The Take

Los Angeles has become a military zone. As citywide protests erupted following ICE raids on local immigrant communities, United States President Donald Trump sent federal forces into the city for the first time in decades. How is this show of force turning immigration raids into a national flashpoint?

In this episode:

• Abraham Marquez, (@abemarquez3) Investigative Journalist, The Southlander

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Sonia Bhagat, and Tamara Khandaker, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Haleema Shah, Amy Walters, Mariana Navarrete, Kisaa Zehra, and our guest host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz.

Joe Plourde mixed this episode. 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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The seizure of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters has not deterred other aid convoys from heading towards Gaza. Palestinian-American writer Ahmad Ibsais explains how humanitarian aid has become a politically charged weapon of war.

In this episode:

• Ahmad Ibsais, Writer of State of Siege

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Amy Walters, Sonia Bhagat, Chloe K Li, Haleema Shah, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Sari El Khalili, Mariana Navarette, Kisaa Zehra, and our host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. 

Joe Plourde mixed this episode. 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

Barcelona’s Sónar Festival, a major music and technology event, is seeing artist withdrawals after revelations about its parent company, Superstruct. The live events giant is backed by the investment firm KKR, linked to Israeli weapons makers and illegal West Bank settlements, prompting a growing boycott.

In this episode:

• Dania Shihab, Artist

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and Tamara Khandaker, with Sarí el-Khalili, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Kisaa Zehra, Mariana Navarrete, and our host, Natasha del Toro. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz and Sarí el-Khalili. Special thanks to Noelia Ramírez.

Joe Plourde mixed this episode. 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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Smog once choked Paris streets. Now, cleaner air, grassroots pressure and a bold city agenda are reshaping how the city breathes and moves. From bottom-up activism to political pushback, Paris’s transformation reveals a success story in the fight to reclaim public space.

In this episode:

• Natacha Butler (@natachabut), Al Jazeera Correspondent
• Daniel Grajales, Member of Paris en Selle

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and Sarí el-Khalili, with Kylene Kiang, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Mariana Navarrete, Remas Alhawari, Kisaa Zehra, and our host, Manuel Rápalo. It was edited by Alexandra Locke.

The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Kylene Kiang, Ashish Malhotra, Khaled Soltan, Amy Walters, and Noor Wazwaz. Our editorial interns are Remas Alhawari, Kingwell Ma, Mariana Navarrete, and Kisaa Zehra. Our guest host is Kevin Hirten. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Aya Elmileik is lead of audience engagement.

Joe Plourde mixed this episode. 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. 

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As Israel’s war on Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria continues, we're coming to you on Sundays with a weekly roundup. This week: Dozens of Palestinians killed across Gaza during the Eid weekend. Israel admits to arming armed gangs in Gaza. Lebanon once again attacked by Israeli forces. It is day 611 of the war in Gaza. At least 54,772 Palestinians have been killed.

In this episode:

• Ibrahim Al-Khalili, (@hemaalkhalili1), Al Jazeera Journalist
• Zeina Khodr, (@ZeinakhodrAljaz), Al Jazeera Senior Correspondent
• Imogen Kimber, (@ImogenKimber), Al Jazeera Senior Producer
• Hamdah Salhut, (@hamdahsalhut), Al Jazeera Correspondent

Episode credits:

This episode was hosted by Nida Ibrahim and produced by Marthe van der Wolf. 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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Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on January 14th, 2025. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.

Impeachment proceedings against suspended South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol are in full swing. Authorities have made a second attempt to detain him over his brief martial law declaration, but he remains holed up in his fortified residence, backed by supporters waving US flags and “Stop the Steal” banners. What lies ahead for South Korea?

In this episode:

• Se-Woong Koo, Managing Editor of Korea Exposé

Episode credits:

This episode was updated by Sarí el-Khalili. The original production team was Sarí el-Khalili, Sonia Bhagat, Amy Walters, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Hagir Saleh, Noor Wazwaz, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten.

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

From Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan, US wars left not freedom but ruin. In a recent book, co-authors Noam Chomsky and Nathan Robinson expose how American elites sell violence as virtue, using the myth of democracy to justify endless war.

In this episode:

• Nathan Robinson (@NathanJRobinson), Co-Author of The Myth of American Idealism

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé, Haleema Shah, and Sonia Bhagat, with Manny Panaretos, Mariana Navarrete, Remas Alhawari, Kisaa Zehra, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Kylene Kiang. 

Joe Plourde mixed this episode. 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.

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

The Dominican Republic has deported nearly 150,000 people it claims are of Haitian descent since October 2024. Many of them are unaccompanied minors or people born in the Dominican Republic but stripped of citizenship in 2013. While officials say they are enforcing immigration laws, a recent Al Jazeera documentary points to a deeper history of anti-Blackness and anti-Haitian sentiment on the island.

In this episode:

• Natasha Del Toro (@ndeltoro), Al Jazeera journalist

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker, Sonia Bhagat and Ashish Malhotra, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Khaled Soltan, Mariana Navarrete, Kisaa Zehra, Remas Alhawari, Kingwell Ma, and our guest host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.

Joe Plourde mixed this episode. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah,Mohannad Al-Melhem, Kylene Kiang. 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

The US will begin revoking visas for Chinese students, including those in “critical fields” or with connections to the Chinese Communist Party. The US State Department has said this is to stop the exploitation of US universities and protect national security. Who is losing out in this latest development in US-China tensions?

In this episode:

• Zichen Wang (@ZichenWanghere), Research Fellow & Director for International Communications at the Center for China and Globalization

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Sonia Bhagat, and Chloe K. Ki, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Remas Alhawari, Mariana Navarrete, Kingwell Ma, Kisaa Zehra, Khaled Soltan, and our guest host, Natasha del Toro. It was edited by Kylene Kiang. 

Joe Plourde mixed this episode. 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

Israel’s war on Gaza has turbocharged its already booming military-tech industry, with weapons and surveillance systems tested on Palestinians continuing to be sold around the world. Israel’s role as a global arms innovator has only deepened since October 7, 2023, and some governments and corporations are profiting.

In this episode:

• Antony Loewenstein (@antloewenstein), author, The Palestine Laboratory

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan, Sonia Bhagat and Ashish Malhotra, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Kingwell Ma, Kisaa Zehra, Mariana Navarette, Manny Panaretos and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.

Joe Plourde mixed this episode. 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