Premier Cho highlights tariff deal as proof of US democratic partnership. Taiwan congratulates Thailand’s PM on election win. City response to weekend MRT arson attempts show improved emergency response. The Hong Kong Outlanders rally outside of Taiwan’s Legislature this Tuesday in support of Jimmy Lai. President hopes post-holiday tea with 5 branch heads will ease political tensions. The United States House of Representatives passes the PROTECT Taiwan Act. Taiwan analysts on Japan’s political transformation.

Which would scare you more: an airplane tire falling off mid-landing or arson at the MRT station? Both are in the news this week as Tristan, Fil, and Eloise sit down for Hear in Taiwan. 

Eric and Amanda are avid Magic the Gathering (or MtG as they say) players!  Listen to them trying to convince Michelle to join the game.  Spoiler: she does!

Lunar New Year is just around the corner. Are you ready to meet a bunch of family and friends who reunite with you at this time of year? This week, let’s learn some useful Tâi-gí phrases for greeting people during the Lunar New Year!   ●Phrases to Know: 1. 新年快樂 sin-nî khuài-lo̍k (Happy New Year) 2. 恭喜發財 kiong-hí huat-tsâi (Wishing you prosperity and wealth) 3. 食紅棗，年年好 Tsia̍h âng-tsó, nî nî hó (Eat red dates and have a good year every year) 4. 食甜甜，予你好緣規厝邊 Tsia̍h tinn tinn, hōo-lí hó iân kui tshù-pinn (Eat sweets and may you have good relationships with everyone around you) 5. 食龍眼，予你趁錢若海湧 Tsia̍h lîng-gíng,  hōo-lí thàn-tsînn nā hái-íng (Eat longan and may your wealth surge like the ocean) 6. 食紅柿，予你事事攏如意⁣ Tsia̍h âng-khī, hōo-lí sū sū lóng lû-ì (Eat persimmons and may everything goes as you wish for) 7. 敬你一杯茶，祝你身體健康無問題⁣ Kìng lí tsi̍t pue tê, tsiok lí sin-thé kiān-khong bô būn-tê (I off...

Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture declared three colors the iconic colors of Taiwan that they say are derived from Taiwan’s beautiful environment and represent its beauty. One of those is red, which they also call “joyous red.” The use of red in Taiwan symbolizes happiness and prosperity. Join Tristan for the first episode of Colors in Taiwan.

Continuing our conversation with musician Harry Swart, we zoom in on the nuts and bolts of busking in Taiwan. Harry originally came to Taiwan as an English teacher but later made the bold decision to pursue music full-time by building his career one street performance at a time. Beyond making music on the streets, what does it actually take to perform here? Today, Harry walks us through the practical realities — from permits and regulations to choosing the right time and place to set up. He also shares some of his positive experiences busking in Taiwan, including the small moments with strangers that remind him why he chose this path. If you’ve ever been curious about street performing, or you’re a musician thinking about trying busking yourself, Harry also offers practical tips on how to find a good spot, connect with passersby, and build confidence as a performer. Tune in to get a grounded, honest look at what life as a busking musician in Taiwan really feels like. 

This week, we're talking about The very first Groundhog Day , Gandhi's release from prison, and finally Queen Elizabeth II's ascension to the throne! And we've got some great tunes to pair them with as well! Unfortunately, this will be the last episode of the Weekly Wayback Machine for some time. If you liked this show, send us a message and let us know! In the meantime thanks for tuning in!

The Academy Awards ceremony will take place on 15 March. As we count down to the big night, Wesley Pin-wei Huang, a cinephile who writes film reviews, joins us again this week to discuss some of the key trends at this year’s Oscars. Is the Academy becoming more international? Does the nomination list reflect new aesthetics in cinematic language? Tune in to find out! If you would like to share your feedback, please send your words or voice notes to: wanson@rti.org.tw You can also find Wanson on Instagram (@wansonscafe) and YouTube (阿善Café/Wanson's Café)

Which of the following is not true? a) You can name an un-sterilized cat after an ex, then pay for them to be sterilized b) There are both greater and lesser flamingos c) The oldest pangolin on record was born and lived in Japan Listen to this episode of Formosa Fauna to find out which two are true, and which is false. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly teach 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. In this episode:  - Formosan black bear sighting  - Adopt a pet for just $14 for Valentine’s day  - Pangolin populations make a comeback in Taiwan  - Flamingos  - Scientist of the week 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!