Prisoner-for-sanctions deal: Belarus freed 25 political prisoners after talks with US envoy John Coale, with Washington agreeing to ease sanctions on two Belarusian companies—Lakokraska and Bellesbumprom. The releases included journalists and rights defenders, and many arrived in Vilnius on Sept. 16 as relatives were told they could meet loved ones in colonies. Lithuania–Belarus drone row: Lithuania summoned a Belarus embassy representative over a drone that violated its border and airspace; President Nausėda said the downed Gerbera-type drone likely came from Belarus and carried an explosive device, with NATO fighters shooting it down. EU security shift: The European Parliament backed a push to treat hybrid attacks as a form of warfare and named Russia, including Belarus, as the main hybrid threat; EU Commission chief von der Leyen called for a NATO-style “counter-hybrid playbook” to coordinate responses to drone and sabotage incidents. Local governance & transport: Minsk said it won’t name exact dates yet for new metro station openings on the third line, citing complex soils and high groundwater levels. Public transport rules: Belarus approved changes to how transport controllers use video recorders, including mandatory passenger notification and rules for storing recordings. Culture: Belarusfilm has started shooting a documentary on the 100th anniversary of Dinamo-Minsk, tracing the club’s history as part of Belarusian generations’ stories.