DUBAI – The United Arab Emirates announced on Saturday a major overhaul of the country’s Islamic personal laws, allowing unmarried couples to cohabitate, loosening alcohol restrictions and criminalizing so-called “honor killings.”The broadening of personal freedoms reflects the changing profile of a country that has sought to bill itself as a Westernized, skyscraper-studded destination for tourists, fortune-seekers and businesses despite its Islamic legal code.
The reforms aim to boost the country's economic and social standing and “consolidate the UAE's principles of tolerance," state-run WAM news agency reported.