Alice Fordham

An Iraqi family returns home and tells the story of risking a trip to Greece on a boat that sank, drowning two of their children. But images of people making the trip safely encourage others to try.

Iraqi violence isn't new, but now there's a perception of an opportunity in Europe for an alternative and many are seizing it. (This piece first aired on Sept. 5, 2015 on Weekend Edition Saturday.)

After decades of violence and corruption in Baghdad, protesters have put their faith in peaceful demonstration to bring change.

In northern Lebanon, sweeping buildings designed by renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer remind people of more peaceful times. (This story first aired on May 26, 20015 on All Things Considered.)

At first it seems lively outside on the weekend in Baghdad — the lights are bright in open-air cafes, music streams from beribboned cars in a wedding party and at Ali Hussein's juice stand, decorated with plastic bananas, they're squeezing oranges on old brass presses.

But even as Hussein offers ...

In a country with a stunning coastline, a lack of governance has allowed private developers to gobble up prime seaside real estate and shunt aside ordinary Lebanese who depend on public beaches.

The Islamic State has beheaded a prominent Syrian archaeologist in Palmyra, Syria. The city is home to Roman ruins under threat amid ISIS' record for destroying antiquities.

Members of a Syrian indie rock band escaped their country's bloodshed and have become a mainstay of Beirut's music scene. "In spite of all the deaths," the band sings, "you are still alive."

The Iraqi Interior Ministry says more than two dozen people were killed Thursday. The attack was claimed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State, also known as ISIS.

A local ceasefire in one area of Syria and increased meetings between Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and others offer signs of diplomatic activity surrounding the 4-year-old war.

The self-declared Islamic State has made gains in Syria, capturing a largely Christian town and abducting people along the way.

A few dozen moderate rebels were recently sent into northern Syria. But before they could go on their first mission, several were captured. It's the latest sign of trouble with the program.

Beirut's streets are piled with two weeks' worth of uncollected trash. To many Lebanese, it's no surprise. The country has been without a president for more than a year.

Aid corridors into Yemen are opening up in Yemen as Houthi rebels were recently forced out of the port city of Aden. That could allow for badly needed reconstruction even as the fighting continues.

Turkey began bombing campaigns over Iraq and Syria and arrested hundreds of people suspected of having ties to the Islamic State, also known ISIS. Turkey also is targeting more than the Islamic State.

The sun has very nearly set on Beirut, and in a bar called Anise, they're mixing the first cocktail of the evening.

There's vodka, vermouth and iced glasses. And next to the bunches of mint for mojitos are sage, wild oregano, rosemary and the Lebanese favorite, za'atar, a kind ...

She goes by the name Helly Luv and made her latest music video — a tribute to Kurdish fighters battling ISIS — as bullets flew in a front-line village. But not everyone is happy with her style.

Lebanon serves as a good reflection of the Middle East, and it's buzzing with the news of the Iran nuclear deal.

#NPRreads is a weekly feature on Twitter and on The Two-Way. The premise is simple: Correspondents, editors and producers throughout our newsroom share pieces that have kept them reading. They share tidbits using the #NPRreads hashtag — and on Fridays, we highlight some of the best stories.

This week, ...

Editor's Note: An attacker opened fire on a beach in Tunisia and killed 38 people on June 26. NPR's Alice Fordham went to cover the story. She used to live in Tunisia and reflects on how the country's changed in recent years.

Two years ago, I first went to the ...