Sean Combs, iconic rapper and music mogul, is behind bars awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has denied all the charges, but this story has people talking about hip-hop's #metoo moment.

This week on Now You Know, we talk to an industry writer, producer, editor about the hip-hop scene and question whether it has a history of silence around abuse. Will Combs' case mark a turning point for accountability in the industry?

In this episode:

• Hillary Crosley Coker, (X), Writer, Producer, Editor

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana, Zaina Badr, and our Host, Samantha Johnson. 

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan. 

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

At 31, Jill Damatac made the decision to self-deport from the United States, ending 22 years of life as an undocumented migrant. Her journey began at age nine, when her family left the Philippines for the US in search of a better life. But instead of opportunity, they encountered instability, xenophobia, and an immigration system Jill describes as broken.

In this episode of Now You Know, we speak to Jill Damatac about what it means to grow up as an undocumented migrant in the US, and how that reshaped her sense of identity, belonging, and home.

In this episode:

• Jill Damatac, (IG), Writer & Filmmaker

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana, Zaina Badr, and our Host, Samantha Johnson. 

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan. 

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Every ten minutes, a woman or girl is killed by someone she knows, according to the UN. Femicide is a global issue that we can’t afford to ignore. So what’s really behind it? And more importantly, how can it be stopped?

Now You Know talks to María de la Luz Estrada Mendoza, the director of a citizen watch group in Mexico. She shares powerful stories of femicide in her country. We also hear from Mariam Khan, a UNFPA representative in Türkiye, who helps us understand how deep this problem runs in all societies.

In this episode:

• Mariam Khan, UNFPA Representative in Türkiye 
• María de la Luz Estrada Mendoza, Director | National Citizen Observatory of Femicide 

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Zaina Badr, Fahrinisa Campana, and our Host, Samantha Johnson. 

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan. 

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

South Korea has the lowest birth rate in the world. While factors like the economy, government policies, and culture play a role, these challenges exist globally. So what makes South Korea so unique?

Now You Know talks to Anna Kook, an AJ+ reporter who covers South Korean society and news. She explains why people in South Korea are not having enough babies.

In this episode:

Anna Kook, (X / IG), AJ+ Reporter 

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Zaina Badr, Fahrinisa Campana, and our Host, Samantha Johnson. 

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan. 

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

When the Assad regime fell in December 2024, opposition forces opened prison doors across Syria. For many, Assad’s demise was both a shock and a moment of long-awaited freedom. Yet for those who had endured years of torture, the scars – both physical and emotional – remain. How did they survive the unimaginable?

On this week’s episode of Now You Know, we talk to Maysaa Al Hassan. She was freed after 11 years in prison. She shares her experience of survival, and why she’s speaking out now: to seek justice for herself and for the countless women who endured Syria’s brutal prison system.

In this episode:

• Maysaa Al Hassan, Former Syrian Prisoner 

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana, Zaina Badr, and our Host, Samantha Johnson. 

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan. 

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Israel has resumed its assault on Gaza, shattering the ceasefire with Hamas. Hundreds of people were killed in the first week of renewed attacks and Palestinians have once again been given evacuation orders. As destruction mounts the hope of rebuilding Gaza is fading fast. 

This week on Now You Know, we talk to Ms. Paula Gaviria, UN Special Rapporteur for the human rights of internally displaced people. We talk about the challenges involved in planning for the rebuilding of Gaza and ask, Will it ever become a reality?

In this episode:

• Ms. Paula Gaviria, (X), UN Special Rapporteur for IDPs

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana, Zaina Badr, and our Host, Samantha Johnson. 

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan. 

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

In India, a woman or girl is raped every 16 minutes, according to India's National Crime Records Bureau. “To Kill a Tiger”  tells the powerful story of a 13-year-old survivor and her father’s fight to get justice for his daughter – a fight that ultimately led to the three accused being sentenced to 25 years in prison each. 

On this week’s episode of Now You Know, we speak to director Nisha Pahuja who captures this battle in her Oscar-nominated documentary. We also speak to a sexual violence expert about the justice system in India, and how the lack of implementation of the law coupled with systemic barriers makes justice hard to attain.

In this episode:

• Nisha Pahuja, (X / IG), Director | To Kill a Tiger
• Sharmila (Mona) Sinha, (X / IG), CEO | EqualityNow

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana, Zaina Badr, and our Host, Samantha Johnson. 

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan. 

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Ibtihaj Muhammad made history as the first American-Muslim woman to compete in the Olympics while wearing a hijab. This achievement holds immense significance, especially given the ongoing controversy surrounding the hijab in sports. 

This week on Now You Know, we chat with Ibtihaj about staying true to her identity, pushing back against discrimination, and competing at the highest level. 

In this episode:

• Ibtihaj Muhammad, (X | IG), Fencing Champion  

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Zaina Badr, Fahrinisa Campana, and our Host, Samantha Johnson. 

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan. 

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Palestinians who emerge from Israeli prisons often speak of the physical abuse, solitary confinement and terrible living conditions that they’ve endured. But is it even tougher for women?

Now You Know talks to Hadeel Shatara, a former Palestinian prisoner. She was released during the first wave of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement. Hadeel shares her story and what female prisoners endure behind bars.

In this episode:

• Hadeel Shatara, (X | IG), Head of Alumni Programme | Birzeit University

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana, Zaina Badr, and our Host, Samantha Johnson. 

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan. 

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

An unlikely group of fighters is on the frontline of Ukraine’s war effort against Russia. They’re called the Witches of Bucha – a group of volunteers, many of them suburban mothers, defending Ukrainian skies from drones. Their training is tough, and the stakes are high. For some, it’s a way to channel their rage. For others, it’s nerve-wracking but necessary work.

This week on Now You Know, we speak with a member of the unit about the risks these women face, why she chose this path, and what it means to her to be able to serve her country in this way.

In this episode:

Liudmyla Lysenko | Witches of Bucha Combat Unit

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana, Zaina Badr, and our Host, Samantha Johnson. 

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan. 

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

​​Kateryna Malofieieva was our Ukraine producer.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube