Excerpt:
German Chancellor Angela Merkel sealed key deals with EU partners on stemming migrant flows Friday, in a crucial breakthrough ahead of a weekend deadline to bridge a deep rift within her fragile ruling coalition.
As she faced the biggest challenge to her leadership in 12 years in power, Merkel told reporters in Brussels that she thought the accords would suffice for now to placate the hardline rebels within her government.
Overnight, the 28 EU countries agreed a raft of measures including the setting up of secure centres for migrants in the bloc, “disembarkation platforms” in North Africa and sharing out refugees among member states.
Later Merkel announced bilateral accords with Greece and Spain to take back from Germany asylum-seekers who had already registered in their countries.