More than 650 Australians and Afghans were evacuated from Kabul airport last night across five flights, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says.

"It was our biggest night," Mr Morrison told Today of the effort by Australian forces on the ground.

"That was on five flights, including one Kiwi flight."

READ MORE: Australians on RAAF flights leave 'punishing' Kabul behind

More than 1700 people have now been evacuated from Kabul airport by Australia since the capital fell to the Taliban.

The Taliban has given the western world a deadline of August 31 deadline to evacuate out of Afghanistan.

Mr Morrison said Australians still on the ground in Kabul were doing an extraordinary job of getting people out.

"The people are doing this job on the ground, they are real heroes, compassionate heroes," Mr Morrison said.

"Dealing with people in the most distressing and dangerous of situations.

"Our ADF, our air force flying people in and out, those from three brigades there on the ground doing the job providing security and supporting people getting onto these planes, our Home Affairs officials, our Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials, they're going through what is an extraordinarily intense time – and they're getting people out."

READ MORE: What life will be like under the Taliban in Afghanistan

Yesterday Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the biggest challenge is getting access to the airport in Kabul.

"This is a situation that remains extremely volatile and very dangerous," she said.

"Our continued focus is on bringing out every Australian and Australian visa holder that we possibly can and supporting those vulnerable Afghanis as well to move if we possibly can."

Meanwhile, the US military is establishing "alternative routes" to the Kabul airport in Afghanistan because of a threat the terror group ISIS-K, a self-proclaimed branch of the Islamic State, poses to the airport and its surroundings.

ISIS-K is a branch of the terror group that first emerged in Syria and Iraq.

READ MORE: ISIS-K threat hangs over Kabul airport evacuations

From the front lawn of her friend's house, Vicky Zapata went live on Facebook recently and burst into tears, praying.

"We ask you God, that you heal our town, Father, from this disease," Ms Zapata said in the livestream.

Inside the house, looking out through the glass front door, was her friend Carla Balderas, who was quarantined due to COVID-19, along with her nine-year-old son Reinaldo.

LIVE UPDATES: 'This is a time to be doubling down on the restrictions'

Missing was Carla's husband Sammy.

He was in the local hospital, fighting coronavirus.

As Ms Zapata panned the camera to show her surroundings, more than a dozen cars could be seen parked in front of the house, their occupants following the livestream from inside their vehicles, to be COVID safe.

Ms Zapata reflected on that moment in an interview with CNN, describing it as a cry for mercy given the great pain and suffering in her small, west Texas oilfield town of Iraan – population about 1200.

"We had had COVID before but never to this magnitude," she said.

It seemed that just about everyone in Iraan knew someone who was fighting COVID-19.

During a two-week span this month, 119 people were tested for the virus and 50 tested positive, according to Iraan General Hospital CEO Jason Rybolt.

That's a 42 per cent positivity rate.

"[I'm] very concerned for the community," Mr Rybolt said.

"Very concerned for trying to make sure that they have the healthcare that they need."

While the town is small, it could be seen as a microcosm of what might take place statewide as the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations remain high and as Texas Governor Greg Abbott continues to fight against mask mandates.

READ MORE: NSW Premier says double vaccine doses will make 'life much better'

'Fight for your life'

Ms Zapata says she doesn't know how the outbreak in her town started.

But she says that Sammy tested positive for coronavirus before his wife Carla did.

Carla lost her senses of taste and smell.

Sammy had trouble breathing.

"Every time he moved, he started to cough," Ms Zapata said.

A few days after testing positive for COVID-19, Ms Zapata said, Sammy was admitted to the Iraan General Hospital, a 14-bed rural facility.

His condition deteriorated quickly, Ms Zapata said, and the hospital didn't have the intensive care he required.

That's when Ms Zapata started praying for an ICU bed to free up – anywhere – for her friend Sammy.

READ MORE: Top Texas politician blames Black people for rising COVID rates

"That was hard," Ms Zapata said with a broken voice.

