After going undiagnosed for years, Ayah Jaghoub discovered she had two autoimmune diseases and thyroid cancer. She speaks to Samantha about her journey, and the years of neglect she says she experienced by the medical industry. We also talk to an endocrinology consultant to better understand thyroid issues.

On this episode of Now You Know, we want to know why it can take so long to get a diagnosis, and how thyroid cancer impacts women differently to men.

In this episode:

• Ayah Jaghoub, (IG), Thyroid cancer patient

• Dr. Tania Jaber, Endocrinology Consultant

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Zaina Badr, Fahrinisa Campana, Ruby Zaman, and our Host, Samantha Johnson.

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan.

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Today, we bring you on the Now You Know feed True Crime Reports, a new global crime show from Al Jazeera Podcasts. Crime stories from the global south and beyond that often haven’t reached the outside world. Find them wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe.

Thabo Bester: Prison Break

Thabo Bester is South Africa’s most notorious con man. In 2012, he was locked away for life for murder and rape.

But when in 2022, a fire suddenly breaks out in Bester’s cell, and nothing but a charred body remains, the country’s in shock. Is that the end of Thabo Bester?

This is a story about how a serial rapist worked his way into South Africa’s most exclusive circles and about how he almost escaped justice.

Listen to the premiere episode of True Crime Reports from Al Jazeera.

In this episode:

• Glenda Paul, (@GlenniePaul), Forensic Investigator at IRS Forensic Investigations
• Marecia Damons, (@mareciadamons), Journalist, GroundUp News

Episode credits:

This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg, and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen.

Executive Producers: Ney Alvarez and Sandra Ferrari.

Production Coordinator: Archan Mohile.

Senior Producer: Marthe van der Wolf.

Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak, Sophie McNulty and Catherine Nouhan.

Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman.

Audio editing by Alan Leer.

Music composition by Tom Biddle.

Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik.

Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio.

Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube

In 2024, Jasmin Paris became the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons, a 100-mile race that snakes through Frozen Head State Park in the state of Tennessee. The runners have 60 hours to finish the course and Paris completed it with only seconds to spare.

On this week’s Now You Know, we speak to Paris about what it takes, physically and mentally, to be the only woman to have completed the Barkley Marathons since it was established in 1989.

In this episode:

• Jasmin Paris, (X / IG), Ultrarunner | Veterinary Clinical Lecturer at University of Edinburgh

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana, Ruby Zaman, Zaina Badr, and our Host, Samantha Johnson.

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan.

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Hey, Samantha here. Now You Know is on a winter break. But please come back and listen on January the 6th, because I'll be talking to ultra runner, Jasmine Paris. She became the first woman to ever finish the Barkley Marathons. If you've never heard of the race, trust me, that's a triumph. Jasmine also has some great advice on how you can achieve what you want in 2025. See you soon!

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Since April 2023, the civil war in Sudan has claimed more than 60,000 lives in fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Famine is imminent, sexual violence against women and girls is widespread.

On this week’s episode of Now You Know, we talk to a young Sudanese woman who fled to neighboring Egypt, and a policy analyst on Sudan who explains why this war can’t be ignored.

In this episode:

• Kholood Khair, (X) Political Analyst | Researcher

• Omnia Mustafa, (IG), Displaced Sudanese woman

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana, Ruby Zaman, Zaina Badr, and our Host, Samantha Johnson.

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan.

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

When living under conditions of extreme violence, the burden of trauma becomes inescapable. For Palestinians, life under Israeli occupation and persistent bombardment, the struggle is profound. How can they embark on a journey toward healing?

Now You Know speaks with Ashira Darwish, a Palestinian trauma therapist who shares her own story of perseverance and survival. When Israeli soldiers broke her spine leaving her paralyzed, she learned how to walk again. She was able to find a new path to healing that’s far from typical Western methods, and she’s now sharing her techniques with others.

In this episode:

• Ashira Darwish, (Instagram), Palestinian Trauma Therapist

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana, Ruby Zaman, Zaina Badr, and our Host, Samantha Johnson.

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan.

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

This episode features clips from Where Olive Trees Weep. You can watch it at: www.whereolivetreesweep.com

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Khalida Popal’s passion is football and her purpose, fighting for women’s rights. Both put her life in danger in Afghanistan. Forced to flee and become a refugee, Khalida has found a new and stronger voice to help all women.

In this episode of Now You Know, Khalida talks about creating the Afghan women’s national football team, and how football gave her a sense of freedom that her country did not.

In this episode:

Khalida Popal, (X / IG), Co-Founder | Afghanistan Women’s National Football Team

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana, Ruby Zaman, Zaina Badr, and our Host, Samantha Johnson.

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Linus Bergman mixed this episode. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan.

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Research by the United Nations highlights a critical issue: climate change could push an additional 158 million women and girls into poverty by 2050. Yet, despite this alarming statistic, just 8 out of 78 leaders at this year’s UN climate change conference were women. Why is that?

Now You Know speaks with a scientist and climate advocate about the essential role of gender in tackling climate change. We explore how empowering women and ensuring their voices are heard could hold the key to effective climate solutions.

In this episode:

• Rumaitha Al Busaidi, (X / IG), Climate advocate

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana, Ruby Zaman, Zaina Badr, and our host, Samantha Johnson.

Munera AlDosari is the engagement producer. Aya Elmileik is our lead of engagement.

Our sound designer is Joe Plourde. Our video editor is Catherine Hallinan.

Jo de Frias is Now You Know’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube