Germany says asylum seekers this year near 1 million

WARSAW, Poland -- German police say 180,000 asylum seekers have entered the country so far this month, pushing the year's overall figure already well beyond the government's estimate for the full year.

The Bundespolizei, responsible for border security, confirmed yesterday 180,000 had arrived this month, positioning November to most likely break the previous monthly high of 181,000 set in October.

Germany had reported more than 758,000 arrivals from January through October, meaning that now the country has seen more than 938,000 newcomers.

The Interior Ministry in August forecast 800,000 would arrive this year. Since then it has refused to update the figure, saying doing so could be misconstrued as an invitation.

Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel has said, however, that 1 million could come and now even that seems too low.

Meanwhile, the head of Vienna's Jewish community is expressing concern that the influx of migrants to Austria could result in a spike in anti-Semitism.

Oskar Deutsch says that among the migrants are those who have grown up on a diet of anti-Semitism. And he says Austria has now "more or less" reached its capacity as far as taking in new arrivals is concerned.

He told reporters yesterday that some of those seeking asylum in Austria are only "so-called refugees," suggesting they have no reason to seek the safe haven reserved for those fleeing war and persecution.

Austria is bracing for a total of about 95,000 refugees this year.

In Poland, new Prime Minister Beata Szydlo says the country is not ready to take in 7,000 refugees, a figure accepted by the previous government.

Szydlo also said yesterday she believes that the European Union members would like to reopen discussion on migrant policy. She mentioned Denmark's recent declaration it will restrict its rules on accepting migrants.

Szydlo says the situation has changed since the Paris attacks. She says: "The current solutions are not good and we are ready to sit down and discuss them."