For weeks now, we in the news business have been telling you how much the Scott Walker recall election in Wisconsin matters to the country as a whole.

At least 22 people were killed and another 50 wounded in southern Afghanistan today when three suicide bombers blew themselves up in a market near the Kandahar Air Field used by U.S. and coalition forces.

Most of the victims were Afghan civlians, officials tell the BBC.

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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne. Eight thousand people will carry the Olympic torch before it reaches London to open the summer games, though one would-be torch barer isn't even human. He's a small red fuzzy monster.

KEVIN CLASH: (As Elmo) Elmo's ready to start training to be a monster torch-bearer. Yay. Oh, oh, Cramp, cramp.

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Now that it's over and Republican Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin has easily defeated a recall attempt, the morning-after analyses are in. There's a common theme:

-- Walker's win "is a stinging blow" to President Obama's re-election chances, says National Journal's 2012 Decoded blog.

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

NPR's business news starts with yet another setback for Spain.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And let's turn to the issue that is front and center this election year - the economy. Austerity measures aimed at curing Europe's debt crisis have thrown a number of eurozone countries into recession. The threat of defaults in Greece and even larger countries like Spain have rattled U.S. financial markets, and President Obama recently said that Europe's troubles are casting a shadow over the U.S. economy.

To better understand what the president is talking about, we brought in NPR economics correspondent John Ydstie.

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Congressional redistricting has reshaped many elections this year. In New Jersey, it forced two friends into battle against one another. Veteran Democratic Congressman Steve Rothman lost primary yesterday to fellow Democrat, fellow Congressman Bill Pascrell. They became opponents after New Jersey lost a congressional seat following the last census. Nancy Solomon from New Jersey Public Radio has the story.

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

So far this year, 25 states have ended the Extended Benefits program. That program made sure people out of work for long periods of time continued receiving financial assistance. But there was a catch: if a state's unemployment rate improved, the money would stop flowing. The fact that some states are seeing lower unemployment may seem like a good sign for the economy. It's no comfort to the people who are still out of work.

Susie An from WBEZ in Chicago has that story.