The Take

Student protests are resonating with Palestinians, who face the destruction of nearly all universities in Gaza. Palestinian university presidents signed an open letter saying the protests serve as a “beacon of hope.” We look at what has been lost and what remains. In this episode:  Jehad Abusalim (@JehadAbusalim), Executive Director, The Jerusalem Fund Heigo Parsa, University of Toronto Student  Jasmine Al-Rawi, (@studentsforpalestinesydneyuni), University of Sydney Student Sesek Duran, National Autonomous University of Mexico Student  Sundos Hammad, Right to Education Coordinator, Birzeit University  Episode credits: This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li 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

As Hamas announced agreeing to a ceasefire proposal, questions remain about Israel’s next steps in the war on Gaza. Israel has ordered thousands of Palestinians to flee Rafah sheltering more than one million displaced people, sparking fears of a full-blown Israeli military assault on the southern Gaza city.  In this episode:  Willem Marx (@WillemMarx), Journalist  Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and Sarí el-Khalili with our host Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. Catherine Nouhan and Fahrinisa Campana 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

As aid barely trickles into Gaza, a group of activists are trying to take matters into their own hands. The Freedom Flotilla movement planned to set sail to Gaza, bringing more than 5000 tons of aid and taking on great personal risk. The Take looks into their years-long struggle to break Israel’s siege on Gaza. In this episode:  Huwaida Arraf (@huwaidaarraf), Human Rights Attorney Episode credits: This episode was produced by Negin Owliaei with Tabish Talib and our host Malika Bilal.  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

We are coming to you on Sundays with weekly roundups as Israel's war on Gaza continues. Gaza is now experiencing full blown famine. Ceasefire talks were continuing. Protests at US universities continued as graduation ceremonies began. Gaza's largest university is completely destroyed. It is day 212 of the war. More than 34,600 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed. In this episode: Hind Al Khoudary (@Hind_Gaza), Journalist in Gaza Hamdah Salhut, (@hamdahsalhut), Al Jazeera Correspondent John Hendren, (@johnhendren), journalist for Al Jazeera 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

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on January 21st, 2024. None of the dates or references from that time have been changed.  More than one hundred journalists have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate says 96 were targeted by Israel. Inside Gaza, journalists feel abandoned by the world they are informing. What’s happening to Gaza’s journalists and why? In this episode:  Anan Quzmar (@QuzmarAnan), Volunteer at Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate Ismael al Dahdouh, Journalist Akram al-Satarri, Journalist Episode credits: This episode was updated by Amy Walters. The original production team was Amy Walters with our host Malika Bilal. Miranda Lin fact-checked this episode. 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.

More than 1,000 people have been arrested in crackdowns on university protests across the United States. Facing police brutality, arrests, and attacks from counter-protesters, what will student protesters do next?  In this episode:  Dalia Darazim (@columbiasjp), Student at Columbia University, Organizing Member of Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine Sivan Gordon-Buxbaum (@sivangb), Student at Cornell University, Member of Cornell Jewish Voice for Peace Kianna Znika (@lizzerdkweenz), Student at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt and KRFH Station Manager Arman Deendar (@browndivestcoalition), Student at Brown University, Member of Brown Divest Coalition Pauline Strong (@pstrong58), Professor of Anthropology, The University of Texas at Austin Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra, Chloe K. Li and Sonia Bhagat with our host Malika Bilal. Sarí el-Khalili 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

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

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

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

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

We are coming to you on Sundays with weekly roundups as Israel's war on Gaza continues. 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. More than 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  

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

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

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

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

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

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

We are coming to you on Sundays with weekly roundups as Israel's war on Gaza continues. The US voted against granting Palestinians full UN membership. Israel attacked Iran. The US Congress approved more military aid to Israel.  It is day 198 of the war. More than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed. In this episode: Gabriel Elizondo, (@elizondogabriel), Al Jazeera Correspondent Akram Al Satarri, Freelance journalist Dorsa Jabbari, (@DorsaJabbari), Al Jazeera Correspondent 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  

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on February 3rd, 2020. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.  At the beginning of 2020, under the presidency of Donald Trump, the US and Iran stepped back from the edge of war. But Trump did bring more than a thousand sanctions, and for Iranians, that has meant normal life often feels like war. In this episode:  Dorsa Jabbari (@DorsaJabbari), Al Jazeera Correspondent Lili Ghazian, Founder and Owner at Aroosi Episode credits: This episode was updated by Amy Walters. The original production team was Alexandra Locke, Dina Kesbeh, Amy Walters, Ney Alvarez, Priyanka Tilve, and host, 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

The world’s largest election begins Friday in India, with close to one billion registered voters. Narendra Modi, the incumbent, remains extremely popular, but his Hindu nationalist agenda has come at the expense of minority rights. So, what would a third term of Modi mean for India? In this episode:  Sidharth Bhatia (@bombaywallah), Founding Editor, The Wire Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra and Fahrinisa Campana with Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. Manahil Naveed and 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