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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.

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Al Jazeera

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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.

Language:

English


Episodes
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Investigating Sheikh Hasina’s final days in Bangladesh

8/5/2025
A student uprising shook Bangladesh, toppling its most powerful leader. After 15 years in office, Sheikh Hasina’s grip on power broke under the pressure of a movement that began with a dispute over government jobs, and ended with her fleeing the country. To mark the anniversary, here’s the first episode of 36 July: Uprising in Bangladesh, the new season of Al Jazeera Investigates. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duration:00:50:15

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From Amazon to the Gaza flotilla: the journey of an activist

8/5/2025
Labor activist Chris Smalls is back in the US after imprisonment and abuse by Israeli forces for joining the Handala Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. He tells us about his time in detention, the silence from the US, and what the flotilla movement means for worldwide solidarity with Palestinians facing genocide. In this episode: @Shut_downAmazon Episode credits: This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li, Sonia Bhagat and Julia Muldavin, with Sarí el-Khalili, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Kisaa Zehra, Marya Khan, and our host, Malika Bilal. 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: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duration:00:24:04

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Targeted, killed, starved: Journalists struggle in Gaza

8/4/2025
Almost two years in, the war in Gaza is the deadliest conflict for journalists ever. With no foreign journalists allowed in, Palestinian reporters on the ground are the only ones who can tell the story to the world. But they face death threats, attacks, and now even starvation. How are reporters in Gaza doing their jobs amid such challenges? In this episode: @Hind_Gaza Episode credits: This episode was produced by Tracie Hunte, Chloe K. Li, Sonia Bhagat, Diana Ferrero, Sarí el-Khalil, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Tamara Khandaker and Melanie Marich and guest host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Kylene Kiang. The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Diana Ferrero, Tracie Hunte, Tamara Khandaker, Kylene Kiang, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Melanie Marich, Catherine Nouhan, Amy Walters, and Noor Wazwaz. Our editorial interns are Marya Khan and Kisaa Zehra. Our guest host is Manuel Rápalo. 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 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 X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duration:00:23:18

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Brief: US envoy visits Gaza, Hezbollah refuses to disarm

8/3/2025
US diplomats visited Gaza where Palestinians continue to die from an Israeli-imposed lack of food. Hezbollah said it would not disarm. It is day 667 of the war in Gaza, where at least 60,430 Palestinians have died. In this episode: @HodaAH@ZeinakhodrAlJaz 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, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:06:18

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Another Take: Will Lebanon ever see justice for the Beirut port blast?

8/2/2025
Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on February 8, 2023. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. There’s been no accountability in the massive Beirut port explosion for five years. But a new hope suddenly emerged for families of the victims, when Judge Tarek Bitar reopened his dormant investigation into the blast, and into the leaders accused of letting it happen. Two days later, Lebanon’s Prosecutor General Ghassan Oweidat – one of those accused – issued his own charges against Bitar. Is this now the nail in the coffin for the blast investigation, or can the victims’ families still get justice? In this episode: @chehayebk Episode credits: This episode was updated by Sarí el-Khalili. The original production team was Ashish Malhotra, Amy Walters, Chloe K. Li, Alexandra Locke, Negin Owliaei, 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 X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duration:00:21:16

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Beat the press: why Netanyahu sat down with the Nelk Boys

8/1/2025
Tel Aviv nightlife and the Burger King order of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were among the talking points of a viral podcast interview with the Nelk Boys. Influencer-driven podcasts are seeing a broader trend of interest in friendly interviews from world leaders and politicians, from Donald Trump to Kamala Harris. What happens when the powerful speak to massive new audiences without journalism? In this episode: @NathanJRobinson Episode credits: This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker, Chloe K. Li, and Noor Wazwaz, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Kisaa Zehra, Marya Khan, and our guest host Manuel Rapalo. 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: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duration:00:25:03

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Trump’s “Woke AI” ban: can AI be free of bias?

