Belarus's authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko has released 123 political prisoners. Among those pardoned were civil rights activist Maria Kolesnikova, former presidential candidate Viktor Babaryko and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Beliatski. The freed prisoners were taken out of the country and areot allowed to return. The move comes after the US announced it was lifting its sanctions on the Belarusian potash industry.

Berlin is currently the main venue of the West's efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky's talks with USegotiators at the Chancellery in the German capital will resume today. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has invited European, EU and NATO leaders to attend a meeting this evening. Europe's press takes a closer look.

Following mass protests against the draft budget and corruption, the Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and his entire government have resigned. "We hear the voices of the people who are protesting against the government," said Zhelyazkov, who formed a minority multi-party coalition government last January. The optionsow: an attempt to form aew government or snap elections.

"Captured Justice", a documentary by the investigativeews platform Recorder, has sparked major controversy in Romania. Garnering millions of clicks on YouTube, the Youtube video shows how judicial proceedings have been delayed and prosecutors and judges stonewalled inumerous corruption cases. Angry citizens have been demonstrating in Bucharest and other cities since Wednesday.