Dubai: Are the markets feeling the Christmas cheer yet? Well, not quite.

When it was announced that former national security advisor Michael Flynn had agreed to a plea bargain, which would see him reduce his sentence for illegal contact with Russian officials in return for co-operation against the Trump administration, the US markets fell.

In their first show of nerves this year on what has been an unmatched bull run, political developments finally rattled investors, albeit briefly.

Stocks were back up shortly afterwards on the announcement that the US Senate had agreed to a tax deal.

So what does this all mean going in to this week, where a government shutdown looms large over Washington D.C.? Scott and I discuss the potential implications of political developments, and whether the US government can overcome political gridlock to avoid coming to a standstill.

Staying true to the dirhams half of Dirhams & Dollars, we also take the time to talk about the UN event taking place in Sharjah on Monday and Tuesday, which deals with women empowerment.

Specifically addressing the issue of economic participation, we ask how much women have been held back historically, especially in light of the recent sexual harassment developments.