A United Nations mission arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh, said Azerbaijani officials, on Sunday (Oct 1) after nearly all ethnic-Armenian people had fled from the region after it was recaptured by Baku following a military operation. This comes a day after Armenia said over 100,000 refugees have fled the ethnic Armenian enclave.&nbsp;

<h2>UN mission arrives in Karabakh</h2>

After a number of international appeals including from the United States and the European Union, Azerbaijan on Friday (Sept 29) agreed to a UN mission’s visit to Nagorno-Karabakh.&nbsp;

The UN mission’s arrival was confirmed by an Azerbaijani presidency spokesman who told news agency AFP that a “UN mission arrived in Karabakh on Sunday morning”. The visit marks the first time in about 30 years that the international body has gained access to the region.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/armenia-says-over-100000-have-fled-nagorno-karabakh-fuel-depot-blast-death-toll-rises-to-170-641264">Armenia says over 100,000 have fled Nagorno-Karabakh; fuel depot blast death toll rises to 170</a>

The UN mission is said to be in the region mainly to assess humanitarian needs and amid Armenia’s repeated accusations that Azerbaijan is conducting a campaign of “ethnic cleansing” to clear the disputed region of its Armenian population, a claim that Baku has denied.&nbsp;

<h2>Why now?</h2>

Azerbaijan launched a so-called military operation, on September 19 against the separatist Armenians, who have claimed part of Karabakh – internationally recognised as Azerbaijani territory – as their ancestral homeland.&nbsp;

Armenian separatists, who had controlled the region for three decades agreed to disarm, dissolve their government and reintegrate with Baku after their defeat following the operation. The move has prompted Karabakh’s estimated 120,000 residents to flee the region for Armenia, sparking a refugee crisis.

Nazeli Baghdasaryan, a spokeswoman of the Armenian prime minister, said, “100,483 forcefully displaced persons arrived in Armenia,” as of Sunday morning, adding that some 45,516 refugees were now in temporary accommodation.

France also lashed out at Azerbaijan for allowing the UN mission into the breakaway region after most residents had already fled.

<h2>‘Tragic page’</h2>

Amid the refugee crisis in the region, on Sunday (Oct 1) Yerevan also observed a national day of prayer for the region. “One of the most tragic pages of Armenian history is being written today,” 28-year-old Mariam Vartanyan told AFP, standing in the crowd of worshippers.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/azerbaijan-forces-detain-top-karabakh-commander-641020">Azerbaijan forces detain top Karabakh commander 'involved' in terrorist activities&nbsp;</a>

Bells tolled in churches across the country, and the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II, led a service in the nation’s main cathedral Echmiadzin, near the capital city, according to AFP.&nbsp;

The nation of 2.8 million, now faces a major challenge of housing the sudden influx of refugees.

<h2>Azerbaijani soldier killed by sniper near Armenia border, says Baku</h2>

Azerbaijan’s defence ministry, on Saturday (Sep 30) said its forces were taking “retaliatory measures” after one of their soldiers was allegedly killed by an Armenian army sniper on the border between the two countries.&nbsp;

Yerevan denied the accusation and said the claim that its forces had opened fire on Azerbaijani positions “does not correspond to reality”. Baku also said that the shooting had taken place along its heavily militarised border’s Kelbajar region, west of Nagorno-Karabakh.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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A United Nations mission arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh, said Azerbaijani officials, on Sunday (Oct 1) after nearly all ethnic-Armenian people had fled from the region after it was recaptured by Baku following a military operation.

