A pair of earthquakes wreaked havoc in Afghanistan, forcing the isolationist Taliban administration to seek international support, although the response in that regard has been limited. The first quake of magnitude 6, one of Afghanistan's deadliest in recent years, unleashed widespread damage and destruction when it struck the provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar around midnight on Sunday (Aug. 31) at a shallow depth of 6 miles. A second quake of magnitude 5.5 on Tuesday caused panic and interrupted rescue efforts as it sent rocks sliding down mountains and cut off roads to villages in remote areas.

The toll stands at 1,457 deaths, 3,394 injuries and more than 6,700 destroyed homes, the Taliban administration said. The UN has said the toll could rise, with people still trapped under rubble. Its Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said flimsy or poorly-built homes made of dry masonry, stone and timber gave little protection from the quakes, in ground left unstable by days of heavy rain.

The United States carried out a military strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug-carrying vessel that President Donald Trump said departed from Venezuela and was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang. The president said in a social media posting that 11 people were killed in the rare US military operation in the Americas, a dramatic escalation in the Republican administration's effort to stem the flow of narcotics from Latin America. Trump also posted a short video clip of a small vessel appearing to explode in flames.

The video appears to show a long, multi-engine speedboat traveling at sea when a bright flash of light bursts over the craft. The boat is then briefly seen covered in flames. The White House did not immediately explain how the military determined that those aboard the vessel were Tren de Aragua members. The size of the gang is unclear, as is the extent to which its actions are coordinated across state lines and national borders.

India will cut taxes on hundreds of consumer goods ranging from air conditioners to small cars to bolster local consumption, its government said, as New Delhi moves to cushion its economy from the blow of steep US import tariffs. The announcement comes after US President Donald Trump introduced new tariffs last month that threaten a chunk of New Delhi's outbound shipments to its world's biggest market. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told a news conference late Wednesday that the reduced goods and services tax, or consumption tax, have been approved by an all-powerful government panel.

They will take effect on Sept. 22, the first day of a major Hindu festival that precedes the festival of lights, Diwali, in October. The government's latest overhaul cuts the consumption tax tiers to a two-rate structure of 5% and 18% instead of the previous four tiers of 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%, according to the Finance Ministry.

Indonesian authorities seeking to quell nationwide anti-government protests fired a police officer involved in the death of a bystander during unrest in Jakarta last week. Led by students, workers and rights groups, protests since last week over police violence and state spending priorities have spread round the world's third-largest democracy after a police vehicle hit and killed a motorcycle taxi driver. Ten people have died in the demonstrations, which have sparked some looting and rioting and been met with tear gas and rubber bullets.

National police spokesperson Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said Cosmas Kaju Gae, one of seven detained officers from the vehicle that ran over the motorcycle driver, was "dishonourably" fired after an ethics hearing due to "unprofessionalism". Cosmas had been in the front seat of the vehicle. In another nod to the protesters' demands, President Prabowo Subianto said at the weekend that lawmakers' substantial perks, including housing and travel allowances, would be cut.