Lawyers

• German allies fall apart as Bavarians threaten legal steps if Merkel fails to solve refugee problem quick

  The alliance between Germany’s Christian Social Union (CSU) and partner Christian Democrats (CDU) is falling apart as Chancellor Angela Merkel's Bavarian allies threatened to take her government to court if she fails to solve the refugee problem soon.

• German Cap On Refugee Numbers Deemed Problematic by Bundestag Experts

  Experts at Germany's Lower House says cap on refugee number will encounter legal problems The Christian Social Union (CSU), the long-standing Bavarian partner of Germany's dominant party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has proposed a cap on the number of refugees that Germany will accept.

• Germany's capacity to take in refugees is limited, Schaeuble says

  Germany needs to send a message to the world that it's reaching the limit of its capacity to help Europe's flood of migrants, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Sunday, as he advocated restricting family reunions for Syrian refugees.

• Merkel's deputy expects Germany to get over a million refugees in 2015

  More than a million refugees will come to Germany this year, Chancellor Angela Merkel's deputy said on Sunday, as a poll showed almost half of Germans believe she is handling the influx of asylum seekers badly.

• Germany needs to limit refugee influx, close borders: Merkel allies

  Germany needs to limit the number of refugees it takes in or even close its borders, conservative allies of German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the weekend, as the country deals with record inflows of people fleeing from war and poverty.

• Austria says it has sent over 5,000 migrants back to other EU countries

  Austria has sent back more than 5,000 migrants to EU countries that they had crossed on their way to Austria, its interior minister said on Thursday. Three weeks ago, Austria and Germany temporarily exempted people fleeing the Syrian war from EU rules requiring refugees to request asylum at the point where they enter the bloc. The move angered neighbors such as Hungary, who said it would merely encourage more migrants to come.

• Ministers to discuss Ukraine crisis in Berlin on Monday

  The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine will meet in Berlin on Monday to discuss the situation in eastern Ukraine and the implementation of the Minsk peace plan, Germany said on Friday.

• Merkel ally warns SPD against own diplomacy towards Russia

  A senior ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned the foreign minister and his fellow Social Democrats (SPD) against pursuing a more friendly approach towards Russia in the Ukraine crisis, according to Spiegel magazine.