Gold, arms, Egypt – will an indictment bring down a US Senator?
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 in Washington Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders, with Khaled Soltan and our host Kevin Hirten. Sarí el-Khalili and Sonia Baghat 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. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook Want to hear your voice on The Take? Record a voice message for International Podcast Day about why you listen and it could be featured on the show.
26 Sep 202318min
In the Taiwan Strait, tensions leave Kinmen with piles of garbage
The archipelago of Kinmen in the Strait of Taiwan is small, barely visible on a map. Despite being under Taiwanese governance, it’s actually closer to the shores of mainland China, only a 30-minute ferry ride away. It’s been dealing with a garbage problem, with tons of trash washing up on its shores. But Kinmen has long been dealing with the consequences of Beijing and Taipei’s conflict, including recent military activity. So, where does this geopolitical dispute leave the Kinmenese? In this episode: Frederik Kelter (@FrederikKelter), Journalist based in Taiwan Chieh-Ting Yeh (@chiehtingyeh), Director of US Taiwan Watch You can find more of Frederick’s reporting from Kinmen, including pictures from the islands, here. Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Chloe K. Li, and our host Malika Bilal. David Enders 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. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook Want to hear your voice on The Take? Record a voice message for International Podcast Day about why you listen and it could be featured on the show.
25 Sep 202318min
In a fractured world, what role can the UN General Assembly play?
From ‘The Great Fracture’ to Ukraine to migration, a look at the ins and outs of the UN General Assembly. Want to hear your voice on The Take? Record a voice message for International Podcast Day about why you listen and it could be featured on the show. In this episode: Mike Hanna (@mjahanna), Al Jazeera senior correspondent Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sonia Bhagat, Miranda Lin and our host Malika Bilal. Ashish Malhotra and David Enders 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. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
22 Sep 202317min
Debanking: How UK Muslims found common cause with Nigel Farage
A bank account can be everything in an increasingly cashless society. In the UK, banks closed more than 343,000 accounts in the last financial year. The practice is known as ‘debanking,’ and clients are given no notice or recourse after they’re flagged as potential risks. Muslim groups have complained for years that they are unfairly targeted. Their cause recently got an unexpected boost from far-right politician Nigel Farage after he uncovered that his account had also been shut down over his political beliefs. This week, the Financial Conduct Authority says a preliminary review has found "no evidence" that banks have shut or denied accounts over customers' political beliefs. But while Farage’s case drew widespread attention and condemnation, many in the Muslim community say they are still suffering the consequences. In this episode: Anas Altikriti (@anasaltikriti), founder and CEO of the Cordoba Foundation Want to hear your voice on The Take? Record a voice message for International Podcast Day about why you listen and it could be featured on the show. Episode credits: This episode was produced by Miranda Lin and our host Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. Fahrinisa Campana and David Enders fact-checked this episode. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik. Munera Al Dosari and Adam Abou-Gad are our engagement producers. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
21 Sep 202321min
What’s behind the US-Iran prisoner swap?
Five Iranian citizens and five US citizens were released on Monday in the highest-level diplomatic efforts between the two countries in years. What does this mean for Iran-US relations? And what could it mean for geopolitics in the Middle East? In this episode: Dorsa Jabbari (@DorsaJabbari), Al Jazeera correspondent in Tehran Imran Khan (@ajimran), Al Jazeera senior correspondent in Doha Heidi Zhou-Castro (@HeidiZhouCastro), Al Jazeera correspondent in Washington Want to hear your voice on The Take? Record a voice message for International Podcast Day about why you listen and it could be featured on the show. Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders and Fahrinisa Campana and host Kevin Hirten, in for 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, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
20 Sep 202317min
From ‘The War Room’ to Romania, what’s Andrew Tate’s appeal?
Andrew Tate is a self-proclaimed sexist and disgraced social media influencer currently facing criminal charges in Romania. He currently has 7.8 million followers on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, and had billions of views on TikTok. Tate and his brother face charges of organized crime, human trafficking, and rape, but his young fans continue to support and buy into his brand of toxic masculinity. So what does Andrew Tate’s appeal in Romania say about where the phenomenon could lead next? In this episode: Radu Stochita (@stochita_radu), freelance journalist in Romania For more: As he awaits trial, Andrew Tate continues to influence Romanian boys Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sonia Bhagat, with Chloe K. Li and our host Malika Bilal. 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. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebooko
19 Sep 202322min
After Morocco’s earthquake: are politics impeding aid?
Offers of help have poured into Morocco from across the world after a deadly earthquake killed thousands. But so far, Rabat has only accepted aid from four countries, Spain, Qatar, Britain, and the United Arab Emirates, leaving offers from many others without a response. Moroccan officials say their goal is to ensure coordination, but critics and some survivors say help is desperately needed, especially in more remote areas, regardless of the source. So, is this just politics or a matter of organization? And what will the impact be on those in need? In this episode: Stefanie Dekker (@StefanieDekker, Instagram: @stefaniejazeera), Al Jazeera senior correspondent William Lawrence (@WillLawrence111), Political Science and International Affairs professor at American University’s School of International Service. Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Amy Walters, and our host Malika Bilal. 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. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
18 Sep 202319min
‘Woman, life, freedom’: Iran one year after Mahsa Amini’s death
This week marks the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death while in police custody, which sparked mass protests across Iran. The government has since quashed street demonstrations through deadly crackdowns and the threat of executions. But the slogan ‘Woman, life, freedom’ has become ingrained in Iranian culture and other pushbacks against the strict Islamic laws have been achieved. So one year on, where does the fight for change in Iran stand? In this episode: Dorsa Jabbari (@DorsaJabbari), Al Jazeera correspondent in Tehran Episode credits: This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana and our host Malika Bilal. 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. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
15 Sep 202316min