"Three times that I can remember that Carla messaged me and said they think they have a bed. And I would say, 'I'm praying.'"

For a few weeks now, the number of ICU beds available across the entire state has been low.

Currently, there are 372 ICU beds available, according to the latest state data.

The nearest medical centres to Iraan that offer ICU care are in Midland-Odessa and San Angelo, Texas – each about 160km away.

"It could be 12 hours. It could be 36 hours, you just never know how long it's going to take," Mr Rybolt said of the time necessary for a bed to open up.

Sammy entered the hospital on a Thursday, Ms Zapata said, and was airlifted to a hospital in San Angelo that Saturday.

Sammy's family livestreamed images of him being rolled out of the hospital on a stretcher and loaded onto a helicopter.

"Fight for your life," someone could be heard shouting in the livestream. "We love you, Sammy."

At least one Iraan resident has been airlifted out-of-state for care because of the lack of available ICU beds in Texas, Mr Rybolt said.

Mary Jo Jernigan was flown to New Mexico. Her husband Mike got COVID-19, too, and he drove himself to San Angelo, according to the couple's daughter.

READ MORE: Child care providers to be given COVID-19 payments during lockdown

The school shut down, so did the city building

Last week, the school district shut down after only five days of classes because about a quarter of the staff and 16 per cent of the students got infected or were exposed to COVID-19, according to Iraan-Sheffield Independent School District Superintendent Tracy Canter.

"In the last week, we've seen more COVID cases for staff and students than we did the entire year, last year, during school," Dr Canter said.

For right now the closure is due to last until August 30, depending on the situation.

In the meantime, there's no virtual or remote learning, the superintendent told parents in a letter. She also asked everyone to pitch in to slow the spread of the virus.

"Please ensure that students are truly taking this opportunity to quarantine. This means that students and staff will quarantine only with immediate family. They should not be out and about in the community or hanging out with friends. The only way that this will work is if everyone does their part," Dr Canter wrote.

The beloved football season is postponed, homecoming hangs in the balance, and city council members decided to close the city building to residents.

"To me this is very serious," Darren Brown, the Iraan mayor, said.

The city council also voted to postpone late fees on water and gas utilities and stop utility disconnections for at least a month.

Residents will be allowed to make payment arrangements if they can't pay their utility bills.

'Sammy is with Jesus'

With so many people in quarantine, the small town of Iraan is quieter than normal.

There is no morning and afternoon rush to drop off and pick up students at school. And on a Friday night, the football stadium was eerily quiet.

To make things worse, the town is beginning to mourn.

Sammy died last Thursday.

He passed away five days after an ICU bed became available for him and just hours after CNN's interview with Ms Zapata.

Ms Zapata went back to Facebook to thank everyone who had joined her in prayer just a week before.

"Thank you to everyone who prayed… Sammy is with Jesus," Ms Zapata's post read.

Sammy's funeral is scheduled for Wednesday at the town's football stadium, according to his obituary – which also says Sammy's "infectious smile, laugh and the love he had for his family" will be cherished by those he left behind.

As for what lesson the rest of the country could learn from this little Texas town?

Ms Zapata says it's very simple.

"Love your neighbour … today it could be me, tomorrow it could be you."

New CCTV images have been released by police as a part of their investigations into an anti-lockdown protest held in Sydney last month.

More than 60 people have already been charged by police and remain before the courts after the event in Sydney's CBD on July 24.

Police are re-appealing for information to identify five men who they believe may be able to assist investigators.

LIVE UPDATES: PM hits back at premiers over pandemic exit row

The first man is of a slim build, with a dark beard and bald head.

He was wearing a navy-blue hooded jumper, white t-shirt, black tracksuit pants, and a navy-blue shoulder bag at the time.

The second man is described as being of Caucasian appearance, aged in his 20s, with short brown hair.

He was wearing a grey shirt, grey shorts and red shoes at the time.

The third man is described as being of Caucasian appearance, with short brown hair, and was wearing a grey jumper at the time.

READ MORE: Streets deserted as Sydney's hotspots under curfew

Another man is described as being of Asian appearance, with a neck tattoo.

He was wearing a black, long-sleeved top with a white motif, black pants, a black cap and a black shoulder bag at the time.

The final man is described as being of Caucasian appearance, with a brown beard, and was wearing a fluoro orange hooded jumper and black hat at the time.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.

Igor Vovkovinskiy, the tallest man in the United States, has died in Minnesota. He was 38.

His family said the Ukrainian-born Mr Vovkovinskiy died of heart disease on Friday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

His mother, Svetlana Vovkovinska, an ICU nurse at Mayo, initially posted about his death on Facebook.

READ MORE: Australia's tallest man struggling to find eligible dates

Mr Vovkovinskiy came to the Mayo Clinic in 1989 as a child seeking treatment.

A tumor pressing against his pituitary gland caused it to secrete abnormal levels of growth hormone.

He grew to become the tallest man in the US at 2 metres, 34.5 centimetres (7 feet, 8.33 inches) and ended up staying in Rochester.

His older brother, Oleh Ladan of Brooklyn Park, told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis that Mr Vovkovinskiy was a celebrity when he arrived from Ukraine because of his size and the flickering Cold War of the late 1980s.

But Mr Ladan said Mr Vovkovinskiy “would have rather lived a normal life than be known.”

Mr Vovkovinskiy appeared on “The Dr. Oz Show” and was called out by President Barack Obama during a campaign rally in 2009, when the president noticed him near the stage wearing a T-shirt that read, “World’s Biggest Obama Supporter.”

READ MORE: Photo of mismatched Queensland cops goes viral

In 2013, he carried the Ukrainian contestant onto the stage to perform in the Eurovision Song Contest.

When he was 27, Mr Vovkovinskiy traveled to New York City and was declared America’s tallest living person by a Guinness World Records adjudicator on Oz’s show.

He edged out a sheriff’s deputy in Virginia by one-third of an inch.

He issued a plea in 2012 to cover the estimated $22,170 cost for specially made shoes that wouldn’t cause him crippling pain.

At the time, he said he hadn’t owned a pair for years that fit his size 26, 10E feet.

Thousands donated more than double what he needed.

Reebok provided the custom shoes for free.

Mr Vovkovinskiy was born September 8, 1982, in Bar, Ukraine, to Vovkovinska and Oleksandr Ladan.

With Associated Press

The Taliban have sentenced the brother of an Afghan translator to death, according to letters obtained by CNN, accusing him of helping the US and providing security to his brother, who served as an interpreter to American troops.

A former service member who worked with the translator confirmed his service and his brother's plight.

The letters are just one example of how the Taliban are directly threatening Afghans who worked with the US or are family members of those who have, leaving them scrambling to flee the country in the wake of the Taliban takeover.

READ MORE: Afghan visa applicants told to stay away from Kabul airport as US races to meet exit deadline

"You have been accused of helping the Americans," the Taliban wrote in the first of three letters to the Afghan man, adding, "You are also accused of providing security to your brother, who has been an interpreter."

The first letter from the Taliban, which is handwritten, orders the man to appear for a hearing.

The second handwritten letter is a notice of his failure to appear for the hearing.

In the third letter, which is typed, the Taliban notify the man that because he rejected previous warnings to stop "your servitude to the invading crusaders" and ignored a subpoena to appear for a hearing, he was "guilty in absentia" and will be sentenced to death.

The Taliban delivered the letters within the last three months to the interpreter's brother, according to the former service member who worked with the interpreter.

CNN is not identifying the Afghan man, nor his family member, to protect their identities amid the threats they're facing. The letters, which were written in Pashto and translated into English for CNN, have seals that match those of archival Taliban letters.

"These court decisions are final and you will not have the right to object," the third letter reads.

"You chose this path for yourself and your death is eminent [sic], God willing."

The letters contradict assurances Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid made at a press conference last week, as the group tries to project a more moderate image to the world.

READ MORE: Australians on RAAF flights leave 'punishing' Kabul behind

"Nobody will be harmed in Afghanistan," MrMujahid said.

"Of course, there is a huge difference between us now and 20 years ago."

Afghan allies of the US doubt that and these letters and numerous reports of the Taliban seeking retribution explain why many Afghans fear the Taliban's return to enforcing its brutal, oppressive rule.

The Biden administration has come under intense pressure to evacuate not only the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants but other vulnerable Afghans who are fearing for their lives.

The administration has been working to manage the massive crush of people attempting to flee the country on evacuation flights out of Kabul, as chaotic scenes have played out for days outside of Hamid Karzai International Airport.

A baby girl who was born with a rare heart condition during Queensland's recent COVID-19 outbreak almost didn't receive lifesaving surgery with specialists in home isolation.

Baby Mia arrived almost three weeks ago, just as the state was shutting down due to the Indooroopilly cluster.

"It was scary it was," Mia's mother, Caroline Pottstock, told 9News.

But lockdown was the last thing on Ms Pottstock's mind with her daughter born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, meaning her left side of her heart doesn't develop as well as her right.

"Babies like her need the surgery as soon as possible – so waiting wouldn't be an option," she said.

The procedure is so specialised only two doctors in Queensland can perform it and both were at home in quarantine after spending time at a COVID-19 exposure site.

"As the chief health officer said we cannot let any child come into harm because of this we will do everything we can to help her," Queensland Children's Hospital director of cardiac surgery Dr Prem Venugopal said.

And they did.

The hospital granted Dr Prem an exemption to operate. Although it came with tough measures – including daily COVID-swabs and isolating away from his own family.

"It was interesting knowing your family is across the door but you can't open that door," Dr Prem said.

"I felt for him. Yeah to be away from his family," Ms Pottstock said.

But after a mammoth seven-hour surgery – it was all worth it. Little Mia is doing well.

"She's got her colour and her little personality is coming out," Ms Pottstock said.

Baby Mia will need to undergo two more surgeries, one in just a few months' time. She'll require a third and hopefully final surgery when she's roughly four.

Avid #Auspol fans may have noticed a small but significant change to the House of Representatives during Question Time in Canberra today.

With Parliament adhering to strict attendance limits and social distancing protocols during the Australian Capital Territory's COVID-19 lockdown, a new addition to the House was seen in the form of plastic barriers down the middle of the Table of the House.

It is presumably one of the many COVID-19 safety measures put in place to allow Parliament to continue sitting during lockdown.

READ MORE: 'We will live with this virus': PM sets wheels in motion to open up

Parliament House on the whole is currently closed to the public, but as an essential workplace – officially – Prime Minister Scott Morrison was able to avoid suspending sitting during Canberra's lockdown, which ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr had initially pushed for.

Resembling a sneeze guard, the barriers offer an extra measure of safety for MPs responding to questions, particularly given the heated nature of debate Question Time can often throw up.

READ MORE: Secret conversations between WA Liberal powerbrokers revealed

Just as removalists and people engaging in heavy physical activity can be at a more pronounced risk of COVID-19 due to the more explosive nature of breathing under duress, so a shouted response might be more dangerous than a murmured one.

Bitcoin has cracked the $AUD 70,000 barrier as the virtual currency continues to climb out of a months-long slump.

It's the first time Bitcoin has reached that milestone since May 15.

Bitcoin's peers also advanced: Ethereum was up more than 3 per cent, while Dogecoin rose nearly 2 per cent.

READ MORE: Aussies warned of fake Bitcoin trading websites

Bitcoin had been inching near that mark all weekend before finally crossing it during Sunday evening hours Eastern Time (US), according to data from CoinDesk.

The cryptocurrency is also getting a lift after PayPal announced that it will allow people to buy, hold and sell four types of cryptocurrencies — bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin and bitcoin cash — in the United Kingdom.

This announcement marks the first international expansion of the company's cryptocurrency offering outside of the United States, where it launched the service in October last year.

With this move, the "access, knowledge, and the exploration of cryptocurrency has the potential to become mainstream in the UK," the company said in a statement.

READ MORE: Ethereum could overtake Bitcoin after major upgrade draws new buyers

It's been a turbulent few months for cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin, which hit an all-time high of nearly $90,794 in April, plummeted to as low as $40,228 in June after China escalated its crackdown on digital currencies.

Bitcoin, which had been hovering between $41,905 and $55,873 for many weeks, began to rise out of its slump last month, when major tech giants signaled — or appeared to signal — their support for digital currencies.

In July, Amazon posted a job opening for a digital currency and blockchain product lead, sending cryptocurrencies soaring.

READ MORE: Bitcoin, dogecoin and ethereum suddenly having another great week

The listing generated buzz about the tech company's future involvement with cryptocurrencies and its potential to further legitimize the nascent digital currency sector.

Bitcoin and its ilk also got a boost last month from bullish comments by Tesla and Twitter chief executives Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey, who each shared how they have incorporated or plan to incorporate digital currencies in their businesses.

A desperate search is underway for two young children abducted from their Melbourne home during a daylight home invasion.

The armed man entered the Blackburn North home on Springfield Road sometime between 8am and 8.30am today, where he allegedly assaulted the 32-year-old mother and left her gagged and bound.

Police allege he then stole the family's black 2014 Mercedes Benz C200 sedan with registration BEQ 882, fleeing the home with a five-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy.

The children, Adilla Wally, 5, and Bilal Wally, 3, have now been missing for more than eight hours with police racing to track them down.

READ MORE: Victoria records 71 new cases of COVID-19

Neighbours told 9News they had no idea the terrifying ordeal occurred until the mother crawled out onto the driveway bound and gagged while screaming for help.

"We saw a lady on the nature strip. Her mouth was bound, her hands were bound, legs bound and everything, she was just screaming," a witness told 9News.

Officers found the mother in distress after being called to the property about 8.55am for a welfare check.

Detective Inspector Dean Thomas from the Armed Crime Squad said the mother had been hospitalised due to suffering injuries from the alleged attack.

The father of the children was at work at the time of the incident but is assisting police with their investigation.

Detective Inspector Thomas said police remained hopeful they could reunite the "devastated" parents with their two children.

"I am confident we will locate these children and return them to their parents," he said.

The children are both Asian in appearance and were dressed in their pyjamas at the time.

"We are currently speaking with the mother of the two children, and also the father, and they are both cooperating with us and doing everything they can to assist us and to locate their children," he said.

"Obviously, they are very concerned as to what has happened and would like their children recovered as soon as possible.

"They are very distraught. (The mother) is very upset, as is the father."

Detective Inspector Thomas said police believe the abduction was an isolated incident, however, the motive of the crime is still being investigated.

It is believed the mother and the intruder interacted briefly during the incident.

The family is not known to police and moved into their Blackburn North home a year ago.

"Obviously any crime that involves the taking of children is treated very, very seriously," he said.

"We have a number of police working on this at the moment. We have many people, many uniformed members in the area, we have a number of detectives working tirelessly on this to try and ascertain where these children are so that we can liberate them.

"They would be in great fear and would be wanting to see their mum and dad as soon as possible."

CCTV shows the man leaving the property just after 8.45am, with the car last seen driving east along Springfield Road.

The man police are chasing is described as having dark skin and was wearing a black hooded jumper and a surgical face mask at the time.

Armed Crime Squad detectives have released an image of the exact car missing and a second image which is a stock photo of the same vehicle.

"Detectives are also asking anyone who was travelling in the Blackburn North area from 8am this morning and who has dash cam, to please check the footage for any sightings of this vehicle," a Victoria Police statement read.

"Anyone who sights the black Mercedes is urged to call triple-zero immediately."

Anyone with other information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Australians who can match their diet to their personality may be able to keep weight off for good, the nation's top scientific body has found.

The CSIRO today published an update to its 2017 Diet Types study, that identified six of the most common "diet types" and the personality traits that accompany them.

For instance, Australians who are goal-oriented but sensitive to negative feedback are known as "Thinkers" while others who need diet flexibility to fit their social calendar are known as "Socialisers".

READ MORE: Brisbane father loses 50 kilos on 'cookie diet'

A full list of the six most common diet types identified in the research can be found below. Australians can also find out their diet type using the CSIRO's five-minute online quiz.

The study researched the unique behavioural and emotional factors of 245,000 people who were dieting, finding that a one-size-fits-all approach was not conducive to long-term weight loss.

"Too often diets are developed with a one-size-fits all approach that ignores the fact that some people behave or think differently to others," Dr Emily Brindal, Senior Research Scientist and lead author of the study, said.

"Working with your Diet Type could help you achieve better weight loss outcomes in the longer term.

"The new Diet Type enhancements use personality and behavioural science to speak uniquely to people identifying with different diet types so they can embark on a weight loss journey that better suits them."

READ MORE: Researchers developing new drug to treat obesity

Most Australians fell into the categories of "Thinkers" or "Battlers".

While "Thinkers" are likely to be highly analytical, "Battlers" are Australians who regularly experience food temptations and are prone to stress and worry when they deviate from their planned diet.

"We are seeing people cope differently with COVID-19 stresses and uncertainty, which has included disruptions to health, fitness, and social routines," Dr Brindal said.

"We hope to help people achieve greater success on their journey to rediscover their health by playing to their individual strengths while also helping them to gain better control over their weaknesses."

READ MORE: Study supports science-backed weight loss method

Retail assistant, Kayleen Nuus from South Australia, said understanding her diet type played a critical role in her 37 kg weight loss.

"As a Craver I would consume food without a second thought – if it looked or smelled delicious, I had to have it, no matter how unhealthy it was," Ms Nuus said.

"Now I make decisions based on an understanding of how my mind works in certain situations. If I'm craving a particular food, I look for a healthier option. For example, rather than a take-away hamburger, I'll make it at home, so I know exactly what's going in it. I also generally track my food to understand my portions and satisfy my hunger, without the sacrifice.

"Understanding my diet type means I have more control over the psychological elements of my eating habits and can focus my energies on filling my body with nourishing foods, rather than empty kilojoules."

READ MORE: Eating processed foods 'guarantees' weight gain, new study finds

CSIRO's Six Most Common Diet Types

● The Thinker (14.1 per cent) – goal-oriented, motivated and analytical, however sensitive to negative feedback that can lead to stress or anxiety which could ultimately derail their diet.

● The Battler (12.8 per cent) – likely to experience regular food temptation as well as being prone to stress and worry. 'Battlers' require some unique strategies to help them break the cycle and achieve long-term success in their diet journey. Nine in 10 Battlers are female.

● The Craver (7.3 per cent) – likely to experience strong food cravings that may lead to overeating in 'tricky' food-related settings. Cravers had the highest Body Mass Index of all types.

● The Pleaser (7.1 per cent) – likeable and friendly but can also be sensitive to social comparisons which can make them feel like they are not doing well. They are likely to have many people to call upon to support them along the way.

● The Foodie (5.9 per cent) – passionate about all things food including the experience of preparing and eating good quality meals. Foodies love variety and have the best diet quality of all Types. Men often identify as Foodies.

● The Socialiser (4.8 per cent) – a people-person who needs flexibility to make sure strict food restrictions don't stifle social occasions or 'kill the mood' of an event.