English Channel crossings have increased this week amid calm seas, with more than 1,000 migrants attempting the perilous journey in the past three days.
More than 470 people crossed the Channel from France on Monday, taking the provisional total for 2023 to 25,330.
On Saturday 537 people made the journey, with a further 28 on Sunday.
Experts said the UK government data shows human traffickers have taken advantage of the benign weather.
The French tug boat Abeille Normandie shadowed one inflatable dinghy carrying as many as 50 people, none wearing life jackets, as it motored towards British waters earlier this week.
The role of the tug, chartered by the French coastguard, was to ascertain “the state it's in, the number of souls on board and whether they are wearing life jackets or not,” said the vessel's skipper, who identified himself as Captain Mickael, in accordance with protocols.
“Then we'll follow it in order to be ready to intervene if a problem arises,” he added.
After entering British waters, the dinghy, sitting low in the water, was met by a British search-and-rescue vessel, which the migrants boarded, an agency photographer said.
In March the UK agreed to pay France around £480 million ($579 million) over three years to try to stop migrants making the illegal crossings after total arrivals reached more than 45,000 in 2022.
But the traffickers are constantly changing strategy, said Veronique Magnin, spokeswoman for the French coastguard in the Channel and North Sea. “They are very well organised,” she said.
UK government figures show the number of migrants detected crossing to Britain from France by sea so far this year stands at a provisional 25,330 – around 23 per cent below this point last year.
More than 33,000 people had made the crossing by October 2, 2022, with 45,774 arrivals in total last year.
Nine boats were detected on Monday, which suggests an average of about 52 people crossed the Channel per boat.
On September, 2, almost 900 migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats, the highest number on a single day so far this year.
The Home Office reiterated that the “unacceptable” number of people making the crossing is “placing an unprecedented strain on our asylum system”.
It added that its priority remained to “stop the boats”, with the Small Boats Operational Command working alongside French authorities and other agencies to disrupt people smugglers.
A spokesperson added: “The government is going even further through our Illegal Migration Act, which will mean that people arriving in the UK illegally are detained and promptly removed to their country of origin or a safe third country.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made stopping the crossings one of key pledges for this year.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
SHAITTAN
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Manchester City 3 (Silva 8' &15, Foden 33')
Birmginahm City 0
Man of the match Bernado Silva (Manchester City)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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