A United Nations mission arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh, said Azerbaijani officials, on Sunday (Oct 1) after nearly all ethnic-Armenian people had fled from the region after it was recaptured by Baku following a military operation. This comes a day after Armenia said over 100,000 refugees have fled the ethnic Armenian enclave. UN mission arrives in Karabakh After a number of international appeals including from the United States and the European Union, Azerbaijan on Friday (Sept 29) agreed to a UN mission’s visit to Nagorno-Karabakh. The UN mission’s arrival was confirmed by an Azerbaijani presidency spokesman who told news agency AFP that a “UN mission arrived in Karabakh on Sunday morning”. The visit marks the first time in about 30 years that the international body has gained access to the region. ALSO READ | Armenia says over 100,000 have fled Nagorno-Karabakh; fuel depot blast death toll rises to 170 The UN mission is said to be in the region mainly to assess humanitarian needs and amid Armenia’s repeated accusations that Azerbaijan is conducting a campaign of “ethnic cleansing” to clear the disputed region of its Armenian population, a claim that Baku has denied. Why now? Azerbaijan launched a so-called military operation, on September 19 against the separatist Armenians, who have claimed part of Karabakh – internationally recognised as Azerbaijani territory – as their ancestral homeland. Armenian separatists, who had controlled the region for three decades agreed to disarm, dissolve their government and reintegrate with Baku after their defeat following the operation. The move has prompted Karabakh’s estimated 120,000 residents to flee the region for Armenia, sparking a refugee crisis. Nazeli Baghdasaryan, a spokeswoman of the Armenian prime minister, said, “100,483 forcefully displaced persons arrived in Armenia,” as of Sunday morning, adding that some 45,516 refugees were now in temporary accommodation. France also lashed out at Azerbaijan for allowing the UN mission into the breakaway region after most residents had already fled. ‘Tragic page’ Amid the refugee crisis in the region, on Sunday (Oct 1) Yerevan also observed a national day of prayer for the region. “One of the most tragic pages of Armenian history is being written today,” 28-year-old Mariam Vartanyan told AFP, standing in the crowd of worshippers. ALSO READ | Azerbaijan forces detain top Karabakh commander 'involved' in terrorist activities Bells tolled in churches across the country, and the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II, led a service in the nation’s main cathedral Echmiadzin, near the capital city, according to AFP. The nation of 2.8 million, now faces a major challenge of housing the sudden influx of refugees. Azerbaijani soldier killed by sniper near Armenia border, says Baku Azerbaijan’s defence ministry, on Saturday (Sep 30) said its forces were taking “retaliatory measures” after one of their soldiers was allegedly killed by an Armenian army sniper on the border between the two countries. Yerevan denied the accusation and said the claim that its forces had opened fire on Azerbaijani positions “does not correspond to reality”. Baku also said that the shooting had taken place along its heavily militarised border’s Kelbajar region, west of Nagorno-Karabakh. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

UN mission arrives in Karabakh for first visit in nearly 30 years

The European Union on Thursday (June 8) reached a deal on a revision of rules to share hosting of asylum seekers more equitably. The breakthrough was achieved after a fraught day of negotiations between European Union interior ministers in Luxembourg. Sweden, which currently holds the bloc's rotating presidency, made the announcement of the agreement.

In order to go through, the deal needed approval from a majority of countries that represent at least 65 per cent of the bloc's population. The agreement has come through after years of wrangling over asylum policy.

European interior affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson hailed a "hugely significant step" for the EU on migration.&nbsp;

"These are not easy decisions for everyone around the table, but they are historic decisions," said German interior minister Nancy Faeser.&nbsp;

Watch | European Union ministers agrees on shared responsibility for asylum seekers

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The proposal tabled at the meeting called for compulsory help between EU countries, but with an option of doing that in one of the&nbsp;two ways.

EU countries face priority to share hosting of asylum seekers who mainly arrive in countries on the bloc's outer rim, like Italy and Greece.

The agreement says that countries that refuse to host refugees would be required to pay 20,000 euros (USD 21,000) per person. The money will go to a fund managed by Brussels.

Poland and Hungary voted against the proposals, while Bulgaria, Malta, Lithuania and Slovakia abstained.&nbsp;

The preliminary agreement opens the way for negotiations with the European Parliament on legislation that could be adopted before European elections in June next year.

Parliament president Roberta Metsola said lawmakers were "ready to start negotiations immediately to reach a deal".

<h2>Spike in number of asylum seekers</h2>

The number of asylum seekers has increased after a pause caused by Covid pandemic. The issue hence, has jumped up the priority list of the bloc.

The European Commission had put forth its suggestion of a new pact in 2020. This was based on quota system. But the plan was not accepted as countries like Hungary, Poland among others objected to it.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-launches-long-awaited-counteroffensive-to-reclaim-russian-occupied-territory-report-602192">Ukraine launches long-awaited counteroffensive to reclaim Russian-occupied territory: Reports</a>

Sweden, then put forth two compromise texts: one that called for the hosting-or-cash approach by all member states, and the other on asylum procedures on the EU's external borders.

The second text makes EU member states put in place a fast track mechanism at the borders for arrivals from countries deemed as safe in order to facilitate their return. &nbsp;

"These files constitute the two main pillars of the reform of the EU asylum system and is key to a good balance between responsibility and solidarity," the Swedish presidency tweeted.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The European Union on Thursday (June 8) reached a deal on a revision of rules to share hosting of asylum seekers more equitably. The breakthrough was achieved after a fraught day of negotiations between European Union interior ministers in Luxembourg.

The European Union on Thursday (June 8) reached a deal on a revision of rules to share hosting of asylum seekers more equitably. The breakthrough was achieved after a fraught day of negotiations between European Union interior ministers in Luxembourg. Sweden, which currently holds the bloc's rotating presidency, made the announcement of the agreement. In order to go through, the deal needed approval from a majority of countries that represent at least 65 per cent of the bloc's population. The agreement has come through after years of wrangling over asylum policy. European interior affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson hailed a "hugely significant step" for the EU on migration. "These are not easy decisions for everyone around the table, but they are historic decisions," said German interior minister Nancy Faeser. Watch | European Union ministers agrees on shared responsibility for asylum seekers × The proposal tabled at the meeting called for compulsory help between EU countries, but with an option of doing that in one of the two ways. EU countries face priority to share hosting of asylum seekers who mainly arrive in countries on the bloc's outer rim, like Italy and Greece. The agreement says that countries that refuse to host refugees would be required to pay 20,000 euros (USD 21,000) per person. The money will go to a fund managed by Brussels. Poland and Hungary voted against the proposals, while Bulgaria, Malta, Lithuania and Slovakia abstained. The preliminary agreement opens the way for negotiations with the European Parliament on legislation that could be adopted before European elections in June next year. Parliament president Roberta Metsola said lawmakers were "ready to start negotiations immediately to reach a deal". Spike in number of asylum seekers The number of asylum seekers has increased after a pause caused by Covid pandemic. The issue hence, has jumped up the priority list of the bloc. The European Commission had put forth its suggestion of a new pact in 2020. This was based on quota system. But the plan was not accepted as countries like Hungary, Poland among others objected to it. Also Read | Ukraine launches long-awaited counteroffensive to reclaim Russian-occupied territory: Reports Sweden, then put forth two compromise texts: one that called for the hosting-or-cash approach by all member states, and the other on asylum procedures on the EU's external borders. The second text makes EU member states put in place a fast track mechanism at the borders for arrivals from countries deemed as safe in order to facilitate their return. "These files constitute the two main pillars of the reform of the EU asylum system and is key to a good balance between responsibility and solidarity," the Swedish presidency tweeted. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

EU finally reaches deal on more equitable hosting of asylum seekers

Half of all refugee children were already out of school before the coronavirus hit, and the UN cautioned Thursday the pandemic risked deepening a crisis robbing millions of future prospects.

A new report from the UNHCR refugee agency warned that many refugee children, especially girls, who had attended school before the novel coronavirus swept the world would not be able to return.

"After everything they have endured, we cannot rob them of their futures by denying them an education today," UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi said in a statement, calling for action to support refugees' right to an education.

The report, using data from 12 countries that host more than half of the world's refugee children, found that more than 1.8 million of them — or a full 48 per cent of all refugee children of school age — are out of school.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/all-migrants-moved-off-banksy-funded-rescue-vessel-stranded-in-mediterranean-324157">Also read:&nbsp;All migrants moved off Banksy-funded rescue vessel stranded in Mediterranean</a>

Attendance is particularly lacklustre in secondary school and higher.

Around 77 per cent of the refugee children were enrolled in primary school, but only 31 per cent attended secondary school and three per cent were in higher education, the report showed.

While the UNHCR said a shift in methodology made it difficult to compare with data from previous years, it noted the statistics, dire as they look, actually represent a small improvement.&nbsp;

A 2019 report indicated that only one percent of refugees worldwide were in higher education.

But the pandemic is now threatening to undo even the small advances made, it said.

'Chilling prediction'

The report found that while children in every country have been hit by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and measures put in place to rein in the virus, refugee children have been especially disadvantaged.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-migrant-arrivals-fuel-local-anger-in-italys-lampedusa-324133">Also read:&nbsp;More migrant arrivals fuel local anger in Italy's Lampedusa</a>

Refugee children are far more likely than others to face difficulty returning to their studies, with many refugee families no longer able to afford school fees, uniforms and books as income sources dry up.

They are also less likely to have access to the technologies needed for remote learning and could be required to work to help keep their struggling families afloat.

This is particularly true for refugee girls, who already had less access to education than boys.

By the time they reach secondary level, refugee girls are half as likely as their male peers to be enrolled in school, according to UNHCR, warning the coronavirus crisis risked making the gender disparities worse.

Using UNHCR data, the Malala Fund, which works towards removing barriers preventing girls from going to school, &nbsp;estimated that a full half of all refugee girls who were attending secondary school when the pandemic hit will not return when classrooms reopen this month.

