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Despite the persistence of the European financial crisis, the euro has held up relatively well since the crisis began. While the currency has lost some value against the dollar, its performance has defied ongoing speculation that the currency union is doomed. But can it last?

The fighting in Syria often pits Sunni Muslims, who make up a large majority of the population, versus Alawites, who control many leadership positions. An Alawite who joined the anti-government forces finds he is sometimes viewed with suspicion.

Drought conditions in the Midwest are drying up the Arkansas River basin. Shrinking water levels are ravaging crops, sapping tourism and threatening drinking water supplies in the Rocky Mountains.

Refinancing is not available to everyone. But those who can refinance switch from adjustable- to fixed-rate mortgages, locking money in at rates their parents in the 1980s never dreamed of. Many shave a couple of hundred dollars off their monthly mortgage payment; some get an even bigger windfall.

In Hillsborough County, the way people voted in 2008 — for or against President Obama — signals their perception of everything that's happened since and, usually, the way they intend to vote. In this swing county hit hard by the financial crisis, the rarest voter is a person who's changed his mind.

Colombia's government has announced peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a Marxist insurgency that has been fighting a brutal conflict for nearly five decades. But memories of previous, unsuccessful attempts at peace are still fresh for civilians in the rebels' mountainous heartland.

China's foreign policy has appeared increasingly assertive recently. What isn't clear is whether this is part of a coherent plan or just an outgrowth of China's increasing stature in Asia and beyond.

Tiny, uninhabited island chains that ring the South China Sea and reach even farther north are at the center of bitter, multinational battles — many dating to the end of World War II.

Prescription drugs like Vicodin have provided much-needed relief for many people suffering from pain. But these painkillers can be addictive, and they kill thousands each year. Doctors and regulators are looking into how to limit access to the drugs without causing more suffering for pain patients.

Once a mainstay of the labor arsenal, strikes have largely fallen off since the early 1980s. So a recent spate of high-profile disruptions has labor experts wondering if we're seeing a resurgence. They say worker frustrations over stagnant wages and reduced benefits may have finally hit a tipping point.