United States media outlets published an op-ed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), calling on the international community to support Taiwan's participation in the UN. Following the 80th UN General Assembly opening on September 9, the letter titled “ ‘Chip in with Taiwan’ for global peace and prosperity” was sent to 21 city weekly newspapers in Southern California.

This week, Amanda is back in the driver's seat and covering a topic she and co-host Hanna have been looking forward to for a long time-- The results of the first anti-trust lawsuit against Google (even if they're disappointed by the results). Then they update on a topic they are both much less excited about, updates of Israel's attack in Qatar and the invasion of Palestine in-general. Read along with us: Google lawsuit: 1. A let-off or tougher than it looks? What the Google monopoly ruling means (Lily Jamali, BBC), 2. The landmark Google antitrust ruling ( Rachael Abrams and David McCabe, The NYT “The Daily” Podcast) Updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict: 1. UN experts call for immediate dismantling of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (UN press release), 2. Israel attacks Sanaa, al-Jawf in latest strikes on Houthis (Reuters),  3. Israel orders full evacuation of Gaza City, as Netanyahu warns 'this is only the beginning (CNN) Israel bombs Qatar: 1. Israel Bombs Hamas lea...

This special episode is the full-length interview of a coral expert taken from RTI's YouTube series Undercurrents!

If you’re a student — welcome back to school! The semester has just started in Taiwan in September. In today’s episode, we’ll get to know some fun and useful Taiwanese phrases related to campus life and learning. Whether you’re meeting new friends or talking about homework, these expressions will help you get ready for the new semester.    ●Words to Know: 1. 開學 khai-ha̍k (n.) the start of school 2. 讀冊 tha̍k-tsheh (v.) to study 3. 老師 lāu-su (n.) teacher 4. 同學 tông-o̍h (n.) classmate 5. 智識 tì-sik (n.) knowledge   ●Idiom of the week: 讀冊，讀佇尻脊骿。Tha̍k-tsheh, tha̍k tī kha-tsiah-phiann. (Studying mechanically without real understanding.)

We are once again going to be joined by our dearest intern, David and Thao. In previous episodes, we talked about their life in Taiwan, their university, and the comparison between Vietnam and Taiwan. Now, we will take a look at some letters and emails together.  If you want to contact us and have your message read on air, you can send a letter to P.O. BOX 123 199 Taipei, Taiwan English@rti.org.tw or reach us on social media, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, @Rtienglish 

Last week, we sat down with Michelle Chiang (whom you may know as the host of Geek Out! here at Rti) as she put on her entrepreneur’s hat and joined us as the founder of Phoenix Dice. In the previous episode, we learned how her love of dice collecting grew into a thriving business. Today, we dive deeper into her journey—exploring the challenges of running a niche business in a shifting global market and the importance of community support. Michelle also opens up about sustainability efforts, unforgettable customer stories, and the resilience it takes to keep her dream rolling, even through tough times like COVID-19 and current U.S. trade policies. Join us for this inspiring continuation of Michelle’s story!

Red carpets, world premieres, and long ovations... Wanson and Joanne went to one of the most important events in the film industry. Joanne experienced it with the 3-Day in Cannes pass, whereas I covered it with a press badge. How was our experience? Is it easy to apply for a badge? Stay tuned 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)

The wild boar snare is a hunting device that indiscriminately traps, mangles, and often kills unsuspecting victims. Such victims include stray cats and dogs, but also protected species such as Formosan black bears, Taiwanese leopard cats, and more. Even humans have been injured by such traps. Taiwan's Animal Protection Act bans the use of snares, but manufacturing and selling them is a gray area, and they remain being sold across the internet and local stores. Dr. Chengheng Hu joined the Taiwan One Ecology Colation (TOEC), a team of 12 different organizations, to fight against the snares, and protect animals in Taiwan. For this episode of Formosa Fauna we sit down with Dr. Hu and get an inside look at the basics of the traps, their potential cultural significance, and why a petition with over 10,000 signatures wasn't enough to comprehensively ban them in  Taiwan. Have thoughts on today's episode? Send an email to tristan@rti.org.tw. See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

World Grandparents' Day makes Michelle think fondly of the lessons we all learn from the older generations.