Just a few kilometres from the Serbian-Hungarian border, a large group of refugees has gathered beneath a small copse of trees, sheltering themselves and their few bags of luggage from the rain.

Paul Thomas asks, if there's a special pathos attached to death by drowning when in sight of a safe haven, what about the boatloads of Libyan refugees who didn't make it across the Mediterranean?

As many others recoil, Europe's greying powerhouse Germany senses opportunity.

This tragedy requires a humanitarian response - economic cost should not be the primary concern in our country's decision in how to act, writes Justin Duckworth, Anglican Bishop of Wellington.

It's often said that magic is the art of misdirection. In the debate on the Syrian refugee crisis, misdirection seems ubiquitous, writes Dr Zain Ali.

My role, as a journalist, should be to act as a witness; to report on the situation as a bystander and then leave it as I found it, but an incident in 2013 changed my perspective, writes Rachel Smalley.

A starving, homeless, Muslim child is every bit as precious as a starving, homeless, Christian child. Neither should be discriminated against.

Kiwi photographers Matthew and Hannah Beames were looking forward to two days of sun, sand and surf when they arrived on the Greek island of Kos this week.

In the space of a week, Prime Minister John Key has performed a rather acrobatic about-flip, writes Claire Trevett.

John Key defends the scale and pace of his rescue package for Syrian refugees, saying it cannot be rushed.

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker is trying to build political support for a mandatory scheme to relocate some 160,000 refugees

Syrian refugees Lilas and Basal Slik have been sleeping soundly this year for the first time in their lives.

Immigration Minister confirms New Zealand will take a total of 750 Syrian refugees - 600 in an emergency intake over and above the usual annual quota of 750.

Europe, with its ageing population, needs to increase its younger population by several million to avoid a situation where pension systems grow unsustainable.

If Assad's forces collapse, we will see millions trying to force their way into Europe as radical religious groups seek to cleanse the area, writes Alexander Gillespie.

John Key knows he can limit the damage if he can re-position himself quickly, without being accused of flip-flopping too obviously, writes Bryan Gould. A carefully choreographed and well-practised process of cautious change is under way.

The poet W.H. Auden said about suffering: it takes place while someone is eating or just walking dully along or doing a Pump class, writes Deborah Hill Cone.

After being shouted at and manhandled in Hungary, a country that did not want them, thousands of refugees stared at the cheering crowd in Germany.

The leaders of the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches will put on a united front, asking the Prime Minister to increase the number of refugees New Zealand lets in.

A New Zealander living in Germany says that country's welcome to Syrian refugees has put others - including New Zealand - to shame.

The pre-dawn move eased immediate pressure on Hungary, which has struggled to manage the flow of thousands of migrants arriving daily from non-EU member Serbia.

It wasn't long ago that Iceland went broke. When the Global Financial Crisis hit, the country became a beggar. It couldn't pay its debts. The rest of the world ridiculed it, Heather du Plessis-Allan writes.

Prime Minister John Key has rejected claims this morning the government is opening the gates to extra Syrian refugees.

Half protest-march, half procession, the dismal crocodile of refugees left the Keleti station at 10am carrying what meagre possessions they could.

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark has revealed she asked Prime Minister John Key to follow the example she set with refugees.

Tracey Barnett asks, will our PM continue to defend the status quo of doing so little by any international measure? Or will the larger sights of average Kiwis push our Govt to make a more meaningful contribution?

Syrian father Ahmad Barghach is desperate to bring his four children to join him in Auckland - but he's not finding it easy.

No country can stand aside if it wants to be recognised as a fully participating member of the international community, and that includes New Zealand.