Free Republic

New Zealand Police have introduced a hijab into their official uniform to encourage more Muslim women to join. New recruit Constable Zeena Ali will become the first officer to wear the official hijab. A spokesperson said they aimed to create an "inclusive" service reflecting the country's "diverse community". Other forces such as the Metropolitan Police in London and Police Scotland offer the option of a uniform hijab. In the UK, the Metropolitan Police in London approved a uniform hijab in 2006 with Police Scotland following in 2016. In Australia, Maha Sukkar of Victoria Police wore a hijab in 2004.

Berlin (dpa) - The southern German state of Bavaria pleaded for aid from the rest of the country Tuesday as it became the latest beachhead in the epic arrival of African and Middle Eastern migrants in Europe. Trains full of migrants who have made it to Greece and then through Eastern Europe on the so-called Balkan Route have begun arriving in Germany - the country many of them wanted to reach in the first place. Even though the arrivals had been expected and Germany has committed itself to taking in 800,000 migrants this year, the arrival has still come as...

the nation’s legal and illegal immigrant population hit a record 41.3 million in the summer of 2013 – up 1.4 million since July 2010. ... refugees from both Africa and the Middle East were users of the most cash assistance – noting that 91.4 percent of refugees from the Middle East were on food stamps, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).