The Take

A fire broke out during a wedding in Nineveh governorate, Northern Iraq, in al-Hamdaniya’s Christian community. Within hours, the death toll had risen above 100 people, and over 150 have been injured. Fire extinguishing and rescue operations began soon after the blaze erupted, with victims being transferred to hospitals nationwide to be treated. Authorities expect the death toll to continue rising. Could this latest fire in Iraq have been prevented? And what does it mean for a community that’s only now returning from years of devastation? In this episode:  Julian Bechocha (@JBechocha), English Desk Reporter for Rudaw Episode credits: This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana and Khaled Soltan, with our host Kevin Hirten in for Malika Bilal. Amy Walters, Ashish Malhotra, and David Enders 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, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

The fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan, goes back decades. But last week, after a battle that lasted less than 24 hours, Azerbaijan declared victory over the territory and invited the ethnic Armenians who weren’t involved in the fighting to stay. Now, tens of thousands of them are leaving their homeland without any hope of returning. So how did this happen, and what does this mean for the people most affected as an era comes to an end?   In this episode:  Alison Tahmizian Meuse (@AliTahmizian), Strategic Advisor, DeepStrat Osama Bin Javaid (@osamabinjavaid), Al Jazeera English correspondent Bernard Smith (@JazeeraBernard), Al Jazeera English correspondent  Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra with Amy Walters and our host Malika Bilal. David Enders 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, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. For more, listen to our 2020 episode, "The long story between Armenia and Azerbaijan" Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook Want to hear your voice on The Take? Record a voice message for International Podcast Day about why you listen and it could be featured on the show.

An estimated four million children in Turkey were affected by the earthquakes in February. The disaster forced them to see death and tragedy up close - many for the first time. As the new school year begins, there’s hope that the classroom will bring back a sense of routine and normalcy. But the trauma of the past eight months has not gone away, with children continuing to deal with displacement, grief, and anxiety. Experts warn that if the mental health of these children is not handled carefully, there could be long-term consequences. In this episode:  Ceyda Yelkalan (@SaveChildrenTR), Save the Children Advocacy and Communications Manager Episode credits: This episode was produced by Miranda Lin and our host Malika Bilal, with contributions from Stefania D’Ignoti. Khaled Soltan 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, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook Want to hear your voice on The Take? Record a voice message for International Podcast Day about why you listen and it could be featured on the show.

A US federal court has indicted New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez and his wife Nadine on corruption-related charges. The couple have reportedly accepted gold bars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash in exchange for providing sensitive information about US foreign policy and other favors for Egyptian officials. It’s not the first time Menendez, who heads the Senate’s foreign relations committee, has been accused of corruption — but the detailed nature of the charges this time could be much more damning.  In this episode:  Ali Harb (@Harbpeace), Al Jazeera English journalist in Washington Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders, with Khaled Soltan and our host Kevin Hirten. Sarí el-Khalili and Sonia Baghat 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, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook Want to hear your voice on The Take? Record a voice message for International Podcast Day about why you listen and it could be featured on the show.

The archipelago of Kinmen in the Strait of Taiwan is small, barely visible on a map. Despite being under Taiwanese governance, it’s actually closer to the shores of mainland China, only a 30-minute ferry ride away. It’s been dealing with a garbage problem, with tons of trash washing up on its shores. But Kinmen has long been dealing with the consequences of Beijing and Taipei’s conflict, including recent military activity. So, where does this geopolitical dispute leave the Kinmenese? In this episode:  Frederik Kelter (@FrederikKelter), Journalist based in Taiwan Chieh-Ting Yeh (@chiehtingyeh), Director of US Taiwan Watch  You can find more of Frederick’s reporting from Kinmen, including pictures from the islands, here. Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Chloe K. Li, and our host Malika Bilal. David Enders 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, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook Want to hear your voice on The Take? Record a voice message for International Podcast Day about why you listen and it could be featured on the show.

