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Polls have opened in Kazakhstan for parliamentary elections expected to strengthen President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's power. The pro-presidential Adilet party is predicted to win a majority, with other loyal parties also likely to enter parliament. Tokayev, in office since 2019, initiated a constitutional overhaul in March, merging two parliamentary chambers into one and expanding presidential authority. The election comes amid economic challenges, with inflation at 10.2% and recent tax hikes. Media crackdowns have intensified, with criminal cases against independent journalists. Critics say the elections are heavily skewed in favor of Tokayev's party.

Wall Street will get key updates next week on closely-watched measures for consumer confidence and inflation. The latest consumer confidence report from business group The Conference Board will be released Tuesday. Wall Street expects the report to show that American’s confidence in the economy fell again in August after slipping in July. Wall Street will get another important inflation update on Wednesday when the U.S. releases its report on personal consumption expenditures, or PCE, for July. It is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation. Much like the consumer price index, it has shown that the rate of inflation remains stubbornly above 3%.

Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has had a bad week. In the past seven days, Paz was forced to fire his economy minister, risked unleashing unrest with a steep fuel price hike and saw a close adviser arrested in a widening scandal. The adviser, Fernando Cerimedo, is being investigated in connection with the shooting of a woman who accused him of trying to silence her over alleged government corruption. The removal of Economy Minister José Gabriel Espinoza on Friday came after Congress voted to oust him. Just nine months into Paz’s presidency, the turmoil has exposed his fragile position in Congress and threatens to complicate his economic agenda.

Israeli settlers have killed a Palestinian teenager after a rock-throwing incident in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Health Ministry reports 17-year-old Karim Sanad Raja Shalaldeh died on Friday in Sa’ir, north of Hebron. The Israeli military says soldiers were dispatched after Palestinians threw rocks at Israeli civilians. Meanwhile, Turkey is seeking an international warrant for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his role in Israel's interception of boats trying to break a naval blockade of Gaza in May.