Myanmar releases more prisoners

Myanmar has released more than 500 prisoners, including some of the country's remaining political detainees and a number of foreigners.

Officials did not give a list of names, but opposition groups say at least 58 political detainees have been freed.

The move comes just a week before President Thein Sein is due to visit the United Nations in New York, the BBC reports.

Over the past year, the government has freed more than 600 political detainees as part of a series of reforms. They included many of the best-known opponents of the government.

"We're optimistic that these are the remaining political prisoners," said Naing Naing, a member of Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy (NLD).