From ‘The Great Fracture’ to Ukraine to migration, a look at the ins and outs of the UN General Assembly. Want to hear your voice on The Take? Record a voice message for International Podcast Day about why you listen and it could be featured on the show. In this episode:  Mike Hanna (@mjahanna), Al Jazeera senior correspondent Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sonia Bhagat, Miranda Lin and our host Malika Bilal. Ashish Malhotra and David Enders 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, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

A bank account can be everything in an increasingly cashless society. In the UK, banks closed more than 343,000 accounts in the last financial year. The practice is known as ‘debanking,’ and clients are given no notice or recourse after they’re flagged as potential risks. Muslim groups have complained for years that they are unfairly targeted. Their cause recently got an unexpected boost from far-right politician Nigel Farage after he uncovered that his account had also been shut down over his political beliefs. This week, the Financial Conduct Authority says a preliminary review has found "no evidence" that banks have shut or denied accounts over customers' political beliefs. But while Farage’s case drew widespread attention and condemnation, many in the Muslim community say they are still suffering the consequences. In this episode:  Anas Altikriti (@anasaltikriti), founder and CEO of the Cordoba Foundation Want to hear your voice on The Take? Record a voice message for International Podcast Day about why you listen and it could be featured on the show. Episode credits: This episode was produced by Miranda Lin and our host Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. Fahrinisa Campana and David Enders fact-checked this episode. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik. Munera Al Dosari and Adam Abou-Gad are our engagement producers. 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, and Facebook

Five Iranian citizens and five US citizens were released on Monday in the highest-level diplomatic efforts between the two countries in years. What does this mean for Iran-US relations? And what could it mean for geopolitics in the Middle East? In this episode:  Dorsa Jabbari (@DorsaJabbari), Al Jazeera correspondent in Tehran Imran Khan (@ajimran), Al Jazeera senior correspondent in Doha Heidi Zhou-Castro (@HeidiZhouCastro), Al Jazeera correspondent in Washington Want to hear your voice on The Take? Record a voice message for International Podcast Day about why you listen and it could be featured on the show. Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders and Fahrinisa Campana and host Kevin Hirten, in for 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, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Andrew Tate is a self-proclaimed sexist and disgraced social media influencer currently facing criminal charges in Romania. He currently has 7.8 million followers on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, and had billions of views on TikTok. Tate and his brother face charges of organized crime, human trafficking, and rape, but his young fans continue to support and buy into his brand of toxic masculinity. So what does Andrew Tate’s appeal in Romania say about where the phenomenon could lead next? In this episode:  Radu Stochita (@stochita_radu), freelance journalist in Romania  For more: As he awaits trial, Andrew Tate continues to influence Romanian boys Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sonia Bhagat, with Chloe K. Li and 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 and 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, and Facebooko

Offers of help have poured into Morocco from across the world after a deadly earthquake killed thousands. But so far, Rabat has only accepted aid from four countries, Spain, Qatar, Britain, and the United Arab Emirates, leaving offers from many others without a response. Moroccan officials say their goal is to ensure coordination, but critics and some survivors say help is desperately needed, especially in more remote areas, regardless of the source. So, is this just politics or a matter of organization? And what will the impact be on those in need? In this episode:  Stefanie Dekker (@StefanieDekker, Instagram: @stefaniejazeera), Al Jazeera senior correspondent William Lawrence (@WillLawrence111), Political Science and International Affairs professor at American University’s School of International Service. Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Amy Walters, and 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 and 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, and Facebook

This week marks the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death while in police custody, which sparked mass protests across Iran. The government has since quashed street demonstrations through deadly crackdowns and the threat of executions. But the slogan ‘Woman, life, freedom’ has become ingrained in Iranian culture and other pushbacks against the strict Islamic laws have been achieved. So one year on, where does the fight for change in Iran stand? In this episode:  Dorsa Jabbari (@DorsaJabbari), Al Jazeera correspondent in Tehran Episode credits: This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana and 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 and 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, and Facebook

Flooding in eastern Libya centered around the city of Derna has left about 6,000 dead and thousands more missing. With deep divisions between Libya’s two rival governments, questions are being asked about how prepared Libya was for such a disaster. We speak to Libyans and a climate change expert to get the latest on the disaster. In this episode:  Ayat Mneina (@AMneina), Libyan writer and researcher Malik Traina (@libyanmind), Al Jazeera Libya correspondent Ahmed Tarabolsi, doctor from Benghazi  Tarek Megerisi (@Tmegrisi), EFCR Senior Policy Fellow Karim Elgendy (@NomadandSettler), Chatham House Senior Fellow Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders, Ashish Malhotra, Zaina Badr and our host Malika Bilal. Chloe K Li, Amy Walters and Sonia Bhagat 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, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Rare anti-government protests are taking over Syria’s southern city of Sweida, home to the country’s Druze minority. Four weeks ago, the failing economy and falling wages brought protesters onto the streets. Now, they’re calling for regime change more than a decade after Syria’s uprising in 2011. Could this new movement against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad spread? Or will it be violently extinguished, like the protests more than a decade ago? In this episode:  Shadi Abou Karam (@shadi_abo_karam), political activist and researcher Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders with Fahrinisa Campana and 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 and 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, and Facebook

