LONDON (AP) — Britain's Home Secretary, James Cleverly, is visiting Italy as part of the U.K. government's efforts to crack down on migrants arriving by small boats.
Cleverly will meet his Italian counterpart, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, and discuss how Italy and Britain can expand their joint work to stop migrants in north Africa from making often perilous journeys across the Mediterranean Sea, officials said Tuesday.
Cleverly will also visit Lampedusa, the southernmost island of Italy which receives the majority of migrants arriving in the country. In September, some 7,000 people arrived from Tunisia on the tiny island in a span of roughly 24 hours, overwhelming the local migrant reception center.
The visit comes as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stepped up his calls for the U.K. Parliament to approve his plan to deport some asylum-seekers to Rwanda.
Sunak signed a deal with the east Africa nation two years ago and insisted that his deportation plan is a key deterrent that will help “stop the boats" — small unseaworthy vessels carrying migrants across the English Channel. But the proposal has been repeatedly blocked by court rulings and human rights campaigners who say it is illegal and inhumane.
British officials say the U.K. and Italy are both “global leaders in forging bold and novel solutions to illegal migration.”
“Our countries have shown we are willing to challenge the status quo and use innovative solutions to tackle the issues, while ferociously going after the people-smuggling gangs,” Cleverly said in a statement.
His office referred to a five-year deal recently agreed between Italy and Albania that will see Albania — which is not part of the European Union — house up to 3,000 migrants in two centers for Italy while their asylum requests are being processed.
Like Sunak's Rwanda plan, that deal was also widely criticized by rights groups.
British Home Secretary James Cleverly, left, and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps attend a press conference by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Downing Street, in London, Monday, April 22, 2024. Sunak pledged Monday that the country’s first deportation flights to Rwanda could leave in 10-12 weeks as he promised to end the Parliamentary deadlock over a key policy promise before an election expected later this year. (Toby Melville/Pool Photo via AP)
DETROIT (AP) — Byron Buxton hit a home run and a double, Christian Vázquez had a homer and three hits and the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 9-3 on Friday night.
Pablo López (9-7) allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings, striking out seven.
Tigers starter Keider Montero (1-4) allowed six runs on eight hits, including three homers, in five innings.
Buxton and Trevor Larnach gave Minnesota a 2-0 lead with back-to-back homers in the first, and Matt Wallner added a home run to right in the second.
Javier Báez hit his second homer in as many days to make it 3-2 in the third, but Minnesota scored three in the fourth.
Willi Castro knocked in two with a single to left and took a big turn around the bag, prompting second baseman Colt Keith to throw to first. The Tigers were wearing their black City Connect jerseys and the only person wearing that color at first was umpire Mike Muchlinski. Keith's throw sailed into Minnesota's dugout, allowing Castro to take third. He scored on Buxton's double to left.
Vázquez hit a two-run homer off Joey Wentz to make it 8-2 in the sixth.
The Tigers loaded the bases with no one out in the seventh, but Gio Urshela grounded into a force at the plate before Báez and Wenceel Pérez popped out.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: Activated 3B Royce Lewis (adductor strain) from the injured list and optioned C Jair Carmago to Triple-A St. Paul. Lewis came into the game hitting .292 with 10 homers and 18 RBIs in 24 games.
Tigers: Placed All-Star OF Riley Greene (hamstring) on the injured list and recalled UTL Ryan Vilade from Triple-A Toledo. Greene has been injured in each of his first three seasons, limiting him to 293 games.
UP NEXT
The teams play the second game of the series on Saturday, with Tigers ace LHP Tarik Skubal (11-3, 2.34) facing Minnesota RHP Joe Ryan (6-6, 3.65).
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Minnesota Twins' Christian Vazquez (8) is greeted at home plate after a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Joey Wentz throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Will Vest throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Detroit Tigers' Javier Baez is greeted at home plate by Carson Kelly after Baez's two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Joey Wentz throws during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Joey Wentz walks next to the mound as Minnesota Twins' Christian Vazquez rounds the bases after a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Minnesota Twins' Christian Vazquez is greeted in the dugout after a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton misplays the double hit by Detroit Tigers' Matt Vierling during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton approaches home plate after a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
