Why there isn’t really a ‘surge’ in asylum seekers reaching the UK from northern France
4 years, 7 months ago

Why there isn’t really a ‘surge’ in asylum seekers reaching the UK from northern France

The Independent  

The rise in asylum seekers reaching British shores on small boats in recent months has prompted considerable reaction. Mr Gough described this as a “very sharp switchover”, adding that the rise Kent County Council is seeing may not be representative of an overall rise in asylum seekers across the country. Changes in freight movement due to the pandemic isn’t the only reason displaced people in northern France have turned from stowing away in lorries to attempting to sail across in small vessels. Real solutions would be based on safe and legal routes, and giving people the ability to safely access asylum.” UK and France agree to make intelligence cell to tackle migrant crossings Mr Hallam added that the number of displaced people in Calais and the surrounding area had remained fairly steady since 2018, at between 1,000 and 1,200, putting the concept that there has been a “surge” in migrants passing through to enter the UK into question. Frances Timberlake, coordinator at the Refugee Women’s Centre, which provides support to displaced families in northern France hoping to reach the UK, said there had been a notable rise in the number of people feeling that their only way out was to embark on a small boat crossing.

Security France Asylum Port French Number Small Displaced People Migrants Kent Rise Northern France Small Boats Calais Lorry Seekers Lorries  northern  surge  migrants  asylum  lorries  port  reaching  rise  number  france  really  seekers  security  isnt  uk  small

History of this topic

Channel migrant arrivals hits another record: 5,847 asylum seekers landed in UK in first three months of 2025 - up from previous high of 5,435 in same period last year
1 day, 23 hours ago

Channel migrant arrivals hits another record: 5,847 asylum seekers landed in UK in first three months of 2025 - up from previous high of 5,435 in same period last year

Daily Mail  

The number of Channel migrants arriving in the UK has set a new record for the first three months of the year - loading more pressure to find a solution to the crisis. There have been 5,847 arrivals so far in 2025, including 335 yesterday, according to provisional Home Office figures. There have been 5,847 arrivals so far in 2025, …

More migrants arrive in Dover as total passes 5,000 for the year - the earliest the total has been hit since modern records began
4 days ago

More migrants arrive in Dover as total passes 5,000 for the year - the earliest the total has been hit since modern records began

Daily Mail  

Around 150 migrants have arrived in Dover after crossing the English Channel in small boats. Around 150 migrants have arrived in Dover after crossing the English Channel in small boats Border Force escort 150 migrants into Dover Docks, Kent on Saturday morning Your browser does not support iframes. Pictures show the group, who were rescued from out at sea, being …

Britain's asylum seeker hotspots: Interactive map reveals how many YOUR council has taken in
1 week, 3 days ago

Britain's asylum seeker hotspots: Interactive map reveals how many YOUR council has taken in

Daily Mail  

Hillingdon can today be named as Britain's asylum seeker hotspot. MailOnline's interactive map today reveals the number of asylum seekers supported across the UK as of the end of 2024. The West London borough of Hillingdon is Britain's asylum seeker hotspot Robert Bates, of the Centre for Migration Control, said: 'The research presented here shows that the burden of this …

Labour faces growing pressure to tackle small boats crisis as more than 1,100 migrants reach Britain in just four days
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Labour faces growing pressure to tackle small boats crisis as more than 1,100 migrants reach Britain in just four days

Daily Mail  

More than 1,100 small boat migrants reached Britain in just four days as human traffickers took advantage of calm conditions on the Channel. Latest Home Office figures showed there were 326 arrivals on Tuesday, bringing the number since Saturday to 1,168. The four days from Saturday to Tuesday witnessed the most intensive period of crossings since Christmas week. More than …

Number of people claiming asylum in UK hits record high
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Number of people claiming asylum in UK hits record high

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Migrants who arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel in small boats …

Dozens of migrants arrive in Britain by small boat on the day government announces citizenship will be refused to refugees who make 'dangerous journeys' to UK
1 month, 1 week ago

Dozens of migrants arrive in Britain by small boat on the day government announces citizenship will be refused to refugees who make 'dangerous journeys' to UK

