The silencing of a TV station for the Tatar people in Crimea, annexed by Russia from Ukraine a year ago, sparked an outcry on Friday, with Kiev accusing Moscow of trying to stamp out non-Russian influence on the peninsula.
Lithuania, spooked by Russian military assertiveness, outlined plans on Friday to raise defense spending by a third in 2016, contributing the highest share of its economy to defense since it joined NATO in 2004.
Militant group Boko Haram is "the worst enemy of Islam" and will be defeated because West African Muslims reject its violent actions and harsh interpretation of the Koran, Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou said on Friday.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter will travel to Japan and South Korea next week on his first trip to the Asia-Pacific region since becoming Pentagon chief, working to boost the U.S. strategic rebalance to the region, the department said on Friday.
