The Take Podcast By Al Jazeera cover art

The Take

The Take

By: Al Jazeera
Listen for free

The Take is a daily interview-driven international news podcast hosted by award-winning journalist Malika Bilal. Each episode focuses on conversations with journalists and people directly impacted by the news of the day, offering our listeners the context necessary to understand what's in the headlines.

With millions of global listens, it's clear the conversations we're having on The Take are worth hearing. And critics think so too. The show has won the Online Journalism Awards, the Signal Awards, Lovie Awards, and Anthem Awards, among others.

2026 Al Jazeera Media Network. All rights reserved.
Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Inside Trump’s quiet plan to ‘take’ Cuba
    Mar 25 2026

    International convoys are bringing aid to Cuba to protest the US fuel blockade, as Cuba continues to fend off US threats of a takeover. With Cubans continuing to live under prolonged blackouts and the government preparing for military confrontation, can the Cuban government again survive the latest US effort to overthrow it?

    In this episode:

    • Ed Augustin (@EdAugReporter), Journalist

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li and Sarí el-Khalili, with Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Alexandra Locke 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.

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

    Show more Show less
    22 mins
  • Is war turning Tehran’s air into a chemical weapon?
    Mar 23 2026

    Black rain fell over Tehran after oil depot strikes in the US-Israel war on Iran filled the sky with toxic petrochemical smoke. The contamination can seep into lungs, soil and water, with long-term risks from cancer to lasting environmental damage. What happens when the air people breathe becomes part of the battlefield?

    In this episode:

    • Narges Bajoghli, Cultural Anthropologist, Johns Hopkins University

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz, Marcos Bartolomé and Sarí el-Khalili with Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat, and our guest host, Tamara Khandaker. It was edited by 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.

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

    Show more Show less
    22 mins
  • How the Iran war is about to hit your wallet
    Mar 23 2026

    Strikes on gas sites are now part of the US-Israel war with Iran. But its effect will echo far beyond the Gulf, hitting power, food, and prices worldwide. As gas supply shrinks and costs rise, who will feel it most, and how far could the shock spread?

    In this episode:

    • Justin Dargin (@justindargin), Energy Expert, Middle East Council of Global Affairs

    Episode credits:

    This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé, Tamara Khandaker, Sarí el-Khalili, Chloe K. Li, Tuleen Barakat, Catherine Nouhan and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Sarí el-Khalili. Alex Roldan is our sound designer.

    The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Chloe K. Li, Alexandra Locke, Catherine Nouhan, Alex Roldan, and Noor Wazwaz. Our host is Malika Bilal.

    Our editorial intern is Tuleen Barakat. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.

    Connect with us:

    @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

    Show more Show less
    21 mins
No reviews yet