The Take

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, Historian
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by David Enders and Sarí el-Khalili, with Spencer Cline, Catherine Nouhan and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz and Tamara Khandaker.
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

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, Control Risks
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and Sarí el-Khalili with Spencer Cline, Tuleen Barakat, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker.
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

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 episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, and Chloe K. Li, with Spencer Cline, Tuleen Barakat, Catherine Nouhan and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker and Noor Wazwaz.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. 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

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
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by David Enders and Chloe K. Li with Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat, Sarí el-Khalili, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker and Sarí el-Khalili.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhemm. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
Connect with us:
@AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

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 (@ChrisSheridan34), Senior White House Producer, Al Jazeera English
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by David Enders, Sarí el-Khalili, 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