The Take

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to the US to meet with President Donald Trump. This is the first White House invitation to a foreign leader after Trump retook office. What does their renewed alliance mean for the world and for Gaza?

In this episode:

• Ali Harb (@Harbpeace), Al Jazeera Journalist

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker, Ashish Malhotra, and Chloe K. Li with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hagir Saleh, Melanie Marich, 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, 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. 

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

Every weekend, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on July 19, 2021. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.

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

Episode credits:

This episode was updated by Chloe K. Li and Sarí el-Khalili. The original production team was Alexandra Locke, with our host Malika Bilal.

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.

Connect with us:

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

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on September 26, 2023. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.

A US federal court has indicted New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez and his wife Nadine on corruption-related charges. The couple have reportedly accepted gold bars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash in exchange for providing sensitive information about US foreign policy and other favors for Egyptian officials. It’s not the first time Menendez, who heads the Senate’s foreign relations committee, has been accused of corruption — but the detailed nature of the charges this time could be much more damning.

In this episode:

• Ali Harb (@Harbpeace), Al Jazeera English Journalist

Episode credits:

This episode was updated by Chloe K. Li and Sarí el-Khalili. The original production team was David Enders and Khaled Soltan, with our guest host Kevin Hirten. 

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.

Connect with us:

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

A new AI rival from China is shaking up Silicon Valley. DeepSeek matches ChatGPT’s power but says it was built faster and for a fraction of the cost. How did they do it, and what comes next?

In this episode:

• Caiwei Chen (@CaiweiC), reporter, MIT Technology Review

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Sonia Bhagat, and Amy Walters, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Hagir Saleh, 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

Bodies are lining the streets of Goma, and hospitals are overwhelmed after an escalation in the long-simmering conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Rwandan-backed M23 group claims it took control of the city, and the DRC has called it a declaration of war by Rwanda. But why is Rwanda involved and what are its interests?

In this episode:

• Kambale Musavuli (@kambale), Analyst, Center for Research on the Congo

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra, Sonia Bhagat, and Chloe K. Li with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hagir Saleh, Hanah Shokeir, Melanie Marich, Noor Wazwaz and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. 

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

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro is facing a critical moment. Violence near the Venezuelan border, a state of emergency, and US deportation flights have tested his leadership. Can Petro hold onto power and regain the trust of a divided nation?

In this episode:

• Christina Noriega (@c_mnoriega), Journalist

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Amy Walters, Sonia Bhagat, and Sarí el-Khalili with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hagir Saleh, Melanie Marich, and Hanah Shokeir, and our host, Kevin Hirten. 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.

Connect with us:

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

After a long-awaited ceasefire, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians return to find their homes in ruins. As they face the overwhelming task of rebuilding their lives, what happens next?

In this episode: 

• Maram Humaid (@MaramGaza), Al Jazeera Journalist

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and Ashish Malhotra with Sonia Bhagat, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hagir Saleh, Melanie Marich, Hanah Shokeir, and me, 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

‘Drill, baby, drill’ is the new refrain of President Donald Trump’s second term. As Trump pulls out of the Paris Accords – again – The Take speaks with activist Tori Tsui on getting back into the fight and managing climate anxiety.

In this episode:

• Tori Tsui (@toritsui), Climate Activist

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker, Sonia Bhagat, and Chloe K. Li, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hagir Saleh, Melanie Marich, Amy Walters, Hanah Shokeir, and our host, Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. 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, and Amy Walters. 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.

Correction Jan. 27, 2025: A statement indicated that the Israeli military emitted more carbon through bombing Gaza in the first two months of 2023 than 33 countries combined. That figure is incorrect. Emissions exceeded those of more than 20 countries.

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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: A second exchange of captives and prisoners took place between Hamas and Israel. Israeli troops opened fire on Palestinians in Gaza. Israel said it would delay its scheduled withdrawal from south Lebanon. It is day 478 of the war in Gaza, where more than 47,107 Palestinians have been killed.

In this episode:

• Tareq Abu Azzoum, (@TareqAzzom) Al Jazeera Correspondent 
• Zeina Khodr, (@ZeinakhodrAljaz) 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.

At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on August 11, 2021. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.

One year after a contested election and many protests, the movement to free Belarus from President Alexander Lukashenko has boiled over into neighboring states. This also means Belarusians around the world might fear the long arm of Lukashenko’s rule. Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya was quick to escape, but others faced a tragic end. What is happening in Belarus and how much power does Lukashenko hold beyond its borders?

In this episode: 

• Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, Belarusian Olympic Sprinter
• Step Vassen, Al Jazeera Correspondent
• Hanna Liubakova (@HannaLiubakova), Journalist, Non-Resident Fellow at The Atlantic Council (@AtlanticCouncil)

Episode credits:

This episode was updated by Sarí el-Khalili. The original production team was Amy Walters, Dina Kesbeh, Alexandra Locke, Negin Owleie, Priyanka Tilve, Ney Alvarez, Tom Fenton, 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.

Connect with us:

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