The Take

The US-Israeli war with Iran is here, and so is the information war. We track how “major combat operations” were announced and sold on Truth Social, the echoes of the Iraq war, and what claims about “threats” and “self-defense” mean for the Iranian people. With Tehran confirming Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death and its retaliation unfolding, we examine the start of a war that could reshape the region.
In this episode:
Imran Khan, Al Jazeera Senior Correspondent and Anchor
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Alexandra Locke, Marcos Bartolomé, Noor Wazwaz, and Sonia Bhagat, with Spencer Cline, Catherine Nouhan, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by David Enders and Alexandra Locke.
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.
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This week: 151 days into a ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 618 Palestinians in Gaza.  Israel and the United States are attacking Iran and have killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's supreme leader.
Israel has killed more than 72,082 Palestinians in Gaza since October 7th, 2023.
In this episode:
Tohid Asadi, Al Jazeera Correspondent
Victoria Gatenby, Al Jazeera Producer
Manuel Rapalo, Al Jazeera Correspondent
Nida Ibrahim, Al Jazeera Correspondent
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by David Enders. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Andrew Greiner and Munera AlDosari is our engagement producer. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio.
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Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on xx, 20xx. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.
Why does the public understanding of disability lag so far behind reality? TikTok influencer and disability activist Imani Barbarin lays this out for her audiences on social media, where she has amassed nearly a million followers across platforms. In this episode, Barbarin shares her perspectives on disability at the intersection of issues, including COVID and the genocidal war on Gaza.
In this episode:
Imani Barbarin (@Imani_Barbarin), Disability Advocate
Episode credits:
This episode was updated by Melanie Marich and Sarí el-Khalili. The original production team was Melanie Marich and Haleema Shah, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Tracie Hunte, Diana Ferrero, Fatima Shafiq, Farhan Rafid, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Kylene Kiang and Noor Wazwaz.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.
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Aaron Bushnell, a member of the US air force, set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC, in an act of political protest over Israel’s war in Gaza. Bushnell livestreamed his death, saying he no longer wanted to be complicit in genocide. Two years later, how did his message resonate?
This is a story from the archives. This originally aired on February 28, 2024. None of the dates, titles or other references from that time have been changed.
In this episode:
Talia Jane (@taliaotg), Independent Journalist
Lupe Barboza, Friend of Aaron Bushnell
Archana Kaku, Assistant Professor, The College of William & Mary
Episode credits:
This episode was updated by Tamara Khandaker. It was originally produced by Sonia Bhagat, Ashish Malhotra, Chloe K. Li, and our host Malika Bilal.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement.
Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
Connect with us:
@AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Iran and the United States are heading into a third round of indirect nuclear negotiations in Geneva, while US military assets build up across the region. Is either side prepared to compromise, or is the confrontation at a breaking point?
In this episode:
Sina Toossi, Senior Fellow, Center for International Policy
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz, Melanie Marich, and Marcos Bartolomé, with Spencer Cline, Tamara Khandaker, Tuleen Barakat, Maya Hamadeh, and our host, Malika Bilal. 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. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.
Connect with us:
@AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube