German minister proposes 'fixed number' for refugee intake

A German minister is proposing a system under which the European Union would take in a fixed number of refugees directly from crisis-hit areas, thus avoiding smugglers, then send any further asylum-seekers elsewhere.

Germany is the prime destination for those flooding into Europe. It expects at least 800,000 to arrive this year – one official has said possibly one million - and is struggling to deal with the influx.