750 episodes

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.

The Take Al Jazeera English

    • News
    • 4.7 • 336 Ratings

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.

    Another Take: The Forever Wars and Abu Ghraib

    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

    • 28 min
    Trump v. United States

    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

    • 17 min
    Inside the Gaza solidarity encampment at Columbia University

    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: 


    Ashish Malhotra, @amalhotra2 Producer, The Take
    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

    • 18 min
    Behind Columbia University’s months of tension

    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

    • 22 min
    Why Israeli military units could be sanctioned by the US

    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

    • 18 min
    What it means to give birth in Gaza

    What it means to give birth in Gaza

    Lubna Al Rayyes dreamed about having a child. When she found out that meant having a Caesarean section in Gaza, her dream became a nightmare. Israel’s war on Gaza meant maternity wards were shut down. She had two choices: deliver on her own, or find a way out.

    In this episode: 


    Gabrielle Berbey (@gabrielleberbey), Reporter and Producer, Reveal
    Salman Ahad Khan (@salmanahadk), Reporter and Producer, Reveal

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Sonia Bhagat and Chloe K. Li with our host Natasha Del Toro, in for Malika Bilal. Zaina Badr, Catherine Nouhan, 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

    • 18 min

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5
336 Ratings

336 Ratings

AnW857 ,

Factual and Powerful Journalism

The 20 minute format is accessible but still included important context. I especially appreciate interviews with journalists on the ground and the up to date reports on Palestine.

blablayaddayadda ,

Very much welcomed…

In this time of misinformation abroad and at home.

berni2012 ,

You didn’t cover Senegal’s court, The Constitutional Council, preserving democracy

"The Take" didn’t cover Senegal’s highest court, The Constitutional Council, preserving democracy for voters and asserting the importance of an independent judiciary in the lead up to the March 2024 elections. Not covering this essential aspect of the story wrongly focused on individual politicians instead of telling the more important story about the democratic rigor of some of Senegal’s institutions, which can be a model for some countries in the West like the USA and countries in the Middle East. The courage of the judges on Senegal’s Constitutional Council,who upheld the rule of law against non-democratic pursuits, makes judges on similar courts in more influential countries like the USA and officials in international organizations like the International Criminal Court look really weak.

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