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 12 seconds
    Trump’s fragile Greenland ‘framework’ with NATO

    At the World Economic Forum in Davos, US President Donald Trump announced that a “framework” for a future deal on Greenland is taking shape. Tied to missile defense and mineral rights, the framework eases concerns about Trump's earlier threats of tariffs and military intervention. So, how would an eventual deal affect the future of Greenlanders and US-Europe relations?

    In this episode: 

    • Jonah Hull, Al Jazeera Correspondent

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Melanie Marich, Marcos Bartolomé, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Kylene Kiang. 

    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:

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    23 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 22 minutes 3 seconds
    Are we witnessing the death of traditional TV?

    The Oscars are planning a move to YouTube, ending a decades-long run on broadcast television in 2029. Audiences are continuing to change how they watch even the biggest cultural events. But reports of ‘the death of live TV’ have been premature before – so how will it survive?

    In this episode: 

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili and Fatima Shafiq, with Farhan Rafid, Tamara Khandaker, Tracie Hunte, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. 

    Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Joe Plourde mixed this episode. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhemm. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

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    22 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 23 minutes 55 seconds
    Inside Trump’s plan to rebuild Gaza without Palestinians

    A billion dollars buys a seat at the table shaping Gaza’s future, and Palestinians aren’t invited. As the US moves into phase two of a ceasefire, a so-called “Board of Peace” promises reconstruction while conditions in Gaza remain unchanged and control stays firmly in outsiders' hands.

    In this episode: 

    • Nour Odeh (@nour_odeh), Al Jazeera Correspondent

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz and Melanie Marich with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Tamara Khandaker, Sari el-Khalii, Tuleen Barakat and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Alexandra Locke.

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

    Connect with us:

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    21 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 25 minutes 9 seconds
    What's behind Trump's push to control Greenland?

    US President Donald Trump is threatening to annex Greenland, framing it as protection against China and Russia, but the autonomous Danish territory holds strategic Arctic value as climate change opens new shipping routes and mineral access. Its 57,000 Inuit residents are rejecting his threats as insulting and colonial. How do Greenlanders see their future amid this geopolitical storm?

    In this episode: 

    • Sara Olsvig, International Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolome, Tamara Khandaker, and Melanie Marich, with Noor Wazwaz, Tuleen Barakat, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Alexandra Locke. 

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

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on XInstagramFacebook, and YouTube

    20 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 27 minutes 29 seconds
    From a refugee family to Nobel Laureate: Omar Yaghi's story

    Nobel Laureate Dr. Omar Yaghi joins The Take after winning the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), materials that can capture carbon and store hydrogen. Born to a Palestinian refugee family in Amman, Yaghi tells the story of how hardship shaped his imagination, from getting fresh water only once a week to inventing systems that pull water from desert air.

    In this episode: 

    • Dr. Omar Yaghi, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Professor at University of California, Berkeley and Atoco Founder

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li and Melanie Marich with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Tamara Khandaker, Kylene Kiang, Sarí el-Khalili and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz and Sarí el-Khalili. 

    The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Kylene Kiang, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Melanie Marich, and Noor Wazwaz. Our host is Malika Bilal. 

    Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement.

    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 XInstagramFacebook, and YouTube

    19 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 5 minutes 31 seconds
    Brief: Phase 2 of Gaza ceasefire deal, Teenager killed in Occupied West Bank

    This week: 109 days into a ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 646 Palestinians in Gaza.

    The US announced phase 2 of the Gaza ceasefire deal. Israeli forces kill a young boy in the Occupied West Bank. Israel has killed more than 71,548 Palestinians in Gaza since October 7th, 2023.

     

    In this episode:

    • Osama Bin Javid, (@osamabinjavaid), Al Jazeera Correspondent
    • Michael Appel, (@TheMikeAppel), Al Jazeera Senior Producer
    • Tareq Abu Azzoum, (@abuoazzum) Al Jazeera Correspondent
    • Nida Ibrahim, (@nidaibrahim) Al Jazeera Correspondent

     

    Episode credits:

    This episode was voiced by Nida Ibrahim, and producer by Marthe van der Wolf. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Andrew Greiner and Munera AlDosari is our engagement producer. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio.


