The Take

A restored nuclear deal with Iran was “closer than ever,” according to negotiators, when war broke out in Ukraine. Now, stung from the US reneging on the last deal, many Iranians are holding back their hopes of freedom from stifling sanctions. What are the main sticking points? As war rages in Europe, could there be a thaw in relations with Iran?

In this episode: 

• Maziar Motamedi (@MotamediMaziar) Iran correspondent for @AJEnglish Digital
• Asal Alizade (@asal_alizade) Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Researcher

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There's been speculation for weeks now whether or not residents of Ukraine's capital of Kyiv might hear air raid sirens. On Thursday, February 24, that prediction finally came to pass. After months of an increased military buildup along the Russian-Ukrainian border, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he called a "special military operation” in Ukraine. Soon after, explosions were heard around the country, including the capital. Russian troops are outside the city, and people are waiting to see what's next. In this episode, The Take shares one woman's view from Kyiv.

In this episode: 

• Katharine Quinn-Judge (@kquinnjudge), conflict analyst
• Dorsa Jabbari (@DorsaJabbari), Al Jazeera journalist

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Where is the nearest bomb shelter? Does it have water and supplies, or has it been turned into a restaurant? Before this week, many Ukrainians did not know the answers to these kinds of questions – and they still may not. Most Ukrainians have never thought a full scale invasion by Russia was coming. Now that Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognized two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent entities, we’re looking at how prepared they might be if it is.

In this episode: 

• Liz Cookman (@liz_cookman), journalist with Al Jazeera 
• Michael Colborne (@ColborneMichael), journalist at Bellingcat 

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A diplomatic boycott led by the US. Strict COVID-19 pandemic measures. And athletes caught in the middle of political fights between nations. The 2022 Winter Olympics has ended in Beijing, China, but the biggest headlines weren’t about the games. American-born athletes with Chinese roots who competed for Team China found themselves at the center of a war of words between the two countries. So are the Games still about sports, or do they represent a geopolitical rivalry under the guise of sportsmanship?

In this episode: 

• Jules Boykoff, (@JulesBoykoff) political scientist, author of NOlympians and Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics.

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Ninety-seven percent of Afghans could be living in poverty this year. After the Taliban takeover in August, the United States renewed sanctions and froze Afghan funds, leaving the banking system in shambles. In February, US President Joe Biden signed an executive order to release $7bn of Afghan funds held in US banks but he also directed half of that money to the family members of September 11th victims. What happens will be decided by a judge. Biden wants the other half to go into a trust fund to aid Afghans. Hear why the founder of one Afghan charity thinks these are both bad ideas and where he hopes the money will go instead.

In this episode: 

• Obaidullah Baheer (@ObaidullaBaheer), lecturer at American University Afghanistan, visiting Scholar at The New School and founder of “Save Afghans from Hunger”

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Ever since Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook from his Harvard dorm room, he's been focused on growth — more users in more places, until the entire world is connected. But in February, Meta, the social media platform’s parent company, reported some concerning news: for the first time in its 18-year history, Facebook had a drop in daily users. After that, Meta’s stock plummeted by more than $200 billion dollars — the largest single-day drop in Wall Street’s history. Facebook has weathered scandal after scandal, but its user numbers haven't taken a hit until now. So what does that mean for one of Big Tech's biggest companies?

In this episode: 

• Alex Heath (@alexeheath), senior reporter at The Verge

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For social equity applicants in Illinois, obtaining a licence to become a vendor of recreational cannabis is a long and expensive journey. The state's point system to award its licences has been heavily criticised because of its lack of transparency. Multiple lawsuits have stalled the process. Today, many people in communities affected by the so-called war on drugs are waiting to see if they will get a chance to create generational wealth in an industry they say was “built on the backs of Black people”.

In this episode: 

• Imaeyen Ibanga (@iiwrites), Presenter with AJ+

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Journalist Fahad Shah's arrest is the latest in a string of attacks on press freedom in Indian-administered Kashmir. Reporters there say the government is actively trying to shut down any independent media.

In this episode:

• Rifat Fareed, Al Jazeera journalist in Srinagar

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Canadian tolerance for Ottawa's 'Freedom Convoy" is dropping dramatically. The capital’s downtown has been occupied for over a week by protesters opposed to vaccine mandates for cross-border truckers and other pandemic restrictions. Officials and residents say it's getting out of control. So what's at the root of the protest, and what could it mean for anti-vaccine protests worldwide? 

In this episode: 

Justin Ling (@Justin_Ling), investigative journalist 

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Read more: Angus Reid Institute survey on pandemic restrictions 

Burkina Faso just experienced the latest in a series of coups across West Africa. Frustration with the lavish lifestyle of aging heads of state, sustained security problems along the Sahel and an anti-colonial sentiment are all breeding discontent. But why so many countries and why now? Al Jazeera’s West Africa correspondent Nicolas Haque takes us to the centre of Burkina Faso’s coup and introduces us to some of the people driving this change.

In this episode: 

• Nicolas Haque (@nicolashaque), Al Jazeera's West Africa Correspondent

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