Spain won a historic victory at the Women’s World Cup, marking the country’s first ever win. But in the weeks since, there’s been nothing but controversy. On Sunday, that culminated in a highly-publicized resignation from head of the Spanish football federation, Luis Rubiales. Calls for him to resign first started after he gave an unwanted kiss to player Jenni Hermoso at the World Cup. Now, with all eyes on Spanish football, how much further can Spain’s women football players get to scoring proper treatment?  In this episode:  Gemma Soler (@gemma_soler), sports journalist Episode credits: This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li, with Ashish Malhotra and 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 and Adam Abou-Gad are 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, and Facebook

When a deadly earthquake struck Morocco, Mosa'ab Elshamy, a photographer for the Associated Press, was shaken out of bed. Moments later, he was taking pictures. A few hours after that, he was in the High Atlas Mountains, near the epicenter of the quake. He described survivors lifting toppled buildings by hand, trying to rescue who they could. So what else happened in those first 24 crucial hours after the quake, and what will happen next? In this episode:  Mosa'ab Elshamy (@mosaabelshamy/ @mosaaberizing), photographer for the Associated Press Episode credits: This episode was produced by Amy Walters, Zeina Badr and our host Malika Bilal. Zeina 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, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

With two major no-shows, the G20 summit theme of "One Earth, One Family, One Future" is on the rocks. Leaders and representatives from the world's largest economies are getting together this weekend in New Delhi, India. But Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are not attending. With division among members and the unifying message seeming to fray, what can we expect from this year's G20? In this episode:  James Bays (@baysontheroad), Al Jazeera English Diplomatic Editor  Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and our host Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. Miranda Lin 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 producers. 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, and Facebook

French students returned to class facing yet another battle over what some Muslim girls are choosing to wear. This time it’s the abaya, a long loose-fitting dress. Dozens of students were sent home after nearly 300 showed up to the first day of classes in abayas. French women have been here for a while now: head coverings, including the hijab, were first banned in public schools back in 2004. So how will this latest ban impact Muslim students and communities today?  In this episode:  Loubna Reguig (@loubnasays), national president of the Muslim Students of France Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sonia Bhagat, Chloe K. Li and 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. Munera AlDosari and Adam Abou-Gad are our engagement producers. 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, and Facebook

Libya and Israel have no formal diplomatic relations – in fact, under Libyan law it’s illegal to hold any unauthorized discussions with Israeli officials. Yet in August, Libyan Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush met with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in Rome, in what she thought was a secret meeting. Then the news got out. Protests erupted in several cities across Libya, Mangoush was fired, and she fled the country, stating security reasons. So what does what happened in Libya say about the next wave of normalization with Israel? In this episode:  Malik Traina (@libyanmind), Al Jazeera English reporter Episode credits: This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana and Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. Miranda Lin fact-checked this episode. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik. Munera AlDosari and Adam Abou-Gad are our engagement producers. 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, and Facebook

Protests in Niger are bigger than they’ve ever been. Only a month after overthrowing the president, protesters are now focusing their anger on their former colonial power, France. And it’s not just the protesters – Niger’s top court also approved the expulsion of France’s ambassador. France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, insists the ambassador will stay. So what’s next for Niger and for France’s slippery hold on Francophone Africa? In this episode:  Ahmed Idris, Al Jazeera correspondent Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders, Amy Walters and 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. Munera AlDosari and Adam Abou-Gad are our engagement producers. 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, and Facebook

"I'd rather hit than be hit" – the age-old mentality of a bully, and South Korea is tackling it head on. The country is undergoing a national reckoning on school bullying. Studies show that nearly one in three students suffered bullying from peers at school. And there has been an alarming rise in suicides by school-aged children. Some of the country’s best-known celebrities were also accused of bullying when they were teenagers. The ongoing series of scandals is shedding new light on what seems to be a rampant problem in the Asian nation. In this episode:  Yé-Rinne Park, journalist and independent filmmaker  Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and our host Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. Amy Walters and Sonia Bhagat fact-checked this episode. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik. Munera AlDosari and Adam Abou-Gad are our engagement producers. 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, and Facebook