The Take

Israel and Lebanon have held their first direct talks in more than 30 years, and on Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced that they had reached a 10-day ceasefire. But months of fighting have reshaped parts of southern Lebanon. As people begin to return, what will they find? And can diplomacy hold while the reality on the ground remains fragile?
In this episode:
Justin Salhani (@JustinSalhani), Al Jazeera Journalist
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz and Chloe K. Li with Spencer Cline, Tuleen Barakat, Catherine Nouhan, David Enders, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker and Sarí el-Khalili.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Rick Rush mixed this episode. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
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On Tax Day, trillions flow into the United States government. But new analysis shows a significant share is directed toward war, defense contractors, and border enforcement, while healthcare and food assistance face mounting pressures and cuts. As deficits grow and everyday costs rise, what do these budget choices reveal about who the system is built to serve, both in the US and beyond?
In this episode:
Lindsay Koshgarian (@lindsaykosh), Program Director, National Priorities Project
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and David Enders with Tamara Khandaker, Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat, Adhil Veetil, Firas Yateem, Michel Bou Dagher, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by 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.
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Why is Sudan still at war? The answer starts with the powers fuelling the conflict. Three years into the fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, millions are displaced and famine continues. With the US-Israeli war on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz driving up fuel and food costs, what will it take to put an end to the conflict?
In this episode:
Dallia Abdelmoniem (@dalliasd), Political Analyst
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker, with Noor Wazwaz, Sarí el-Khalili, Spencer Cline, Chloe K. Li, Tuleen Barakat, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by 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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@AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

US President Donald Trump announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after talks between Iran and the US failed to produce an agreement. Israel continued to attack Lebanon ahead of planned talks between those two countries on Tuesday. It has been 45 days since the US and Israel attacked Iran.
In this episode:
Heidi Zhou Castro, (@HeidiZhouCastro) Al Jazeera Correspondent
Tohid Asadi, Al Jazeera Correspondent
Heidi Pett, (@heidipett) Al Jazeera Correspondent
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by David Enders. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Alexandra Locke is the Take's Executive Producer.
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This week, 193 days into a ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 749 Palestinians in Gaza. US and Iran fail to reach a deal. Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepening. Israel bombs Lebanon 100 times in 10 minutes. Israel has killed at least 72,328 Palestinians in Gaza since October 7th, 2023.
In this episode:
Kamel Hyder, Al Jazeera Correspondent
Heidi Pett, (heidipett_) Al Jazeera Correspondent
Nida Ibrahim, (@nida_journo) Al Jazeera Correspondent
Tareq Abu Azzoum, (@abuoazzum) Al Jazeera Senior Correspondent
Hani Mahmoud, Al Jazeera Correspondent
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Marthe van der Wolf. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Alexandra Locke is the Take's Executive Producer.
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@AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube