Kavita Pillay

Kavita Pillay wears a red coat and stands near a sign that says "To the ice" in Finnish.

‘It’s never too late’: How learning Finnish taught me to embrace vulnerability 

It’s relatively easy to get by in Finland's capital, Helsinki, without speaking Finnish. But meeting an American opera singer and a refugee from Iraq here taught reporter Kavita Pillay to embrace the vulnerability of learning a new language. 

‘It’s never too late’: How learning Finnish taught me to embrace vulnerability 
Blue and white flag flutters in the air against the sky

Finland's national word 'sisu' conjures new meanings for tough times

Finland's national word 'sisu' conjures new meanings for tough times
An Indian woman in a sari and glasses and an Indian man in a suit and glasses sit for a portrait.

Love conquers caste for this couple, but Indian marriage traditions continue in US

Love conquers caste for this couple, but Indian marriage traditions continue in US
Jani Toivola at the Finnish parliament.

He's the other politician with a white mother and a black Kenyan father

He's the other politician with a white mother and a black Kenyan father
The door on the side of All Saints' Church in Wittenberg, Germany. In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses here sparking the Reformation. The original door was destroyed in a fire, but this black bronze door marks the historical spot.

Did Martin Luther's reformation 500 years ago leave its mark on today's eurozone budget crisis?

Did Martin Luther's reformation 500 years ago leave its mark on today's eurozone budget crisis?
What's billed as the "largest Jesus statue in the world," Christ the King in Swiebodzin, Poland.

Story: The fight for Catholicism is on in Poland

"I don't think you'd find an older person in Poland who’s not going to church, but I think that younger generation is rather like me. I'm not going to church. I don't believe in God. I consider myself an atheist."

Story: The fight for Catholicism is on in Poland

The Secret Behind Finland's Super Smart School Kids? Recess.

Finland has one of the most successful public education systems in the world. And Finnish school children, on average, get more than an hour of recess a day. Is playtime the secret to their success?

The Secret Behind Finland's Super Smart School Kids? Recess.

Extended Use: Europe's Old Churches Finding New Life as Starbucks, Circus School

Many of Europe's churches are struggling to stay open. A new movement called "extended use" is trying to save the old buildings. The plan includes using some church buildings for circus schools and Starbucks shops.

Extended Use: Europe's Old Churches Finding New Life as Starbucks, Circus School

Finland's Nuclear Waste Disposal Dilemma

A vast network of tunnels is being constructed beneath the Nordic countryside in Finland. It's intended to safely store nuclear waste for up to a thousand centuries. Eventually, officials say, there will be no surface trace of the tunnels below.

Finland's Nuclear Waste Disposal Dilemma
The World

Comedy in Singapore: Can the Much-Restricted Nation Lighten Up?

The Asian city-state of Singapore is known for its strict social laws, including a ban on chewing gum. It's not known for its sense of humor but as Kavita Pillay reports, Singapore's government want people there to loosen up.

Comedy in Singapore: Can the Much-Restricted Nation Lighten Up?
The World

Slideshow: Living on $2 a Day

Two Indian men experimented with life at the poverty line. Their blogs and media appearances seem to have spurred a movement among middle class Indians to better the lives of some 80 percent of the population.

Slideshow: Living on $2 a Day
The World

A Vanishing Jewish Community in the Indian State of Kerala

The south Indian state of Kerala is home to one of the oldest synagogues in the world and its Jewish community dates back to ancient times. But over the past several decades, most of Kochi's Jews have gone to Israel.

A Vanishing Jewish Community in the Indian State of Kerala

Iraqi-Canadian Hip-Hop Artist The Narcicyst

For fans of hip-hop artist Yassin Alsalman, the Narcicyst tells the reality of being Arab, Muslim and Western in a post-September 11 world.

Iraqi-Canadian Hip-Hop Artist The Narcicyst

Finland Celebrates Summer with Tango

The arrival of summer is marked with great fanfare in Finland.

Finland Celebrates Summer with Tango