Podcasts about Taiwanese

From Pony.ai launching a robo-taxi service during a Shanghai storm to E Ink revolutionising the way supermarkets label their shelves – emerging market companies are in many cases leapfrogging western counterparts. In this episode, investment manager Alice Stretch reveals to host Leo Kelion some of the most disruptive companies innovating at speed in Asia and Latin America. Background:Alice Stretch is an investment manager in Baillie Gifford's Emerging Markets Equity Team. In this conversation, recorded as part of our annual Disruption Week briefings, she explores some of the growth companies in her portfolios turning constraints to their advantage and reducing friction in their customers' lives. Companies discussed include: PolicyBazaar – the Indian insurance platform making it easier for people to protect themselves against life's financial shocks.Nubank – the Brazilian digital lender extending access to banking and credit.Meituan – the food delivery and local services app extending its reach beyond China.MercadoLibre – the Latin American ecommerce and fintech giant expanding into advertising.Mobile World – the Vietnamese conglomerate that has expanded from mobile phones to competitively priced groceries.Sea Ltd – the Singaporean gaming, shopping and fintech group eyeing the possibilities of agentic AI.TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) – the world's leading chip manufacturer.E Ink – the Taiwanese e-paper pioneer building on its ebook success to provide supermarkets with updateable price tags and marketers with low-power digital billboards.Pony.ai – the first driverless car company to offer a robo-taxi service in four of China's most populous cities. Resources:Disruption Week Emerging markets: how we do what we doEmerging markets: from imitators to innovatorsEmerging markets: the next engines of growth (podcast)Emerging markets in 2050: growth in a changing worldImecShort Briefings on Long Term Thinking hub Companies mentioned include:AmazonByteDanceChromaE InkMercadoLibreMobile WorldMeituanNubankNVIDIAPolicyBazaarPony.aiSea LtdStellantisTSMC Timecodes:00:00  Introduction – Pony.ai takes to Shanghai's roads02:00  The imitators become the innovators05:10   How PolicyBazaar benefits from not being locked into a legacy system 07:10   Nubank: reducing friction while expanding access to banking and credit09:25  MercadoLibre's multi-act expansion leads it to advertising technology10:25   Mobile World's move from selling handsets to groceries11:50   Ways Sea Ltd developed capabilities while operating under constraints13:45   Sea CEO Forrest Li's ability to adapt and pivot15:25   Taking the long-term view and a generalist approach17:30   Studying the semiconductor industry with the help of Imec and TSMC19:45   Investing in Chroma and E Ink in Taiwan21:10   Walmart and other supermarkets adopt E Ink's updateable price labels22:45  The case for investing in Pony.ai as a long-term growth investor24:10   Pony.ai's cost advantage and international partnerships25:55  Taking macroeconomic and geopolitical risk into account27:15   Putting deep knowledge and research to our clients' advantage

How many languages do you speak? Maybe you speak three: a Taiwanese language, Mandarin Chinese, and English! Maybe you speak more than three!你會說幾種語言呢？也許你會一種台灣的方言、中文，還有英文！也許你會的還不只這三種！Click HERE for the full transcript!

SHOULD ISRAEL PARDON BIBI? HEADLINE 1: The United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.HEADLINE 2: Israeli and Taiwanese officials recently conducted a series of secret meetings. HEADLINE 3: The U.S. and Israel wrapped up joint naval exercises yesterday.-- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Aviva Klompas, co-founder and CEO of Boundless.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces: "Trojan Horse: China's Auto Threat to America" - Elaine Dezenski, Congressional Testimony "Fight To Keep China Out of U.S. K-12 Classrooms Comes to Congress" - Jennifer Richmond, FDD "A Free Venezuela Elevates U.S. Energy Security" - Saeed Ghasseminejad, RealClearWorld

基督教 Jīdūjiào – Christianity天主教 Tiānzhǔjiào – Catholicism佛教 Fójiào – Buddhism一貫道 Yíguàndào – I-Kuan Tao (a Taiwanese religious movement)伊斯蘭教 Yīsīlánjiào – Islam道教 Dàojiào – Taoism供奉 gòngfèng – to enshrine; to worship (a deity in a temple)神明 shénmíng – deity; god媽祖 Māzǔ – Mazu (goddess who protects people at sea)出海 chūhǎi – to go out to sea土地公 Tǔdìgōng – the Earth God; local guardian deity月老 Yuèlǎo – the God of Matchmaking對象 duìxiàng – partner; romantic partner相對應 xiāngduìyìng – corresponding; matching祈求 qíqiú – to pray for; to seek blessings信徒 xìntú – believer; follower (of a religion)求個平安 qiú ge píng'ān – to pray for safety and peace供品 gòngpǐn – offerings (to the gods)鮮花 xiānhuā – fresh flowers香 xiāng – incense金紙 jīnzhǐ – joss paper; spirit money點香 diǎnxiāng – to light incense天公 Tiāngōng – the Heavenly God (highest deity in Taiwanese folk beliefs)打個招呼 dǎ ge zhāohū – to greet; to say hello按照順序 ànzhào shùnxù – in order; according to sequence邋遢 lātā – sloppy; untidy神像 shénxiàng – god statue; divine imageFollow me on Instagram: fangfang.chineselearning !

Industrial Talk is talking to Nikki Gonzales, Director of Business Development at Weintek USA about "HMI - Human Machine Interface". Scott Mackenzie hosts Nikki Gonzales on the Industrial Talk Podcast to discuss the human-machine interface (HMI). Nikki shares her background, including her Icelandic roots and career journey in sales engineering and AI startups. She highlights Win Tech, a Taiwanese company specializing in HMIs, which manufactures over 2 million HMIs annually. Win Tech's HMIs are known for their durability, connectivity, and cost-effectiveness. Nikki emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and the challenges in industrial B2B sales. She also mentions her podcast, Automation Ladies, and encourages listeners to connect with her on LinkedIn. Action Items [ ] Check out the Wintec website at automation.io[ ] Listen to Nikki's podcast "Automation Ladies"[ ] Reach out to Nikki Gonzales Outline Introduction and Welcome Scott Mackenzie introduces the Industrial Talk Podcast, emphasizing its focus on industry professionals and innovations.Scott welcomes listeners and expresses gratitude for their support, highlighting the importance of continuous learning in the industry.Scott introduces Nikki Gonzales , the guest for the episode, and mentions the topic of discussion: the human-machine interface (HMI).Scott shares his personal experience with learning Spanish and the importance of passion and desire for continuous learning in the industry. Scott's Journey and Podcast Insights Scott discusses his journey into podcasting, starting eight years ago to understand marketing better.He mentions the importance of communicating company stories in an approachable and human way.Scott introduces two of his podcasts: "Ask Molly" and "Business Beatitudes," highlighting their focus on marketing insights and the soul of the industrial sector, respectively.Scott encourages listeners to check out these podcasts for valuable industry insights. Nikki Gonzales's Background and Career Journey Nikki shares her background, mentioning her move from Iceland to the U.S. in middle school and her father's career as an electrical engineer.She describes her early work experiences, starting with her father's small business and progressing through various roles in sales engineering and marketing.Nikki discusses her career path, including her work with sensor manufacturers, machine vision, motion control, software design, and AI startups.She highlights her recent role with a startup focused on supply chain software and inventory management, and her current position with Win Tech, an HMI manufacturer. Challenges in Industrial B2B Sales Scott and Nikki discuss the challenges of industrial B2B sales, particularly the complex landscape shaped by historical laws and regulations.Nikki explains the historical context of industrial sales, including the restrictions on manufacturers selling directly to consumers and the reliance on regional distributors.They discuss the differences in sales practices between the U.S. and Europe, where such restrictions are considered anti-competitive.Nikki shares her experiences with the complexities of industrial B2B sales, including the difficulties in digitalizing and simplifying the buying process. Win Tech and HMI Technology Nikki provides an overview of Win Tech, a Taiwanese company specializing in HMIs, and its history of innovation in touchscreen technology.She explains the role of HMIs in industrial automation, describing them as the interface between humans and machines.Nikki highlights Win Tech's...

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 60-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 28,364 on turnover of 10.5-billion N-T. The market gained solid ground on Monday after surpassing the 28,000 point mark in early trading on the back of strong investor interest in electronic and semiconductor heavyweights. US Congress revises bill allocating Taiwan security funding The U-S Congress has released a new draft of the National Defense Authorization Act - which includes up to 1-billion U-S dollars in funding for Taiwan-related security cooperation in 2026. The new draft removes earlier language that would have invited Taiwan to participate in the US-led Rim of the Pacific Exercise. The bill will require the U-S defense secretary to "enable fielding of uncrewed (無人的) and anti-uncrewed systems capabilities" with Taiwan by March 1 of next year, and those systems must comply with the Taiwan Relations Act and be usable by both U-S and Taiwanese forces. The compromise version was produced after the U-S.Senate and House of Representatives reconciled their separate versions into a unified bill. Taiwan forms clinical trial alliance to accelerate access to new medicines Taiwan has launched a new clinical trial alliance aimed at coordinating medical institutions nationwide to help patients gain faster access to promising but not yet approved medicines. The Taiwan Alliance of Clinical Trial Centers has been initiated by the Taipei Medical University. It brings together 32 medical and research institutions nationwide and is backed by the government and aims to pool resources (共用資源), strengthen coordination and enhance Taiwan's international competitiveness. Health Minister Shih Chung-liang says the alliance is expected to boost international collaboration by encouraging pharmaceutical companies to choose Taiwan as a base for research and development. Japan Tsunami Warning Lifted After Quake A magnitude 7.5 earthquake has struck off northern Japan, injuring at least 30 people and triggering (觸發) a tsunami. The quake hit late on Monday, about 80 kilometers off the coast of the Aomori region. The public broadcaster NHK says all tsunami warnings have now been lifted, while waves up to 70 centimeters were reported. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency says people were mostly injured by falling objects. Nuclear power plants are conducting safety checks, and some train services are suspended. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of possible aftershocks and an increased risk of a megaquake. Supreme Court weighs whether President Trump can fire heads of independent agencies The US Supreme Court is hearing arguments on whether President Donald Trump has the authority to fire a top Federal Trade Commission official - in a case that could have far reaching consequences for independent regulators. FTC commissioner Rebecca Slaughter was ousted earlier this year - told that her service was "inconsistent (不一致的) with the Administration's priorities". Toni Waterman reports That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. －－－－以下為 SoundOn 動態廣告－－－－ 全台南最多分店、最齊全物件，在地團隊懂台南，也懂你的需求。 不管是買屋、賣屋，還是從築夢到圓夢， 房子的大小事，交給台南住商，讓你更安心。 了解更多：https://sofm.pse.is/8fuar9 -- 你不理財，財不理你！想學理財，玉山罩你！ 玉山銀行全新Podcast節目《玉山學堂》 帶你深入淺出掌握每週市場脈動！ 還有知名主持人蔡尚樺領銜的跨世代對談， 從不同的角度打好理財基本功！ 現在就點擊連結收聽

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news the world is awash in better economic news today in many of the world's largest economies.First, the overnight dairy Pulse auction of the two key milk powders brought more weakness. The SMP price fell another -0.5% from last week's full auction, but as the NZD is rising, it was actually down -1.6% in NZD terms. The WMP fared worse, down -3.6% on the same basis in USD, down -4.2% in NZD. It is not a good trajectory.In the US there were some key labour market reports out today. First the weekly ADP private payrolls update for last week recorded a small +5000 gain which follows five consecutive weeks where they recorded more than a -27,000 loss of jobs (which was consistent with what they reported for the November month).And the catch-up JOLTS report for October showed little-change from September, but job openings were a little higher than anticipated for both months.And the widely watched SME sentiment survey from the NFIB was marginally better than expected, up slightly from October, but just back to the levels it has been at since May although that still leaves it at a slight net negative. Interestingly, the retail Redbook survey eased back a bit last week to the average rise it has recorded since later 2023, which mirrors retail inflation that is juiced by tariff-taxes. It is perhaps an indicator that the Thanksgiving seasonal retail was not as strong as hoped.There is more evidence that Trump is just plain dumb. After his failure to get the Chinese to buy US soybeans at scale, he is rolling out US$16 mln in taxpayer support for some farmers which will actually be very little for most. Now he is threatening swingeing tariffs on Canadian fertilizer imports of potash, oblivious that even if that blocks cheap Canadian imports, it will leave high-priced local product, with a net loss for farmers, probably exceeding US$15 bln. Even a high school economics student can see the flaws in his approach, which embeds higher costs on Americans.Trump has also handed China a huge AI chip win, agreeing to let Nvidia sell its best stuff to China. This will allow China to close the gap on the US AI advantages much faster now. The US security community is gobsmacked. China may not buy a lot, but it doers give them access to the technology.In Japan, machine tool orders were strong in November, up +14.2% from a year ago continuing expanded growth over the past seven months. But domestic demand actually fell. It was foreign orders that were the star here, up by +23%.Next week, there will be an important central bank meeting in Tokyo. Overnight remarks by the Bank of Japan governor seemed to set the groundworks for another rate rise on the basis that inflation is embedding, especially wage inflation, and that the risks of deflation there are receding on a permanent basis. Japanese long term interest rates are now approaching 2% and a twenty year high..Taiwanese exports were exceptionally strong again, as we have come to expect. They surged +56% in November from a year ago to a record US$64 bln, up from a 49% gain in October and again better that market expectations for a 41% rise. It is strong global demand for their chips and AI technology that is powering these amazing results.German exports also rose in October, a surprise because that had risen strongly in September and a small correction was expected.We get US export data on Friday, and in contrast to Japan, Germany, Taiwan and China, they are currently expected to show a retreat.In Australia, the RBA kept the cash rate on hold at Tuesday's review as expected. Their review was slightly more hawkish, firmly focused on the upside risks to inflation. And that is what financial markets reacted to with bond yields rising as a result.And staying in Australia, the NAB Business Confidence Index slipped in November from October, but stayed just positive, although the weakest reading since April. The survey showed business conditions softened after declines in sales and profitability.The UST 10yr yield is now at 4.17%, unchanged from this time yesterday.The price of gold will start today at US$4217/oz, and up +US$26 from yesterday. And we should note that silver has set a new record high, over US$60/oz.American oil prices are down -US$1 again at just over US$58/bbl, while the international Brent price is just under US$62/bbl. Analysts are sow saying a 'super glut' of oil is on the way, and downward price pressures will rise from here.The Kiwi dollar is +10 bps firmer from yesterday, now at just on 57.8 USc. Against the Aussie though we are essentially unchanged at 87.1 AUc. Against the euro we are up +20 bps at 49.8 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 62.1, and also up +20 bps from yesterday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$94,444 and up +5.1% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been moderate, at just over +/- 2.4%.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

On this episode we discuss our November 2025 book club pick, Taiwan Travelogue by Shuang-zi Yang, translated by Lin King, a historical fiction novel (with a meta-fiction twist) about a Japanese travel writer invited to write about the imperial colony of Taiwan by the Japanese government in the 1930's, and follows her budding relationship with her Taiwanese translator as they eat through the island while she pushes on the boundaries between colonizer and colonized. Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authorsSupport the Books & Boba Podcast by:Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perksPurchasing books at our bookshopRocking our Books & Boba merchFollow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:InstagramTwitterGoodreadsFacebookThe Books & Boba December 2025 pick is Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P. ManansalaThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Angela Lin, aka Angie QQ, producer and A&R behind the Sounds of Taiwan compilation, returned to Taiwan in May 2019 seeking refuge after the loss of her mother. Angela Lin，又名 Angie QQ，《台灣之聲》合輯的製作人與 A&R。2019 年 5 月失去母親後，她選擇回到台灣，尋找心靈慰藉。 What she discovered in Taroko National Park became the seed for this mix: a meditation on grief, memory, and the way certain places hold us when we need holding most. 她在太魯閣國家公園的體悟，成爲這張混音作品的起點：一段對悲傷與記憶的沉思，也是一種在最需要依靠時，被某片土地溫柔擁抱的感覺 Taroko's hidden temples and fervent lushness offered Lin sanctuary. She describes the experience as feeling “totally alive” – each leaf, each butterfly, each beam of light made sharp from grief. High in those mountains, she felt her mother could finally see her. Later, her father revealed that Taroko was one of her mother's favourite places in the world. Though earthquakes have since closed many of the park's paths, this aural journey captures what it's like to walk and meditate there: spiritual, powerful, introspective, and healing. 太魯閣隱密的廟宇與蓊鬱的山林，給了 Angie QQ 一處心靈的庇護。她形容自己在那裡感到「完全活著」——每一片葉子、每一隻蝴蝶、每一道光，都因悲傷而變得格外清晰。在高聳的群山之間，她彷彿覺得母親正在看著她，那份被看見的感覺，不只是來自母親，更像是一種對自己悲傷的覺察與釋放——她終於能正視自己的情感，並感受到母親的慈愛與支持。後來，父親告訴她，太魯閣其實是母親生前最喜愛的地方之一。儘管地震封閉公園裡許多步道，這張聲音作品呈在那裡漫步、冥想的感受：靈性、深刻、內省，並帶著療癒的力量。 Understanding how music can hold both landscape and loss, the mix moves like a meditation, like the scene in Totoro where they dance to make their garden sprout, capturing the moment when grief sharpens everything into aliveness, when even the sound of light becomes audible. 音樂可以同時承載風景與失落，這張混音作品如同一場冥想般的流動——就像《龍貓》裡，他們隨著舞蹈讓花園萌芽的場景，捕捉到悲傷將一切都銳化、化為生命力的瞬間，連光的聲音也彷彿能被聽見。 Angie QQ is a Taiwanese American cultural producer based in Los Angeles. With her label Pure Person Press, she “creates and collects records that preserve the spirit of Taiwan.” Her latest collaboration with composer Lim Giong, Sounds of Taiwan, is an ambient record that invites artists to sample Lim Giong's personal field recordings of Taiwan – a sonic landscape of the island's people, nature, and spirituality. Through her other company, East Never Loses,, she has transformed mahjong into a cultural movement. Whether through music or mahjong, her work seeks to connect people to Taiwanese culture. Angie QQ 是一位定居洛杉磯的台美文化創作者。她透過自己的公司 Pure Person Press，創作並蒐集保存台灣精神的唱片。最近，用和作曲家林強合作的作品《台灣之聲》，是一張環境音專輯，邀請藝術家取樣林強在台灣田野間錄下的聲音，呈現島上人文、自然與靈性的景象。透過另一家公司 East Never Loses，她把麻將變成一場文化運動。不管是透過音樂還是麻將，Angie QQ 的創作都希望把人們帶回台灣文化的懷抱。 “This mixtape was inspired by my time in Taroko National Park in May 2019. My mother had just passed 6 months ago, and to mourn, I returned to nature. Taroko has hidden temples and places of meditation tucked in all of its crevices. I was able to disappear and hide in its fervent lushness. Inside Taroko's incredible energy, I felt totally alive. Up high in those mountains, I knew my mother could finally see me. I found out later from my father that Taroko was one of my mother's favourite places in the world. Sadly, Taroko in recent years has been decimated by earthquakes. Many paths and roads are no longer accessible. Nature reclaims nature. I hope however, this mix offers a feeling of what it would be like to meditate and walk in Taroko: spiritual, powerful, introspective, and healing.” 這張混音作品的靈感來自我在 2019 年 5 月太魯閣國家公園的時光。那時母親剛過世六個月，為了悼念，我回到大自然的懷抱裡。太魯閣的山谷裡藏著隱密的廟宇和冥想之地，我得以在這片蓊鬱的綠意中消失、隱匿自己。在太魯閣那股令人震撼的能量裡，我感覺自己完全活著。在高聳的群山間，她彷彿覺得母親正在看著她—她終於能正視自己的情感，並感受到母親的慈愛與支持。後來父親告訴我，太魯閣其實是母親生前最愛的地方之一。可惜近年地震破壞了許多步道和道路，自然，最終還是屬於自然。我希望這張混音作品能帶給大家在那裡漫步、冥想的感受：靈性、深刻、內省，並帶著療癒的力量。 Interview: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/mixes/seeds-mix-6-angie-qq-a-meditation-through-taroko-taiwan-%e7%a9%bf%e8%b6%8a%e5%a4%aa%e9%ad%af%e9%96%a3%e7%9a%84%e5%86%a5%e6%83%b3%e4%b9%8b%e6%97%85%e5%8f%b0%e7%81%a3/

In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso welcome Peter Mattis, President of the Jamestown Foundation and former CIA analyst, to dissect the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) "political warfare" against Taiwan. Mattis argues this is not merely diplomatic maneuvering, but "United Front work playing out on a global scale" - a comprehensive campaign to reshape the international order by recreating China's domestic political controls abroad.​War by Other MeansMattis grounds the political warfare concept in George Kennan's Cold War definition: the logical application of Clausewitz's doctrine in peacetime. For Beijing, unification is a political objective requiring total control over Taiwan's social, economic, and political life - goals that military force alone cannot secure. The CCP seeks to "pull in" global interests, ensuring they are mediated through Beijing rather than through alliances or international law.​The View from TaiwanFor the Taiwanese, this warfare is felt on a spectrum. It ranges from the overt "gray zone" harassment of military aircraft and sand dredgers to the psychological grinding of CCP-aligned media narratives. These narratives are designed to paint the U.S. as unreliable and unification as inevitable. Mattis specifically highlights the corrosive effect of espionage, noting that every spy scandal erodes the critical trust necessary for Taiwan's own bureaucracy and its security partners.​United Front: A Global DragnetA key mechanism discussed is the "Council for the Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China," which operates chapters globally, including in the U.S. and the Philippines. Mattis explains how these groups mobilize diaspora communities, often hijacking the voices of pragmatic businesspeople, to influence local politicians. He cites the recent indictment of former New York state official Linda Sun as a prime example of how these influence operations effectively bury engagement with Taiwan inside democratic institutions without leaving a public trace.​The Japan Example & Global SignalingWhen Japan's Prime Minister recently called a Taiwan contingency an "existential threat," China responded with fierce rhetoric and economic coercion. Mattis explains this reaction was double-edged: it aimed to punish Tokyo, but also served as a signal to the "Malaysias and Indonesias" of the region. The message is clear: if Beijing can inflict pain on a major power like Japan, smaller nations should fear the consequences of stepping out of line.​The Democratic DeficitWhy do democracies struggle to push back? Mattis argues our institutions are too siloed: the military ignores non-kinetic threats, diplomats fear rocking the boat, and law enforcement is jurisdiction-bound. China exploits these seams to operate without consequence. Mattis suggests democracies must stop looking for "symmetric" responses - which often don't exist - and instead pursue asymmetric, disproportionate measures to re-establish deterrence and uncertainty for Beijing.​

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 0.7-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 27,796 on turnover of $4.99-billion N-T. Government to ban food-waste pig feeding from 2027, with 1-year transition The Cabinet has approved a plan to phase out the use of food waste in pig farming by December 31 of next year - paving the way (為…鋪路) for a full ban starting in 2027. The move is part of the government's efforts to prevent African swine fever outbreaks. Under the policy, food-waste feeding will be permitted only under strict conditions during that period, after which it will be fully prohibited. Farmers will be given a one-year grace period and financial incentives to switch to commercial feed. During the transition year, farms may use food waste only with local government approval and after they meet several requirements - including installing heat-treatment and video monitoring systems and adding G-P-S tracking to transport vehicles. Only business-generated food waste, animal by-products and slaughterhouse scraps (廢料，廚餘) will be allowed - and all household food waste will be banned from use on pig farms. Taiwan and Czech institutes launch African medical aid procurement program Taiwan's Institute for Biotechnology and Medicine Industry has signed an agreement with the Czech Health Technology Institute to jointly launch an African medical aid procurement program. The institutes have been working to help a range of Taiwanese medical products, including handheld (手持式) ultrasound devices, microplate readers and electrocardiography systems, enter Eastern European markets through various projects since 2023. According to the Institute for Biotechnology and Medicine Industry, the latest partnership is aimed at further strengthening ties through the launch of the African medical aid procurement program. The institute says the program will source a range of medical equipment from Taiwan to bolster primary healthcare, maternal and child care, and the resilience of regional and central hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa. US Reviewing Tanzania relationship following election violence The United States is "reviewing" its relationship with Tanzania in the wake of violence that marred the country's elections in October. United Nations experts estimate that hundreds of protesters were killed during the brutal (嚴酷的) election crackdown. Nick Harper reports from Washington. UN Security Council Delegation Visits Syria A United Nations Security Council delegation has visited Syria for the first time since the council's founding in 1945. The visit, on Thursday, comes just before the one-year anniversary of former President Bashar Assad's fall. It marks Syria's reintegration (重新融入) into the international community under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. The Security Council president, says the delegation aims to build trust. They met with Syrian leaders, civil society, and communities affected by violence. Discussions included justice, reconciliation, and economic development. Syria's state-run news agency notes that Security Council visits are rare, requiring unanimous agreement. Eurovision Countries Drop Out Amid Israel Participation At least four countries have announced they are pulling out of next year's Eurovision Song Contest. This decision follows the organizers' choice to allow Israel to compete, despite concerns over its conduct in the Israel-Hamas war. Dutch, Spanish, Irish and Slovenian broadcasters announced plans to sit out the context in Vienna next May. It came after the European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, voted to adopt tougher voting rules after allegations of Israel manipulating (操縱) votes. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. －－－－以下為 SoundOn 動態廣告－－－－ 挺你所想！與你一起生活的銀行 2025/12/31 前至中國信託銀行ATM領取普發現金一萬元，抽Switch 2主機+瑪利歐組合！ 申購TISA級別基金，有機會將現金放大！每月新臺幣千元就能投資，還享終身免申購手續費( 優惠期間至本行公告截止日止)。 詳情請見活動網站 https://sofm.pse.is/8g33td -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 19-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 27,773 on turnover of 5.8-billion N-T. The market gained ground again on Wednesday, on the back of investor interest in tech and electronic market heavyweights and after Wall Street held steady overnight. Premier claims opposition demand for President to be questioned over special budget unconstitutional Premier Cho Jung-tai says a demand by opposition lawmakers that President Lai Ching-te face questions in the Legislative Yuan related to his 1.25-trillion N-T special defense budget is "unconstitutional." The statement comes after lawmakers from the K-M-T and the Taiwan People's Party blocked a bill authorizing the special defense budget from being placed on the agenda for tomorrow's Legislative plenary session. K-M-T caucus whip Fu Kun-chi has said while the party's supports protecting Taiwan, they believe Lai should report to the Legislature and explain the necessity of the expenditure. Taiwanese accounts unaffected in Coupang's recent data leak The Ministry of Digital Affairs says there is no evidence to suggest that Coupang users here in Taiwan were affected by a large-scale personal data leak recently reported by the South Korean e-commerce giant. According to the ministry, it contacted Coupang in late November after learning of the incident and was informed that the breach occurred mainly in South Korea and, based on checks carried out so far, no leaks involving Taiwanese accounts have been found. The ministry says it will continue monitoring the case and maintain communication with Coupang to ensure (確保) the protection of local users' personal information. South Korean media has reported that personal information of around 33.7-million users was exposed. Hong Kong fire death toll hits 159 after towers searched The death toll from Hong Kong's worst fire in decades rose to 159. Police said they have completed a search inside all seven of eight high-rise buildings ravaged (嚴重破壞、毀壞) in the fire that first broke out last Wednesday and took until Friday to be extinguished. About 30 people remain missing. Laura Westbrook reports. Moldova Bomb Disposal Deployed Police in Moldova have deployed bomb disposal experts to a community miles from the Ukrainian border after a resident mistook (誤以為) a grounded drone for “a toy” and took it home. Police on Wednesday said the drone did not contain explosives or pose a danger, and urged the public to “not touch or attempt to transport fallen drones or similar objects.” Authorities did not say where the drone came from. They said it was a Gerbera-type drone. Russia has used those in Ukraine. A number of drones have been found on Moldovan territory since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Greece Farmer Protests Farmers in northern Greece have blocked border crossings with North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey as part of a growing protest over delays in farm subsidy payments. The demonstration on Wednesday comes amid a major subsidy fraud scandal (醜聞) that led to the resignation of five senior officials. Tractor convoys caused significant traffic disruptions and forced vehicles onto long detours. Government officials say they are open to negotiations but will not allow key transport corridors, ports or rail hubs (中心) to be shut down. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. －－－－以下為 SoundOn 動態廣告－－－－ 新感覺夾心土司 多種口味隨心挑選 讓你隨時隨地都有好心情 甜蜜口感草莓夾心、顆粒層次花生夾心、濃郁滑順可可夾心 主廚監製鮪魚沙拉、精選原料金黃蛋沙拉 輕巧美味帶著走，迎接多變的每一天 7-Eleven多種口味販售中 https://sofm.pse.is/8g33st -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

