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(Continued from page 40)
• Later, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin echoed Wu's remarks, saying at a regular press briefing that China objected to the publicity rather than the gathering of the environmental data.
• "Of course, if the foreign embassies want to collect air quality information for their own staff or diplomats, I think that is their own matter, but we believe that this type of information should not released to the public," Liu said.
• The top environmental official in Shanghai over the weekend also spoke out on the issue, telling local media that an air quality feed launched last month by the U.S. consulate in Shanghai was illegal.
• China requires concentrations of PM2.5 to be kept below daily averages of 75 micrograms per cubic meter -- more than twice as lenient as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's standard of 35 micrograms.
• PM2.5 are believed to be a health risk because they can lodge deeply in the lungs, and have been linked to increased cardiovascular and respiratory diseases as well as lung cancer.
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Elections in 6 states; Wisc. recall center stage
The Associated Press
• The gubernatorial recall vote in Wisconsin highlights Tuesday's elections. Five other states are conducting presidential primaries, although Republican Mitt Romney and Democrat Barack Obama already have collected enough delegates to win their parties' nominations. Those races and other highlights of voting:
• ___
• CALIFORNIA (polls close at 11 p.m. EDT)
• Senate: Twenty-four names are on the primary ballot. Under a new primary system, the top two choices will compete in the general election regardless of party affiliation. Democratic Sen. Diane Feinstein is expected to be one of them.
• Ballot initiative: Voters will weigh in on a proposal to raise cigarette taxes by $1 a pack to fund cancer research.
• Presidential primary.
• ___
• MONTANA (polls close at 10 p.m. EDT)
• Senate: Rep. Denny Rehberg is expected to win the Republican primary to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Tester. Rehberg faces token primary opposition and Tester is unopposed.
• Governor: Republicans hoping to retake the governor's mansion after eight years (Continued on page 42)
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