Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has announced a plan to spend an extra $40 billion dollars on the military over the next eight years to resist Chinese aggression.
Also on the programme: at least 13 people have died in a fire in a tower block complex in Hong Kong; and the new "Russian cultural code” from fashion to music, aiming to define what it means to be Russian.
(Photo: Taiwan President Lai Ching-te gestures as he delivers a speech during National Day celebrations in Taipei on October 10, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Today we try to parse the game behind Trump negotiator Steve Witkoff coaching his Russian counterpart on how to win Trump's favor before moving on to Zohran Mamdani's repulsive transition team. Give a listen.
Plus: Italy’s competition regulator expands its probe into WhatsApp-owner Meta over its AI chatbot policy. And Alphabet shares rose in premarket trading, while shares of Nvidia and AMD fell. Julie Chang hosts.
Matt Cole, CEO of Strive, discusses corporate Bitcoin strategy, amplification tactics, surviving volatility, and why Bitcoin's 30%+ annual returns make it the ultimate hurdle rate for treasury companies in 2025.
Matt Cole, Chairman and CEO of Strive Bitcoin Treasury Company joins us to talk about corporate Bitcoin treasury strategies, why he's structurally bullish on 30%+ annual returns, how Strive amplifies Bitcoin exposure through preferred equity without margin requirements, the pivot from ESG pushback to Bitcoin maximalism, and why removing capital gains taxes could make Bitcoin actual money in America.
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**Notes:**
• Bitcoin expected 30%+ annual returns over 10-15 years
• Strive manages $2B AUM across 13 ETFs
• Matt's net worth in Bitcoin since 2016-2017
• 50% drawdowns expected as normal volatility
• Preferred equity structure allows riding to $1
• Strategic Bitcoin reserve strengthens USA
Timestamps:
00:00 Start
01:44 Vibes at Strive & BTC crashing
04:06 Treasury companies
07:36 What makes a "good" treasury company?
15:12 MSTR needs to catch up to Strive
20:51 Wall Street understanding
26:38 Credit rating innovation
29:59 ESG
35:33 Technical Bitcoin topics
42:15 2026
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Mel Tonasket (Colville Tribes) is one of the key reasons the Colville Tribes remain thriving today. As a newly elected tribal council member in 1971, he cast the deciding vote against a deal with the federal government that traded cash payouts to individual tribal members for the tribe’s permanent termination. Tonasket credits the mentorship of tribal activist Lucy Covington for guiding his insights and energy to protect the sovereignty of the 12-tribe coalition under the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. He since went on to an ongoing vigilance for hunting, fishing, and other treaty rights. He still serves on the tribal business council after decades of service in many capacities. We’ll speak with Tonasket about the history of his tribe, his own call to leadership, and what’s next for his people.
Break 1 Music: Country Man (song) Blue Moon Marquee (artist) Scream, Holler, and Howl (album)
Medicare will get a 71% discount off the list price of Ozempic and Wegovy starting in 2027. That will bring the monthly costs of those drugs down from nearly $1,000 to $274. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also announced price reductions for 14 other drugs. We'll hear more. Plus, can a market economy that uses fake cash help food banks get the food donations they want?
Millions set to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday. Ukraine-Russia peace deal making progress. FBI investigating Democratic lawmakers over "illegal orders" video. CBS News Correspondent Jennifer Keiper has these stories and more on the World News Roundup.
From the BBC World Service: Shares in Alibaba rose after the Chinese e-commerce company reported a 34% increase in revenue for its cloud computing division, as well as triple-digit increases in sales for its AI-related products. Then, in energy news, Iranian authorities plan to scrap generous subsidies for gas, and refiners in India rush to secure Russian oil imports ahead of a U.S. deadline. Plus, more international students turn to Bulgaria to complete their medical degrees.
We’re dropping into your feeds today to share this special bonus episode.
For many people gathering around the table this holiday season, things feel a little different. Maybe it’s the cost of ingredients that’s on your mind, or cuts to USDA funding that have left your food bank running low. Or maybe it’s the simple reality of a packed schedule – there’s a lot to cook, and so little time.
In this special from Marketplace, we bring listeners a collection of stories on the business and economics of food. Our reporters take us across the country to farms, home kitchens, and restaurants. We visit a refugee farmer in Houston, a chocolate-making lab in California, and stop for a bite at an award-winning restaurant in Portland.
