Hoffman coordinated with the nonprofit Global Medical Relief Fund and a team of volunteer surgeons and other medical staff members at Cohen Children’s Medical Center — part of North Shore University Hospital — to arrange for Janet to have the surgery, which was performed for free in January.

The international community has poured billions of dollars into aid, services and protection for civilians in Afghanistan hoping that winning their support would help the fight against insurgents. But new research shows that strategy has an unintended consequence: villages where residents support the international forces are more likely to face attacks from the Taliban-led insurgency.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday confirmed that his country had launched an aid campaign to help four East African countries currently hit by an acute drought. According to Erdogan, Turkey’s effort was aimed at helping Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen, all of who are "at risk of suffering a major humanitarian crisis." "We cannot afford to turn a blind eye to requests for help from those countries where the drought-related hunger has reached critical levels," he said in a tweet.

The Malaysian Medical Relief Society (Mercy Malaysia) today entered Gaza, Palestine, through the Rafah border crossing in Egypt to deliver humanitarian aid to the people there. According to the volunteer association, the mission this time is the first humanitarian mission allowed to enter through the Rafah border since Mercy Malaysia’s last working visit in 2014.

First Lady Mahmooda Mamnoon Hussain says Pakistan Foreign Office Women's Association (PFOWA) is playing an important role in informal diplomacy and charity work. She was addressing a charity ceremony organized by Pakistan Foreign Office Women's Association at Foreign Office in Islamabad today. The First Lady said charity work and other activities of the Association are highlighting positive image of the country.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has reiterated some aspects of Russia's foreign policy agenda with Africa in speech delivered on November 9, when receiving letters of credence from new foreign ambassadors including six from Africa. The six new African ambassadors are from Burundi, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Mali and Somalia.

The United States has been the largest individual donor to mine action in Angola making it the third largest recipient of U.S. mine action support in the world -- totaling more than $110 million since 1993. Our extensive efforts have saved thousands of lives through the clearance of roads, contaminated land, and allowed for the safe return of families displaced by conflict.