The Take

Latest Episodes:

Another Take: The children abandoned by South Korea’s adoption policy May 31, 2025

Show notes

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on September 25, 2024. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.

The world's largest diaspora of international adoptees comes from South Korea. Among them are mixed-race children who were forcibly sent for adoption due to the country's racist laws. One Black adoptee's search for a home reflects hard truths about the past of hundreds of thousands of international adoptees.

In this episode:

Anna Kook (@annakook), AJ+ Reporter

Episode credits:

This episode was updated by Sarí el-Khalili. The original production team was Amy Walters, Sarí el-Khalili, Khaled Soltan, Chloe K. Li, Duha Mosaad, Sonia Bhagat, 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.

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Who could be Poland’s next president? May 30, 2025

Show notes

Will Poland’s next president be a former football hooligan or a Mr Bonjour? With citizens heading to the polls for the second round of voting this weekend, Poland will decide between Karol Nawrocki, the candidate backed by US President Donald Trump, and Warsaw's mayor, the pro-European Union Rafal Trzaskowski. The divided country on Russia’s border has a major decision ahead

In this episode:

Bartosz Węglarczyk (@bweglarczyk), ONet Editor-in-Chief

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra and Amy Walters with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Marcos Bartolome, Khaled Soltan, Mariana Navarrete, and our guest host, Natasha Del Toro. 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.

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

How the Afghan village hit by a 10,000kg bomb is coping now May 29, 2025

Show notes

In 2017, the US dropped the “mother of all bombs” in a remote village in Afghanistan’s Achin district. Al Jazeera made the journey to see what’s left: homes destroyed, health problems mounting, and no accountability in sight.

In this episode:

Osama Bin Javaid (@osamabinjavaid), Al Jazeera Correspondent

Episode credits:

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

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Who is behind Tren de Aragua? May 28, 2025

Show notes

Tren de Aragua was a little-known gang in Venezuela – until recently. US President Donald Trump’s focus on the group has thrust it into the spotlight, as hundreds of Venezuelans have been deported from the United States.

In this episode:

Mike LaSusa (@mikelasusa), deputy director of content, InSight Crime

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Amy Walters and Ashish Malhotra, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Remas Alhawari, Mariana Navarette, Kisaa Zehra, Kingwell Ma, and our guest host, Natasha Del Toro. 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:

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Why the US and Israel are pushing to privatize aid to Gaza May 27, 2025

Show notes

The United States and Israel are backing a new aid initiative in Gaza that critics say sidelines the United Nations and violates humanitarian principles. With biometrics and military ties, is it really about help or control?

In this episode:

Ali Harb (@Harbpeace), Al Jazeera Senior Producer

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and Chloe K. Li, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Mariana Navarrete, Remas Alhawari, Kisaa Zehra, Kingwell Ma, Ashish Malhotra, and our guest host, Manuel Rápalo. 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

Inside Project Esther’s plan to silence pro-Palestinian activism May 26, 2025

Show notes

The Trump administration’s crackdowns on pro-Palestinian activism look eerily similar to a conservative proposal to target universities and international students it claims are part of a “terrorist support network”.

Who is behind the plan, and what will its impact be?

In this episode:

Tariq Kenney-Shawa (@tksshawa), AJ+ producer and US policy fellow, Al-Shabaka

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker, Sonia Bhagat, Haleema Shah and Chloe Li with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Marcos Bartolomé, Mariana Navarrete and our host, Natasha del Toro. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.

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.

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

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Brief: Israel kills 9 of doctor's 10 children, shoots at diplomats May 25, 2025

Show notes

As Israel’s war on Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria continues, we're coming to you on Sundays with a weekly roundup. This week: Israel killed nine of a Palestinian doctor's 10 children. Israel attacked Palestinian police attempting to secure aid distribution. Israeli soldiers shot at diplomats in the occupied West Bank. It is day 597 of the war in Gaza, where more than 53,901 Palestinians have been killed.

In this episode:

Mmalegabe Motsepe, Al Jazeera Producer
Tareq Abou Azzoum, (@TareqAzzom) Al Jazeera Correpondent
Gabriel Elizondo, (@elizondogabriel) Al Jazeera Correspondent
Hashem Ahelbarra, (@hashemahel) 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 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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@AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Another Take: Voices from the George Floyd protests May 24, 2025

Show notes

Protesters across the United States defy curfews and risk arrest to protest against police brutality. The US has seen demonstrations like this before, but this feels different. To understand why, we speak with Hanif Abdurraqib, a cultural critic and editor at GEN magazine. We also speak with Madiha Nawaz, a graduate student and Washington, DC resident who unexpectedly faced the police at her doorstep this week.

In this episode:

Hanif Abdurraqib (@NifMuhammad), cultural critic
Madiha Nawaz, (@madihasays), graduate student

Episode credits:

This episode was updated by Haleema Shah. The original production team was Priyanka Tilve, Dina Kesbeh, Alexandra Locke, Amy Walters, Ney Alvarez, Natalia Aldana, Stacey Samuel, Graelyn Brashear, Alex Roldan, and Malika Bilal.

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Josh Paul resigned over Gaza. What comes next? May 23, 2025

Show notes

Josh Paul, the first US official to resign over Israel's war on Gaza, joins The Take to explain why he stepped down, his new efforts lobbying in Washington, and why he believes that US support for Israel’s war fuels conflict abroad and makes Americans less safe at home.

In this episode:

Josh Paul, Former US State Department official

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra, Sonia Bhagat, and Amy Walters, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Remas Al Hawari, Kisaa Zehra, and Mariana Navarette, and our host, Natasha Del Toro. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.

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

Murdered live on TikTok - Mexico’s femicide crisis May 22, 2025

Show notes

The world was shocked when a gunman shot and killed Mexican influencer Valeria Marquez while she livestreamed herself at a beauty salon. President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government says it will investigate the murder as a possible case of femicide. Will it mark a turning point for a nation that has long struggled with staggering levels of gender-based violence?

In this episode:

Julia Galiano-Rios (@juliagaliano), journalist

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Sonia Bhagat, Haleema Shah, and Chloe K. Li, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Mariana Navarrete, Khaled Soltan, Amy Walters, Kisaa Zehra, Remas Alhawari, and our host, Manuel Rápalo. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.

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

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