President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) attended a ceremony Tuesday marking the installation of the final prefabricated section of New Taipei City’s Danjiang Bridge. He was accompanied by Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) and New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜).

For more than a quarter of a century, the case of Pinar Selek has haunted Turkey’s courts and human rights defenders around the world. A feminist, sociologist, and outspoken anti-militarist, Selek has faced repeated prosecutions and life-threatening charges despite the absence of evidence, ultimately forcing her into exile. Her story is not an anomaly. Around the world, countless scholars have endured political persecution simply because of their research, or because the independence of their work was perceived as a threat. Many have been driven from their homelands, cut off from their communities, and forced to rebuild their lives in foreign countries. In this episode, Professor Pascale Laborier sheds light on the difficulties and hardships exiled scholars encounter, and explains why—even in exile—their home governments continue to haunt them through surveillance, intimidation, and legal harassment.

This is a special edit of the audio from our YouTube series Undercurrents: Taiwan Exposed, watchable at https://www.youtube.com/@RtiEnglish! Doctorate candidate Yu-Hsiu Lien from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shares his knowledge researching the coral industry in Taiwan and abroad!

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.)

Join us for the final episode of David and Thao. In previous episodes, we discussed their life in Taiwan, their university experiences, and compared Vietnam and Taiwan. In this episode, we will also review some letters and emails, and they will share what their remaining time in Taiwan looks like. 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.

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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.