After months of fighting, the Kremlin says Russian forces have seized the frontline city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine. It links several other key cities in the Donetsk region. Last month, Ukraine sent reinforcements to try to fend off the Russian attack. Kyiv has not acknowledged the loss of the city. Also: the White House defends Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over US military action off the coast of Venezuela; the presidential election result in Honduras is too close to call; the World Health Organization calls for weight loss jabs to be more widely available; what Australian teenagers make of an up-coming social media ban; the eighty-five-kilometre long traffic jam in Siberia; and an interview with the Taiwanese director who shot a critically-acclaimed film on iPhones.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

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Taiwanese filmmaker Shih-Ching Tsou traces her path from a strict upbringing in Taipei to directing Left-Handed Girl, Taiwan's 2025 Oscar submission for Best International Film, and now streaming on Netflix. After years working alongside Sean Baker, the four-time Academy Award winner known for Anora, Tangerine, and The Florida Project, and her creative partner since they co-directed their first feature Take Out, Shih-Ching steps forward with her solo directorial debut.Shih-Ching and Baker wrote the script for Left-Handed Girl in 2010, but financing challenges kept the project on hold for more than a decade. Principal photography finally began in July 2022, a delay she now views as part of the film's natural evolution. The story draws from her experience growing up left-handed in a culture with rigid expectations for girls, and its emotional specificity has already connected with audiences around the world.Shot on an iPhone 13 with Beastgrip anamorphic lenses, the film captures Taipei's night markets with stripped-down realism influenced by Dogme 95 and Lee Chang-dong's Oasis. Shih-Ching worked with a small mobile crew, created the soundscape herself, and shaped the edit with Baker, whose instinct for editing performances she considers unmatched.After premiering at Cannes Critics' Week, Left-Handed Girl traveled the global festival circuit before Netflix acquired most territories, followed by theatrical releases in Taiwan, New York, and Los Angeles. Now representing Taiwan internationally, Shih-Ching reflects on stepping into visibility after decades behind the scenes. Her advice to filmmakers: trust your voice, avoid trends, build community, and keep going. Some films take time, and recognition often arrives later.What Movies Are You Watching? Listen to all episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more, as well as at www.pastpresentfeature.com. Like, subscribe, and follow us on our socials @pastpresentfeature The Past Present Feature Film Festival - Nov. 20-22, 2026 in Hollywood, CA - Submit at filmfreeway.com/PastPresentFeature

Sanna Marin is the former Prime Minister of Finland who made history as the youngest female head of government in the world. She went on to become the longest-serving female prime minister of Finland, leading a coalition government entirely headed by women. Sanna talks to presenter Clare McDonnell about her rise to the top, leading her country through the challenges of the Covid 19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as dealing with enormous criticism when her personal life becoming very public – all themes in her new memoir Hope In Action.It's World Aids Day and the government has just unveiled its new HIV Action Plan with the stated goal of tackling to stigma and end transmissions in England by 2030. Public Health Minister Ashley Dalton joins us to discuss the policy along with Ellie Harrison, who was diagnosed HIV positive when she was 21.With the rise of no and low alcohol drinks on supermarket shelves, a new survey from the University of Plymouth has been talking to expectant mothers about their relationship with these drinks and their understanding of what constitutes a safe percentage. To hear more, Clare is joined by Dr Kate Maslin, Senior Research Fellow in Maternal and Child Health School of Nursing and Midwifery at Plymouth University, who led the study.Filmmaker Shih Ching Tsou's debut feature Left Handed Girl tells the story of a single mother, Shu-Fen, and her two daughters who move to Taipei, Taiwan to open a night-market stall. When I-Jing, the younger, five-year old daughter – who is left-handed - is forbidden from using what her traditional grandfather dubs her ‘devil hand,' a chain of events is set in motion, which eventually unravels a family secret. Tsou joins Clare to talk about directing and co-writing the drama which is inspired by her own childhood, cultural superstition about the left hand and the lives of working-class Taiwanese women.Presented by: Clare McDonnell Produced by: Sarah Jane Griffiths

普發現金 pǔ fā xiànjīn – distribute cash to everyone; government cash handout馬英九 Mǎ Yīngjiǔ – Ma Ying-jeou, former President of Taiwan (2008–2016)金融海嘯 jīnróng hǎixiào – financial crisis; global financial meltdown經濟不景氣 jīngjì bù jǐngqì – economic downturn; poor economy刺激消費 cìjī xiāofèi – stimulate consumption; encourage people to spend帶動內需 dàidòng nèixū – boost domestic demand; promote local spending發放 fāfàng – to distribute; to hand out (money, goods, etc.)消費券 xiāofèiquàn – consumption voucher; spending coupon新冠疫情 xīnguàn yìqíng – COVID-19 pandemic停擺 tíngbǎi – come to a halt; suspend operations蔡英文 Cài Yīngwén – Tsai Ing-wen, President of Taiwan (since 2016)振興券 zhènxīngquàn – stimulus voucher; voucher to boost the economy撐過疫情 chēngguò yìqíng – get through the pandemic; survive COVID-19正興盛 zhèng xīngshèng – at its peak; very popular or prosperous稅收 shuìshōu – tax revenue; government tax income還稅於民 huán shuì yú mín – return taxes to the people; give tax refunds to citizens立法院 Lìfǎyuàn – Legislative Yuan; Taiwan's legislature特別條例 tèbié tiáolì – special regulation; special act or ordinance因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例 yīnyìng guójì qíngshì qiánghuà jīngjì shèhuì jí mínshēng guó'ān rènxìng tèbié tiáolì – Special Act to Strengthen Economic, Social, and National Security Resilience in Response to International Situations課徵 kèzhēng – to levy (a tax or tariff)補助 bǔzhù – subsidy; financial aid; to subsidize永久居留證 yǒngjiǔ jūliú zhèng – permanent residence certificate移民法 yímín fǎ – immigration law居留 jūliú – to reside; residence (for foreigners in a country)合法 héfǎ – legal; lawfulFollow me on Instagram: fangfang.chineselearning !

We hear from recently released Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza, head to Finland to meet former prime minister Sanna Marin and Taiwanese director Shih-ching Tsou discusses her new film.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 12-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 27,566 on turnover of $8-billion N-T. NIA to offer e-Gate access to New Zealand passport holders from tomorrow The National Immigration Agency says holders of New Zealand biometric passports will be able to access Taiwan's Automated Immigration Clearance e-Gate system from tomorrow. The move reciprocates New Zealand's decision to grant the same access to Taiwanese travelers on October 13. According to the immigration agency, eligible travelers from New Zealand will be able to use Taiwan's 121 installed e-Gates when entering the country for leisure (休閒), business or study. Travelers must also complete the online Taiwan Arrival Card before entry. The old paper arrival cards were abolished on October 1. Putin says Russia will stop fighting when Ukraine withdraws from Donbas Russian President Vladimir Putin said fighting in Ukraine will cease once the Ukrainian Army withdraws from the territories Moscow claims it now controls. Putin adds that Moscow is open to discussing some elements (要素，部分) of the U.S. plan to end the war in Ukraine, but more talks are needed. Daria Bondarchuk reports from Moscow. Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Men Appearing to Surrender Israeli forces killed a pair of Palestinian men in the occupied West Bank after they appeared to surrender to troops, drawing Palestinian accusations that the men were executed “in cold blood.” The Israeli military said it was investigating. The killings, captured in a pair of videos shown on two Arab TV stations, came as Israel pressed ahead (推進、推動) with its latest offensive in the West Bank, where the army has stepped up its activities over the past two years. Israel says it is cracking down on militants. Palestinians and rights groups accuse Israel of using excessive force and say dozens of unarmed civilians have been killed. Canada Alberta to Build Pacific Coast Oil Pipeline Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and the premier of Canada's oil rich province of Alberta have agreed to work toward building a pipeline to the Pacific Coast to diversify the country's oil exports beyond the United States. The memorandum of understanding signed Thursday would also adjust an oil tanker ban off parts of the British Columbia coast if a pipeline comes to fruition (實現，完成). Carney's support for it led to the resignation of one of his cabinet ministers. The minister said in a statement that the pipeline could cross the Great Bear Rainforest and that it would increase the risk of a tanker spill on the coast. But he said he understands why Canada needs to remain united and said he will stay on as a Liberal Member of Parliament. Carney has set a goal for Canada to double its non-U.S. exports in the next decade. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. －－－－以下為 SoundOn 動態廣告－－－－ 全台南最多分店、最齊全物件，在地團隊懂台南，也懂你的需求。 不管是買屋、賣屋，還是從築夢到圓夢， 房子的大小事，交給台南住商，讓你更安心。 了解更多：https://sofm.pse.is/8e5wxa -- 尼斯診所－王祚軒院長 帶領專業醫師與麻醉團隊
 ♂️男性結紮高隱私性，無須住院，手術結束後可直接回家！ 結紮新選擇，就選尼斯診所

How did the US Dollar become the dominant currency internationally? What keeps other currencies, fiat or crypto, from displacing the dollar's role? Does the aggressive use of sanctions by the US Government put the dollar's role at risk?Paul Blustein is with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, as well as an author and journalist. He has written several books including his latest work King Dollar: The Past and Future of the World's Dominant Currency and previous works, Off Balance: The Travails of Institutions That Govern the Global Financial System, And the Money Kept Rolling In (and Out) Wall Street, the IMF, and the Bankrupting of Argentina, and Laid Low: Inside the Crisis That Overwhelmed Europe and the IMF.Greg and Paul discuss the reasons behind the US dollar's dominance in global finance, its historical roots stemming from the Bretton Woods Agreement, and the challenges posed by international crises and economic policies. Paul also discusses the role and limitations of the IMF, the geopolitical implications of using the dollar as a financial weapon, and the potential impact of emerging currencies and digital threats. The episode concludes with insights into the phenomena of dollarization and how various economic strategies, including those of China and Russia, intersect with the enduring power of the US dollar.*unSILOed Podcast is produced by University FM.*Episode Quotes:How the U.S. discovered the power of financial sanctions21:00: No longer was it just going to be the drug lords and, you know, in Colombia and places like that, it was now the government was gonna crack down on terrorists. And so the Treasury, OFAC, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, began doing some of that. And they realized that by cutting off banks abroad from access to the dollar system, that correspondent banking system we were just talking about, that, you know, things could really go boom. They could pose a death sentence on banks. And as they began to realize the power of that, they then applied it in the case of North Korea in 2005. And they were absolutely astonished to discover that this really worked. You could really have a big effect on North Korea's financial system by cutting off banks. It was—they went after a bank in Macau that had been—and then they were off to the races. They could use this similar kind of weaponry on Iran and other adversariesResponsible vs irresponsible use of dollar power25:29: You have this power with a dollar; if we use it responsibly, it can be a very good power. And if we use it irresponsibly, it's a bad power. And that's the way I like to look at it.How U.S.–China sanction scenarios are actually gamed out51:59: Some of the hawks in, you know, you don't hear so much from these guys anymore, but the hawks in Congress have tried to game some of these out. You know, I go into this in one of the chapters of the book about how they, you know, they had a red team and a blue team, and they thought, well, we can, you know, we just have done this—imposed drastic sanctions on Russia. So if there's an invasion of Taiwan, here's what we do. And they, I think, have discovered that if you have a really knowledgeable red team playing the Chinese Communist Party, they can come up with a lot, a lot of things that, it preserves Taiwanese democracy but doesn't have us at each other's throats.Show Links:Recommended Resources:United States DollarEuroRenminbiReserve CurrencyNetwork EffectBretton Woods SystemJohn Maynard KeynesHarry Dexter WhiteHerbert SteinFederal ReserveInternational Monetary Fund (IMF)SWIFTEuroclearFiat MoneyXi JinpingShadow FleetGuest Profile:PaulBlustein.comProfessional Profile for CSISLinkedIn ProfileSocial Profile on XGuest Work:Amazon Author PageKing Dollar: The Past and Future of the World's Dominant CurrencyOff Balance: The Travails of Institutions That Govern the Global Financial SystemAnd the Money Kept Rolling In (and Out) Wall Street, the IMF, and the Bankrupting of ArgentinaThe Chastening: Inside The Crisis That Rocked The Global Financial System And Humbled The IMFMisadventures of the Most Favored Nations: Clashing Egos, Inflated Ambitions, and the Great Shambles of the World Trade SystemLaid Low: Inside the Crisis That Overwhelmed Europe and the IMFSchism: China, America, and the Fracturing of the Global Trading System Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We speak with director Shih-Ching Tsou about her latest film, ‘Left-Handed Girl’, with Netflix – Taiwan's official entry for the Oscars. The film was produced, edited and co-written by 'Anora' director Sean Baker.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Pavel–Babiš clash in context: echoes of past power struggles at Prague Castle, Bell forged from Russian weapons used in Ukraine now sounds above Prague: “May it awaken those who sleep”, “Finding dead bodies is never easy”, says Petr Novotný, the Czech rescuer in Taiwanese mountains 

(台灣的豬肉現在已經可以吃了，如果你現在在台灣，趕快去吃吃豬肉吧 Taiwan's pork is now safe to eat! If you're in Taiwan right now, go try some delicious pork!❤️)肉圓 ròuyuán – Taiwanese meatball (a popular Taiwanese snack made of pork filling wrapped in a chewy dough)豬腳 zhūjiǎo – pork knuckle; pig's feet爆發 bàofā – to break out; to erupt (used for disease, war, or emotion)非洲豬瘟 Fēizhōu zhūwēn – African swine fever (ASF), a deadly pig disease養豬場 yǎngzhūchǎng – pig farm; hog farm豬隻 zhūzhī – pig; swine (individual pig in farming context)異常死亡 yìcháng sǐwáng – abnormal death; unusual mortality檢驗結果 jiǎnyàn jiéguǒ – test result; inspection result陽性反應 yángxìng fǎnyìng – positive reaction (in medical tests)病毒株 bìngdú zhū – virus strain境外傳入 jìngwài chuánrù – imported from abroad; coming from outside the country調查 diàochá – investigation; to investigate本土 běntǔ – local; domestic; native檢驗 jiǎnyàn – to test; to inspect; examination感染 gǎnrǎn – infection; to be infected緊急狀態 jǐnjí zhuàngtài – state of emergency禁運 jìnyùn – transport ban; embargo禁宰 jìnzǎi – slaughter ban; prohibition of killing livestock廚餘 chúyú – kitchen waste; food scraps供應 gōngyìng – supply; to provide溫體豬 wēntǐ zhū – freshly slaughtered pork (not frozen)冷凍豬肉 lěngdòng zhūròu – frozen pork禁令 jìnlìng – ban; prohibition order可疑 kěyí – suspicious; questionable通報 tōngbào – to report (to authorities); notification化製廠 huàzhìchǎng – rendering plant (for processing animal remains)監管 jiānguǎn – supervision; regulation; oversight業者 yèzhě – business operator; company載運 zàiyùn – to transport; to carry by vehicle疑似 yísì – suspected; possibly (having a disease or condition)染疫 rǎnyì – to be infected (with a disease)大榮貨運營業所 Dàróng Huòyùn Yíngyè Suǒ – Kerry TJ Logistics Company Limited延遲 yánchí – delay; to postpone稽查 jīchá – inspection; audit; investigation進度 jìndù – progress; rate of progress食品安全衛生管理法 shípǐn ānquán wèishēng guǎnlǐ fǎ – Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation開罰 kāifá – to impose a fine; to issue a penaltyFollow me on Instagram: fangfang.chineselearning !

Como es habitual ya desde hace muchos años, el equipo de Mundofonías acudió a la cita anual del WOMEX, uno de los eventos más grandes relacionados con las músicas de raíz del planeta que cada año se celebra en una ciudad distinta. En este 2025 fue en Támpere, Finlandia, y de allí nos traemos impresiones sobre algunos conciertos memorables, que evocamos y que nos hacen viajar por Mali, Tanzania, Madagascar, Serbia, Taiwán o Mauritania, entre otros destinos. También las conversaciones que mantuvimos con Maxime Bobo, coimpulsor del proyecto franco-malgache Bobo & Behaja, y con los músicos taiwaneses de 3Peoplemusic. Escuchamos también a la ganadora del Premio al Artista, la mauritana Noura Mint Seymali, y comentamos también la renuncia al Premio a la Excelencia Profesional de los impulsores de los Syrian Cassettes Archives, escuchando algunas de las músicas recuperadas y recopiladas en esta iniciativa. As has long been the case, the Mundofonías team attended the annual meeting of WOMEX, one of the largest events related to root musics on the planet that is held each year in a different city. In 2025 it took place in Tampere, Finland, and from there we bring impressions of some memorable concerts which we recall and which make us travel through Mali, Tanzania, Madagascar, Serbia, Taiwan and Mauritania among other destinations. We also share the conversations we had with Maxime Bobo, co-promoter of the Franco-Malagasy project Bobo & Behaja, and with the Taiwanese musicians of 3Peoplemusic. We listen to the winner of the Artist Award, the Mauritanian Noura Mint Seymali, and we also comment on the refusal of the Professional Excellence Award by the creators of the Syrian Cassettes Archives, listening to some of the music recovered and compiled in this initiative. - Kankou Kouyate - Nganou balla - N'Darila - The Zawose - Kusekala kwanyungu (live) - [sin álbum especificado] - Bobo & Behaja - Karioke menamaso - Aia haja? - Gordan - Šara - Gordan - 3Peoplemusic - LaSoRe - Him, her, it, and three - Noura Mint Seymali - Tassirit - Yenbett - Syrian Cassette Archives - Side B [frag.] - SCA mixtape vol.1 Voces invitadas: Guest voices: - Maxime Bobo (Bobo & Behaja) - 3Peoplemusic 3Peoplemusic, WOMEX 2025 (Juan Antonio Vázquez)

The quest to V100 max, my tongue, Kiwi Gold, Based in Ireland, furries living in fear, Reduxx authors sued by Taiwanese troons, f1nn5ter thinks he's a hero, ROBLOX CEO chimps, Wikipedia co-founder chimps, LTG chucks his cat, and angloid suffering.

楊枝甘露 yángzhī gānlù – mango pomelo sago (a Hong Kong-style dessert with mango, pomelo, and sago)創意 chuàngyì – creative; innovative芒果甜品 mángguǒ tiánpǐn – mango dessert手搖飲 shǒuyáo yǐn – hand-shaken drink; bubble tea-style drink萬波 Wànbō – Wanpo Tea Shop (a popular Taiwanese beverage chain)葡萄柚 pútáoyòu – grapefruit西米露 xīmǐlù – sago; tapioca pearls in dessert小芋圓 xiǎo yùyuán – small taro balls完美還原 wánměi huányuán – perfectly reproduce; faithful recreation港式甜品 gǎngshì tiánpǐn – Hong Kong-style dessert麻古茶坊 Mágǔ cháfáng – MACU TEA (a Taiwanese beverage chain)愛文芒果 àiwén mángguǒ – Irwin mango (a popular mango variety in Taiwan)搭配 dāpèi – paired with; combined with椰奶 yénǎi – coconut milk葡萄柚果粒 pútáoyòu guǒlì – grapefruit pulp綠茶凍 lǜchá dòng – green tea jelly果香濃郁 guǒ xiāng nóngyù – strong fruit aroma; rich fruity flavor清新解膩 qīngxīn jiě nì – refreshing and cleansing of greasiness蜜香凍 mì xiāng dòng – honey-flavored jelly清爽 qīngshuǎng – refreshing; light and cool冰沙 bīngshā – smoothie; shaved ice drink基底 jīdǐ – base; foundation果肉 guǒròu – fruit flesh西谷米 xīgǔ mǐ – sago pearls冰涼 bīngliáng – ice-cold; chilled綿密 miánmì – soft and dense; fine-textured尾韻 wěiyùn – aftertaste; lingering flavor千層蛋糕 qiāncéng dàngāo – mille-feuille; layer cake慕斯 mùsī – mousse層次豐富 céngcì fēngfù – rich in layers; multi-layered鬆餅 sōngbǐng – waffle; pancake鬆軟 sōngruǎn – soft and fluffy海綿蛋糕 hǎimián dàngāo – sponge cakeFollow me on Instagram: fangfang.chineselearning !

"Come as you are works in Japan when leaders are also willing to read the air and meet people where they are". "Japan isn't as risk-averse as people think; it is uncertainty avoidance and consensus norms like nemawashi and ringi-sho that slow decisions". "In Japan, numbers are universal, but how people feel about those numbers is where real leadership begins". "For foreign leaders, kindness, patience, and genuine curiosity are far more powerful than charisma or title". "Women leaders who embrace their own style, instead of copying male role models, can quietly transform Japanese workplaces".   Joanne Lin is Senior Director, APAC, for Deckers Brands, the American company behind UGG, HOKA, and Teva. Born in Taiwan and raised in Canada, she later completed her MBA at Boston University and began her career in Boston, working in a trading company and then at Merrill Lynch Investment Company. In 2000, she moved to Japan for family reasons and has since built a 25-year leadership career in this complex market. In Japan, Joanne first held senior finance roles, including Head of Finance for Reebok Japan and CFO for Aegis Media, where she worked on mergers and acquisitions. She joined Deckers over thirteen years ago as CFO for Japan and was later asked to step in as interim Country Manager for Deckers Japan. Today she is back in an APAC-wide role, responsible for finance and strategy across 15 markets, including Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. Her remit covers subsidiaries and distributor markets alike, requiring constant adaptation across cultures. Throughout her journey, Joanne has learned to reconcile a direct, North American style with Japan's more implicit, consensus-driven culture. Often mistaken for Japanese because of her appearance, she calls herself the "invisible gaijin", using that ambiguity to observe carefully, read body language, and bridge cultural expectations. Her leadership story is one of resilience, curiosity, and the quiet confidence to lead as herself in a country that often expects conformity. Joanne Lin's leadership journey began far from Japan. Born in Taiwan and raised in Toronto, she grew up immersed in North American directness, meritocracy, and straight-talking feedback. After completing an MBA at Boston University, she started her career in Boston, first at a trading company and then at Merrill Lynch Investment Company, building a strong foundation in finance. Numbers, ratios, and cash flows were her native business language long before she ever heard the phrase kūki o yomu — "reading the air" — in Japan. In 2000, she moved to Japan for family reasons, expecting to build a career but not realising how deeply the culture would challenge her assumptions about leadership. She entered the corporate world here without Japanese language skills and without local experience. Physically, many colleagues assumed she was Japanese, or at least of Japanese descent, and treated her accordingly. She jokes that she became an "invisible gaijin": expected to understand unspoken rules despite never having grown up with them. Early on, she discovered that in Japan, silence often speaks louder than words. Concepts akin to nemawashi — the quiet groundwork of building consensus before meetings — and the unspoken pressure to align with the group meant that decisions rarely came from a single, charismatic leader. Instead, she had to watch faces, posture and micro-reactions around the table. While she came from an environment where people said "yes" or "no" clearly, in Japan phrases like "I'll think about it" could mean "no" 80% of the time. Learning to interpret these signals became as important as reading the P&L. Her career advanced steadily through senior finance roles: Head of Finance for Reebok Japan, CFO for Aegis Media leading M&A, and later CFO for Deckers Japan. Over thirteen years at Deckers, she helped steer the growth of brands such as UGG and the fast-rising performance brand HOKA in one of the world's most competitive footwear markets. Eventually, she was asked to serve as interim Country Manager for Deckers Japan, an opportunity that tested her ability to go beyond numbers and lead entire functions including sales, marketing, HR and retail. Joanne's leadership philosophy is grounded in being genuine and transparent. She believes in explaining the "why" behind decisions, giving context, and aligning people rather than simply seeking agreement. She spends time helping non-finance colleagues understand what gross margin, discounts and operating income mean in practical terms, translating finance into everyday language rather than using it as a gatekeeping tool. Engagement surveys, where Japan often scores modestly compared with global benchmarks, have been a recurring theme in her work. Rather than blaming culture, she looks at how questions are worded, how norms shape responses, and then uses those insights to design practical remedies — from "lunch and learn" sessions to cross-functional gatherings and new-joiner lunches with senior leaders. As a woman leader, Joanne has wrestled with impostor syndrome yet chosen to step forward anyway. She sees many high-potential women in Japan holding back, waiting to be "perfect" before raising their hand. Her message to them is clear: trust yourself, recognise your natural strengths in communication and empathy, and accept that no leader — male or female — is ever fully ready. In the end, her story is about blending global experience with local nuance, leading with kindness and clarity, and proving that one can honour Japanese culture while still bringing a distinct, authentic leadership style to the table. Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? For Joanne, leadership in Japan is defined by what is not said. The real meeting often happens before and after the official meeting, through nemawashi, where stakeholders quietly shape outcomes. In the room, kūki o yomu — reading the air — is critical: leaders must observe body language, side glances and subtle hesitations to interpret what people truly think. Formal tools like ringi-sho workflows, built on stamped approvals and consensus, reinforce a collective approach to decision-making. Japanese employees often assume the leader should already know their needs without them having to say it. That expectation of intuitive understanding, combined with a strong norm of harmony, makes empathetic listening and patience indispensable leadership skills. Why do global executives struggle? Global executives often arrive with a Western template: clear targets, rapid decisions, direct feedback. In Japan, that can clash with a culture that prizes stability, seniority and group consensus. Leaders may misinterpret indirect communication as indecisiveness or lack of ambition, when in fact people are carefully weighing the impact on the group. Engagement surveys then show Japan at the bottom of global rankings, and headquarters misreads this as disengagement, rather than a reflection of conservative scoring norms. Many foreign leaders also underestimate how much time must be invested in trust-building, one-on-one conversations, and slow-burn relationship work before people feel safe to share ideas or challenge the status quo. Is Japan truly risk-averse? Joanne sees Japan as more uncertainty-avoidant than risk-averse in the pure financial sense. As a finance professional, she knows that commercial risk can be quantified — through scenarios, ratios and forecasts. But in Japan, the social and reputational risks loom equally large: who will be blamed if this fails, what will it do to group harmony, how will customers react? These uncertainty factors slow decisions more than the numbers themselves. Leaders who introduce tools like decision intelligence platforms, scenario simulation or even digital twins of supply chains can help Japanese teams see risk in a structured way, reducing the emotional fear around uncertainty and making experimentation feel safer. What leadership style actually works? The style that works for Joanne is grounded in transparency, modesty and consistency. She leads by example, explaining not only what must be done, but why, and what it means for individuals and teams. She tries to give her people "airtime", resisting the urge — common to many finance leaders — to jump straight to the solution. In practice, that means listening to ideas without immediate judgement, thanking people publicly for their input, and celebrating small wins as much as big milestones. She maintains high standards but increasingly recognises that not everyone should be held to the same work rhythm she sets for herself. Alignment, not forced agreement, is the goal: people may disagree but still commit to the path once they feel heard. How can technology help? Technology, in Joanne's world, is not just about efficiency; it is a bridge between data and human behaviour. Advanced analytics, dashboards and decision-support tools can make trade-offs between margin, volume and investment more tangible for non-finance teams. AI-driven text analysis of engagement comments can surface themes that traditional surveys miss, helping leaders understand sentiment behind Japan's modest scoring patterns. Scenario modelling and digital twins of operations can turn abstract risks into concrete options, making it easier for consensus-driven teams to move forward. At its best, technology supports nemawashi by giving everyone a shared, data-informed picture, rather than replacing dialogue. Does language proficiency matter? Joanne arrived in Japan with no Japanese language ability and was forced to become an intense observer of body language and context. That experience convinced her that leadership is possible without fluency — but far more sustainable with it. Learning Japanese shows respect, reduces distance, and makes informal conversations and humour possible. Even basic proficiency helps leaders understand nuance in ringi documents, hallway chats, and customer feedback. She encourages foreign leaders to invest in language learning not as a checkbox, but as a signal of commitment to the market and to their teams. What's the ultimate leadership lesson? Her core lesson is simple yet demanding: be kind, be open, and be yourself. Leaders should stop expecting perfection from themselves and from others, especially in a country where external shocks like currency swings, tariffs and pandemics can derail even the best-laid plans. Instead, they should focus on doing their best, communicating clearly, and treating people with respect. For women leaders especially, Joanne's message is to step forward even when self-doubt whispers otherwise — to recognise that their strengths in empathy, communication and cultural sensitivity are not "soft" add-ons but central to effective leadership in Japan. In the long run, success here is less about heroics and more about steady, human-centred leadership that people genuinely want to follow. Timecoded Summary [00:00] The conversation opens with an introduction to Deckers Brands, the American company headquartered in Santa Barbara and best known in Japan for UGG, HOKA and Teva. Joanne explains that Deckers historically functions as a holding-style company, acquiring and growing footwear brands, and that Japan is a key market where three major brands are active. She outlines her current role as Senior Director, APAC, overseeing finance and strategy across 15 countries, including both subsidiaries and distributor markets. [05:20] Joanne traces her career arc: Taiwanese by birth, raised in Canada, MBA from Boston University, then finance roles in Boston with a trading company and Merrill Lynch Investment Company. In 2000 she relocates to Japan for family reasons, later becoming Head of Finance for Reebok Japan and CFO for Aegis Media, working on M&A. She joins Deckers over thirteen years ago as CFO for Japan and eventually steps into an interim Country Manager role, before returning to a wider APAC mandate based in Japan. [12:45] The discussion shifts to cultural adjustment. Because she "looks Japanese", colleagues initially assume she understands Japanese norms. She describes becoming an "invisible gaijin", held to local expectations without having grown up here. She learns to read the air, focusing on facial expressions, body language and context. Phrases like "I'll consider it" often conceal a "no", and she gradually becomes adept at interpreting such indirect communication. Her direct North American instincts must be tempered by Japanese expectations for restraint and harmony. [19:30] Finance and human reactions to numbers come into focus. Joanne notes that while sales, gross margin and SG&A appear objective, different functions interpret them in varied ways: finance may celebrate high margins while sales may worry they are under-investing. She stresses the importance of explaining financial concepts in simple terms, almost as if speaking to a 10-year-old, so that everyone can understand consequences. Her temporary shift from CFO to GM broadens her empathy for non-finance views and deepens her appreciation for cross-functional tension. [26:10] Attention turns to team engagement and communication. Japan's engagement survey scores routinely trail global averages, a pattern she attributes partly to cultural modesty and translation issues. Instead of accepting low scores as fate, she focuses on post-survey action: leaders are asked to talk openly with teams, understand expectations, and co-create remedies. Concrete initiatives such as "lunch and learn" sessions and new-joiner lunches with directors help break silos, humanise leadership and create informal nemawashi-like spaces where people can ask questions and share concerns. [33:40] Joanne discusses culture-building under the umbrella of Deckers' "Come as you are" value. She supports self-expression — even store staff in gender-fluid fashion — as long as it's tasteful and customer-appropriate. Her own leadership style is to be genuine, transparent and open about vulnerabilities. She balances the efficiency of top-down directives with the long-term benefits of participation: while consensus-building and alignment take time, they reduce turnover, re-training costs and disengagement. [40:15] Gender and leadership come into sharper focus. Joanne recounts her own bouts of impostor syndrome and the temptation, earlier in her career, to doubt her readiness for bigger roles. She notes that many women hesitate to raise their hands until they feel almost 100% qualified, while men may step up with far less. She encourages aspiring women leaders to recognise their strengths in empathy and nuanced communication, to "give it a try" even when not fully confident, and to view setbacks as learning rather than final verdicts. [47:30] The interview closes with advice for foreign leaders coming to Japan. Joanne emphasises being open, respectful and kind — to oneself and to others. She urges leaders to accept that Japan's deep-rooted culture will not change in a short posting, and that success depends on adapting rather than trying to remodel the country. Learning Japanese, even imperfectly, is both a sign of respect and a practical tool for building trust. Ultimately, she argues, effective leadership in Japan is about balancing data and humanity, global standards and local nuance, ambition and empathy. Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.

“If I had been enslaved for a year or two, I might not be able to believe in humanity any more.” “I am a victim of modern slavery.” These chilling words come from a Taiwanese female lured by a fake job offer, only to be sold into a scam compound in Cambodia. She is not alone. She is one of thousands deceived into this industry—people who left home hoping for a better life, only to find themselves trapped in a living nightmare. Scam: Inside Southeast Asia's Cybercrime Compounds (Verso Books, 2025) arrives at a critical moment, shedding light on one of the world's fastest-growing criminal economies: Southeast Asia's online scam industry. Running the gamut from the notorious “pig butchering” romance scams to elaborate online extortion and investment frauds, this system has transformed parts of the region into global hubs of cybercrime. Meticulously researched and grounded in years of fieldwork, Scam offers an unflinching look into the prison-like compounds that have mushroomed across multiple countries. Within these walled complexes, victims are often coerced into becoming perpetrators—trapped in what the authors describe as “compound capitalism,” a chilling hybrid of enslavement and exploitation. Scam traces how small-scale online gambling rings evolved into an international “scamdemic,” accelerated by the disruptions of COVID-19. It examines the “victim–offender trap”, a moral and psychological paradox that makes empathy difficult for outsiders. The result is a deeply human investigation into how modern slavery adapts to digital capitalism. The authors uncover the operations of scam compounds across Southeast Asia. In my interview with Ling and Ivan, what stood out was not only their depth of knowledge but their compassion. They used their skills to build trust with victims, gather evidence, and, in some cases, help orchestrate rescues. Their work is both rigorous and profoundly humane, illuminating a crisis that grows more complex each day. Though many of those involved—both perpetrators and victims—are ethnically Chinese, the networks now span continents. The scam compounds are a global phenomenon, built on economic desperation, weak governance, and digital interconnectivity. Scam is more than an exposé. It is a call to action and a vital first step toward understanding a new form of global exploitation—where modern technology and ancient cruelty combine to create a system that enslaves the vulnerable and profits from despair. Ling Li is pursuing a PhD at Ca' Foscari University of Venice with a focus on the role of technology in enabling modern slavery and human trafficking in East and Southeast Asia. In the past few years, she has been providing support to survivors of scam compounds in Southeast Asia, interacting with local and international civil society organisations to bring them relief and help with repatriation. Ivan Franceschini is a lecturer at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne. His current research focuses on ethnic Chinese transnational crime, especially in the field of online fraud. He co-founded the Made in China Journal and The People's Map of Global China/ Global China Pulse. His books include Proletarian China (2022), Global China as Method (2022), and Afterlives of Chinese Communism (2019). He also co-directed the documentaries Dreamwork China (2011) and Boramey (2021). Mark Bo is a researcher who has been based in East and Southeast Asia for 2 decades. He has worked globally with local civil society partners to monitor and advocate for improved environmental and social practices in development projects and utilises his background in corporate and financial mapping to investigate stakeholders involved in Asia's online gambling, fraud, and money laundering industries. Bing Wang receives her PhD at the University of Leeds in 2020. Her research interests include the exploration of overseas Chinese cultural identity and critical heritage studies. She is also a freelance translator. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

This week, I sat down with Patrick Coyne, founder and chief executive of Laoban Dumplings, for a conversation that reminds you why some brands just hit differently. From teaching English in China to running dumpling shops in D.C. to building one of the most exciting frozen food brands in the country, Patrick's journey is proof that authenticity travels, even into the freezer aisle.We get into how Laoban went from brick and mortar to CPG during the pandemic, with Patrick and his team hand-packing dumplings and delivering them to local stores, often with the brand's mascot, Rollie the Chief Dough Officer, riding shotgun and controlling the music.Patrick breaks down his philosophy on hospitality and why frozen food deserves the same level of care as a restaurant experience. From packaging and cooking instructions to emotional branding and clarity of communication, every detail is intentional. He also shares how the team uses kids' reactions to Rollie, retailer feedback, and product testing to shape the future of the brand.We talked about the whitespace in frozen Asian food, why the category has not evolved in decades, and how Laoban plans to change that with items like scallion pancakes, Taiwanese popcorn chicken, bao, and of course dumplings. Patrick also opens up about hard decisions, like pulling a product launch from Whole Foods until it met their standards — a choice that led to an even stronger partnership and their successful bao rollout.If you love brand building, hospitality, food culture, or founder stories that do not take themselves too seriously, this episode is full of heart, honesty, and plenty of Rollie energy.

“If I had been enslaved for a year or two, I might not be able to believe in humanity any more.” “I am a victim of modern slavery.” These chilling words come from a Taiwanese female lured by a fake job offer, only to be sold into a scam compound in Cambodia. She is not alone. She is one of thousands deceived into this industry—people who left home hoping for a better life, only to find themselves trapped in a living nightmare. Scam: Inside Southeast Asia's Cybercrime Compounds (Verso Books, 2025) arrives at a critical moment, shedding light on one of the world's fastest-growing criminal economies: Southeast Asia's online scam industry. Running the gamut from the notorious “pig butchering” romance scams to elaborate online extortion and investment frauds, this system has transformed parts of the region into global hubs of cybercrime. Meticulously researched and grounded in years of fieldwork, Scam offers an unflinching look into the prison-like compounds that have mushroomed across multiple countries. Within these walled complexes, victims are often coerced into becoming perpetrators—trapped in what the authors describe as “compound capitalism,” a chilling hybrid of enslavement and exploitation. Scam traces how small-scale online gambling rings evolved into an international “scamdemic,” accelerated by the disruptions of COVID-19. It examines the “victim–offender trap”, a moral and psychological paradox that makes empathy difficult for outsiders. The result is a deeply human investigation into how modern slavery adapts to digital capitalism. The authors uncover the operations of scam compounds across Southeast Asia. In my interview with Ling and Ivan, what stood out was not only their depth of knowledge but their compassion. They used their skills to build trust with victims, gather evidence, and, in some cases, help orchestrate rescues. Their work is both rigorous and profoundly humane, illuminating a crisis that grows more complex each day. Though many of those involved—both perpetrators and victims—are ethnically Chinese, the networks now span continents. The scam compounds are a global phenomenon, built on economic desperation, weak governance, and digital interconnectivity. Scam is more than an exposé. It is a call to action and a vital first step toward understanding a new form of global exploitation—where modern technology and ancient cruelty combine to create a system that enslaves the vulnerable and profits from despair. Ling Li is pursuing a PhD at Ca' Foscari University of Venice with a focus on the role of technology in enabling modern slavery and human trafficking in East and Southeast Asia. In the past few years, she has been providing support to survivors of scam compounds in Southeast Asia, interacting with local and international civil society organisations to bring them relief and help with repatriation. Ivan Franceschini is a lecturer at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne. His current research focuses on ethnic Chinese transnational crime, especially in the field of online fraud. He co-founded the Made in China Journal and The People's Map of Global China/ Global China Pulse. His books include Proletarian China (2022), Global China as Method (2022), and Afterlives of Chinese Communism (2019). He also co-directed the documentaries Dreamwork China (2011) and Boramey (2021). Mark Bo is a researcher who has been based in East and Southeast Asia for 2 decades. He has worked globally with local civil society partners to monitor and advocate for improved environmental and social practices in development projects and utilises his background in corporate and financial mapping to investigate stakeholders involved in Asia's online gambling, fraud, and money laundering industries. Bing Wang receives her PhD at the University of Leeds in 2020. Her research interests include the exploration of overseas Chinese cultural identity and critical heritage studies. She is also a freelance translator. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/southeast-asian-studies

“If I had been enslaved for a year or two, I might not be able to believe in humanity any more.” “I am a victim of modern slavery.” These chilling words come from a Taiwanese female lured by a fake job offer, only to be sold into a scam compound in Cambodia. She is not alone. She is one of thousands deceived into this industry—people who left home hoping for a better life, only to find themselves trapped in a living nightmare. Scam: Inside Southeast Asia's Cybercrime Compounds (Verso Books, 2025) arrives at a critical moment, shedding light on one of the world's fastest-growing criminal economies: Southeast Asia's online scam industry. Running the gamut from the notorious “pig butchering” romance scams to elaborate online extortion and investment frauds, this system has transformed parts of the region into global hubs of cybercrime. Meticulously researched and grounded in years of fieldwork, Scam offers an unflinching look into the prison-like compounds that have mushroomed across multiple countries. Within these walled complexes, victims are often coerced into becoming perpetrators—trapped in what the authors describe as “compound capitalism,” a chilling hybrid of enslavement and exploitation. Scam traces how small-scale online gambling rings evolved into an international “scamdemic,” accelerated by the disruptions of COVID-19. It examines the “victim–offender trap”, a moral and psychological paradox that makes empathy difficult for outsiders. The result is a deeply human investigation into how modern slavery adapts to digital capitalism. The authors uncover the operations of scam compounds across Southeast Asia. In my interview with Ling and Ivan, what stood out was not only their depth of knowledge but their compassion. They used their skills to build trust with victims, gather evidence, and, in some cases, help orchestrate rescues. Their work is both rigorous and profoundly humane, illuminating a crisis that grows more complex each day. Though many of those involved—both perpetrators and victims—are ethnically Chinese, the networks now span continents. The scam compounds are a global phenomenon, built on economic desperation, weak governance, and digital interconnectivity. Scam is more than an exposé. It is a call to action and a vital first step toward understanding a new form of global exploitation—where modern technology and ancient cruelty combine to create a system that enslaves the vulnerable and profits from despair. Ling Li is pursuing a PhD at Ca' Foscari University of Venice with a focus on the role of technology in enabling modern slavery and human trafficking in East and Southeast Asia. In the past few years, she has been providing support to survivors of scam compounds in Southeast Asia, interacting with local and international civil society organisations to bring them relief and help with repatriation. Ivan Franceschini is a lecturer at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne. His current research focuses on ethnic Chinese transnational crime, especially in the field of online fraud. He co-founded the Made in China Journal and The People's Map of Global China/ Global China Pulse. His books include Proletarian China (2022), Global China as Method (2022), and Afterlives of Chinese Communism (2019). He also co-directed the documentaries Dreamwork China (2011) and Boramey (2021). Mark Bo is a researcher who has been based in East and Southeast Asia for 2 decades. He has worked globally with local civil society partners to monitor and advocate for improved environmental and social practices in development projects and utilises his background in corporate and financial mapping to investigate stakeholders involved in Asia's online gambling, fraud, and money laundering industries. Bing Wang receives her PhD at the University of Leeds in 2020. Her research interests include the exploration of overseas Chinese cultural identity and critical heritage studies. She is also a freelance translator. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/economics

“If I had been enslaved for a year or two, I might not be able to believe in humanity any more.” “I am a victim of modern slavery.” These chilling words come from a Taiwanese female lured by a fake job offer, only to be sold into a scam compound in Cambodia. She is not alone. She is one of thousands deceived into this industry—people who left home hoping for a better life, only to find themselves trapped in a living nightmare. Scam: Inside Southeast Asia's Cybercrime Compounds (Verso Books, 2025) arrives at a critical moment, shedding light on one of the world's fastest-growing criminal economies: Southeast Asia's online scam industry. Running the gamut from the notorious “pig butchering” romance scams to elaborate online extortion and investment frauds, this system has transformed parts of the region into global hubs of cybercrime. Meticulously researched and grounded in years of fieldwork, Scam offers an unflinching look into the prison-like compounds that have mushroomed across multiple countries. Within these walled complexes, victims are often coerced into becoming perpetrators—trapped in what the authors describe as “compound capitalism,” a chilling hybrid of enslavement and exploitation. Scam traces how small-scale online gambling rings evolved into an international “scamdemic,” accelerated by the disruptions of COVID-19. It examines the “victim–offender trap”, a moral and psychological paradox that makes empathy difficult for outsiders. The result is a deeply human investigation into how modern slavery adapts to digital capitalism. The authors uncover the operations of scam compounds across Southeast Asia. In my interview with Ling and Ivan, what stood out was not only their depth of knowledge but their compassion. They used their skills to build trust with victims, gather evidence, and, in some cases, help orchestrate rescues. Their work is both rigorous and profoundly humane, illuminating a crisis that grows more complex each day. Though many of those involved—both perpetrators and victims—are ethnically Chinese, the networks now span continents. The scam compounds are a global phenomenon, built on economic desperation, weak governance, and digital interconnectivity. Scam is more than an exposé. It is a call to action and a vital first step toward understanding a new form of global exploitation—where modern technology and ancient cruelty combine to create a system that enslaves the vulnerable and profits from despair. Ling Li is pursuing a PhD at Ca' Foscari University of Venice with a focus on the role of technology in enabling modern slavery and human trafficking in East and Southeast Asia. In the past few years, she has been providing support to survivors of scam compounds in Southeast Asia, interacting with local and international civil society organisations to bring them relief and help with repatriation. Ivan Franceschini is a lecturer at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne. His current research focuses on ethnic Chinese transnational crime, especially in the field of online fraud. He co-founded the Made in China Journal and The People's Map of Global China/ Global China Pulse. His books include Proletarian China (2022), Global China as Method (2022), and Afterlives of Chinese Communism (2019). He also co-directed the documentaries Dreamwork China (2011) and Boramey (2021). Mark Bo is a researcher who has been based in East and Southeast Asia for 2 decades. He has worked globally with local civil society partners to monitor and advocate for improved environmental and social practices in development projects and utilises his background in corporate and financial mapping to investigate stakeholders involved in Asia's online gambling, fraud, and money laundering industries. Bing Wang receives her PhD at the University of Leeds in 2020. Her research interests include the exploration of overseas Chinese cultural identity and critical heritage studies. She is also a freelance translator. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society

“If I had been enslaved for a year or two, I might not be able to believe in humanity any more.” “I am a victim of modern slavery.” These chilling words come from a Taiwanese female lured by a fake job offer, only to be sold into a scam compound in Cambodia. She is not alone. She is one of thousands deceived into this industry—people who left home hoping for a better life, only to find themselves trapped in a living nightmare. Scam: Inside Southeast Asia's Cybercrime Compounds (Verso Books, 2025) arrives at a critical moment, shedding light on one of the world's fastest-growing criminal economies: Southeast Asia's online scam industry. Running the gamut from the notorious “pig butchering” romance scams to elaborate online extortion and investment frauds, this system has transformed parts of the region into global hubs of cybercrime. Meticulously researched and grounded in years of fieldwork, Scam offers an unflinching look into the prison-like compounds that have mushroomed across multiple countries. Within these walled complexes, victims are often coerced into becoming perpetrators—trapped in what the authors describe as “compound capitalism,” a chilling hybrid of enslavement and exploitation. Scam traces how small-scale online gambling rings evolved into an international “scamdemic,” accelerated by the disruptions of COVID-19. It examines the “victim–offender trap”, a moral and psychological paradox that makes empathy difficult for outsiders. The result is a deeply human investigation into how modern slavery adapts to digital capitalism. The authors uncover the operations of scam compounds across Southeast Asia. In my interview with Ling and Ivan, what stood out was not only their depth of knowledge but their compassion. They used their skills to build trust with victims, gather evidence, and, in some cases, help orchestrate rescues. Their work is both rigorous and profoundly humane, illuminating a crisis that grows more complex each day. Though many of those involved—both perpetrators and victims—are ethnically Chinese, the networks now span continents. The scam compounds are a global phenomenon, built on economic desperation, weak governance, and digital interconnectivity. Scam is more than an exposé. It is a call to action and a vital first step toward understanding a new form of global exploitation—where modern technology and ancient cruelty combine to create a system that enslaves the vulnerable and profits from despair. Ling Li is pursuing a PhD at Ca' Foscari University of Venice with a focus on the role of technology in enabling modern slavery and human trafficking in East and Southeast Asia. In the past few years, she has been providing support to survivors of scam compounds in Southeast Asia, interacting with local and international civil society organisations to bring them relief and help with repatriation. Ivan Franceschini is a lecturer at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne. His current research focuses on ethnic Chinese transnational crime, especially in the field of online fraud. He co-founded the Made in China Journal and The People's Map of Global China/ Global China Pulse. His books include Proletarian China (2022), Global China as Method (2022), and Afterlives of Chinese Communism (2019). He also co-directed the documentaries Dreamwork China (2011) and Boramey (2021). Mark Bo is a researcher who has been based in East and Southeast Asia for 2 decades. He has worked globally with local civil society partners to monitor and advocate for improved environmental and social practices in development projects and utilises his background in corporate and financial mapping to investigate stakeholders involved in Asia's online gambling, fraud, and money laundering industries. Bing Wang receives her PhD at the University of Leeds in 2020. Her research interests include the exploration of overseas Chinese cultural identity and critical heritage studies. She is also a freelance translator. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/finance

農業社會 nóngyè shèhuì – agricultural society; a society based mainly on farming耕田 gēng tián – to plow the fields; to cultivate farmland家裡的一份子 jiālǐ de yī fènzi – a member of the family觀念 guānniàn – concept; idea; belief祭祖 jìzǔ – to offer sacrifices to ancestors; ancestor worship耕作 gēngzuò – to farm; to till; farming work一代一代的傳下來 yídài yídài de chuán xiàlái – to pass down from generation to generation宗教 zōngjiào – religion命理 mìnglǐ – fortune-telling principles; study of destiny and fate運氣 yùnqì – luck; fortune鱉肉 biē ròu – softshell turtle meat算命老師 suànmìng lǎoshī – fortune teller道教 dàojiào – Taoism信仰 xìnyǎng – belief; faith; religion神明的座騎 shénmíng de zuòqí – the mount or sacred animal that a deity rides信徒 xìntú – believer; follower; disciple (of a religion)明確 míngquè – clear; explicit; definite慈悲心 cíbēi xīn – compassion; merciful heart觀念 guānniàn – idea; belief; way of thinkingFollow me on Instagram: fangfang.chineselearning !

來巴西三個月終於碰到台灣人↓↓↓ (00:45) Taiwan No.1 (06:50) 好好聊活塞隊 (14:45) Beal賽季報銷 (21:45) 獨行俠開除總管 (23:00) Troye Sivan - One of Your Girls 、UnoTheActivist - The Wave 別忘了小額贊助

御飯糰 yùfàntuán – rice ball (Japanese-style or convenience store rice snack)橋村炸雞 Qiáocūn zhàjī – Kyochon fried chicken (a popular Korean fried chicken brand)濃濃的醬料 nóngnóng de jiàngliào – rich/thick sauce嫩嫩的炸雞 nèn nèn de zhàjī – tender fried chicken配上 pèi shàng – served with; paired with粒粒分明的白飯 lì lì fēn míng de báifàn – rice with distinct, separate grains肉汁 ròuzhī – meat juice; gravy重頭戲 zhòngtóuxì – highlight; main event微波主餐 wéibō zhǔcān – microwavable main dish燴飯 huìfàn – braised rice; rice with sauce義式番茄肉醬義大利麵 yìshì fānqié ròujiàng yìdàlìmiàn – Italian-style spaghetti with tomato meat sauce療癒 liáoyù – healing; comforting瑪格麗特筆管麵 Mǎgélìtè bǐguǎnmiàn – Margherita penne pasta台式料理 táishì liàolǐ – Taiwanese-style cuisine滑蛋牛肉燴飯 huádàn niúròu huìfàn – scrambled egg and beef braised rice湯汁 tāngzhī – broth; sauce; gravy紅燒牛肉燴飯 hóngshāo niúròu huìfàn – braised beef in soy sauce with rice入味 rùwèi – flavorful; well-seasoned下飯 xiàfàn – goes well with rice卡士達奶霜泡芙 kǎshìdá nǎishuāng pàofú – custard cream puff一口咬下去 yī kǒu yǎo xiàqù – take a bite; bite into爆漿 bàojiāng – oozing filling; bursting with cream冰冰涼涼 bīngbīng liángliáng – ice-cold; chilled流口水 liú kǒushuǐ – mouth-watering榛果可可 zhēnguǒ kěkě – hazelnut cocoa提拉米蘇 tílā mǐsū – tiramisuFollow me on Instagram: fangfang.chineselearning !

Een derde van de waarde is verloren gegaan sinds de piek van het aandeel Oracle in september. Toen explodeerde de koers nog na een deal met OpenAI. Dat ging voor 300 miljard dollar aan clouddiensten afnemen, en daar waren beleggers nogal blij mee. Maar in de afgelopen weken lijken ze van gedachten veranderd. Er is wat twijfel geweest over de hoge waarderingen van techaandelen, er is wat gesnoeid in die waarderingen ook. En Oracle komt er niet best uit: die daalt het hardst van allemaal. Zijn ze de enige, of de eerste die het te verduren krijgen? Het antwoord op die vraag hoor je in deze aflevering. Verder hebben we het ook over het dubbele afscheid van de week. Warren Buffett schreef een afscheidsbrief, en de beruchte Michael Burry sluit de deuren van zijn investeringsfonds. We vertellen je welke lessen je van deze 2 gurus moet onthouden. Je hoort over de eerste kwartaalcijfers van CVC Capital sinds hun intrede in de AEX. Die eerste paar maanden zijn niet fantastisch geweest. Het aandeel lijkt dit jaar alleen maar te kunnen verliezen. Terwijl CVC zelf juist nog nooit zo veel geld binnenharkte. En we hebben ook nog twee sappige verhalen voor je. Want twee grote klanten van Nvidia blijken keihard te lobbyen voor wetgeving die Nvidia liever niet van kracht ziet worden. En bij Aston Martin blijkt de bestuursvoorzitter op eigen houtje gesprekken te voeren om het bedrijf van de beurs te laten halen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Left-Handed Girl" is an international indie drama written, directed, and produced by Shih-Ching Tsou, starring Janel Tsai, Shih-Yuan Ma, Nina Ye, Brando Huang, Akio Chen, and Xin-Yan Chao. Multi Academy Award-winner Sean Baker served as co-writer, producer, and editor. The film had its world premiere at the Critics' Week section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its direction, writing, and performances. It has been selected as the Taiwanese entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. Shih-Ching Tsou was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about her work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is set for a limited release on November 14th, before it streams on Netflix on November 28th. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ms Kay Tang (唐蘆錦桂), originally from Taiwan, has taught Japanese folk dance, Taiwanese dance, and flower making as a volunteer instructor in Chatswood, northern Sydney, for 28 years. Having retired from volunteering this year, a commemorative gathering was held in her honour. - シドニー北部チャッツウッドで、日本の盆踊り、台湾の踊り、そしてフラワーメイキングをボランティア講師として28年間教えてきた台湾出身のケイ・タン（唐蘆錦桂）さん。今年ボランティアを引退し、記念の集まりが開かれました。

Todays's guest is Dr. Amy Faith Ho -an Emergency Medicine Physician, Chief Systems and Informatics Officer, and TEDx Speaker Dr. Amy Faith Ho discusses her journey from high school debater to emergency medicine physician and informatics leader. Born to Taiwanese immigrants and motivated by concerns about the insurance industry, Amy shares insights on AI in healthcare—from scribing platforms to billing—and confesses to being a "ghost scanner" with point-of-care ultrasound. The conversation explores liability, consent, HIPAA's relevance in the AI era, and why storytelling connects everything in medicine. Key TopicsFinding voice through high school debate despite Becoming passionate about healthcare after researching the insurance industry AI scribing: ambient listening technology, liability, and recording retention AI-assisted billing and coding in emergency medicine and surgery Point-of-care ultrasound documentation challenges and workflow issues Patient consent and transparency about AI use HIPAA in the age of massive datasets and de-identified training data Storytelling as the foundation of patient care and data analysis Connect with Dr. Amy HoTwitter: @AmyFaithHo Website: AmyFaithHo.com

Gloo Books produces seven Very Asian Guides to cuisines from around Asia. The seventh book in the series was written by my guest, Nancy Jeng, and is illustrated by the talented Felicia Liang. If you're unfamiliar with Taiwanese food, it's a really good primer to introduce you to iconic Taiwanese foods. If you're a Taiwanese food connoisseur, the book will take you down memory lane. It can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. Follow Nancy @nomsfrommom, and Felicia can be found @byfelicialiang You can let us know your thoughts at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by the Invictus Quartet #asianauthor #taiwanese #asianfood #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

In Good Wife, Wise Mother: Educating Han Taiwanese Girls Under Japanese Rule (U Washington Press, 2024), female education and citizenship serve as a lens through which to examine Taiwan's uniqueness as a colonial crossroads between Chinese and Japanese ideas and practices. A latecomer to the age of imperialism, Japan used modernization efforts in Taiwan to cast itself as a benevolent force among its colonial subjects and imperial competitors. In contrast to most European colonies, where only elites received an education, in Taiwan Japan built elementary schools intended for the entire population, including girls. In 1897 it developed a program known as “Good Wife, Wise Mother” that sought to transform Han Taiwanese girls into modern Japanese female citizens. Drawing on Japanese and Chinese newspapers, textbooks, oral interviews, and fiction, Fang Yu Hu illustrates how this seemingly progressive project advanced a particular Japanese vision of modernity, womanhood, and citizenship, to which the colonized Han Taiwanese people responded with varying degrees of collaboration, resistance, adaptation, and adoption. Hu also assesses the program's impact on Taiwan's class structure, male-female interactions, and political identity both during and after the end of Japanese occupation in 1945. Good Wife, Wise Mother expands the study of Taiwanese history by contributing important gendered and nonelite perspectives. It will be of interest to any historian concerned with questions of modernity, hybridity, and colonial nostalgia. Fang Yu Hu is assistant professor of History at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona who specializes in modern East Asian history, with a focus on Taiwan, gender, colonialism, and cross-border flows. She has published in the journals ERAS of Monash University and Twentieth-Century China. Her current research focuses on Taiwanese migrants to mainland China and Southeast Asia in the first half of the 20th century. Li-Ping Chen is a visiting scholar in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include literary translingualism, diaspora, and nativism in Sinophone, inter-Asian, and transpacific contexts. Relevant Link: NBN interview for Indoctrinating the Youth: Secondary Education in Wartime China and Postwar Taiwan, 1937-1960 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In Good Wife, Wise Mother: Educating Han Taiwanese Girls Under Japanese Rule (U Washington Press, 2024), female education and citizenship serve as a lens through which to examine Taiwan's uniqueness as a colonial crossroads between Chinese and Japanese ideas and practices. A latecomer to the age of imperialism, Japan used modernization efforts in Taiwan to cast itself as a benevolent force among its colonial subjects and imperial competitors. In contrast to most European colonies, where only elites received an education, in Taiwan Japan built elementary schools intended for the entire population, including girls. In 1897 it developed a program known as “Good Wife, Wise Mother” that sought to transform Han Taiwanese girls into modern Japanese female citizens. Drawing on Japanese and Chinese newspapers, textbooks, oral interviews, and fiction, Fang Yu Hu illustrates how this seemingly progressive project advanced a particular Japanese vision of modernity, womanhood, and citizenship, to which the colonized Han Taiwanese people responded with varying degrees of collaboration, resistance, adaptation, and adoption. Hu also assesses the program's impact on Taiwan's class structure, male-female interactions, and political identity both during and after the end of Japanese occupation in 1945. Good Wife, Wise Mother expands the study of Taiwanese history by contributing important gendered and nonelite perspectives. It will be of interest to any historian concerned with questions of modernity, hybridity, and colonial nostalgia. Fang Yu Hu is assistant professor of History at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona who specializes in modern East Asian history, with a focus on Taiwan, gender, colonialism, and cross-border flows. She has published in the journals ERAS of Monash University and Twentieth-Century China. Her current research focuses on Taiwanese migrants to mainland China and Southeast Asia in the first half of the 20th century. Li-Ping Chen is a visiting scholar in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include literary translingualism, diaspora, and nativism in Sinophone, inter-Asian, and transpacific contexts. Relevant Link: NBN interview for Indoctrinating the Youth: Secondary Education in Wartime China and Postwar Taiwan, 1937-1960 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

In Good Wife, Wise Mother: Educating Han Taiwanese Girls Under Japanese Rule (U Washington Press, 2024), female education and citizenship serve as a lens through which to examine Taiwan's uniqueness as a colonial crossroads between Chinese and Japanese ideas and practices. A latecomer to the age of imperialism, Japan used modernization efforts in Taiwan to cast itself as a benevolent force among its colonial subjects and imperial competitors. In contrast to most European colonies, where only elites received an education, in Taiwan Japan built elementary schools intended for the entire population, including girls. In 1897 it developed a program known as “Good Wife, Wise Mother” that sought to transform Han Taiwanese girls into modern Japanese female citizens. Drawing on Japanese and Chinese newspapers, textbooks, oral interviews, and fiction, Fang Yu Hu illustrates how this seemingly progressive project advanced a particular Japanese vision of modernity, womanhood, and citizenship, to which the colonized Han Taiwanese people responded with varying degrees of collaboration, resistance, adaptation, and adoption. Hu also assesses the program's impact on Taiwan's class structure, male-female interactions, and political identity both during and after the end of Japanese occupation in 1945. Good Wife, Wise Mother expands the study of Taiwanese history by contributing important gendered and nonelite perspectives. It will be of interest to any historian concerned with questions of modernity, hybridity, and colonial nostalgia. Fang Yu Hu is assistant professor of History at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona who specializes in modern East Asian history, with a focus on Taiwan, gender, colonialism, and cross-border flows. She has published in the journals ERAS of Monash University and Twentieth-Century China. Her current research focuses on Taiwanese migrants to mainland China and Southeast Asia in the first half of the 20th century. Li-Ping Chen is a visiting scholar in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include literary translingualism, diaspora, and nativism in Sinophone, inter-Asian, and transpacific contexts. Relevant Link: NBN interview for Indoctrinating the Youth: Secondary Education in Wartime China and Postwar Taiwan, 1937-1960 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

We'll let Benjamin Sando, research fellow at the Global Taiwan Institute, and our guest for this week's episode, describe the topic: “From the early days of Han Taiwanese society, through the period of Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) martial law and on to the era of democratization, the influence of Taiwan's gangs has evolved. The activity of some gangs (but not all) has spread beyond extracting profit from local territory – through extortion, prostitution, and gambling – to international transactions involving drug, arms, and human trafficking. This has sowed connections between certain Taiwanese gangs and foreign actors, such as Chinese triads and government officials engaging in united front work for the People's Republic of China (PRC). As elections become more competitive in Taiwan, gangs have leveraged their control of prominent Taiwanese temples to influence politicians seeking support from religious communities. Such deep-rooted connections between gangs and local communities obstruct democratic development based on transparency and open debate, especially in Taiwan's rural areas.”NOTE: This episode has been significantly edited to attempt to adhere to the mostly non-political official stance of the Formosa Files podcast. To hear/watch the full one-hour, almost unedited version, visit Kaohsiung Times → “Long-Form” → “Formosa Files.”

In Good Wife, Wise Mother: Educating Han Taiwanese Girls Under Japanese Rule (U Washington Press, 2024), female education and citizenship serve as a lens through which to examine Taiwan's uniqueness as a colonial crossroads between Chinese and Japanese ideas and practices. A latecomer to the age of imperialism, Japan used modernization efforts in Taiwan to cast itself as a benevolent force among its colonial subjects and imperial competitors. In contrast to most European colonies, where only elites received an education, in Taiwan Japan built elementary schools intended for the entire population, including girls. In 1897 it developed a program known as “Good Wife, Wise Mother” that sought to transform Han Taiwanese girls into modern Japanese female citizens. Drawing on Japanese and Chinese newspapers, textbooks, oral interviews, and fiction, Fang Yu Hu illustrates how this seemingly progressive project advanced a particular Japanese vision of modernity, womanhood, and citizenship, to which the colonized Han Taiwanese people responded with varying degrees of collaboration, resistance, adaptation, and adoption. Hu also assesses the program's impact on Taiwan's class structure, male-female interactions, and political identity both during and after the end of Japanese occupation in 1945. Good Wife, Wise Mother expands the study of Taiwanese history by contributing important gendered and nonelite perspectives. It will be of interest to any historian concerned with questions of modernity, hybridity, and colonial nostalgia. Fang Yu Hu is assistant professor of History at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona who specializes in modern East Asian history, with a focus on Taiwan, gender, colonialism, and cross-border flows. She has published in the journals ERAS of Monash University and Twentieth-Century China. Her current research focuses on Taiwanese migrants to mainland China and Southeast Asia in the first half of the 20th century. Li-Ping Chen is a visiting scholar in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include literary translingualism, diaspora, and nativism in Sinophone, inter-Asian, and transpacific contexts. Relevant Link: NBN interview for Indoctrinating the Youth: Secondary Education in Wartime China and Postwar Taiwan, 1937-1960 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Affordable Gay-Friendly Retirement in Taiwan: Top 5 Cities RankedThinking of retiring in Asia where gay rights have advanced and everyday life feels modern and livable? On episode 614 we head to Taiwan to explore one of the region's most unexpected retirement gems for gay men: full same-sex marriage, vibrant queer culture, lower cost of living and global infrastructure.Hosts John & David walk you through the Top 5 Taiwanese cities for LGBTQ+ retirement, break down cost of living, queer infrastructure, and the trade-offs you'll need to know.What you'll get in this episode:Why Taiwan leads Asia for LGBTQ+ acceptance and what that really means for early retirement abroad.City-by-city breakdown of the Top 5: from tranquil towns to the heart of queer nightlife.Average 2-bedroom rent (USD), how the cost of living compares to the U.S., and our updated Queer Money Retirement Rating for each city.The one major missing piece for U.S. expats: no tax treaty with the U.S. (yet) and what that can mean for your retirement plan.How to weigh “affordability + queer culture” when choosing abroad instead of “cheap only”.Takeaways:You can find a modern, livable retirement location in Asia with strong queer rights and lower cost of living.Affordability is relative: even the “cheapest” Taiwanese cities are still going to cost something — quality housing, good transport, medical care matter.Legal equality (same-sex marriage) is a huge baseline win — but other elements (trans/non-binary inclusion, tax issues) still vary.Your personal “vibe” matters: Are you after quiet affordability or full queer community energy? Taiwan offers both ends of the spectrum.Always check the tax/financial dimension early when you're planning overseas retirement — no treaty with the U.S. = extra research required.What to do next:If you're ready to map out your path to gay-friendly early retirement abroad — whether Taiwan or elsewhere — grab your free Happy Gay Retirement Calculator today at: https://queermoneypodcast.com/hgrcalcJoin the conversation: comment, share your experience, or send us your questions about retiring abroad as gay men.Suggested other episodes you'll love:Episode 610 – “Top 5 LGBTQ+ Retirement Cities in Greece”Episode 599 – “Affordable Gay Retirement Cities in Portugal”Episode 575 – “Understanding Tax Treaties Before You Retire Abroad”Episode 542 – “Bold Retirements: Gay Men in Mexico's Pacific Coast Towns”Chapters:00:00 - Intro02:22 - Taichung05:16 - Kaohsiung 07:09 - Tainan09:10 - New Taipei (suburbs of Taipei)11:23 - Taipei15:14 - OutroMentioned in this episode:Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here!Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Faster Here!Want a European passport with access to living in nearly any European country? Just click the link below to find out how. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here!

In this powerful and perspective-shifting episode, Harvard Business School professor and author **Laura Huang** shares a deeply human and practical roadmap for transforming disadvantage into advantage. Drawing from her book *Edge*, she breaks down the four-part EDGE framework—Enrich, Delight, Guide, and Effort—showing how each of us can flip bias, reshape perceptions, and build momentum on our own terms.Laura opens up about her experience as the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, her non-linear path from engineering to investment banking to academia, and the real-world struggles of navigating privilege, expectations, and identity. She tells the story of Dave's Killer Bread as a case study in reclaiming a life shaped by systemic disadvantage. Throughout the conversation, she pushes back on the myth of pure meritocracy, arguing that hard work is critical—but not enough.This conversation will resonate with anyone who's ever felt underestimated, overlooked, or boxed in by other people's assumptions—and who's ready to turn that into power. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1900 KYIV THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS THAT CONGRESS IS CAPABLE OF CUTTING SPENDING..... 10-8-25 FIRST HOUR 9-915 HEADLINE: Arab Intellectuals Fail Palestinians by Prioritizing Populism and Victimhood Narrative in Gaza ConflictGUEST NAME: Hussain Abdul-Hussain SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Hussain Abdul-Hussain about Hamas utilizing the power of victimhood to justify atrocities and vilify opponents. Arab and Muslim intellectuals have failed Palestinians by prioritizing populism over introspection and self-critique. Regional actors like Egypt prioritize populist narratives over national interests, exemplified by refusing to open the Sinai border despite humanitarian suffering. The key recommendation is challenging the narrative and fostering a reliable, mature Palestinian government. 915-930 HEADLINE: Arab Intellectuals Fail Palestinians by Prioritizing Populism and Victimhood Narrative in Gaza ConflictGUEST NAME: Hussain Abdul-Hussain SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Hussain Abdul-Hussain about Hamas utilizing the power of victimhood to justify atrocities and vilify opponents. Arab and Muslim intellectuals have failed Palestinians by prioritizing populism over introspection and self-critique. Regional actors like Egypt prioritize populist narratives over national interests, exemplified by refusing to open the Sinai border despite humanitarian suffering. The key recommendation is challenging the narrative and fostering a reliable, mature Palestinian government. 930-945 HEADLINE: Russian Oil and Gas Revenue Squeezed as Prices Drop, Turkey Shifts to US LNG, and China Delays Pipeline GUEST NAME: Michael Bernstam SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Michael Bernstam about Russia facing severe budget pressure due to declining oil prices projected to reach $40 per barrel for Russian oil and global oil surplus. Turkey, a major buyer, is abandoning Russian natural gas after signing a 20-year LNG contract with the US. Russia refuses Indian rupee payments, demanding Chinese renminbi, which India lacks. China has stalled the major Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project indefinitely. Russia utilizes stablecoin and Bitcoin via Central Asian banks to circumvent payment sanctions. 945-1000 HEADLINE: UN Snapback Sanctions Imposed on Iran; Debate Over Nuclear Dismantlement and Enrichment GUEST NAME: Andrea Stricker SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Andrea Stricker about the US and Europe securing the snapback of UN sanctions against Iran after 2015 JCPOA restrictions expired. Iran's non-compliance with inspection demands triggered these severe sanctions. The discussion covers the need for full dismantlement of Iran's nuclear program, including both enrichment and weaponization capabilities, to avoid future conflict. Concerns persist about Iran potentially retaining enrichment capabilities through low-level enrichment proposals and its continued non-cooperation with IAEA inspections. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 HEADLINE: Commodities Rise and UK Flag Controversy: French Weather, Market Trends, and British Politics GUEST NAME: Simon Constable SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Simon Constable about key commodities like copper up 16% and steel up 15% signaling strong economic demand. Coffee prices remain very high at 52% increase. The conversation addresses French political turmoil, though non-citizens cannot vote. In the UK, the St. George's flag has become highly controversial, viewed by some as associated with racism, unlike the Union Jack. This flag controversy reflects a desire among segments like the white working class to assert English identity. 1015-1030 HEADLINE: Commodities Rise and UK Flag Controversy: French Weather, Market Trends, and British Politics GUEST NAME: Simon Constable SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Simon Constable about key commodities like copper up 16% and steel up 15% signaling strong economic demand. Coffee prices remain very high at 52% increase. The conversation addresses French political turmoil, though non-citizens cannot vote. In the UK, the St. George's flag has become highly controversial, viewed by some as associated with racism, unlike the Union Jack. This flag controversy reflects a desire among segments like the white working class to assert English identity. 1030-1045 HEADLINE: China's Economic Contradictions: Deflation and Consumer Wariness Undermine GDP Growth ClaimsGUEST NAME: Fraser Howie SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Fraser Howie about China facing severe economic contradictions despite high World Bank forecasts. Deflation remains rampant with frequently negative CPI and PPI figures. Consumer wariness and high youth unemployment at one in seven persist throughout the economy. The GDP growth figure is viewed as untrustworthy, manufactured through debt in a command economy. Decreased container ship arrivals point to limited actual growth, exacerbated by higher US tariffs. Economic reforms appear unlikely as centralization under Xi Jinping continues. 1045-1100 HEADLINE: Takaichi Sanae Elected LDP Head, Faces Coalition Challenge to Become Japan's First Female Prime Minister GUEST NAME: Lance Gatling SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Lance Gatling about Takaichi Sanae being elected head of Japan's LDP, positioning her to potentially become the first female Prime Minister. A conservative figure, she supports visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine. Her immediate challenge is forming a majority coalition, as the junior partner Komeito disagrees with her conservative positions and social policies. President Trump praised her election, signaling potential for strong bilateral relations. THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 VHEADLINE: DeepSeek AI: Chinese LLM Performance and Security Flaws Revealed Amid Semiconductor Export Circumvention GUEST NAME: Jack Burnham SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Jack Burnham about competition in Large Language Models between the US and China's DeepSeek. A NIST study found US models superior in software engineering, though DeepSeek showed parity in scientific questions. Critically, DeepSeek models exhibited significant security flaws. China attempts to circumvent US export controls on GPUs by smuggling and using cloud computing centers in Southeast Asia. Additionally, China aims to dominate global telecommunications through control of supply chains and legal mechanisms granting the CCP access to firm data.E V 1115-1130 HEADLINE: DeepSeek AI: Chinese LLM Performance and Security Flaws Revealed Amid Semiconductor Export Circumvention GUEST NAME: Jack Burnham SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Jack Burnham about competition in Large Language Models between the US and China's DeepSeek. A NIST study found US models superior in software engineering, though DeepSeek showed parity in scientific questions. Critically, DeepSeek models exhibited significant security flaws. China attempts to circumvent US export controls on GPUs by smuggling and using cloud computing centers in Southeast Asia. Additionally, China aims to dominate global telecommunications through control of supply chains and legal mechanisms granting the CCP access to firm data. 1130-1145 HEADLINE: Taiwanese Influencer Charged for Threatening President; Mainland Chinese Influence Tactics ExposedGUEST NAME: Mark Simon SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Mark Simon about internet personality Holger Chen under investigation in Taiwan for calling for President William Lai's decapitation. This highlights mainland Chinese influence operations utilizing influencers who push themes of military threat and Chinese greatness. Chen is suspected of having a mainland-affiliated paymaster due to lack of local commercial support. Taiwan's population primarily identifies as Taiwanese and is unnerved by constant military threats. A key propaganda goal is convincing Taiwan that the US will not intervene. 1145-1200 HEADLINE: Sentinel ICBM Modernization is Critical and Cost-Effective Deterrent Against Great Power CompetitionGUEST NAME: Peter Huessy SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Peter Huessy about the Sentinel program replacing aging 55-year-old Minuteman ICBMs, aiming for lower operating costs and improved capabilities. Cost overruns stem from necessary infrastructure upgrades, including replacing thousands of miles of digital command and control cabling and building new silos. Maintaining the ICBM deterrent is financially and strategically crucial, saving hundreds of billions compared to relying solely on submarines. The need for modernization reflects the end of the post-Cold War "holiday from history," requiring rebuilding against threats from China and Russia. FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 HEADLINE: Supreme Court Battles Over Presidential Impoundment Authority and the Separation of Powers GUEST NAME: Josh Blackman SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Josh Blackman about Supreme Court eras focusing on the separation of powers. Currently, the court is addressing presidential impoundment—the executive's authority to withhold appropriated funds. Earlier rulings, particularly 1975's Train v. City of New York, constrained this power. The Roberts Court appears sympathetic to reclaiming presidential authority lost during the Nixon era. The outcome of this ongoing litigation will determine the proper balance between executive and legislative branches. 1215-1230 HEADLINE: Supreme Court Battles Over Presidential Impoundment Authority and the Separation of Powers GUEST NAME: Josh Blackman SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Josh Blackman about Supreme Court eras focusing on the separation of powers. Currently, the court is addressing presidential impoundment—the executive's authority to withhold appropriated funds. Earlier rulings, particularly 1975's Train v. City of New York, constrained this power. The Roberts Court appears sympathetic to reclaiming presidential authority lost during the Nixon era. The outcome of this ongoing litigation will determine the proper balance between executive and legislative branches. 1230-1245 HEADLINE: Space Force Awards Contracts to SpaceX and ULA; Juno Mission Ending, Launch Competition Heats UpGUEST NAME: Bob Zimmerman SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Bob Zimmerman about Space Force awarding over $1 billion in launch contracts to SpaceX for five launches and ULA for two launches, highlighting growing demand for launch services. ULA's non-reusable rockets contrast with SpaceX's cheaper, reusable approach, while Blue Origin continues to lag behind. Other developments include Firefly entering defense contracting through its Scitec acquisition, Rocket Lab securing additional commercial launches, and the likely end of the long-running Juno Jupiter mission due to budget constraints. 1245-100 AM HEADLINE: Space Force Awards Contracts to SpaceX and ULA; Juno Mission Ending, Launch Competition Heats UpGUEST NAME: Bob Zimmerman SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Bob Zimmerman about Space Force awarding over $1 billion in launch contracts to SpaceX for five launches and ULA for two launches, highlighting growing demand for launch services. ULA's non-reusable rockets contrast with SpaceX's cheaper, reusable approach, while Blue Origin continues to lag behind. Other developments include Firefly entering defense contracting through its Scitec acquisition, Rocket Lab securing additional commercial launches, and the likely end of the long-running Juno Jupiter mission due to budget constraints.

HEADLINE: Taiwanese Influencer Charged for Threatening President; Mainland Chinese Influence Tactics ExposedGUEST NAME: Mark Simon SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Mark Simon about internet personality Holger Chen under investigation in Taiwan for calling for President William Lai's decapitation. This highlights mainland Chinese influence operations utilizing influencers who push themes of military threat and Chinese greatness. Chen is suspected of having a mainland-affiliated paymaster due to lack of local commercial support. Taiwan's population primarily identifies as Taiwanese and is unnerved by constant military threats. A key propaganda goal is convincing Taiwan that the US will not intervene. 1906