And in countries where less than 10 percent of refugee girls were enrolled in secondary school, all of them were at risk of dropping out for good.

That, UNHCR underlined, is "a chilling prediction that would have an impact for generations to come."

Half of all refugee children were already out of school before the coronavirus hit, and the UN cautioned Thursday the pandemic risked deepening a crisis robbing millions of future prospects.

Half of all refugee children were already out of school before the coronavirus hit, and the UN cautioned Thursday the pandemic risked deepening a crisis robbing millions of future prospects. A new report from the UNHCR refugee agency warned that many refugee children, especially girls, who had attended school before the novel coronavirus swept the world would not be able to return. "After everything they have endured, we cannot rob them of their futures by denying them an education today," UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi said in a statement, calling for action to support refugees' right to an education. The report, using data from 12 countries that host more than half of the world's refugee children, found that more than 1.8 million of them — or a full 48 per cent of all refugee children of school age — are out of school. Also read: All migrants moved off Banksy-funded rescue vessel stranded in Mediterranean Attendance is particularly lacklustre in secondary school and higher. Around 77 per cent of the refugee children were enrolled in primary school, but only 31 per cent attended secondary school and three per cent were in higher education, the report showed. While the UNHCR said a shift in methodology made it difficult to compare with data from previous years, it noted the statistics, dire as they look, actually represent a small improvement. A 2019 report indicated that only one percent of refugees worldwide were in higher education. But the pandemic is now threatening to undo even the small advances made, it said. 'Chilling prediction' The report found that while children in every country have been hit by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and measures put in place to rein in the virus, refugee children have been especially disadvantaged. Also read: More migrant arrivals fuel local anger in Italy's Lampedusa Refugee children are far more likely than others to face difficulty returning to their studies, with many refugee families no longer able to afford school fees, uniforms and books as income sources dry up. They are also less likely to have access to the technologies needed for remote learning and could be required to work to help keep their struggling families afloat. This is particularly true for refugee girls, who already had less access to education than boys. By the time they reach secondary level, refugee girls are half as likely as their male peers to be enrolled in school, according to UNHCR, warning the coronavirus crisis risked making the gender disparities worse. Using UNHCR data, the Malala Fund, which works towards removing barriers preventing girls from going to school, estimated that a full half of all refugee girls who were attending secondary school when the pandemic hit will not return when classrooms reopen this month. And in countries where less than 10 percent of refugee girls were enrolled in secondary school, all of them were at risk of dropping out for good. That, UNHCR underlined, is "a chilling prediction that would have an impact for generations to come."

Pandemic threatens refugee children's limited schooling: UN

Japan has pledged to provide $2.8 billion to help deal with the global refugee crisis over three years from 2016. 
 
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made the announcement at a United Nations summit on refugees on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly.&nbsp; 
 
He said Japan will provide the money for &quot;humanitarian and self-reliance assistance&quot; for refugees and migrants. 
 
Abe said Japan would collaborate closely with host countries and other communities to help cope with the unprecedented levels of migrant and refugee movements.&nbsp; 
 
He said the situation amounted to &quot;serious ongoing humanitarian crises.&quot; 
 
Japan has been a major donor in helping deal with international crises.&nbsp; 
 
It had earlier provided about $1.6 billion to assist Syrians and Iraqis displaced by war and for building peace across the Middle East and Africa. 
 
While Japan has provided monetary assistance to refugees, it has taken in only a tiny number of refugees itself.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan will provide the money for humanitarian assistance to refugees over three years from 2016

Japan has pledged to provide $2.8 billion to help deal with the global refugee crisis over three years from 2016. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made the announcement at a United Nations summit on refugees on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly. He said Japan will provide the money for "humanitarian and self-reliance assistance" for refugees and migrants. Abe said Japan would collaborate closely with host countries and other communities to help cope with the unprecedented levels of migrant and refugee movements. He said the situation amounted to "serious ongoing humanitarian crises." Japan has been a major donor in helping deal with international crises. It had earlier provided about $1.6 billion to assist Syrians and Iraqis displaced by war and for building peace across the Middle East and Africa. While Japan has provided monetary assistance to refugees, it has taken in only a tiny number of refugees itself. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Japan pledges $2.8 billion aid to help refugees

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UN mission arrives in Karabakh for first visit in nearly 30 years

EU finally reaches deal on more equitable hosting of asylum seekers

Pandemic threatens refugee children's limited schooling: UN

Japan pledges $2.8 billion aid to help refugees