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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.

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Episodes
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Inauguration 2025: The Trump world order

1/21/2025
From declaring an emergency on the US-Mexico border to announcing that the US will retake the Panama Canal, Donald Trump introduced several bold proposals in his inaugural address. Now, as he enters his second term, what might the Trump world order look like? In this episode: Trita Parsi (@tparsi), Executive Vice President, The Quincy Institute Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra, Sonia Bhagat, Amy Walters, Chloe K. Li and Khaled Soltan with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hagir Saleh, Melanie Marich, Hanah Shokeir and our 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, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:21:03

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What does the second Trump inauguration mean for mass deportations?

1/20/2025
Just hours before President Trump’s second term begins, many immigrants face uncertainty. Trump has pledged to use law enforcement, the military, and federal agencies for mass deportations, along with ending birthright citizenship, and reversing outgoing president Joe Biden’s border policies. What does this mean for immigrants who’ve built a life in the US? In this episode: Maribel Hernandez Rivera, Director of Policy and Government Affairs, Border and Immigration at the American Civil Liberties Union Episode credits: This episode was produced by Amy Walters, Sonia Bhagat, and Sarí el-Khalili with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hagir Saleh, Marcos Bartolomé, Melanie Marich, Hanah Shokeir, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Ashish Malhotra, Khaled Soltan, and Amy Walters. Our editorial interns are Melanie Marich, Hagir Saleh, 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, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:20:30

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Gaza ceasefire begins after brief delay

1/19/2025
A ceasefire began in Gaza Sunday morning after a brief delay. Palestinians in Gaza responded by celebrating, and in many cases, attempting to return to their homes. It is day 471 of the war in Gaza, where more than 46,899 Palestinians have been killed. In this episode: @Hind_Gaza@StefanieDekker@kahlaout_moath 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. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Duration:00:06:30

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Another Take: Inside the journey across the Darien Gap

1/18/2025
Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on May 20, 2024. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. The Darien Gap is a dangerous stretch of jungle on a strip of land that connects North and South America. In recent years, stricter Central American border policies have driven hundreds of thousands of people to make this treacherous trek. The number of children among them has skyrocketed. We follow one family as they navigate the crossing. In this episode: @johnholman100 Episode credits: This episode was updated by Tamara Khandaker The original production team was Tamara Khandaker, Fahrinisa Campana, Manahil Naveed, Tabish Talib, and our host, Malika Bilal. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. 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, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:25:00

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Gabor Mate: Gaza, Zionism, and the ‘exploitation’ of Jewish trauma

1/17/2025
From embracing Zionism as a Holocaust survivor to becoming a vocal critic of Israeli policies, renowned doctor and author Gabor Maté reflects on the evolution in his thinking, on trauma as a driving force behind Zionism and Israel, and on how collective Jewish trauma has been exploited by Israel to justify its war in Gaza. In this episode: @DrGaborMate Episode credits: This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker and Sonia Bhagat, with Noor Wazwaz, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hagir Saleh, Melanie Marich, 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 Mohanned 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:00:26:31

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What does the Gaza ceasefire mean?

1/16/2025
Hamas and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire set to start on Sunday. The deal includes humanitarian aid to Gaza, Israel’s gradual withdrawal, the release of Israeli captives, and a Palestinian prisoner release. As Palestinians in Gaza hope to leave 15 months of devastation behind, can this agreement hold or is it another fragile promise? In this episode: @dianabuttu Episode credits: This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Chloe K. Li, Sarí el-Khalili, and Khaled Soltan with Philip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hanah Shokeir, Melanie Marich and our host Malika Bilal. 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:00:24:47

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What is fueling South Korea’s political drama?

1/14/2025
Impeachment proceedings against suspended South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol are in full swing. Authorities have made a second attempt to detain him over his brief martial law declaration, but he remains holed up in his fortified residence, backed by supporters waving US flags and “Stop the Steal” banners. So, what lies ahead for South Korea? In this episode: Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Sonia Bhagat, and Amy Walters, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Hagir Saleh, and our host, Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. 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 Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:22:24

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What's next for Lebanon?

1/14/2025
Lebanon has elected a president and a new prime minister after two years of deadlock. But who are Joseph Aoun and Nawaf Salam, and what's next for Lebanon? In this episode: @NaderDurgham Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and Ashish Malhotra with Marcos Bartolomé, Hagir Saleh, Melanie Marich and our host, Malika Bilal. 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:00:23:51

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What’s behind Big Tech’s embrace of Trump’s return?

1/13/2025
In this episode: In a dramatic reversal, Meta has axed its fact-checking program – the latest signalling of Big Tech bowing to incoming president Donald Trump. What does this mean for the spread of misinformation in the US and globally, and for Trump’s control over information in his second term? In this episode: Paris Marx (@parismarx) Host, Tech Won’t Save Us Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra, Sonia Bhagat, and Tamara Khandaker with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Hagir Saleh, and our host Malika Bilal. 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, and Amy Walters. Our editorial interns are Melanie Marich and Hagir Saleh. Our host is Malika Bilal. 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. We’ll be back tomorrow. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:22:17

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New media rules for Israeli military, Pal film on Oscar shortlist

1/12/2025
Israel attacked displaced Palestinians in Gaza. The UN said Israel continues to block aid. Israeli troops were ordered to stop posting on social media. Palestinian filmmakers have been shortlisted for an Oscar nomination. Today is Sunday, January 12. It is day 464 of the war in Gaza, where more than 46,537 Palestinians have been killed. In this episode: @kahlout_moath@hamdahsalhut@rgizbert1@ksaloomey 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. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Duration:00:06:05

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Another Take: An uncertain election victory for Canada’s Trudeau

1/11/2025
Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on September 24, 2021. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. A lot of Canadians are frustrated with the 600-million-dollar pandemic election that took place earlier this week, and resulted in an almost identical parliament. But the five weeks of electioneering did raise a lot of issues and highlight some trends that could define Canada’s future. In this episode: @fatimabsyed Episode credits: The original production team was Priyanka Tilve with Ney Alvarez, Ruby Zaman, Alexandra Locke, Negin Owliaei, Dina Kesbeh, Amy Walters, Tom Fenton, Stacey Samuel and our host, Malika Bilal. 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, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:21:09

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Why is Los Angeles on fire?

1/10/2025
The fires burning through Los Angeles now are already the worst in the history of California, a state known for its wildfires. Thousands have lost their homes, and nearly 180,000 have been forced to evacuate. What is it like to be in the city on fire? In this episode: Manuel Rápalo (@Manuel_Rapalo), Journalist, Los Angeles @monaeats Episode credits: This episode was produced by Amy Walters, Sonia Bhagat, Chloe K. Li and Tamara Khandaker with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, and our host, Malika Bilal. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is 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:00:17:33

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What is Jimmy Carter’s global legacy?

1/9/2025
At the end of a six-day funeral service, former US President Jimmy Carter will be laid to rest next to his wife in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. The 39th president died at 100 years old on December 29. How did his legacy impact the world? In this episode: Hamid Dabashi (@DabashiHamid), Professor of Literature, Columbia University Shawan Jabarin (@SJabaren), General Director, Al-Haq Episode credits: This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li, Miranda Lin with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hagir Saleh, Khaled Soltan, Melanie Marich, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Alexandra Locke. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is 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:00:23:10

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Why is the Palestinian Authority targeting Palestinians?

1/8/2025
The Palestinian Authority is intensifying operations in the occupied West Bank, with violent crackdowns in Jenin and efforts to silence dissent, including shutting down Al Jazeera’s bureau. What’s driving this escalation? In this episode: Dalia Hatuqa (@DaliaHatuqa), Journalist Episode credits: This episode was produced by Amy Walters, Sonia Baghat, Ashish Malhotra, and Sarí el-Khalili with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hagir Saleh, Melanie Marich, and our host, Malika Bilal. 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 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:20:21

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Identity politics gone wrong (and how to fix it)

1/7/2025
Identity politics has become a defining buzzword in US politics, coming under fire for being a type of political representation without real change. But what was the intention of the people who first came up with the term – and what kind of power does that original intention wield today? In this episode: @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social Episode credits: This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé, with Manny Panaretos, Hagir Saleh, Duha Mosaad, and our host, Kevin Hirten. 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 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:22:22

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What lies ahead for global politics in 2025?

