INTERNATIONAL REPORT

As old buildings in New York City are torn down or refurbished, Rick Kelly sees a chance to keep their memory alive. The legendary guitar maker uses reclaimed wood from the city's buildings to create stunning electric and acoustic guitars. Kelly is convinced that the age of the wood affects its resonance and overall sound, and he's not alone. Musicians such as Bob Dylan and Lou Reed agree – both have bought guitars from him. Reporter Colm Flynn went to his workshop in West Village to meet him.    

The partial government shutdown in the United States is now in its fourth week, and there is no end in sight. US President Donald Trump wants to be given enough money by Congress to build his promised wall on the border between the United States and Mexico. Democrats in Congress refuse to bow to the demands of the White House. Hundreds of thousands of government employees have been furloughed and are not being paid. Museums in Washington remain closed to tourists. Our correspondent Philip Crowther met those who are suffering from the government shutdown for this report.

Railway stations in India, as places of transit, source and destination, are breeding grounds for child labor and child trafficking and exploitation. Every year, thousands of children run away from their homes for a variety of reasons that include an abusive environment, poverty or failed examinations. A safe and secure environment for runaway children is the best solution and several organizations have come forward to reunite runaway kids with their parents. A child-friendly society may still be a way off but efforts are being made. In the second and last part of this series RFI correspondent Murali Krishnan examines the rehabilitation initiative for runaway children.

The big cities of India, especially the commercial capital Mumbai, continue to be a major attraction for runaway kids. Many factors such as domestic abuse, a cruel stepmother, failed examinations or just the appeal of the metropolis have been the lure for kids to take the risky journey after fleeing home, mostly from the rural outback. For most runaway kids, railway stations are the first stop. If they are lucky, some are traced and reunited with their families. But many fall into bad company and are forced into bonded labor, sometimes into drug-trafficking, or other perilous activities since they are vulnerable and need to survive. In the first of a two-part series, correspondent Murali Krishnan travels to Mumbai to look at how these kids cope.

Nicaragua's opposition has been asking for President Daniel Ortega to step down for more than six months now. But the repression against it has been brutal. Opponents to the regime have been arrested, jailed, injured and even killed, Amnesty International has reported. One sector has stood by them all along: the Church. Its has had a key role in preventing more captures and deaths. Alix Hardy met with its members in Managua, Nicaragua.