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On the eve of the Trump presidency what is the current nuclear balance and what would expansion mean? We hear from Stephen Schwarz, an independent consultant on nuclear weapons and author of Atomic Audit, The Costs and Consequences of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Since 1940.

Italy's cabinet has approved a state-bailout for the country's third-largest bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena. Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said his government had authorised a €20bn fund to support Italy's embattled banking sector. Chiara Albanese, Bloomberg reporter in Rome joins us live.

With only a few days to go until Christmas there are the perennial grouches about the commercialisation of the festival, and how it's just a big sales fiesta. Is this justified? We hear from Yvon Chouinard, the founder of clothes company Patagonia.

Donald Trump has been making some appointments for his cabinet when he takes power in January and according to the Washington Post, the former US ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, was turned down for Secretary of State because of his luxuriant moustache. So is facial hair a hurdle for a job-seeker in other areas? We hear from Isaac Reback of the recruitment firm Michael Page in Los Angeles

The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s North America editor Jon Sopel gives us his take on events over in the US.

And we're joined throughout the programme by Alison Van Diggelen, host of freshdialogues.com and in Singapore by Simon Littlewood, President of ACG consulting group.

Picture Description: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses a rally against the Iran nuclear deal on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol September 9, 2015 in Washington, DC.
Photo Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images