The Take

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing the biggest crisis of his leadership after Labour’s bruising election losses sparked panic inside the party. As Nigel Farage and Reform UK gain ground, we examine why Starmer’s authority appears to be slipping before any formal challenge has even begun and whether Britain is entering another period of political instability. In this...

Ecuadorians say civilians are being abducted off the street as part of the military crackdown on drug cartels. President Daniel Noboa deployed Ecuador’s military to combat gangs after declaring an ‘internal armed conflict’ in 2024.  A new film from Al Jazeera's Faultlines hears from the family members of those who have been taken and human rights groups about the growing cal...

What is it actually like on board a flotilla to Gaza, knowing you'll likely be targeted and imprisoned? Until now, it's a story that's been told mostly in fragments, one vertical video at a time. This is the inside story of what it is like on the Global Sumud Flotilla: the drone attacks, the safety drills, the calls home, and the Palestinians in Gaza waiting to see if civilians can break a siege b...

This week: 228 days into a ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 870 Palestinians in Gaza. Ceasefire extension in Lebanon doesn’t stop Israeli bombing. Palestinians mark 78 years since the Nakba. Iran to present plan on Strait of Hormuz. Israel has killed more than 72,757 Palestinians in Gaza since October 7th, 2023.   In this episode: Zeina Khodr, (@ZeinakhodrAljaz) Al Jazeera Cor...

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on June 1, 2020. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. When coronavirus hit the cruise industry, many passengers were allowed to disembark and were repatriated to their home countries. But as of mid-May, about 100,000 crew members were still at sea, trying to get home. We speak wi...

Three people have died after a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, which provoked global concern and revived memories of COVID-19. Experts stress it is not the same virus, but after the pandemic, trust is fragile. What does this cruise ship outbreak reveal?  In this episode:  Dylan Scott ( @dylanlscott ), Senior Correspondent for Vox  Episode credits: This episode was produced by...

US President Donald Trump returns to Beijing after nine years to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. The trade war, conflict in Iran, and rising fears over Taiwan shape the talks. With global tensions mounting, can the two leaders find common ground, or will rivalry push the world further into crisis? In this episode:  Erin Hale ( @erinhale ), Journalist  Episode credits: This episode was...

The University of Southern California has been selling bodies donated for scientific research and education to the U.S. Navy. Some are being used to train Israeli military surgical teams in Los Angeles – all without the donors’ consent.  Watch the AJ+ documentary here and read the students' reporting here .  In this episode:  Dena Takruri ( @denatakruri ), AJ+ Senior pre...

The US Department of Defense released 162 files on unidentified flying objects (UFOs), following an order from President Donald Trump. The files included documents from the FBI, NASA, and the US State Department. As conspiracy theories soar all over the internet, what’s really in the files, and how significant is the release? In this episode: Anthony Lappe ( @anthonylappe ), Television produ...

As Kamala Harris weighs another run in 2028, the Democratic Party faces a split over Israel policy. A new report suggests it may have cost votes in 2024. With a base that has shifted dramatically, can the party keep up with what its voters now expect?  In this episode:  Omar Baddar ( @OmarBaddar ), Political Analyst  Episode credits: This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolom&eacu...

This week, 221 days into a ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 850 Palestinians in Gaza. Israel continues to strike Gaza. Israeli attacks across Lebanon despite ceasefire. Iran reviewing US proposal to end the war     In this episode: Zeina Khdor, (@ZeinakhodrAljaz), Al Jazeera Correspondent Hind Khadoury, ((@Hind_Gaza), Al Jazeera Correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum, (@abuoazzum) Al J...

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on January 22, 2025. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. Expansions of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank are proceeding at a record pace, and in the US town of Teaneck, New Jersey, some residents are organizing to fight real estate sales to American Jews. It’s...

It’s been four years since Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by Israeli forces. In those years, her family has pushed the United States government for one thing: an independent investigation into her killing that leads to real accountability. The Take looks into the push for justice in the US, and why it's been so difficult to achieve.   This is a story from the ar...

