Italy sends the first ship with migrants to Albania

Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni and Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama (Roberto Monaldo/LaPresse via AP)

Italy is transferring the first group of migrants to Albania, the Interior Ministry said on Monday, as part of a contentious plan to process thousands of asylum seekers outside its borders.

A naval ship departed from the island of Lampedusa with 16 men — 10 from Bangladesh and six from Egypt — who were rescued at sea after departing from Libya.