During the weekend we read global news articles worth reading from media outlets ranging from the New York Times to the Guardian. If you would like to bookmark some of these articles we recommend using Instapaper or Evernote for future reading.

• The New York Times published a heartbreaking video about the malnutrition crisis that is ongoing in Afghanistan in Afghanistan’s Unexplained Hunger Crisis.
• Peace talks have officially begun between the South Sudanese and rebel groups in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Read the progress so far in South Sudan and Rebels Open Peace Talks.
• Despite the growing number of U.N. peacekeepers in the Central African Republic and South Sudan evidence points to the troops not being able to effectively stop the violence. Details are in Record Number of U.N. Peacekeepers Fails to Stop African Wars.
• Although peace talks between the South Sudanese and Rebels were initially begun in Addis Ababa, talks were halted on Sunday due to shooting in Juba. Read more in South Sudan Peace Talks Stall Amid Fresh Clashes in Juba.
• Bangladesh had national elections this weekend, but violence broke out and the voter numbers were low – only 22%. 19 people have been reported killed and over 400 poll centers were closed due to security concerns: Low Turnout in Bangladesh Elections Amid Boycott and Violence.

Direct from NGOs

• The amount of violence against children  in the Central African Republic is increasing steadily amid the sectarian violence between Christians and Muslims. UNICEF says children have been beheaded, mutilated, and are being recruited into war.  Read: Children Being Brutalized in the Central African Republic.
• UNAIDS has published a PDF with a rundown of HIV/AIDS statistics from 2013. This is definitely a PDF worth bookmarking for future reference.
• There are over 100,000 people who have sought refuge at the airport in Bangui due to the increased violence in Central African Republic’s capital city. Doctors Without Borders has announced they have had to decrease services because the violence is so bad.

Photo

Security Council Authorizes African Union Mission in Central African Republic