German asylum applications up 126 percent to 43,071 in September

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's interior ministry said on Wednesday that it had received 43,071 applications for asylum in September, a 126 percent rise compared to the same month last year. In a statement, it also said some 164,000 people arriving in Germany had registered on the so-called EASY system during the month, bringing the total for the year so far to 577,000. That is a first step which takes place before the full asylum application procedure is completed. The ministry did not put a number on the total number of migrants who arrived in Germany last month. That is expected to be far higher at close to 280,000. (Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Noah Barkin)