Ramadan begins, Gulf central banks raise interest rates — Trending

Trending Middle East brings you the latest social media and search trends from the Middle East and around the world. On today's episode, the central banks of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar have raised their benchmark borrowing rates after the US Federal Reserve increased its key interest rate — as it tries to balance fighting inflation and financial stability. With the start of Ramadan, Google is seeing a surge in various searches related to the holy month. So far, a lot of people have been asking the question, “what time is suhoor?” — the pre-dawn meal eaten shortly before the start of the day’s fast. Hundreds of retired army and police veterans, joined by angry bank depositors and other protesters, clashed with security forces in Beirut, as they demonstrated against low pensions and Lebanon's deteriorating economic conditions. Ethiopia's parliament has agreed to remove a terrorist designation for Tigray's rebel group, following a ceasefire that came into effect four months ago. A two-year civil war there has killed hundreds of thousands of people.