Environmental groups and academics urged Taiwanese voters on Monday, November 9, to vote no on an upcoming referendum to scrap the “nuclear-free homeland” policy. They argue that expanding nuclear power would be costly, leave radioactive waste unresolved, and divert resources from renewables. 

Taiwan tech news roundup for the week of 10/31-11/6, including: 2026 Taiwan Drone International Forum and the official launch of the Global UAV Academy (GUAVA), tech stock sell-off, MATURE Taiwan maritime technology expo, a breakthrough in p-type 2D semiconductor manufacturing, and objections to Anthropic's acquisition of AI training data from Taiwan. The episode features an interview with Kenny Huang, a member of the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee and the chair of the Taiwan Network Information Center, on the technology behind Taiwan election manipulation.

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!

Are you a fan of music? If you are a long-time listener of Fil Leskovsky’s show “Taiwan Grooves” on Rti, perhaps you already know a lot about the musical world! This week, we’ll learn a few words for musical instruments in Tâi-gí. Whether you are joining a band or simply appreciating the music festivals across Taiwan, these are very useful terms to be used all the time.  ●Words to know: 1. 音樂 im-ga̍k (m.) music 2. gì-tà (n.) guitar 3. 鑼鼓 lô-kóo (n.) percussion instruments (gong and drum) 4. 鋼琴 kǹg-khîm (n.) piano 5. bai-óo-lín (n.) violin 6. 樂團 ga̍k-thuân (n.) band ●Idiom of the week: 漚戲拖棚 àu-hì-thua-pênn (Dragging a theatrical performance on for too long.)

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.

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!

Join Joey as he brings to Rti his syndicated show Asia Pop 40. The chart tallies streaming numbers from iTunes and Spotify across Asia. For some of the most listened-to pop music hits on this continent, check out "Asia's Own Chart" show, Asia Pop 40. For the full chart, visit www.asiapop40.com Contact the show at: info@asiapop40.com