With hundreds dead after days of fighting between armed supporters of former leader Bashar al-Assad and government forces, the worst violence since al-Assad's fall, Syrians are grappling with how to move forward. Days ahead of the 14th anniversary of Syria's uprising, the country faces an uncertain path forward.

In this episode:

• Osama Bin Javaid (@osamabinjavaid), Al Jazeera correspondent

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and Chloe K. Li with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hanah Shokeir, Melanie Marich and our guest host, Manuel Rápalo. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

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

The clock is ticking down to the next pandemic, which could be deadlier than the last, as new zoonotic diseases emerge and global vaccine inequity persists. Five years since COVID-19, what lessons have we learned and what needs to change before it’s too late?

In this episode:

• Drew Ambrose (@drew_ambrose), Al Jazeera journalist, “Flatten the Curve”

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li, Ashish Malhotra, and Tamara Khandaker, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Amy Walters, Sarí el-Khalili, Marcos Bartolomé, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz.

The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Ashish Malhotra, Khaled Soltan, Amy Walters, and Noor Wazwaz. Our editorial interns are Melanie Marich and Hanah Shokeir. Our guest host is Kevin Hirten. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Aya Elmileik is lead of audience engagement.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

Connect with us:

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

We're coming to you on Sundays with weekly roundups as Israel's war in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria continues. Negotiations are expected in Doha over the next phase of the ceasefire in Gaza. Israel continues to block aid. Israeli raids continued in the occupied West Bank. It is day 520 of the war in Gaza, where more than 48,453 Palestinians have been killed.

In this episode:

• Hamdah Salhut, (@hamdahsalhut) Al Jazeera Correspondent
• Tareq Abu Azzoum, (@TareqAzzom) Al Jazeera Correspondent
• Rosalind Jordan, Al Jazeera Correspondent
• Mohammed Haji, (@hxji99) Al Jazeera Producer 

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.

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

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on September 19th, 2023. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.

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), Journalist

Episode credits:

This episode was updated by Amy Walters and Sarí el-Khalili. The original production team was Sonia Bhagat with Chloe K. Li, Miranda Lin, and our host, Malika Bilal.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Aya Elmileik is lead of audience engagement. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

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

Silicon Valley’s “broligarchy” rose to power with the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, putting tech billionaires like Elon Musk in key roles. Ahead of International Women’s Day, we speak with a journalist who investigated Musk’s takeover of Twitter to uncover what the tech elite has in store for women in the US.

In this episode:

• Zoe Schiffer (@ZoeSchiffer), Journalist and Author

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Amy Walters and Sarí el-Khalili, with Marcos Bartolomé, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hanah Shokeir, Melanie Marich, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

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

Arab countries have agreed on a plan to rebuild and govern Gaza without displacing its Palestinian population, a direct response to United States President Donald Trump’s vision of transforming Gaza into the "Riviera of the Middle East". What does Egypt’s plan entail, and what are its chances of success?

In this episode: 

• Imad Harb (@harb3imad) - Director of research and analysis, Arab Center Washington DC

Episode credits: 

This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker and Chloe K. Li, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Khaled Soltan, Melanie Marich, Hanah Shokeir, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

Connect with us:

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

AI is being used to save Indigenous languages, but is it the right fix? One new project aims to use tech to help keep these languages alive without replacing human connection.

In this episode:

• Danielle Boyer (@danielleboyerr), Robotics Educator

Episode credits: 

This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li, Marcos Bartolomé, and Tamara Khandaker, with Manny Panaritos, Duha Mosaad, Hagir Saleh, Khaled Soltan, Hanah Shokeir, Melanie Marich, Noor Wazwaz and our guest host Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Alexandra Locke. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

Connect with us:

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

After clashing with US President Donald Trump over support, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy turned to London for European and UK backing. His reception was warmer, but without US help, can Europe step up to defend the country?

In this episode:

• Alex Gatopoulos (@AlexGatopoulos), Al Jazeera Defence Editor

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and Amy Walters, with Sarí el-Khalili, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hanah Shokeir, Melanie Marich, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

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

Ramadan is peak season for watching Syrian TV dramas, a cherished tradition once stifled by censorship under Bashar al-Assad's regime. Writers, actors and directors were exiled, yet many still shaped popular series. As creatives return home, how will Syria’s TV and film industry evolve in a post-Assad era?

In this episode:

• Christa Salamandra (@csalamand), Professor of Anthropology at Lehman College
• Inas Hakki (@inas_hakki), Film Director

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker and Chloe K. Li, with Sarí el-Khalili, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Marcos Bartolomé, Melanie Marich, Hanah Shokeir, and our guest host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.

The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Ashish Malhotra, Khaled Soltan, Amy Walters, and Noor Wazwaz. Our editorial interns are Melanie Marich, Hagir Saleh and Hanah Shokeir. Our guest host is Kevin Hirten. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Aya Elmileik is lead of audience engagement.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

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

We're coming to you on Sundays with weekly roundups as Israel's war in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria continues. Israel adopted a US proposal to continue a ceasefire in Gaza, while Hamas has yet to respond. Israel has released its longest serving Palestinian prisoner. It is day 513 of the war in Gaza, where more than 48,388 Palestinians have been killed.

In this episode:

• Hind Khoudary, (@Hind_Gaza) Al Jazeera Correspondent
• Hamdah Salhut, (@hamdahsalhut) Al Jazeera Correspondent
• Hani Mahmoud, Al Jazeera Correspondent
• Laura Khan, (@LauraKhanNews) Al Jazeera Correspondent 

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.