The Take

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Imani Barbarin on disability rights, COVID and the war on Gaza Dec 18, 2025

Show notes

Why does the public understanding of disability lag so far behind reality? TikTok influencer and disability activist Imani Barbarin lays this out for her audiences on social media, where she has amassed nearly a million followers across platforms. In this episode, Barbarin shares her perspectives on disability at the intersection of issues, including COVID and the genocidal war on Gaza.

In this episode:

Imani Barbarin (@Imani_Barbarin), Disability Advocate

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Melanie Marich and Haleema Shah, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Tracie Hunte, Diana Ferrero, Fatima Shafiq, Farhan Rafid, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Kylene Kiang and 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.

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Bethlehem marks Christmas under shadow of Gaza war Dec 17, 2025

Show notes

Christmas lights are back on in Bethlehem for the first time since Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza began. Yet behind the celebrations, deep economic hardships and mounting pressure from Israeli military incursions and settler violence continue to shape daily life for Palestinian Christians across the occupied West Bank.

In this episode:

Rev Dr Fares Abraham (@faresabraham), Founder and President, Levant Ministries

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Tracie Hunte and Sarí el-Khalili, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Haleema Shah, Fatima Shafiq, Farhan Rafid, Tamara Khandaker, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz and Sarí el-Khalili.

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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Will the Bondi Beach shooting change Australia’s gun laws? Dec 15, 2025

Show notes

A Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach ended with a mass shooting when two gunmen opened fire, killing 15 people. In a country with some of the world’s strictest gun laws, how were a father and son able to carry out an attack that sent shockwaves across Australia?

In this episode:

Danielle Robertson (@Danielle_Rob), Al Jazeera Correspondent

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and Melanie Marich, with Sarí el-Khalili, Farhan Rafid, Fatima Shafiq, Diana Ferrero, Tamara Khandaker and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz and Sarí el-Khalili.

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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What does RSF capture of Heglig oilfield mean for Sudan’s war? Dec 15, 2025

Show notes

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have seized the Heglig oilfield, a critical site located on the border of Sudan and South Sudan. The capture of vital oil infrastructure is part of the RSF's latest push to dominate the country's Kordofan region. What will this takeover mean for the next stage of Sudan's war?

In this episode:

Hiba Morgan (@hiba_morgan), Al Jazeera Correspondent

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, Sarí el-Khalili, and Melanie Marich, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Diana Ferrero, Fatima Shafiq, Farhan Rafid, and our host Malika Bilal. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.

The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Kylene Kiang, Diana Ferrero, Tracie Hunte, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Melanie Marich, Haleema Shah, and Noor Wazwaz. Our editorial interns are Farhan Rafid and Fatima Shafiq. Our host is Malika Bilal. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Rick Rush mixed this episode. 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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Brief: Winter storm compounds misery of Gaza's displaced Dec 14, 2025

Show notes

This week: 67 days into a ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 383 Palestinians in Gaza. A winter storm killed at least 14 Palestinians in Gaza. Israel approved further settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israel has killed more than 70,656 Palestinians in Gaza since October 7th, 2023.

In this episode:

Ibrahim Al Khalili, (@_ibrahimalkhalili) Al Jazeera Correspondent
Hind Khoudary, (@Hind_Gaza) Al Jazeera Correspondent
Nour Odeh, (@osamabinjavaid) Al Jazeera Correspondent

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 Andrew Greiner and Munera AlDosari 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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Another Take: Palestinian joy at the AFC Asian Cup Dec 13, 2025

Show notes

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on January 18, 2024. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.

The Palestinian national football team is at the AFC Asian Cup happening right now in Qatar. They played the United Arab Emirates today and played Iran on Sunday, where Palestinian pride echoed throughout the stadium. We head to the pitch for a look at the team’s challenges and achievements as the cup goes on.

In this episode:

Abdullah Al-Arian, Georgetown University Associate Professor of History, School of Foreign Service in Qatar

Episode credits:

This episode was updated by Tracie Hunte. This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and Chloe K. Li with our host Kevin Hirten. Miranda Lin fact-checked this episode.

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, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

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Who will win the Warner Bros battle - Netflix or Paramount? Dec 12, 2025

Show notes

Warner Bros Discovery, the Hollywood studio and media company, is up for grabs, and Netflix and Paramount are battling to own it. Both Netflix and Paramount are media giants with competing views of the future of the industry. So how could a media merger involving one of the most iconic Hollywood studios change entertainment as we know it?

In this episode:

Rani Molla (@ranimolla), Senior Tech Correspondent, Sherwood News

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Noor Wazwaz, and Tracie Hunte, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Diana Ferrero, Melanie Marich, Fatima Shafiq, Farhan Rafid, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. This episode was mixed by Rick Rush. 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:

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Who was Israel-backed Gaza militia leader Yasser Abu Shabab? Dec 11, 2025

Show notes

When Gaza militia leader Yasser Abu Shabab was killed last week, few Palestinians mourned his death. After Israel's genocidal war in Gaza began in 2023, Abu Shabab and his Israel-backed Popular Forces group attempted to present themselves as an alternative to Hamas, but Palestinians instead viewed him as a traitor. What did his rise reveal about Israel’s strategy for Gaza?

In this episode:

Muhammad Shehada (@muhammadshehad2), Visiting Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Melanie Marich, Noor Wazwaz, and Haleema Shah, with Tracie Hunte, Diana Ferrero, and our guest host Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.

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US-Venezuela military buildup tests Puerto Rico’s painful past Dec 10, 2025

Show notes

The US military is increasing its presence in Puerto Rico as the Trump administration prepares for a possible clash with Venezuela over alleged drug trafficking. Ten thousand troops, advanced jets, drones and the USS Iwo Jima now sit on an island still scarred by decades of military pollution. What does this new buildup mean for Puerto Rico’s future?

In this episode:

Israel Melendez Ayala (@IsraelAyala144), Writer and Historian

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Tracie Hunte, Noor Wazwaz, and Sarí el-Khalili, with Diana Ferrero, Haleema Shah, Fatima Shafiq, Farhan Rafid, Tamara Khandaker, and our guest host, Natasha Del Toro. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.

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Is Delhi's toxic smog making the city unlivable? Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

Each winter, Delhi is smothered in a toxic smog that chokes its residents, sending many to hospitals for acute respiratory ailments. The government has pledged to tackle the air pollution crisis, but the reality remains difficult. Amid fears that India’s capital is becoming unlivable, residents are now demanding real action after a decade of breathing the world’s dirtiest air.

In this episode:

Yashraj Sharma (@yashjournals), independent journalist

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker and Haleema Shah, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Fatima Shafiq, Farhan Rafid, and our guest host Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. This episode was mixed by Rick Rush. 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 X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

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