President Lai Ching-te announces plans to build the “T-Dome,” a comprehensive missile defense system.  National Health Insurance Administration and FDA are forming plans to deal with 47 medicines’ upcoming withdrawl from Taiwan market. Official says Taiwan’s chip-making capacity is 2.5 years ahead of the United States.   National Security Bureau released a report warning that U.S. tariffs are expected to exacerbate China’s economic and social risks. IMF increases Taiwan’s 2025 economic growth forecast from 2.9 % to 3.7%, citing mild tariff effects and better global financial conditions.  A chocolate-themed tourist factory known as “Otherworld Dream Castle” has drawn thousands of visitors since opening in August in the Dapumei Precision Machinery Park in Chiayi County.

Will the hunters find Pacifica's lost cousin?  Will they figure out what Finn is marked for?  Will Sock burn down Applebee? Find out on this Part 3 of Geek Out!'s Monster of the Week special feature!

Have you met anyone whom you’d like to spend your life with? Today, we are listening to a song in Tâi-gí that touches on the relationship between you and your significant other – 一人一半 You Complete Me by 旺福 Won Fu. This track is the theme song of the Taiwanese TV drama The Making of an Ordinary Woman. The lyrics are simple yet powerful. People follow different life paths: some succeed, others don’t. But deep down, we all share the same hope to find someone who will always stay by our side.

Today's episode includes an email from an old/new listener and some good wishes for Mid-Autumn Festival and 10/10 National Day! Can you guess who sent these emails and where they are from?  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 English@rti.org.tw. You can also reach us on social media: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram at @Rtienglish.

In this episode, we reconnect with Rhea Leorag, a fellow Filipino whose journey has taken her from Manila to Taipei and Seoul — all in pursuit of learning, growth, and music. Rhea recently earned her Master’s degree in Cultural and Creative Industries from the Taipei National University of the Arts, with part of her studies spent in South Korea through an exchange program at the Korea National University of Arts. Her time in both countries gave her a front-row seat to two vibrant music scenes — each with its own rhythm, culture, and lessons. Tune in as Rhea shares what it was like navigating student life abroad, the differences between Taiwan and Korea’s learning environments, and what her takeaways were from these experiences. It’s a story of chasing knowledge, crossing borders, and finding your beat in unexpected places - an episode you don't want to miss!

This week, we’re talking about the death of French Queen Marie Antoinette, a nuclear testing "coincidence" between Russia, China, and the United States, and finally Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk's Nobel Peace Prize for their work ending South Africa’s apartheid regime! And of course, we’ve got some great tunes to pair them with as well!

Taiwan's largest and longest-running film festival, the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, will be held from 6 to 23 November. This week, Wanson shares his personal recommendations and the films he’s most excited about from this year’s festival programme. 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) Goldfish can grow up to 20 inches (roughly 50 cm) B) Declawing a cat is akin to amputating a human fingertip C) Sloths are lazy Just one of the above is not quite true. Based on the title of today's episode, you may have already guessed correctly that B is true. Declawing, or onychectomy, involves the surgical removal of a cat's claws along with part of the toe bone, akin to amputating a human fingertip. This is only one of the many reasons why the practice of declawing for non-medical, non-necessary issues is outlawed in Taiwan. 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. In this episode we talk about:  – Taiwan's beekeeping VR  – Training cats  – Koi fish ...and so much more. Want to share your own story and...

Enjoy a playlist of songs made popular by social media!