Syria’s war continues, but if you watched the video blog of travel influencers, you wouldn’t know it. In recent years, a wave of travel vloggers have gone on trips to Syria, organized and facilitated by the Syrian government. Many of the influencers say they are apolitical, but critics say they help the Syrian government whitewash war crimes and present a picture that Syria is fully moved on from the war. So are travel influencers in Syria breaching an ethical line? In this episode:  Mohammad Al Abdallah, (@mohammad_syria) Executive Director, Syria Justice and Accountability Centre  Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra with our host Malika Bilal. Khaled Soltan 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

The Take

Travel influencers are flocking to Syria – but at what cost?

A freight train derailed in the US state of Ohio on February 3, spilling toxic chemicals into the small town of East Palestine. Fire on the train sent a large, dark plume of smoke and chemicals into the air for days. Residents reported various health issues, and scientists have warned that one of the chemicals on the train, a known carcinogen, could have long-term impacts due to air, water, and soil contamination. Both federal regulators and railroad employees have said that derailments like this could have been avoided – so have railroad industries weakened safety regulations to prioritize profits?  In this episode:  Josh Rushing (@joshrushing), Senior Correspondent for Al Jazeera’s Fault Lines (@AJFaultLines) Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and host Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. Miranda Lin fact-checked this episode. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik. 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

Toxic chaos: What can we learn from the Ohio train derailment?

Off the Portuguese coast in the Strait of Gibraltar, a pod of orca whales has been ramming commuter boats and ripping off boat rudders. At least three sailboats have sunk in the past year. Now, it’s happened again off the Shetland Islands, the first ever in that area. There’ve been more than 200 reports of these types of encounters since 2020. And if you’ve been scrolling through your social media feed you might be on “team orca” or “team yacht.” The possible explanations for why, though, aren’t as clear cut as orcas wanting to take down billionaire boats.  In this episode:  Philip Hoare (@philipwhale), author and filmmaker Jeroen Hoekendijk (jeroen_hoekendijk), marine biologist, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research  Monika Wieland Shields, co-founder and director, Orca Behavior Institute Episode credits: This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li with Sonia Bhagat and our host Malika Bilal. Khaled Soltan fact-checked this episode. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik.  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

‘Orca uprising’: Why are orca whales targeting boats?

After the events of the last few days, there seems to be no place for Wagner anymore in President Vladimir Putin’s Russia. This weekend, the mercenaries began a shocking new march, not towards Ukraine, but to Moscow. While an apparent compromise has been reached, questions remain about how this happened as quickly as it did, what it means for Russia's leadership, and how it could reshape the war in Ukraine. In this episode:   Niko Vorobyov (@Narco_Polo420), freelance journalist Episode credits: This episode was produced by Miranda Lin, David Enders and our host Kevin Hirten. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik. 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 Listen here to our guest host Kevin on the Al Jazeera Investigates podcast.

Will a short-lived mutiny be the end of Russia’s Wagner Group?

Whether the motive is politics or profit, Cairo is in the midst of a construction boom that threatens what was already a commodity in short supply in Egypt — public and green spaces. Megaprojects such as a new capital city set to open this year have also severely strained the country’s budget and created the possibility Egypt will default on its foreign debt. When Omar Etman went to stay with his grandmother in Cairo in 2021, he was surprised by the changes he found — some small, some massive.  In this episode:  Omar Etman (@thedigradio), producer of The Dig Presents: A Garden in Cairo Timothy Kaldas (@tekaldas), Deputy Director, Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders, Negin Owliaei and Malika Bilal. Alexandra Locke and Negin Owliaei 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

What does an uprooted garden say about Egypt’s future?

Violence in the occupied West Bank has reached a level not seen in a generation, during an Israeli military raid in the Jenin refugee camp that became an hours-long armed confrontation inside the city. Seven Palestinians were killed, more than 100 others wounded, and the violence has only continued to escalate. It’s all in a year in which more than 160 Palestinians have been killed already this year, including 26 children.  In this episode:  Nida Ibrahim (@nida_journo), Al Jazeera correspondent in the Occupied West Bank Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders and Khaled Soltan, and our host Kevin Hirten. Khaled Soltan fact-checked this episode. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik. 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 Listen here to our guest host Kevin on the Al Jazeera Investigates podcast.

Will we see a full-scale Israeli assault in the occupied West Bank?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is joining the ranks of Benjamin Netanyahu, Nelson Mandela, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Winston Churchill, and Yitzhak Rabin – the only other world leaders to have addressed the US Congress twice. It’s part of his state visit to the US, which is being hailed as a major moment for the India-US relationship, with key defense and technology deals expected. Though the relationship is often framed as one between two major democracies, rights groups and activists point out that India under Modi has seen a shrinking space for minorities, civil society, press freedom and dissent. So, what exactly is driving the relationship between the US and India? In this episode:  Milan Vaishnav (@MilanV), Director of Carnegie Endowment for National Peace South Asia  Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra, with Chloe K. Li and Malika Bilal. Khaled Soltan 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

Why Biden is rolling out the red carpet for India’s Modi

It may be the worst-ever shipwreck for refugees crossing the Mediterranean. Around 750 people seeking refuge in Europe were packed onto a boat that left from eastern Libya. The trouble started 120 kilometers from the Greek shore. Questions remain over the role of the Greek coastguard in the incident and why those onboard were not rescued sooner. In the past, there have been accusations of Greek authorities pushing back boats at sea. Now, this tragedy follows a year when more refugees died on Middle East and North African migration routes than at any other time in the past five years. But is the world prepared to do anything about it? In this episode:  John Psaropoulos (@JTPsaropoulos), independent journalist based in Athens Episode credits: This episode was produced by Amy Walters and David Enders with 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. 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

