…And the World:

We begin in Hong Kong where pro-Beijing politicians appear to have outmaneuvered pro-Democracy parties to retain a majority in the administrative region’s assembly.  However, Pro-democracy parties have retained the necessary 1/3 minority that allows them to stymie reforms that could unravel the territory’s freedoms.  The source of the problems appears to be Hong Kong’s complicated voting system that redistributes seats to winning parties.

The President of the African nation of Angola, Jose Eduardo dos Santos and his party appear poised to win another term despite lower voter turnout than in 2008.  Meanwhile, across the continent the incumbent president of war-torn Somalia appears to have lost.  The country’s interim parliament chose Hassan Shiekh Mohamud instead.

Meanwhile, an agreement to end the bloody mine strike in South Africa appears to have failed.  A renegade union, which has accused the principal union of selling out in the past, derailed an agreement to end a strike at a mine that has become a flashpoint in the nation’s politics.  Workers appeared to have refused to go back to work, which was a pre-condition for more talks.  Last week, miners charged with the deaths of their colleagues were released after an outcry over the African National Congress led government’s decision to charge them using Apartheid-era laws.  The ANC is facing criticism for its handling of the crisis among other big issues, prompting President Jacob Zuma to go on the defensive while the lead opposition party, Democratic Alliance, goes on offense, particularly on youth unemployment.

The Feds:

The conventions are over and the real Presidential campaign begins.  Perhaps the most striking thing is that despite an unimpressive jobs report the day after President Obama accepted the nomination, Obama got a convention boost whereas Mitt Romney did not appear to get one.  But don’t panic, Mitt Romney’s pollster says, without supplying any data.

Rhode Island holds its primary tomorrow making it, along with New Hampshire, one of the last states in the country to do so before the general election.

Also tomorrow, the eleventh anniversary of the September 11 attacks on New York and the Pentagon.  Pictures from the Boston Globe.

State of Things:

Last week the Democratic primary shook out the results for several offices.  We have a round-up, but if you would like town-by-town results for the election we recommend the Boston Globe’s breakdown.

Meanwhile, in honor of the eleventh anniversary of 9/11, US Senate ads will go dark for both Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren.

And the Valley Advocate has an article about the favorable numbers for this November’s Medical Marijuana ballot initiative in Massachusetts.

City Slickers:

The Springfield City Council delayed a vote on establishing a citywide vote for approval of a casino.  By all accounts the measure is likely to pass, however, the leader Council sponsor, Ward 7 Councilor Tim Allen deferred to requests from other councilors to have a public hearing first.

Tomorrow, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is going to meet with Springfield officials to straighten out the possible conflict of interest the city’s consultant, a Chicago law firm, may have.

Twitter Chatter:

Anyone else find it odd that Mitt’s pollster put out a state-of-the race memo this morning that was almost entirely devoid of polling data?

— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) September 10, 2012

Neil Newhouse, Mitt Romney’s lead pollster said the data favors his boss.  How?  Newhouse doesn’t say.  This prompted derision across the left’s photosphere.  Among them was David Axelrod is one of President Barack Obama’s lead strategists for his reelection campaign.  Axelrod, who advised Obama’s first campaign as well as Governor Deval Patrick’s campaigns, wins this week’s tweet prize for pointing out the obvious, unbelievable claims of a campaign.  Axelrod doesn’t just point out that absurdity, but he also artfully implies the degree of panic the Romney campaign must be in if it has to rely on fact-less claims to reassure people.  Then again, facts have never been Romney’s friend anyway.