Israel’s opposition is uniting to try to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in upcoming elections. Former Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid are joining forces, but deep divisions remain over the war with Iran and Israel’s future direction. As pressure mounts on Netanyahu after months of war and political turmoil, can the opposition really take power? In this episode:...

Piracy is rising again near Somalia. Since April 20, at least three ships have been hijacked off Somali waters and one near the Yemeni coast. A sailor’s voice note from a seized vessel has spread online. As the Iran war shakes the region, is it fueling attacks on key shipping routes? In this episode: Mohamed Gabobe ( @Mohamed_Gabobe ), Journalist  Episode credits: This episode was produ...

Iran has attacked a UAE petroleum site in Fujairah, just days after the United Arab Emirates announced it was leaving OPEC. As the Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens and oil prices keep rising, could this accelerate the shift to renewables, or are we heading into an era of energy volatility? In this episode:  Jim Krane ( @jimkrane ), Co-director of the Middle East Energy Roundtable, Rice Univers...

Is the rise of prediction markets unstoppable? Companies like Polymarket and Kalshi have boomed and so have the controversies that surround them. US Senators are now banned from using such sites, and a US soldier has been charged over bets placed on the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. How is it already changing our reality? In this episode:  Bobby Allyn ( @BobbyAllyn ), NPR...

This week, 214 days into a ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 828 Palestinians in Gaza. Israel extending control of land in Gaza. Israel continues to violate ceasefire agreement with Lebanon. Trump does not rule out new hostilities with Iran. Israel has killed at least 72,608 Palestinians in Gaza since October 7th, 2023.   In this episode: Tareq Abu Azzoum, (@abuoazzum) Al Jazeera Senior C...

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on June 11, 2025. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. The seizure of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters has not deterred other aid convoys from heading towards Gaza. Palestinian-American writer Ahmad Ibsais explains how humanitarian aid has become a politically ch...

A new estate-backed film, Michael, tells the story of Michael Jackson’s rise from Gary, Indiana to global fame, highlighting hits like Thriller and his record-breaking success. But it ends before major scandals, and it leaves out the US musician's race and politics, including his solidarity with Palestine. What story is being told, and what is being erased? In this episode:  Sherry Zane...

Explosions rocked Mali's capital on April 25 as rebels carried out coordinated attacks across the country. Mali’s defence minister was killed along with his wife and children when an attacker struck their home. With Bamako under siege and the military leadership briefly disappearing from view, who is really behind the violence in Mali? In this episode:  Beverly Ochieng, Senior Analyst,...

An inside look at Chornobyl, 40 years after the disaster. The exclusion zone remains radioactive - now shaped by war. From deserted cities to returning wildlife and rising military risk, what’s unfolding there today raises urgent questions about nuclear danger and what the future might hold. In this episode:  Nils Adler ( @nilsadler1 ), Al Jazeera Journalist Episode credits: This episod...

The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, with a US naval blockade still in place. Around 3,000 Iran-bound containers are stranded in Pakistan as costs rise and Washington’s signals shift. Iran is pushing diplomacy from Moscow to Islamabad. Can talks to end the US-Israel war still move forward? In this episode:  Osama Bin Javaid ( @osamabinjavaid ), Al Jazeera Correspondent ...

Gunshots shattered the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, throwing Washington’s biggest night into chaos. We unpack how it happened, who the suspect is, how security responded, and what US President Donald Trump said afterward. We also examine the fallout and what it reveals about a White House under pressure. So what happens next? In this episode:  Chris Sheridan ( @ChrisSherida...

This week, 207 days into a ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 809 Palestinians in Gaza. No peace talks between US and Iran. Israel intensifies its attacks on Gaza. Israeli settlers fire at a school in the occupied West Bank. Israel has killed at least 72,585   Palestinians in Gaza since October 7th, 2023.   In this episode: Osama Bin Javid, (osamabinjavaid), Al Jazeera Correspondent Z...