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Former translators made a renewed call for help from Britain yesterday after suffering a string of revenge attacks by the Taliban. Insurgents attacked the homes of two former interpreters who are waiting to hear if they can come to the UK. Another interpreter who has been denied sanctuary claimed his son had been kidnapped and beaten.  Ilyas, 11, who was kidnapped and beaten by insurgents yesterday because his father Musa worked for UK forces as a translator He was rescued, it is claimed, by the intervention of tribal elders. Villagers are said to be turning in anyone who helped western operations Musa, 35, a former supervisor of translators, said villagers in rural Paktia Province were turning in those who had worked for Western forces to Taliban fighters. He revealed how his 11-year-old son, Ilyas, was abducted on his way to take exams at school yesterday and beaten with sticks by insurgents. He was rescued, it is claimed, by the intervention of tribal elders. Musa, who has twice bee

Sydney's lockdown could be lifted as soon as September with NSW is on track to reach 70 per cent vaccination in just five weeks. Cooped-up Sydneysiders are entering their sixth gruelling week of lockdown after NSW recorded 239 locally acquired cases on Sunday. Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who extended stay-at-home orders to at least August 28 as the latest outbreak rose to 3,427 infections, said her government had a plan to 'break records' as it ramped up its immunisation campaign.   'Once you get to 50 per cent vaccination, 60 per cent, 70 per cent, that triggers more freedoms. We can turn this around in four weeks,' she said on Sunday. Sydney's Bondi Beach was teeming with people on Sunday, despite strict stay-at-home orders. The city's brutal lockdown could end by September if vaccination rates continue to increase Return to freedom? NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has urged Australians to get the jab, saying more vaccinations 'triggers more freedoms

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti recently signed into law an ordinance that criminalizes homelessness in most parts of the city, a motion that has drawn just as much fierce support by some as it has opposition by others.  The law specifies certain times and locations where it will be 'unlawful for a person to sit, lie, or sleep, or to store, use, maintain, or place personal property in the public right-of-way'.  The ordinance, which will go into effect 30 days from last Thursday, makes it illegal to sit, lie, sleep, or set up encampments within 500 feet from 'sensitive use' properties, which include schools, parks, libraries, overpasses, underpasses, freeway ramps, tunnels, bridges, pedestrian bridges, subways, washes, spreading grounds and active railways. The ordinance also makes it a crime to sit, lie, sleep, or set up encampments within 1,000 feet of or on a 'street, sidewalk, or other public right-of-way'. Individuals who violate the law will be issued a cit

The founder of the Hay literature festival has quit after bullying allegations against him were upheld. Peter Florence, 56, was suspended last October over what one insider described as 'a particular style of management'. Yesterday, it emerged that the festival's board had unanimously endorsed the finding of an independent review that he had committed gross misconduct. It said the complaint had been backed by more than half of the Welsh festival team and the decision came after a 'thorough and extensive process'.  'The board will now be seeking new leadership for the world-renowned non-profit organisation,' it added.  The case is understood to relate to a grievance lodged by a member of staff. Mr Florence hit back last night, saying: 'My role had become untenable due to the conduct of the board and its insistence on holding a disciplinary hearing in my absence whilst I was off sick following a breakdown.' He said he was incredibly proud of the festiv

The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with record sales of firearms, has fueled a shortage of ammunition in the United States that's impacting law enforcement agencies, people seeking personal protection, recreational shooters and hunters - and could deny new gun owners the practice they need to handle their weapons safely. Manufacturers say they're producing as much ammunition as they can, but many gun store shelves are empty and prices keep rising.  Ammunition imports are way up, but at least one US manufacturer is exporting ammo.  All while the pandemic, social unrest and a rise in violent crime have prompted millions to buy guns for protection or to take up shooting for sport. 'We have had a number of firearms instructors cancel their registration to our courses because their agency was short on ammo or they were unable to find ammo to purchase,' said Jason Wuestenberg, executive director of the National Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors Association. Doug Tangen, firear

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blamed her own party on Sunday for the eviction moratorium ending, claiming she can't bring herself to blame the GOP when Democrats have a majority in Congress. 'We have to really just call a spade a spade,' the New York progressive congresswoman told CNN's State of the Union. 'We cannot in good faith blame the Republican Party when House Democrats have a majority.' 'I think there's a couple of issues here,' she explained. 'First of all, you are absolutely correct, in that the House and House leadership had the opportunity to vote to extend the moratorium.' Ocasio-Cortez said there is 'a handful of conservative Democrats in the House that threatened to get on planes rather than hold this vote.' She also blamed President Joe Biden and his administration for not being up front about their stance on the eviction moratorium. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi insisted on Sunday that it's up to the Centers for Disease