interns are Melanie Marich and Hanah Shokeir. Our guest host is Kevin Hirten. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Aya Elmileik is lead of audience engagement.

    Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, FacebookThreads and YouTube

    10 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 5 minutes 42 seconds
    Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha, Israel continues blocking aid

    We're coming to you on Sundays with weekly roundups as Israel's war in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria continues. Negotiations are expected in Doha over the next phase of the ceasefire in Gaza. Israel continues to block aid. Israeli raids continued in the occupied West Bank. It is day 520 of the war in Gaza, where more than 48,453 Palestinians have been killed.

    In this episode:

    • Hamdah Salhut, (@hamdahsalhut) Al Jazeera Correspondent
    • Tareq Abu Azzoum, (@TareqAzzom) Al Jazeera Correspondent
    • Rosalind Jordan, Al Jazeera Correspondent
    • Mohammed Haji, (@hxji99) Al Jazeera Producer 

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced and mixed by David Enders. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik and Adam Abou-Gad is our engagement producer. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio.

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, FacebookThreads and YouTube

    9 March 2025, 10:29 am
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