Questions remain after Greece boat disaster

The upcoming Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will be the largest-ever showcase for women’s football. Record audiences are expected to watch as 32 teams compete for glory. But incidents over the past year have shown how far the women’s game still has to go. From player strikes, coaching controversies, and a rash of injuries, female footballers at even the highest levels continue to struggle for equality on and off the pitch.  In this episode:  Steph Yang (@thrace), Women’s Football Staff Writer for The Athletic Episode credits: This episode was produced by Miranda Lin and Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. Khaled Soltan 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

Is the Women’s World Cup ready for its close-up?

How did four indigenous children survive the Amazon jungle for 40 days after a deadly plane crash? On May 1st, a propeller plane carrying the children and three adults fell off the radar after engine failure. Two weeks later, the adults were found dead at the crash site, but the children were missing. A five-week-long search and rescue mission by the Colombian army alongside the Indigenous Guard ensued before rescuers finally found the children alive. Colombian government officials hailed their survival as nothing short of a miracle. The eldest of the children, who are of the Huitoto people, has been credited for their survival, using her indigenous knowledge of the rainforest to survive on fruits, seeds, and rainwater. And according to the indigenous people of the Amazon, the rainforest herself had a hand in helping the children survive. In this episode:  Alessandro Rampietti (@rampietti), Al Jazeera reporter in Colombia Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sonia Bhagat with Chloe K. Li and Malika Bilal. Khaled Soltan 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

How 4 Indigenous Colombian children survived in the Amazon

As the number of indictments against former US President Donald Trump grows, so do the questions from the United States and around the world about how Trump is managing these cases along with his 2024 election campaign. If he is elected president, he could claim immunity or pardon himself. But if he loses the campaign and the case, he could face prison for life. And in the meantime, what does this unprecedented legal battle mean for the United States and how it’s seen by the world? In this episode:  Mike Hanna (@mjahanna), Al Jazeera Washington DC Correspondent  Episode credits: This episode was produced by Amy Walters and David Enders with Sonia Bhagat, Chloe K. Li, Ashish Malhotra, Khaled Soltan, and Malika Bilal. Miranda Lin and Khaled Soltan 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

Trump, the indictments and his election campaign

Some young North Korean defectors have taken to social media to challenge misguided prejudices in South Korea, their new home. They are producing ‘vlogs’ for YouTube aimed at educating locals about the realities of life in North Korea. They’ve proven popular. Over the last two decades, around 30 thousand North Koreans have defected to South Korea for a better life. In this episode, The Take asks if the defectors’ YouTube videos are enough to change mindsets. In this episode:  Johanna Hoes, (@JohannaHoes), producer/reporter, The Listening Post at Al Jazeera English Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ruby Zaman with Amy Walters and Alexandra Locke. The team also includes Chloe K. Li, Miranda Lin, Sonia Bhagat, David Enders, Ashish Malhotra, Negin Owliaei, Ney Alvarez, and Khaled Soltan. 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

What North Korean defectors are telling the world on YouTube

For the first time, the James Beard Awards has made space for immigrants at the culinary table. This year over half of the finalists were either born in another country or are the children of immigrants to the United States. But despite their overdue formal recognition, the chefs and restaurateurs who power the industry remain unrecognized and stigmatized outside this awards ceremony and many say there is still much more work to do to make America a more inclusive place to eat.  In this episode:  Yara Elmjouie (@yaraelmjouie) Host of Eat This with Yara on AJ+  Marissa Tapia Gencarelli (@marissagencarelli) Owner of Yoli Tortilleria  Episode credits: This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li, Miranda Lin, and Malika Bilal. Khaled Soltan 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

James Beard Awards represent the new American palate

It’s been over a year since El Salvador declared a state of emergency as part of President Nayib Bukele’s vow to crack down on gangs. Since March 2022, the country’s murder rate has dropped by over half. But, in the process, the government arrested almost 70,000 people while suspending every citizen’s constitutional right to legal defense and allowing indefinite pre-trial detention. Despite El Salvador’s repressive new reality, Bukele and his policy remain extremely popular. Raising the question, is El Salvador becoming a police state? In this episode:  Monica Villamizar (@monica_vv), freelance correspondent  Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and Miranda Lin and host Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. Miranda Lin fact-checked this episode. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. This episode was mixed by Tim St. Clair. 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

Investigating El Salvador’s crackdown on gangs

As water from the decimated Kakhovka Dam floods the areas surrounding the Dnipro river, both Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the destruction. For months now, we’ve been hearing news about Ukraine’s pending counteroffensive to push back against Russia’s invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been trying to fortify the response by asking for weapons training and financing from NATO members in preparation. Now, Zelenskyy has announced the counteroffensive has begun. The dam has broken, but will this get either side closer to the end of the war? In this episode:  Charles Stratford (@stratfordch) Al Jazeera English senior correspondent Episode credits: This episode was produced by Amy Walters and Sonia Bhagat, with David Enders, Chloe K. Li, Negin Owliaei, Ashish Malhotra and Malika Bilal. Khaled Soltan and Miranda Lin fact-checked this episode. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Tim St. Clair mixed this episode. 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

What to expect from Ukraine's counteroffensive

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.

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The Take

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