The Take

Last week, one more name was added to the list of Donald Trump advisors indicted after serving the former president of the United States. Thomas Barrack is charged with facilitating illegal influence by the United Arab Emirates on the US. How much influence did the UAE have and what is the US doing about it? 

In this episode: 

Ben Freeman (@BenFreemanDC), Director of the Foreign Influence Transparency Initiative (@InfluenceWatch) at the Center for International Policy (@CIPolicy) and author of The Foreign Policy Auction

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Tunisia’s president is on a firing spree. Kais Saied sacked the prime minister, froze parliament, and dismissed several senior officials in the span of a week, all in the name of anti-corruption. The political turmoil has many Tunisians wondering — should they view these latest developments with hope? Or skepticism?

In this episode: 

Ouiem Chettaoui (@ouiemch), a Tunisian public policy specialist

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With the recent announcement of Bill and Melinda Gates’ divorce, many people are asking questions about the Foundation's future. But this is not the first time questions about the foundation have been asked. One development expert we spoke with claims AGRA, Bill Gates’ two decade old program to feed Africa through agriculture, failed in its goals. On this episode of The Take we look at the Gates Foundation, and at AGRA and what went wrong.

In this episode: 

• Timothy Schwab (@TimothyWSchwab), investigative journalist and author of the upcoming book, The Good Billionaire on Bill Gates and The Gates Foundation
• Timothy Wise (@TimothyAWise), researcher and international development expert, also author of “Eating Tomorrow”
• David Otieno Ciddi, small scale farmer, leader of Kenya’s peasants’ league and member of Via Campesina

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The biggest threat to China’s future prosperity may not come from the US, but from within as it wrestles with falling birthrates and rising inequality. How concerned is China about the widening gap between the country’s haves and have nots? Look no further than its billionaires, who’ve suddenly become very generous.

In this episode: 

Michael Standaert (@mstandaert), journalist 

Einar Tangen (@ehtangen), commentator on economics and political affairs

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COVID-19, racism, anti-semitism and a crackdown on protest — all dark clouds hanging over this year’s Olympic games in Tokyo. The International Olympic Committee made a huge gamble in postponing the event to 2021. Has it paid off?

In this episode: Jules Boykoff (@julesboykoff), political scientist, former Olympian, and author of ‘Activism and the Olympics’

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As many as 75% of young South Africans are unemployed. In any other country that would be cause for a revolution according to one South African economist. Why did rioting and looting sweep the country last week? And could violence erupt again? This week The Take explores the vast inequality and economic hardships behind South Africa’s latest unrest.

In this episode: 

• Bonginkosi Mchunu, 24 year old resident of Gretown Township in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Influencer for Youth Capital South Africa and Corporate Specialist 
• Duma Gqubule (@DumaGqubule), South African economist and financial journalist

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The world’s richest man, Jeff Bezos, is heading to space on his own spaceship on July 20th – though he’s already been upstaged by another billionaire space tour. Where the global space race was once decided by the wealth of nations, now its future is increasingly determined by ultra-wealthy individuals worth more than many countries. Their pursuit of space could put new resources in reach, and it’s reshaping the laws of outer space – at least, the ones made by humans.

In this episode: 

• Lucianne Walkowicz (@RocketToLulu), astronomer at the Adler Planetarium and co-founder of Just Space Alliance (@JustSpaceOrg)
• Lisa Ruth Rand (@orbital_decay), assistant Professor at the California Institute of Technology

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Samuel Luiz, a 24-year-old nursing assistant, was beaten to death in early July in A Coruña, a city in northwest Spain. Witnesses say his aggressors reportedly used homophobic slurs while attacking him. But the police have not deemed it a hate crime yet. 

The killing has shocked the LGBTQ community, and many have started a conversation online about their own experiences with attacks. Others are questioning how progressive the European country really is.

In this episode: 

• Begoña Gómez Urzaiz (@begogomezurzaiz), freelance journalist in Barcelona
• Mateo Sancho (@mateosancho), journalist and sociologist
• Enrique Aparicio (@esnorquel), journalist
• Rubén Serrano (@RubenSerranoM), journalist and author

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Jovenel Moise's assassination has thrown Haiti into a fog of political confusion. But with gangs running the streets, and extreme poverty across the country, Haiti was in a state of crisis long before his killing.

In this episode: 

• Jetry Dumont (@_jetry_), director of the Haitian media company Ayibopost
• Monique Clesca (@moniclesca), democracy activist
• Johnny Celestin (@johnnycelestin), Haitian-American 

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After 20 years the United States is ending its occupation of Afghanistan. A lot has changed but many Afghans like journalist Ali Latifi are concerned about how many things are still the same. Roads remain unpaved, the electricity is spotty and a newly energized Taliban is threatening to take back the Afghan state. Many Afghans are now left wondering what happened to the US promises and why the Afghan people have been left behind.

In this episode: 

• Ali Laitifi (@alibomaye), Afghan journalist covering Afghanistan
• Osama Bin Javaid (@osamabinjavaid), Al Jazeera correspondent covering the Taliban

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