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The ruling coalition party of Japan has extended the end of the current extraordinary Diet session by two weeks, giving itself a window to enact bills on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement and pension reform. But is Abe's rush to ratify the TPP pointless given the 12-party trade pact's slim chances of obtaining US ratification? To discuss this and more, Seijiro Takeshita, Professor of Management and Information at the University of Shizuoka, joined Share Radio Breakfast from Japan.

James Rickards is the Chief Global Strategist at West Shore Group and a New York Times best seller. His new book "The Road to Ruin" is the third volume of a projected quartet. This book argues how 'the elites' are planning the next financial crisis. So just who are these elites, and how are they linked to the international financial system? James joined Share Radio Breakfast to discuss his stance.

On Sunday, Italian voters will go to the polls in a referendum on whether to curb the powers of the senate. The polls suggest Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who has promised to resign in the case of a No Vote, is on course to lose. As Italy's fragile banking sector struggles to stay afloat, a change of government, which could see the populist anti-EU Five Star Movement elected, will have severe repercussions for the Italian economy and the Eurozone. Robert Van Egghen reports.

Rita Lobo, is joined by Steve Newcomb, from the indigenous law institute to discuss the current situation at the Standing Rock reservation in North Dakota. Plans to build a pipe line through the reservation have been heavily disrupted by protesters looking to protect the sacred land of the Sioux people.

Matthew Cooks talks to Professor John Guillebaud, Professor of Family Planning and Reproductive Health at UCl, to talk about family planning and population growth, areas that could face tough times ahead under President-elect Donald Trump

This week we discuss Phillip Hammond's Autumn Statement, where he announced changes to salary sacrifice schemes, new money for housing and the leaked ban on letting agent's fees. Joining Sarah are, Jane Moore, from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Debbie Lovewell-Tuck, editor of Employee Benefits magazine, Sue Warwick who's an Independent Housing Specialist at Infusion Living and Richard Connolly, the CEO of Rentplus.

Welcome to the This is Money and Share Radio podcast, presented in partnership with NS&I. This week of course the top financial story was Philip Hammond’s first, and indeed last, Autumn Statement. Just what state are the country’s post-Brexit finances in, and crucially what would the Chancellor offer to help his much referenced ‘Jams’? In the end those ‘just about managing’ certainly received a few headline policies but with predictions pointing towards low growth, high borrowing and high inflation many argue Jam spending has been spread too thin. There were also some losers with those enjoying salary sacrifice perks and letting agents coming into the crosshairs, as well as in fact the Autumn Statement itself which will now be scrapped. So what will all this mean for the pound in your pocket? Georgie Frost joins editor Simon Lambert and reporter Becky Rutt to answer just that. Also on the agenda this week they discuss Black Friday and for a slightly different purchase the opportunity to buy a road legal Formula 1 car. This is Money is presented by Georgie Frost in partnership with NS&I.

The European Parliament's President, Martin Schulz, is to run for election in the German parliament next year, instead of seeking a third term leading MEPs. And his replacement could matter for Britain. Politico Europe's Ryan Heath said it could well be the former Belgian prime minister, who's currently due to lead the EU in the Brexit negotiations. Ryan spoke to Share Radio’s Nigel Cassidy from Brussels.

Josh Lowe of Newsweek joined Share Radio Breakfast for his politics round-up. There are calls for Prime Minister Theresa May to reverse her flagship boardroom reforms on executive pay. Company bosses and the Bank of England’s Chief Economist have suggested such intervention will damage the motivation and retention of good business leaders. Josh offered his view on this, as well as the reports that former Prime Minister Tony Blair wants to help block Britain's exit from the EU.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) on Thursday finished their annual analysis of the Autumn Statement, spending all night closely scouring the facts and figures to find out what the Chancellor is really saying. To get a grasp of the ins and outs of how the IFS saw the Autumn Statement, Matt Cox went along to the event to investigate.