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Middleborough, Mass., recently imposed a $20 fine for swearing in public. Linguist Geoff Nunberg says profanity makes hypocrites of us all.

Kenya, like other countries in East Africa, has dropped many of the fees that kept poor children out of public schools. More kids are now attending, but there's a desperate shortage of books, teachers and other basic needs.

Here's a look at the government health care programs for the elderly and the poor, how President Obama's new national health care law affects them, and how Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan want to change things.

A mass tax revolt is under way in Ireland, and hundreds of thousands of people have resolved to break the law and refuse to pay a newly-introduced levy on households. The tax is $125 a year, but protesters say it could lead to larger property taxes in the future.

Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population and has drawn praise for evolving into a vibrant, pluralistic democracy. But the rise of hard-line Muslim groups and recent cases of religious persecution have led some to question whether it lives up to that reputation.

The sophistication of congressional speech-making is on the decline, according to the open government group the Sunlight Foundation. Since 2005, the average grade level at which members of Congress speak has fallen by almost a full grade.

The privately funded, unmanned spacecraft was attempting its first flight to the International Space Station. The spacecraft had a one-second window to take off, and the failed launch means it won't be trying again for at least a few days.

Long before Obama gave a commencement speech to Air Force cadets Wednesday, his campaign was focusing attention on his record with military families and veterans — a key voting group that could make the difference in swing states like Virginia, North Carolina and Florida.

Nearly three weeks after Hurricane Sandy, nowhere has the wait to restore power been longer than on Long Island. Utility mismanagement has deep roots there, where consumers are still paying for abuses that started more than 50 years ago.

On Monday, House Speaker John Boehner answered criticisms that Republicans have not proposed a deficit plan to counter the one from President Obama which they find so objectionable. Boehner's plan takes elements from presidential nominee Mitt Romney's proposal. David Welna talks to Melissa Block about the counteroffer.