The Gulf state of Kuwait on Monday banned “all forms of smoking” in most public places, including cafes, restaurants, hotels and malls. Commerce and industry minister Amani Buresli ordered cafes, hotels and restaurants to allocate well-isolated places for smokers. Finance and health minister Mustafa al-Shamali also banned smoking in shopping malls, schools, universities, hospitals, airports, government offices and many other places. The smoking of shishas, or water pipes, very popular in Kuwait’s cafes, was included in the ban.