Chibok Schoolgirls: Israel experts in Nigeria to hunt for abducted girls

Israel has sent intelligence experts to Nigeria to help search for more than 200 schoolgirls abducted last month by the Boko Haram sect, an Israeli official told Reuters on Tuesday.

The team included people with experience in dealing with hostage situations, will join a growing international effort to track down the children.

“These are not operational troops, they’re there to advise,” the Israeli official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

President Jonathan Accepts Israeli Netanyahu offers to Join the Search for Chibok Girls

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday offered to help Nigeria search for hundreds of Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by extremist Islamist group Boko Haram. A statement from the premier’s office said that Netanyahu, currently on an official visit to Japan, made the proposal in a telephone call to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Israel expresses its deep shock at the crime against the girls,” it quoted Netanyahu as saying. “We are prepared to help in locating the girls and to fight the cruel terror which has struck you.”

Crimea Updates: Kerry, Lavrov meet in Paris today

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry changed course after a week of travel in the Mideast and arrived in Paris Saturday for talks with his Russian counterpart, Lavrov  on the Ukraine crisis. From Saudi Arabia, Kerry landed in Shannon, Ireland for a refueling stop, when he decided to turn his plane around and head to Paris.