Daily Mail  

Dozens of small boat migrants have arrived in Britain on the same day the Government announced it would no longer offer citizenship to people who entered the country using dangerous routes. Border Force escort 50 migrants into Dover Docks, Kent on the same day the Government announced the new rules In an update to the immigration rules, anyone arriving after …

More than 1,000 migrants have arrived in UK already in 2025 in new record as Keir Starmer struggles to get to grips with Channel crisis
2 months ago

More than 1,000 migrants have arrived in UK already in 2025 in new record as Keir Starmer struggles to get to grips with Channel crisis

Daily Mail  

More than 1,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year in a new record laying bare how Sir Keir Starmer is struggling to cope with the crisis. Two dinghies carrying 190 people were spotted by Border Force vessels on Tuesday despite poor visibility It has only taken 21 days this year for crossings to …

Furious French mayors accuse UK of ‘being in denial’ over migrant crossings in demand over cross-border deal
4 months ago

Furious French mayors accuse UK of ‘being in denial’ over migrant crossings in demand over cross-border deal

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Keir Starmer has brushed off calls from the French mayors They …

Britain has most illegal migrants in Europe, study finds
5 months, 2 weeks ago

Britain has most illegal migrants in Europe, study finds

The Telegraph  

Senior Tories demanded that Sir Keir Starmer rethink Labour’s approach after the Prime Minister scrapped a scheme in which asylum seekers would have been sent to Rwanda while they were processed. James Cleverly, the shadow home secretary, said: “We need to deter people from coming here illegally and to root them out of our economy when they are here.” Robert …

Labour is accused of 'undoing Tories work' on tackling Channel crisis - as 25,300 small boat migrants granted asylum in just one year
7 months ago

Labour is accused of 'undoing Tories work' on tackling Channel crisis - as 25,300 small boat migrants granted asylum in just one year

Daily Mail  

The number of Channel migrants winning permission to stay indefinitely in Britain has quadrupled as efforts to increase deportations have stalled. Home Office data revealed more than 25,300 people who arrived by small boat were granted asylum or another type of humanitarian protection in the year to June – making up a third of all types of asylum claims in …

Strict asylum rules and poor treatment pushing migrants north to U.K.
9 months ago

Strict asylum rules and poor treatment pushing migrants north to U.K.

LA Times  

A group of Kurdish migrants from Iran and Iraq who failed in their attempt to reach the United Kingdom walk back to the town of Ambleteuse in northern France last month. While boat crossings across the channel represent only a tiny fraction of migration to the U.K., France agreed last year to hold migrants back in exchange for hundreds of …

UK attacks EU double standards on migrants
10 months, 3 weeks ago

UK attacks EU double standards on migrants

The Telegraph  

The Government has accused the EU of double standards after Ireland vowed to send asylum seekers to the UK despite France refusing to take Channel migrants back. The row erupted after senior Irish ministers said they would draft emergency laws to send back refugees who had arrived from the UK to avoid being deported to Rwanda. However, Tory ministers consider …

Some of the five migrants killed trying to get to Britain were CRUSHED to death on board the tiny boat: French investigators say some victims suffocated while others drowned
11 months ago

Some of the five migrants killed trying to get to Britain were CRUSHED to death on board the tiny boat: French investigators say some victims suffocated while others drowned

Daily Mail  

Five migrants trying to get to Britain on a small boat suffocated due to the mass of people already on board, French investigators have said. The scene in northern France as migrants try to board boats Once the migrants were in the boat, the officers said there was nothing more they could do A dingy crammed with migrants was seen …

Dozens of migrants including children arrive in Port of Dover after being picked up in the English Channel - as monthly total rises above 2,000
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Dozens of migrants including children arrive in Port of Dover after being picked up in the English Channel - as monthly total rises above 2,000

Daily Mail  

Dozens of migrants have been brought into the Port of Dover today after being intercepted trying to cross the English Channel in dinghies. Border Force catamarans Volunteer and Defender brought scores of people ashore after picking up the inflatables in the 21-mile wide Dover Straits in the first arrivals since Thursday. Border Force catamarans Volunteer and Defender brought scores of …

Hundreds of small boat migrants charged with illegal entry to UK after new powers come into force
1 year ago

Hundreds of small boat migrants charged with illegal entry to UK after new powers come into force

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Hundreds of small …

Migrant crossings of English Channel declined by more than a third in 2023, UK government says
1 year, 2 months ago

