The election was crucial as the country seeks to recover from the worst economic crisis in its history and the resulting political upheaval.

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In Central Asia, the world's youngest desert occupies a basin that once held a vast saline lake. The Aral Sea.

Up until the 1960s, the sea spanned more than 26 thousand square miles across two countries. It supported thriving fishing communities along its shores. But then, in the name of progress and development, much of the river water that fed the sea was diverted for agriculture. Now the Aral Sea has all but disappeared, shrunk to about tenth of its original size. The UN Environment Programme has called the Aral Sea's destruction quote "one of the most staggering disasters of the 20th century."

On this episode of The Sunday Story, Above The Fray Fellow Valerie Kipnis takes us to the Aral Sea to try to understand what went wrong and whether anything can be done to save the little water that's left.

The Israeli military said 150 rockets, cruise missiles and drones were launched toward Israel. Earlier, exploding electronic devices and an airstrike in Beirut killed dozens and wounded thousands.

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Israeli troops raided the offices of the satellite news network Al Jazeera in the Israeli-occupied West Bank early Sunday, ordering the bureau to shut down.

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The French presidential palace unveiled a new government dominated by conservatives and centrists. A left-wing coalition secured the most seats in June-July elections but failed to win a majority.

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Denny Tamaki, governor of Okinawa prefecture, says his personal story is deeply entwined with the U.S. military’s presence on the island.

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The purpose is to raise awareness on the U.K.'s low paternity leave benefits, which currently stand at two weeks of paid time off for new fathers.

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President Biden has been receding from the spotlight as the campaign marches on. But he still holds the highest office in the land for another four months and he’s trying to make the most of it.

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A building in a residential neighborhood in Beirut was struck by Israel, killing a senior commander with the militant group Hezbollah and ten other fighters, according to the Israeli military. It was the deadliest attack in Beirut in nearly two decades and it comes in the same week Hezbollah militants were targeted by Israel with thousands of exploding pagers and radios. We go to the scene of the strike in Beirut.

The series of explosions that rocked Lebanon this week, killing dozens and wounding thousands, has prompted debate among legal experts on international humanitarian law.

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Pesto, who weighs 46 pounds at just nine months old, has been on display at an Australian aquarium since April. As he grew, so did his social media fanbase — especially after a recent gender reveal.

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The airstrike follows a deadly week of attacks that have intensified nearly a year of fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah.

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NPR's Steve Inskeep talks with Lebanese Health Minister Dr. Firass Abiad about the country's health care response to the recent attacks.

Election officials monitor voting underway in general election. Right-wing influencers try to find evidence Haitian immigrants in Ohio ate pets. Few patients have signed up for sickle cell treatment.

Under Turkey's proposal, beef would be required to come from cattle that is at least 16 months old, and be marinated with specific amounts of fat, yogurt or milk, onion, salt, thyme, and pepper.

(Image credit: Ebrahim Noroozi)

Canadian and Italian dignitaries marked the successful recovery of a portrait of Winston Churchill known as "The Roaring Lion," stolen in Canada and recovered in Italy after a two-year search.

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In China the government is raising the official retirement age to combat a rapidly shrinking workforce. We hear reaction from Chinese workers. And life in Mexico City presents many challenges for people there. But getting a driving license isn't one of them.

Brian Raymond admitting to drugging, filming and assaulting the women, most of whom didn't know until investigators showed them footage. Several shared their experiences in court as he looked on.

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The Teamsters, a large and prominent union, is not endorsing a presidential candidate this cycle, breaking away from what other labor unions are doing. And, tips on how to avoid credit card debt.

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The "Ultimate World Cruise" consumed social media, with many comparing it to a reality show. But what was it really like? Passengers spoke with NPR, nine months and 60-plus countries later.