US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza peace promises investment corridors and special economic zones. But without sovereign control, how can the Palestinian economy survive?

In Palestine, everything from the movement of goods to collecting taxes depends on approval from the Israeli government. The result is an economy that functions but is fundamentally constrained. It grows, but only within parameters set by an external power.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid delves into one of the world’s most complex economic realities, examining what doing business looks like under constraint, how aid and donor priorities are often misaligned, and why real growth requires more than money.

Joining the conversation is Raja Khalidi, director general of the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute and a veteran of more than 30 years at the UN Conference on Trade and Development.

Together they explore the broader question of whether any international economic plan can succeed if it does not address the underlying structures of occupation.

As TikTok faces a high-stakes restructuring to divest from its Chinese ownership, a new deal is emerging.

Major US players including Oracle and Silver Lake are in the mix, along with MGX, a UAE-based company that could become one of the few overseas owners of the platform’s American operations.

This is more than a business deal. It determines who will shape the minds of users on one of the most viewed social media platforms in the world.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid looks at the size of the deal, the level of control shareholders have over content and what TikTok might look like if influenced by a Gulf-based owner.

The episode also examines how algorithm access, content moderation and ownership dynamics tie into global soft power, and how much that influence really matters.

The announcement that Carrefour has shut stores in Kuwait, Bahrain and other countries made headlines across the region. But behind the immediate news lies a bigger story that international retail giants are struggling to keep Middle East consumers interested.

Consumers are increasingly turning their backs on big-name internationals and favouring local brands, home-grown experiences and practices that resonate with their regional identity. This is not necessarily a rejection of global brands but instead it is to meet customers' needs and values.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim Essaid digs into the shift, which is seeing global names starting to fade from store shelves, and asks how far it goes.

We hear insights from Aarti Nagraj, deputy business editor at The National, and John E Katsos, professor of management, strategy and entrepreneurship at the American University of Sharjah.