Migrant crossings of English Channel declined by more than a third in 2023, UK government says

Associated Press  

LONDON — The number of migrants crossing the English Channel in 2023 fell by more than a third from the previous year, marking the first decline since current record-keeping began, the British government said. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made “stop the boats” one of his top priorities as his conservative government has pushed strict immigration laws to curb the …

As Migration to Europe Rises, a Backlash Grows
1 year, 4 months ago

As Migration to Europe Rises, a Backlash Grows

Live Mint  

Rising migration across Europe, including the biggest surge in asylum seekers since a 2015-2016 migrant crisis, is fueling support for far-right and anti-immigration parties, potentially reshaping European politics for years. “It all resonated with his key political message—that it’s time to put the Dutch people first again," said Rem Korteweg, a senior fellow at the Clingendael Institute think tank in …

The asylum backlog by numbers: what has driven waiting lists to record highs?
1 year, 7 months ago

The asylum backlog by numbers: what has driven waiting lists to record highs?

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Irregular routes In the year to June, 52,530 asylum seekers arrived by so-called irregular routes …

Britain moves asylum seekers to barge moored off south England in bid to cut costs
1 year, 7 months ago

Britain moves asylum seekers to barge moored off south England in bid to cut costs

LA Times  

Asylum seekers board a barge in southern England as the British government tries to cut the cost of sheltering a rising number of migrants. A small group of asylum seekers has been moved onto a barge moored in southern England as the British government tries to cut the cost of sheltering people seeking protection in the country, British news media …

UK to house hundreds more migrants on barges, Sunak says
1 year, 9 months ago

UK to house hundreds more migrants on barges, Sunak says

Associated Press  

LONDON — The U.K. government will house hundreds more asylum-seekers on barges, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Monday, as he unveiled the latest migration figures that he said showed that his plans to crack down on small boat crossings on the English Channel are working. Two more barges will house about 1,000 migrants, Sunak said, alongside one that’s set to …

Immigration to Britain hit a record high in 2022, renewing a Brexit-tinged debate
1 year, 10 months ago

Immigration to Britain hit a record high in 2022, renewing a Brexit-tinged debate

LA Times  

People wait in the arrivals area at Heathrow Airport in London. The number of people moving to Britain hit a record high of more than 600,000 in 2022, government figures showed Thursday, renewing debate about the scale of immigration and its effect on the country. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the immigration figure was “too high,” but he did not …

Why are migrants in small boats a heated issue in the UK?
2 years ago

Why are migrants in small boats a heated issue in the UK?

Associated Press  

LONDON — The message to asylum-seekers from British Home Secretary Suella Braverman was stark: “If you enter Britain illegally, you will be detained and swiftly removed.” The government hopes that decisive — and divisive — measure will stop tens of thousands of migrants reaching Britain in boats across the English Channel. The British government says many of those making the …

Lineker claim on UK taking ‘far fewer refugees’ than Europe supported by data
2 years ago

Lineker claim on UK taking ‘far fewer refugees’ than Europe supported by data

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Gary Lineker’s claim that the UK takes “far fewer refugees” …

Why are migrants in small boats a heated issue in the U.K.?
2 years ago

Why are migrants in small boats a heated issue in the U.K.?

LA Times  

British Home Secretary Suella Braverman speaks with the media at a news conference announcing the launch of new legislation on channel crossings by migrants in London on Tuesday. The message to asylum seekers from British Home Secretary Suella Braverman was stark: “If you enter Britain illegally, you will be detained and swiftly removed.” The government hopes that a decisive — …

UK aims to deport Channel migrants, but critics skeptical
2 years ago

UK aims to deport Channel migrants, but critics skeptical

Associated Press  

LONDON — The British government said Monday it will introduce legislation to ban anyone who arrives in the U.K. in small boats across the English Channel from ever settling in the country. The government said a bill — expected to be announced Tuesday — will bar asylum claims by anyone who reaches Britain by unauthorized means, and will compel the …

Not ONE migrant has been sent back to France under post-Brexit rules, new figures show
2 years, 4 months ago

Not ONE migrant has been sent back to France under post-Brexit rules, new figures show