7/31/2025
US President Donald Trump says AI is too “woke.” His executive order targets what he sees as liberal ideology in artificial intelligence tools in federal tech. But what biases already exist in AI tools like chatbots, and can the technology ever truly be neutral? In this episode: @alejandramontyb Episode credits: This episode was produced by Diana Ferrero, Chloe K. Li, Marcos Bartolomé, and Julia Muldavin with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Marya Khan, Kisaa Zehra, and our guest host, Manuel Rápalo. It was edited by Kylene Kiang. 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 X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duration:00:22:30

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Why a so-called ‘honor’ killing in Pakistan has sparked national outrage

7/30/2025
She was accused of having an affair. Then shot dead on camera, allegedly under orders from a tribal council in Balochistan. But only after the video of the killing went viral did authorities in Pakistan arrest suspects. What does the killing of Bano Bibi and Ehsan Ullah reveal about what it takes for victims to get justice? In this episode: @sadiabalochssb Episode credits: This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz, Chloe K. Li, and Tamara Khandaker with Marya Khan, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Kisaa Zehra and our guest host, Manuel Rapalo. 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: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duration:00:19:15

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What is the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia?

7/29/2025
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a ceasefire after clashes along their disputed border, home to centuries-old temples and decades-old tensions. The conflict is tied to political dynasties, shifting alliances, and the growing influence of China. Can this ceasefire hold? In this episode: @TLCBkk Episode credits: This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and Sarí el-Khalili, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Marya Khan, Kisaa Zehra, Melanie Marich, Julia Muldavin, Diana Ferrero, and our guest host, Natasha del Toro. 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: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duration:00:23:37

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Gaza’s starvation crisis. When will it end?

7/28/2025
A choice between starvation or being shot at. That’s the decision many Palestinians in Gaza have been forced to make. More than 900 people have been killed at the GHF's aid distribution sites. Why is this happening, and what is being done to make it stop? In this episode: @dianabuttu Episode credits: This episode was produced by Tracie Hunte, Sarí el-Khalili, and Diana Ferrero with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Tamara Khandaker, and our guest host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Kylene Kiang. The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Diana Ferrero, Tracie Hunte, Tamara Khandaker, Kylene Kiang, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Melanie Marich, Haleema Shah, Khaled Soltan, Amy Walters, and Noor Wazwaz. Our editorial interns are Marya Khan, and Kisaa Zehra. Our guest host is Manuel Rapalo. 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 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 X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duration:00:22:01

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Brief: Starvation deaths mount in Gaza, Israel intercepts Handala

7/27/2025
This week, airdrops of aid are once more injuring Palestinians in Gaza, Israel. Israel intercepted the Handala. It is day 660 of the war in Gaza, where at least 59,733 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, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:04:52

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Another Take: Why are Bangladesh students protesting?

7/26/2025
Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on July 23, 2024. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. School’s out in Bangladesh, and students are up in arms against government job quotas. In response, there’s been a deadly crackdown in which authorities shut down all public universities and cut mobile phone services. Are students in Bangladesh losing faith in their country’s promise of independence and democracy? In this episode: @ZulkarnainSaer Episode credits: This episode was updated by Tamara Khandaker. The original production team was Amy Walters, Sarí el-Khalili, Khaled Soltan, Sonia Bhagat, Manahil Naveed, Veronique Eshaya, Joe Plourde, 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 X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duration:00:18:59

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Inside US plan to surveil migrants

7/25/2025
DNA may be the new front line of immigration control. The US government has collected the DNA of more than 130,000 migrant children and teenagers, some as young as four, and stored their profiles in CODIS, the FBI’s criminal database. Officials say it’s about public safety. But privacy advocates say it turns civil immigration cases into permanent criminal surveillance. In this episode: @sglabe Episode credits: This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz, Sari el-Khalili and Amy Walters, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Marcos Bartolomé, Melanie Marich, Sonia Bhagat, Marya Khan, and our guest host, Manuel Rápalo. 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: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duration:00:24:23

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Has media freedom in the US collapsed?

7/24/2025
US television network CBS seemingly handed President Donald Trump two major victories this week after announcing $16 million would settle his lawsuit against “60 Minutes” and cancelling the show of one of his fiercest critics, Stephen Colbert. But will this mark a turning point for media freedom in the US? In this episode: @TodayinTabsToday in Tabs Episode credits: This episode was produced by Diana Ferrero, Sarí el-Khalili, Tracie Hunte, and Tamara Khandaker, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Kisaa Zehra, Marya Khan, and our guest host, Manuel Ràpalo. 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: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duration:00:23:08

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Settlers killed US citizen Sayf Musallet. Will there be justice?

7/23/2025
Sayfollah Musallet, a US citizen, was killed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank on July 11 — days before his 21st birthday. His death is one of nearly 1,000 killings involving settlers this year, and his American citizenship has helped draw rare calls for a US investigation. Could this case shift how Washington responds to West Bank settler violence? In this episode: Episode credits: This episode was produced by Amy Walters, Sari el-Khalili, Chloe K. Li and Sonia Bhagat with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, and our guest host, Manuel Rápalo. 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: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Duration:00:22:39

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How the gentrification crisis is hitting Mexico City

7/22/2025
Mexico City has seen an influx of foreign renters, including those calling themselves digital nomads. This has led to increasing housing prices, displacement of residents, changes to the city’s culture – and growing protests. How is Mexico City’s fight mirroring a global crisis of gentrification? In this episode: Adrián Acevedo Mansour (@acevedomansour), Mexico City Urban Planner Episode credits: This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé, Duha Mosaad, and Chloe K. Li, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Kisaa Zehra, Marya Khan, Melanie Marich and our guest host, Manuel Rápalo. 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: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:22:22

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What do mass ICE raids mean for migrant farmworkers?

7/21/2025
As President Trump cracks down in the fields on immigration, and an ICE raid in California left one farmworker dead, US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says there will be no amnesty for the undocumented. But who will replace those agriculture workers? “Able bodied” Medicaid recipients, according to Rollins. The experiment was tried before. It didn't work. In this episode: Episode credits: This episode was produced by Tracie Hunte, Noor Wazwaz, Diana Ferrero and Chloe K. Li, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Marya Khan, and our guest host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Sari el-Khalili and Kylene Kiang. The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Diana Ferrero, Tracie Hunte, Tamara Khandaker, Kylene Kiang, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Manuel Rápalo, Melanie Marich, Catherine Nouhan, Amy Walters, and Noor Wazwaz. Our editorial interns are Marya Khan and Kisaa Zehra. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Aya Elmileik is lead of audience engagement. Alex Roldan is our sound designer. Joe Plourde 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. We’ll be back tomorrow. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:21:03

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Brief: Ceasefire in south Syria, Gaza students sit for exams

7/20/2025
This week, Syria's government has declared a ceasefire in southern Syria. Israel bombed Syria and Lebanon. Students in Gaza struggle to complete exams. Today is Sunday, July 20. It is day 653 of the war in Gaza, where at least 58,765 Palestinians have been killed. It is day 653 of the war in Gaza, where at least 58,765 Palestinians have been killed. In this episode: @Md_Vall@nour_odeh@TareqAzzom 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, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:05:56

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Another Take: What can humanity do about heatwaves?

7/19/2025
Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on June 13, 2024. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. It's still spring in parts of the Northern Hemisphere, but the world faces scorching hot temperatures. Summer heat has arrived early, setting records, claiming lives, and expected to get worse. Who's responsible and what should be done about it? In this episode: @jrockstrom@jeffgoodell Episode credits: This episode was updated by Marthe van der Wolf. The original production team was Sarí el-Khalili and Khaled Soltan, with Ashish Malhotra, Tamara Khandaker 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. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:19:36

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Why is Taiwan training for war with China?

7/18/2025
Taiwan’s annual war games simulating a real Chinese invasion are bigger than ever. As China continues to ramp up military pressure on the island, what does it feel like to live in a place rehearsing for invasion? In this episode: @WilliamYang120 Episode credits: This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker, Noor Wazwaz, and Amy Walters with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Kisaa Zehra, Marya Khan, and our guest host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Sarí el-Khalili. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Joe Plourde 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 Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:20:57