More than 600 migrants arrived in 18 boats on the Italian island of Lampedusa at the weekend, as the island marked the anniversary of the tragic shipwreck which claimed the lives of over 360 migrants eight years ago...

The German Youth Hostel Federation has offered up some of its properties to help house those who are fleeing Afghanistan. This is not the first time the federation has opened its doors to those fleeing war and insecurity.

In a communication released on September 23, the DJH said that it stands ready to work with the German government and help welcome those coming from crisis situations. It added that it had already made some of its properties available in 2015 when one more than a million migrants arrived in Germany, many fleeing the war in Syria.

There's also good news from the Mediterranean: nearly 190 migrants were saved by private rescue ships in the last few days. Plus, a group of 37 refugees arrived in Italy last week as part of the UNICORE - University Corridors for Refugees project. Thanks to sholarships, they will continue their studies at 23 universities in the country.

The UN hosted a donor conference in Geneva on Monday in a bid to raise $606 million needed by December to keep aid programs in Afghanistan afloat. The UN says humanitarian aid money would go to maintain medical services, the water supply and sanitation for millions of Afghans. Additionally, funding would support women and children and set up educational projects.

Also, about 90 Afghan nationals who had been evacuated by the US Army and taken to the Ramstein US air base have applied for asylum in Germany. The number of Afghan asylum applicants in Germany continues to rise sharply.

In a closing statement following a meeting in Brussels, the ministers said the EU and its 27 nations “stand determined to act jointly to prevent the recurrence of uncontrolled large-scale illegal migration movements faced in the past, by preparing a coordinated and orderly response.”

European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said “the best way to prevent a migratory crisis is to prevent a humanitarian crisis.”

As the number of Afghans making their way into Turkey across the border from Iran rises steadily, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has issued a stark warning to European nations, saying in a televised address that Turkey will not become Europe’s 'refugee warehouse'.

Several European leaders have suggested that refugees from Afghanistan should remain in Turkey and other countries in the region rather than being given asylum in Europe.

As the Taliban advance, even the European countries with the most hard-line deportation policies have been forced to put a hold on involuntary returns of failed asylum seekers. Germany, France, Denmark and the Netherlands have decided to allow failed Afghan asylum seekers to stay temporarily amid the growing conflict in their home country.

4,000+ migrants and refugees have arrived in Lithuania so far this year. Poland and Lithuania appealed to the European Commission, Frontex, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), other EU member states, and partners outside the EU for political and practical support and called to strengthen EU migration and asylum policy... But there is also good news: Humanitarian corridors will be created - 1,000 refugees from Lebanon will arrive in Italy over the next 2 years.

On the 70th anniversary of the Geneva Refugee Convention, various European countries and other nations are increasingly trying to evade their obligations in accordance with the convention: not only the UK or Denmark, but also Greece, that has just requested the immediate return to Turkey of almost 2.000 migrants living in camps on the Greek Aegean Islands.

The UK is to hand over a further €62.7m to French border patrols to fund another crackdown on small-boat migrant crossings of the Channel - Frontex was also called upon to intervene. While the crisis in Afghanistan continues, forcing Afghans to enter Turkey in seek of refuge.