The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and American Enterprise Institute (AEI) released their latest bi-weekly China & Taiwan Update last Friday, November 6. The report indicates that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had unusually coordinated across its three major coastal theater commands – eastern, northern, and southern – simulating the encirclement and isolation of Taiwan.

Hanna and Amanda talk Blexas, Blouth Carolina, Blansas, and all the other unexpected victories from the United States' 2026 midterm elections, ending the episode with the last bit from our interview with Tom Wilson. Read along with us: Texas Turns Blue in Stunning Rebuke of Donald Trump, Elon Musk and GOP The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way Trump’s personal push of Darline Graham in South Carolina comes back to bite his party Republicans suffer historic Senate upset as Dem flips deep-red state for first time in nearly a century Ohio Governor Results 2026 Tom Wilson's work: 1. Field notes from Douliu’s urban resilience drill (Tom Wilson, Taiwan Insight), 2. What New Zealand and Taiwan Can Learn From Each Other About Disaster Resilience (Tom Wilson, New Bloom Magazine)

Amanda just made Michelle watch a bunch of horror movies, as she does every year for Fall Freakout on Tales of Our Time!  She's in the studio (with Jared who is generally dragged into whatever passion project is happening) to chat about their fantastic time!

Join me for the weekly load of emails from all over, some summaries of the news, reception reports and everything in between!  If you would like to contact us and have your message read on air, please send a letter to P.O. BOX 123, 199 Taipei, Taiwan, or email us at rti@rti.org.tw. You can also reach us on social media: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram at @Rtienglish.

What happens when a simple question “What brings you joy?” is not so simple to answer? In Part One, Mary Anne and Patty compared their striving styles assessment results, discovering where their perspectives overlap, where they differ, and what those results may reveal about the things that motivate them. Now, their conversation moves from understanding who they are to considering what makes life feel more meaningful and enjoyable. Following the Real Talk: Unmapped framework of Feel, Discuss, and Commit, they explore joy in their presonal relationships and whether it is something we naturally recognize or something we need to make room for more intentionally. Tune in for an honest and thoughtful conversation that may leave you looking at the sources of joy in your own life a little differently. If you missed Part One, listen to it first to hear the discussion that set this next conversation in motion...and to get to know Mary Anne and Patty a little better along the way.

In this edition, Wanson sits down with filmmaker and producer Albert Tholen, one half of the artist duo Zakkubalan, which he co-founded with Neo Sora, son of the late musician Ryuichi Sakamoto. They discuss the Taipei Fine Arts Museum exhibition "Ryuichi Sakamoto | seeing sound, hearing time," specifically focusing on Zakkubalan's featured installation, "async volume." Beyond visual arts, they also talk about the process of documenting Sakamoto's life and work, the art of filmmaking, and the concert film "Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus." The exhibition "Ryuichi Sakamoto | seeing sound, hearing time" runs from October 31, 2026 to March 14, 2027. Visitors are required to reserve tickets online in advance. Find Wanson on Instagram (@wansonscafe) and YouTube (阿善Café/Wanson's Café)

Xiaoliuqiu is Taiwan’s only offshore coral reef island. Which of the following is true about it?   a) You can be imprisoned for up to one year for touching a sea turtle on Xiaoliuqiu   b) Xiaoliuqiu is a tourist paradise known for its attractions allowing tourists to interact with sea turtles Keep listening to find out. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. Beyond news out of Xiaoliuqiu, animal welfare advocates have sent 12,000 petitions to the Central Election Commission, seeking to hold a referendum on banning metal snares used to catch wild boars. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to tristan@rti.org.tw! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!