As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to spread, governments across the Middle East are clamping down on the region’s cherished traditions.

No more massive weddings and celebrations. Restrictions on sales of qat, a mild plant narcotic chewed in groups in Yemen. No more evenings spent mostly by men in traditional coffee shops across the region. And most importantly, no more smoking of the beloved shisha, or water pipe, in public places.

An empty restaurant and waterpipe place is seen in Beirut, Lebanon, in this March 26 photo. — AP
An empty restaurant and waterpipe place is seen in Beirut, Lebanon, in this March 26 photo. — AP

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