Germany's coalition government has agreed to spend extra six billion euros to support record numbers of migrants and other measures to deal with the influx. The announcement came after talks last night between the two parties which make up Chancellor Merkel's coalition.

The German government agreed to give three billion euros to the federal states and local councils, with a further three billion euros to fund federal programs. The agreement stressed the need for solidarity and a fair distribution of refugees between European Union states.

Critics at home have accused Chancellor Angela Merkel of creating a dangerous precedent by opening Germany's borders. About eighteen thousand migrants arrived over the weekend after an agreement with Austria and Hungary to relax asylum rules. But Austria's Chancellor Werner Faymann has said the emergency measures must come to an end.