    Connect with us:

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    18 January 2026, 3:28 pm
  • 23 minutes 20 seconds
    Another Take: How Israeli spy veterans are shaping US big tech

    Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on August 29, 2025. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.

    Unit 8200, Israel’s elite cyber-intelligence division, has long been compared to the US National Security Agency. Its veterans are now embedded in US tech companies, shaping how the world’s data is managed, and making deals worth billions. What does it mean for privacy and security?

    In this episode: 

    • Murtaza Hussain (@mazmhussain) Journalist, Drop Site News

    Episode credits:

    This episode was updated by Tamara Khandaker and Sarí el-Khalili. The original production team was Noor Wazwaz, Diana Ferrero, Sarí el-Khalili, Melanie Marich, Farhan Rafid, Kisaa Zehra, Amy Walters, and our guest host, Natasha Del Toro. 

    Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner 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 XInstagramFacebook, and YouTube

    17 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 24 minutes 41 seconds
    Remembering 2022: Iran’s Gen Z army and hashtag wars

    Back in 2022, protests in Iran were bolder than at any time since the 1979 revolution — and that time, it was teenage girls leading the way. Gen Z used their TikTok and Instagram skills to draw the world’s attention to their demand for freedom. But with almost 300 hashtags under #MahsaAmini, their movement was also being co‑opted for others’ purposes. How could anyone tell which was which?

    This is a story from the archives. It originally aired on October 19, 2022. None of the dates, titles or other references from that time has been changed.

    In this episode:

    • Holly Dagres (@HDagres), The Atlantic Council Nonresident Senior Fellow & MENASource and IranSource Editor
    • Marc Owen Jones (@MarcOwenJones), Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies, Hamad bin Khalifa University

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Amy Walters with Negin Owliaei, Chloe K. Li, Alexandra Locke, Ruby Zaman, Ashish Malhotra and our guest host, Halla Moheiddeen.

    Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Tim St. Clair mixed this episode. 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 XInstagramFacebook, and YouTube

    16 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 20 minutes 26 seconds
    Why is Venezuela ‘uninvestable’ for Big Oil?

    US President Donald Trump says removing President Nicolas Maduro is about reclaiming Venezuela’s oil. But as Washington pushes for access, major oil companies are hesitating. Why is Venezuela being labeled “uninvestable,” and what does that skepticism reveal about power, instability and the future of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves?

    In this episode:

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and Melanie Marich, with Tamara Khandaker, and our host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Ney Alvarez and 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 XInstagramFacebook, and YouTube

    15 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 24 minutes 49 seconds
    Iran, Trump, and the deadliest crackdown on protests yet

    Iran’s protests started with economic demands. Now, the Iranian government says it’s ready for war. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has told Iranian protesters that “help is on the way,” as Washington discusses military options. Could tension spread far beyond Iran?

    In this episode: 

    • Negar Mortazavi (@NegarMortazavi), Center for International Policy Senior Fellow and Host of The Iran Podcast

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Chloe K. Li, and Melanie Marich with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Tamara Khandaker, Noor Wazwaz and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Ney Alvarez. 

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

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on XInstagramFacebook, and YouTube

    13 January 2026, 11:29 pm
  • 21 minutes 17 seconds
    What Aleppo’s fighting reveals about Syria’s fragile peace

    A ceasefire in Aleppo has halted days of deadly fighting, after clashes between Syrian forces and Kurdish fighters. With civilians displaced and trust deeply shaken, questions are growing about whether Syria’s post-war transition can survive long term.

    In this episode: 

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz and Melanie Marich, with Tamara Khandaker,  David Enders and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Kylene Kiang and Ney Alvarez. 

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

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on XInstagramFacebook, and YouTube

    12 January 2026, 10:51 pm
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