Daily Mail  

No asylum seekers have been forcibly returned to France under post-Brexit border rules, official figures showed last night. No asylum seekers have been forcibly returned to France under post-Brexit border rules, official figures showed last night But only 83 asylum seekers were issued with 'inadmissibility decisions' – meaning another country was 'considered to be responsible for the claim'. Home Secretary …

Ruthless people smugglers are charging migrants up to £2,800 each to cross the Channel
2 years, 5 months ago

Ruthless people smugglers are charging migrants up to £2,800 each to cross the Channel

Daily Mail  

Migrants are paying people smugglers up to £2,800 per person to reach the UK amid a shortage of boats, according to new reports today. Another 800 migrants making the perilous journey across the English Channel yesterday Despite the record high number of crossings, human trafficking gangs in France claim they are facing a growing shortage of inflatable vessels to make …

UK to seek asylum ban on refugees crossing the English Channel
2 years, 5 months ago

UK to seek asylum ban on refugees crossing the English Channel

Al Jazeera  

Home secretary wants blanket ban on anyone entering the UK irregularly, such as on small boats crossing from France. British Home Secretary Suella Braverman has set out plans for new powers which would ban refugees who cross the English Channel from claiming asylum and said it was her “dream” to see a government flight deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda. “I …

UK to ‘fast track’ deportations of Albanian asylum seekers
2 years, 7 months ago

UK to ‘fast track’ deportations of Albanian asylum seekers

Al Jazeera  

UK’s home secretary unveils new measures aiming to deter Albanians from crossing the English Channel in small boats. The United Kingdom has announced plans to “fast-track” the deportation of Albanian asylum seekers as authorities attempt to tackle a surge in people crossing the English Channel in small boats. British immigration officers will immediately process asylum claims made by Albanians entering …

Government’s post-Brexit failures – not Channel migrant crossings – broke UK asylum system, MPs say
2 years, 8 months ago

Government’s post-Brexit failures – not Channel migrant crossings – broke UK asylum system, MPs say

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Parliament’s home affairs committee said ministers must stop trying to find “magical solutions” such …

Zero migrants have crossed English Channel in nine days
2 years, 10 months ago

Zero migrants have crossed English Channel in nine days

Daily Mail  

No migrants have arrived in small boats across the English Channel for nearly ten days in what is being claimed as an early victory for the Government's new scheme for sending asylum seekers to Rwanda. The last migrants to arrive at Dover were a total of 263 across seven small boats on April 19 Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen said today …

More than 180 migrants arrived in the UK by boat yesterday as total this year passes 6,000
2 years, 11 months ago

More than 180 migrants arrived in the UK by boat yesterday as total this year passes 6,000

Daily Mail  

More than 6,000 people have been brought ashore after crossing the English Channel in small boats so far this year. Today: A number of people wrapped in shawls and warm hats arrive in Portsmouth on a Border Force speedboat Latest images from today, Easter Saturday, show more irregular migrants swept up by the UK Coast Border Guard Today: Migrants are …

Record number of migrant boats crossed the English Channel to Britain in 2021
3 years, 2 months ago

Record number of migrant boats crossed the English Channel to Britain in 2021

LA Times  

People believed to be migrants are brought to Dover, in southern England, on Tuesday by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, a maritime charity. At least 28,300 people packed into small boats crossed the English Channel from France to England’s southern coast in 2021, a record number that was triple the previous year’s tally. news agency based on data from Britain’s …

Refugees in France: ‘I was in the boat yesterday, I almost died’
3 years, 3 months ago

Refugees in France: ‘I was in the boat yesterday, I almost died’

Al Jazeera  

Calais, France – One month after 27 people died in the deadliest refugee boat tragedy between France and the United Kingdom in recent years, asylum seekers in Calais in northern France are still desperate to make it to England. Khail, 28, from Afghanistan: ‘I forget what day or time it is here’ I left Afghanistan two years and seven months …

Asylum seekers desperate to reach the UK need our help – not overblown rhetoric
3 years, 3 months ago

Asylum seekers desperate to reach the UK need our help – not overblown rhetoric

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. There are undoubtedly more asylum seekers …

Number of migrants reaching UK this year nears 15,000:
3 years, 6 months ago

Number of migrants reaching UK this year nears 15,000:

Daily Mail  

The Home Office has confirmed that UK authorities had to rescue or intercept 174 migrants today in six boats. Pictures taken in Dover, Kent on Friday showed Border Force officials marshalling dozens of migrants off of boats and inside to be processed. More families, including a baby were intercepted by Border Force officials crossing the English Channel on Friday Pictures …

Thousands of asylum seekers waiting to cross English Channel amid record small boat arrivals
3 years, 7 months ago

Thousands of asylum seekers waiting to cross English Channel amid record small boat arrivals

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thousands of asylum seekers are waiting in northern France for …

Record number of migrants cross English Channel in one day
3 years, 8 months ago

Record number of migrants cross English Channel in one day

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The Home Office has pledged to crack down on illegal immigration across the Channel …

Record number of migrants make risky Channel crossing to UK
3 years, 8 months ago

Record number of migrants make risky Channel crossing to UK

Associated Press  

LONDON — Figures compiled by Britain’s Press Association show that at least 430 migrants made the perilous journey across the English Channel to the U.K. on Monday, a new record for a single day. PA reported Tuesday that the figure surpasses the previous high of 416 set in September 2020 and comes despite a vow from Britain’s Home Secretary to …

Britain hands France £53m to combat surge in Channel migrants as over 700 reach UK in two days
3 years, 8 months ago

Britain hands France £53m to combat surge in Channel migrants as over 700 reach UK in two days

The Telegraph  

Britain last night handed the French an extra £53 million to combat the surge in Channel migrants as more than 700 overran Border Force and reached the UK in just two days. RNLI rescue craft, coastguards, fishing vessels and even a TV crew on a hired boat yesterday helped Border Force vessels deal with the record numbers of migrants crossing …

Asylum seekers being moved to areas ‘at risk of far-right attacks’
3 years, 11 months ago

Asylum seekers being moved to areas ‘at risk of far-right attacks’

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Asylum seekers are being placed in unsuitable housing where they …

UK plan for tougher asylum-seeker rules draws criticism
4 years ago

UK plan for tougher asylum-seeker rules draws criticism

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The British government said Wednesday …

‘Inhumane’: UK plan for tougher asylum system draws criticism
4 years ago

‘Inhumane’: UK plan for tougher asylum system draws criticism

Al Jazeera  

The government is attempting crack down on people who arrive by unauthorised routes, such as in small boats or in trucks. Home Secretary Priti Patel said asylum-seekers who come to Britain through organised, Those who enter the country otherwise will only be given temporary permission to stay, will receive limited benefits and will be “regularly reassessed for removal from the …

UK planning to send asylum seekers abroad to be processed
4 years ago

UK planning to send asylum seekers abroad to be processed

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Asylum seekers could be sent to processing centres abroad under …

‘Untenable’: Child asylum seekers being held for days without access to beds or showers, watchdog warns
4 years, 5 months ago

‘Untenable’: Child asylum seekers being held for days without access to beds or showers, watchdog warns

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In a blog post following a recent visit to the Kent Intake Unit, the …

Proposals to hold newly arrived asylum seekers offshore branded ‘illegal, expensive and illogical’
4 years, 5 months ago

Proposals to hold newly arrived asylum seekers offshore branded ‘illegal, expensive and illogical’

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Proposals to hold newly arrived asylum seekers on disused ferries …

At least 7,000 migrants have crossed to the UK in small boats this year, data shows
4 years, 5 months ago

At least 7,000 migrants have crossed to the UK in small boats this year, data shows

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy At least 7,000 migrants have managed to cross to the …

Channel Crossings: Migrants found on Essex beach deported to France and Germany
4 years, 6 months ago

Channel Crossings: Migrants found on Essex beach deported to France and Germany

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy More than a dozen migrants landing at a beach in …

More asylum seekers set to be deported on charter flights despite concerns over safety and legality
4 years, 7 months ago

More asylum seekers set to be deported on charter flights despite concerns over safety and legality

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Home Office is pressing ahead with the deportation of …

Channel crossings: Child asylum seekers held at Border Force processing centre amid 'preventable chaos'
4 years, 7 months ago

Channel crossings: Child asylum seekers held at Border Force processing centre amid 'preventable chaos'

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “The stark reality today is that, despite my conversations with the Home Office alerting …

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