The Take

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 with Sterling Howell, musician and cruise line entertainer crew member who was able to go home, Krista Thomas, former guest services director for Norwegian Cruises, and with many who are still stuck on board, including Ghoseawon “Albert” Luxmeeparsad, and other Mauritian crew members.
For more:
If you are struggling with mental health issues, there are suicide crisis lines available in many countries around the world. Here are some of those resources:
Open Counseling
International Association for Suicide Prevention
Global Suicide Hotline Resources – WhatsApp
In this episode:
Sterling Howell, Cruise Ship Crewmember
Krista Thomas, Former Guest Services Director for Norwegian Cruises
Dr. Sami, Physician
Gan, Cruise Ship Crewmember
Episode credits:
This episode was updated by Chloe K. Li. The original production team was Amy Walters with Dina Kesbeh, Priyanka Tilve, Ney Alvarez, Alexandra Locke 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

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 Noor Wazwaz and Sarí el-Khalili with Chloe K. Li, Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. 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

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 produced by Marcos Bartolomé and Sarí el-Khalili with Spencer Cline, Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat, Alexandra Locke, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. 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

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 presenter
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li with Spencer Cline, Catherine Nouhan, 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-Melhemm. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
Connect with us:
@AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

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 producer and investigative reporter
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by David Enders and Chloe K. Li with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Tuleen Barakat, Catherine Nouhan and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. 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