1/6/2025
As 2025 unfolds, the world faces significant shifts. From climate crises in West Africa to continuing wars in Gaza and Sudan, Al Jazeera correspondents share their insights on the key events and challenges shaping the year ahead. In this episode: Kimberly Halkett (@KimberlyHalkett), Al Jazeera White House Correspondent Dorsa Jabarri (@DorsaJabbari), Al Jazeera Correspondent John Holman (@Johnhiolman100), Al Jazeera Mexico and Latin America Correspondent Nicolas Haque (@NicolasHaque), Al Jazeera Correspondent Tony Cheng (@tlcbkk), Al Jazeera Asia Correspondent Maram Humaid (@maramgaza), Al Jazeera Digital Correspondent Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra and Chloe K. Li with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline and Malika Bilal. The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Ashish Malhotra, Khaled Soltan, and Amy Walters. Our editorial intern is Hagir Saleh. Our host is Malika Bilal. 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. We’ll be back tomorrow. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Duration:00:21:55

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Israel kills nearly 200 in Gaza, PA bans Al Jazeera in West Bank

1/5/2025
We are coming to you on Sundays with weekly roundups as Israel's war in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria continues. Israeli attacks in Gaza kill nearly 200 in three days. The Palestinian Authority has banned Al Jazeera from operating in the occupied West Bank. The Biden administration approves more arms for Israel. Syria is set to resume international flights from Damascus. It is day 457 of the war in Gaza, where more than 45,717 Palestinians have been killed. In this episode: @hamdahsalhut@AlanFisher@hashemahel 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. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Duration:00:05:49

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Another Take: Why is tourism a problem in Barcelona?

1/4/2025
Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on July 4, 2024. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. Locals are fighting to reclaim their city from tourism in a mass demonstration in Barcelona on July 6. The tourism boom has impacted local life, housing, and culture, pushing the city to the brink. In this episode: Carme Arcarazo (@carmearcarazo), Speaker of Barcelona’s tenant union (@sindicatlloguer), housing researcher at La Hidra Episode credits: This episode was updated by Tamara Khandaker. The original production team was Marcos Bartolomé, Amy Walters, Mohammed Zain Shafi Khan, Manahil Naveed, Veronique Eshaya, Ashish Malhotra, Duha Mossad, and our host, Malika Bilal. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Duration:00:24:47

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2024 in Review: The future of Hamas in Gaza

1/3/2025
As the year wraps up, we're looking back at ten of the episodes that defined our year at The Take. This originally aired on October 22. None of the dates, titles, or other references have been changed. Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh were killed by Israel, leaving the group to debate a successor. And, as Israel’s war on Gaza continues, questions remain about what lies ahead for Gaza’s leadership and its people. In this episode: Diana Buttu (@dianabuttu), Lawyer and Al-Shabaka Board Member Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan, Chloe K. Li, and Sarí el-Khalili with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Mohannad Al-Melhem, Cole Van Miltenburg, Duha Mosaad, Hagir Saleh, and our host, Malika Bilal. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik. Munera Al Dosari, Vienna Maglio and Adam Abou-Gad are our engagement producers. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Duration:00:20:12

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2024 in Review: Israel attacks Lebanon

1/2/2025
As the year wraps up, we're looking back at ten of the episodes that defined our year at The Take. This originally aired on October 1. None of the dates, titles, or other references have been changed. As conflict with Israel intensifies, Lebanon is in shock with more than a million people displaced after orders from Israel for ‘evacuation’. How have people relied on each other – and what do they do when there is nowhere safe to go? In this episode: @JoudSally Episode credits: This episode was produced by Amy Walters and Sarí el-Khalili with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Mohannad Al-Melhem, Duha Mosaad, Hagir Saleh, Cole van Miltenberg and our host Malika Bilal. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Joe Plourde mixed this update. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Duration:00:17:51