Italy is transferring the first group of migrants to Albania as part of a contentious plan to process thousands of asylum-seekers outside its borders.

The plan was heralded by the Italian government as an innovative model to manage and deter immigration, and criticized by human rights groups.

Italian authorities are shipping the first group of migrants to Albania as part of a controversial agreement to vet new arrivals in the Balkan country.

The city of Udine is on high alert as Italy prepares to host Israel in a competitive soccer match. The Nations League match is being played among the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East,

There's a lot of positivity surrounding Luciano Spalletti's new-look Italy, which, until September, was deemed "in crisis" by media outlets in Turin, Milan, and Rome.

UDINE, Italy (Reuters) -Italy defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo scored twice in an energizing 4-1 win at home over Israel in the Nations League on Monday as Luciano Spalletti's side put one foot in the quarter-finals.