Alice Fordham

At least a million Syrian refugees are now in Lebanon. The influx is straining the balance in the fragile country of only four million people.

A flashy hotel just opened in Iraqi Kurdistan, reflecting the region's ambitions. But the Arab-led government in Baghdad has given the region an economic jolt, putting its outsized dreams in doubt.

The extremists now committing a wave of attacks in Iraq's Anbar province are significantly better trained, funded and equipped than the al-Qaida-linked groups American soldiers battled there.

A regional conference in northern Iraq, under way now, is highlighting the shifts and maneuvers set in motion by the Syrian conflict. Alice Fordham reports on the conference from Iraqi Kurdistan.

Riding the bus to Beirut's southern suburbs used to be a bumpy, crowded but fun experience. Everyone crammed in next to each other, bouncing around on the way to the area they call the Dahiyeh, the Arabic word for "suburb."

This sprawling southern district of Lebanon's capital is the place ...