Canada takes a breath after the resignation of the country’s Finance Minister, with calls growing for Chrystia Freeland to consider challenging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as leader of the country’s Liberal Party.

Also on Business Matters, Andrew Peach hears how 26 tonnes of gold has been found in the vaults of Syria’s National Bank.

Andew hears how the Japanese carmakers Nissan and Honda appear to be edging closer to a merger.

And with Christmas just around the corner,, why do we keep buying presents for each other if it makes so many of us unhappy?

Andrew Peach is joined by Peter Morici, an economist at the University of Maryland in the US, and Sushma Ramachandran, who's a columnist at the Tribune newspaper, in Delhi, India.

They discuss Canada, where the finance minister Chrystia Freeland resigned on the same day an economic statement was due, triggering a political crisis. There's more political crisis in Germany, where the government has collapsed amid a row over the economy. We ask what businesses want from the country's next leaders. We hear from India - as Sri Lanka wants closer relations with the country on energy and trade. Plus we discuss the safety of CEOs - as the president of the global insurance giant AON tells us firms are going to have to rethink their security process for executives.

France has a new Prime Minister…but can François Bayrou fix the economy where his predecessor failed? We talk to a biographer who says the jury’s out.

Russia’s economy shows surprise growth—but with inflation soaring and sanctions biting, is it all as good as it seems?

And Christmas classics still rule the airwaves—and the royalty cheques. Will new Xmas songs ever break through?

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France’s President Emmanuel Macron is fighting to form a new government and pass next year’s budget. But will it calm the country’s economic turmoil? Also, a British hedge fund trader is jailed for defrauding Denmark out of over $1 billion. And how country singer Noah Kahn and his family helped his local country store to secure its future

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Will the $6bn trade in the illegal drug captagon that funded the Assad dictatorship be disrupted now he's gone?

As US inflation creeps up, we hear from businesses daring to feel more hopeful about their future prospects

The Macy's employee who hid $150 million in delivery charges.

And why universities in Australia are worried by plans to drastically cut the number of overseas students

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Damascus Chamber of Commerce says the interim government pledges to open up the economy and re-establish international trade links. Also, Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering Brian Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, has been denied bail. And what impact is South Korea's political instability having on its economy?

Rahul Tandon is joined by Sarah Birke, The Economist’s Bureau Chief for Mexico, Central America and The Caribbean, and Simon Littlewood, president of ACG Global Growth Delivered in Singapore.

Syrians are calling for sanctions to be lifted so international trade can resume and its economy can be rebuilt. Also, China launches an antitrust investigation into Nvidia, the world’s most valuable maker of computer chips. And, baseball player Juan Soto has agreed a $765m deal with the New York Mets, the biggest contract awarded in the the history of sport.

Rahul Tandon discusses these and more business stories with two guests on opposite sides of the world: Sergio Guzman, director of Colombia Risk Analysis in Bogota, and Yoko Ishikura, Professor Emeritus of Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo.

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol has issued an apology following his attempt to declare martial law earlier this week, which sparked widespread political unrest. Calls for his resignation are growing, even within his own party, as an impeachment vote looms.

Syria is on the brink as rebel forces capture more of the country - we'll have the latest.

Plus, Suriname's finance minister discusses how the country plans to avoid the "oil curse" and ensure citizens benefit from its newfound wealth.

Joining Roger Hearing are Jyoti Malhotra, Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune in Delhi, and Ralph Silva of the Silva Research Network in Toronto.

As US companies race to stock up goods ahead of president-elect Trump's promised tariffs, Gene Seroka, the Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles shares how the port is handling the influx of shipments from China.

In South Korea, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions has launched an indefinite strike, demanding President Yoon Suk Yeol step down over his martial law declaration.

And in a cultural milestone, traditional Japanese rice wine Sake, has been officially recognised by the United Nations as an "intangible cultural heritage".

We are joined throughout the programme by Tony Nash, CEO and Founder Complete Intelligence in the US and Jessica Khine, Head of Asia for Astris Advisory Japan in Malaysia.

South Korea has started impeachment proceedings against its President after thwarting a shock move to impose martial law. Presenter Rahul Tandon discusses the economic fallout with Senior Asia correspondent for Bloomberg Rebecca Choong Wilkins who is based in Hong Kong and the President of US based Greenwood Capital Walter Todd who is based in North Carolina in the US.

France is facing difficult economic challenges after the government collapses. Prime Minister Michel Barnier leadership was called into question after he used special powers to push through the budget without a vote.

We also discuss a social media trend that encourages women to quit their jobs and become stay-at-home wives and girlfriends in Sweden. We look at what this might mean for families in the future.