

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.
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 2, 2024 • 20min
Are Israeli officials under threat of ICC prosecution?
Israeli officials fear potential ICC prosecution over Gaza actions. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned top officials of possible arrest warrants, although the ICC has not confirmed issuing any. What would ICC arrest warrants mean for Israel's war on Gaza – and for international law? In this episode: Mark Kersten (@MarkKersten), Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, University of the Fraser Valley Hamdah Salhut (@hamdahsalhut), Al Jazeera Correspondent Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Khaled Soltan, and Sonia Bhagat with our host Malika Bilal. Fahrinisa Campana and Catherine Nouhan fact-checked this episode. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Joe Plourde mixed this episode. 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 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

May 1, 2024 • 16min
University protests spread across the US
Pro-Palestine encampments and protests at universities continue to spread across the US. Students at Columbia University have been threatened with expulsion and arrest. The Take spoke with Mariam Said, an alumna of Columbia, for her advice to student activists. In this episode: Mariam Said, Vice-President of the Barenboim-Said Foundation Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders, Sonia Bhagat and Ashish Malhotra with our host Malika Bilal. Catherine Nouhan fact-checked this episode. 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 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Apr 30, 2024 • 19min
Signs of torture and executions uncovered in Gaza’s mass graves
Palestinians have dug up more than 400 bodies from mass graves at two Gaza hospitals. Some have shown signs of torture and possible executions. The International Court of Justice had already issued a preliminary order against Israel after finding that its actions in Gaza might amount to genocide. So how will the world respond to this? In this episode: Akram al-Satarri (@AlSatarri) Journalist Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and Chloe K. Li with our host Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. Catherine Nouhan fact-checked this episode. 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 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Apr 29, 2024 • 20min
Could Myanmar’s coup come to an end?
Rebels fighting Myanmar’s government are making significant gains. Could they topple the coup leaders who took power just over three years ago? In this episode: Tony Cheng, (@TLCBkk) Al Jazeera Correspondent Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders, Khaled Soltan, and Sonia Bhagat with Kevin Hirten in for Malika Bilal. Zaina Badr, Sonia Baghat, and Manahil Naveed fact-checked this episode. 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 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Apr 28, 2024 • 6min
Brief: Campus protests grow, work continues to ID bodies in mass grave
As Israel’s war on Gaza continues, we're coming to you on Sundays with a weekly roundup. This week: The number of bodies found in a series of mass graves rose to nearly 400. Israelis continued to protest for the release of captives held in Gaza. Protests continued to grow on college campuses across the US. It is day 205 of the war. At least 34,300 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed. In this episode: Akram Al Satarri, Freelance journalist Hamdah Salhut, (@hamdahsalhut), Al Jazeera Correspondent Zeina Khodr, (@ZeinaKhodrAljaz), Al Jazeera Correspondent Phillip Lavelle, (@phillavelle), journalist for Al Jazeera Shihab Rattansi, (@shihab_rattansi) Al Jazeera Correspondent 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 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Apr 27, 2024 • 29min
Another Take: The Forever Wars and Abu Ghraib
Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on September 13, 2021. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison was once a front-page headline in the “war on terror.” Today, public knowledge of the torture that made it infamous is starting to fade – but one US lawsuit for its victims is still going on. It centers on private contractors: companies that became an integral part of the US military efforts post-9/11 attacks, which changed the way war is fought – and accountability is sought. In this episode: Rafael Shimunov (@rafaelshimunov), human rights activist Katherine Gallagher (@katherga1), senior staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights Majid, Abu Ghraib plaintiffs’ legal team member in Iraq Episode credits: This episode was updated by Negin Owliaei. The original production team was Alexandra Locke, Negin Owliaei, Priyanka Tilve, Amy Walters, Dina Kesbeh, Ney Alvarez, Ruby Zaman, Tom Fenton, Stacey Samuel, and Malika Bilal. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik. Adam Abou-Gad is our engagement producer. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Apr 26, 2024 • 17min
Trump v. United States
The US Supreme Court is hearing opening arguments on whether or not Donald Trump has presidential immunity in two of his current criminal cases. But what does that mean for future presidents and this year’s US elections? In this episode: Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, (@ProfCiara), Professor at Stetson University College of Law Episode credits: This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li and Fahrinisa Campana with Kevin Hirten, in for our host Malika Bilal. Zaina Badr fact-checked this episode. 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 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Apr 25, 2024 • 19min
Inside the Gaza solidarity encampment at Columbia University
University encampments have spread across the US since New York police first came onto Columbia University’s campus last week. In the second of a two-part series, The Take takes a look inside the Columbia encampment and the impact it’s having on campus. In this episode: Fadi Shuman, Columbia University Student Talia Jane, @taliaotg, Freelance Journalist Jonathan Ben-Menachem, @jbenmenachem, Columbia University Student Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra, Fahrinisa Campana, Tabish Talib, Negin Owliaei, and Khaled Soltan with our host Malika Bilal. Chloe K. Li fact-checked this episode. 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 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Apr 24, 2024 • 23min
Behind Columbia University’s months of tension
Tensions have been mounting at Columbia University for months, even before the school called police to clear a Gaza solidarity encampment. Pro-Palestine students say the administration hasn’t prioritized their safety. In the first of a two-part series, The Take goes behind the protests at Columbia. In this episode: Asiya Ahmed (@_asiyahmed), Senior Producer, AJ+ Mohsen Mahdawi, Co-President, Columbia Palestinian Students Union Chris Mendell, Staff Writer, The Columbia Spectator Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra with our host Malika Bilal. David Enders, Zaina Badr, and Manahil Naveed fact-checked this episode. 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 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Apr 23, 2024 • 18min
Why Israeli military units could be sanctioned by the US
Certain Israeli military units could be sanctioned by the US State Department for the first time over allegations of serious human rights abuses. Those allegations made their way to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in December, according to a report from US news outlet ProPublica, but hadn’t been acted on until now. In this episode: Brett Murphy (@BrettMMurphy), ProPublica Reporter Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sonia Bhagat and Chloe K. Li with our host Malika Bilal. Chloe K. Li fact-checked this episode. 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 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube


