One of the most prominent Democrats in Congress has written to the White House doctor demanding Donald Trump take a cognitive test.

Representative Jamie Raskin wrote to Sean Barbabella expressing his concern at the president's condition.

"Experts have repeatedly warned that the President has been exhibiting signs consistent with dementia and cognitive decline," he wrote.

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"And, in recent days, the country has watched President Trump's public statements and outbursts turn increasingly incoherent, volatile, profane, deranged, and threatening.

"His apparently deteriorating condition has caused tremendous alarm across the nation (and political spectrum) about the President's cognitive function and continuing mental fitness for the office and President."

Raskin requested a comprehensive cognitive test, with the results to be shared with Congress.

He cited Trump's bizarre and profane social media post on Easter Sunday in which he threatened to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure, dropped the F-word and praised Allah.

""Open the F—in' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell — JUST WATCH!" he wrote.

"Praise be to Allah."

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Raskin also mentioned the apparent difficulty Trump had in descending the White House steps that day.

He drew attention to how top Republican congressman James Comer subpoenaed the White House physician during the last administration for information on the cognitive capacity of Joe Biden.

Biden, like Trump, faced numerous questions about his mental faculty in office. Trump is now the same age Biden was at this point of his presidency.

A White House spokesperson issued a statement to Courthouse News criticising Raskin.

"Lightweight Jamie Raskin is a stupid person's idea of a smart person," the spokesperson said. 

"President Trump's sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast to what we saw during the past four years when Democrats like Raskin intentionally covered up Joe Biden's serious mental and physical decline from the American people."

Raskin's demand comes as several prominent conservative commentators have called for the cabinet to invoke the 25th amendment.

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The 25th Amendment would require the vice president and a majority of the cabinet to determine the president is not able to do his job.

Congress would then have 48 hours to vote in support. It would take a two-thirds vote in both chambers to remove Trump.

InfoWars commentator Alex Jones said Trump was no longer fit to hold office.

"How do we 25th Amendment his ass?" Jones said.

"Trump literally sounds like an unhinged super villain from a Marvel comic movie."

Trump has taken several cognitive tests in the past year, and has frequently bragged of the results.

Those tests are normally conducted in order to determine if a person has dementia.

Raskin is the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, and rose to public prominence during Trump's second impeachment trial as well as the investigation into the January 6 insurrection.

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A driver has been arrested and taken to hospital after allegedly striking a group of motorbike riders in Sydney's south-west overnight.

Police were told that at about 8.30pm a Holden Cruze Sedan had hit a group of motorbike riders who were waiting at an intersection of the Hume Highway and Johnson Road in Bass Hill.

The 49-year-old man drove away but was allegedly assaulted at a nearby Speedway petrol station in Bass Hill by several of the motorbike riders.

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Shocking footage showed the ordeal and the moment the car mowed down the group of dirt bike riders, with a separate video also showing one of the riders repeatedly jumping on the hood of the car.

A group of motorbike riders was seen swarming a Speedway petrol station in Bass Hill before one of the riders was spotted repeatedly jumping on a car.

In a second video, a car is seen mowing down the group, with at least one rider seen falling off their bike and onto the road.

9News understands the group of riders are the same in both videos.

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The driver left the petrol station and drove to a nearby shopping centre car park, where he crashed into a fire hydrant. He then fled before police arrived.

Following investigations, the man was arrested at about 9am today at an address in Bass Hill.

He was taken to Bankstown Hospital under police guard for treatment of facial injuries and a possible fractured arm.

Police are continuing to investigate the incident.

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The US-Israeli war in Iran, Iran's retaliation across the Middle East, Israel's war in Gaza, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in Africa: It's not hard to see why many are concerned about the potential for another world war.

After World War II ended in 1945, countries established the United Nations to prevent future conflict and promote peace.

For a while, it worked.

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But now as world leaders defy the UN's recommendations and military security alliances such as NATO stand on shaky ground, post-war peace strategies are coming into question.

Adding to concerns of a potential World War III, are US President Donald Trump's escalating threats against Iran and Iran's retaliation across the Middle East keeping the war, which started on February 28, simmering. 

However, whether we actually are headed towards another world war, from a technical point of view, is more nuanced.

What is a world war? 

There is no clear definition of what constitutes a world war.

The United Nations does not have one, but here is how some dictionaries define it:

• Oxford: "A war involving many nations of the world"
• Cambridge: "A war in which large forces from many countries fight"
• Merriam-Webster: "A war engaged in by all or most of the principal nations of the world"

David Kilcullen, who served in the Australian army for 22 years and worked as a diplomat for almost 30 years with both the Australian and US governments, said a world war usually involves overlapping conflicts and countries.

"When you get multiple campaigns, usually in different continents, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and you have all the same combatants fighting in multiple campaigns at the same time in different continents, that's definitely a world war," he said.

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How close are we to another world war?

Kilcullen said there is a potential for the conflict to expand into a world war if it connects with the Russian invasion of Ukraine or if China or North Korea use the situation as an opportunity to further their own agendas in Taiwan and South Korea, respectively.

But he noted that we usually don't know we're in a world war until after the fact.

"It's been in the eye of the beholder," he said.

"If you think of World War II in retrospect, that looks to us like a world war, but at the time… it was really just a European war.

"It was only when Hitler invaded Russia and then the Japanese attacked the US that suddenly it went from being a European war to being a world war."

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Billionaire investor Ray Dalio, who said he has spent the last 50 years studying global events that affect markets, laid out his 13 steps to a WW3 in his latest newsletter.

He said the world is alreadt at step nine, which is when several multi-theatre conflicts happen simultaneously.

Step nine is followed by countries demanding internal support for war, direct military combat between major powers, a big increase in taxes and debt with some markets shutting down, and finally one side winning the war against another.

"Virtually nobody is talking about the fact that we are in the early stages of a world war that isn't going to end anytime soon," he said in a social media post. 

What would a world war mean for Australia? 

Australia has deployed military assets in the Middle East to defend citizens and civilians.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this week signed off on keeping the E-7A Wedgetail in the region "a period of time", but reiterated that Australia was not involved in any offensive capacity.

While Australia is geographically placed away from the global conflicts, Kilcullen said it would be unable to distance itself fully from a world war due to its dependencies on global trade.

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"And that's the reason we've always tried to have a big ally, originally the British and then the Americans," he said.

Kilcullen added that Australia could be in even more trouble if China ever decided to invade Taiwan.

"That would be even worse, because we would definitely be in that war one way or another," he said. 

"The timeline that most people think is likely for a Chinese move on Taiwan could be as soon as next April, so we could be in the last 12 months before a really, really major conflict."

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Aussie retailers are reporting an unprecedented surge in bike sales as commuters ditch their cars to bypass the fuel pump.

As tensions in Iran disrupt global energy markets, the ripple effect is now showing up in how we choose to get around.

99 Bikes has recorded a staggering 136 per cent increase in sales over the last week alone – a trend consistent across every state.

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Unlike the COVID-19 bike boom, which was largely driven by boredom and the urge to escape the house, this time, it's different.

"We've seen a clear shift for people as bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters become a solution to the rising cost of fuel and a long-term cost of living fix," says David Miller-Heidke, General Manager of 99 Bikes.

At Decathlon Australia, the data tells a similar story.

Head of Digital Antoine Vaxelaire reports that online orders in the cycling category have jumped 50 per cent year-on-year in just the last fortnight.

He notes that cycling is increasingly viewed "not just as a sport or leisure activity, but as a smart, everyday response to rising fuel costs."

For many, the move isn't about buying a new toy, but replacing a second family car.

Sydney dad Jerémie Siguan recently invested in a bike for his three-year-old son Django's daycare runs.

"I've always loved cycling for leisure, but it never crossed my mind as a practical, everyday solution – the fuel crisis changed that thinking pretty quickly," he tells nine.com.au.

"We needed something that could replace the car for day-to-day life, not just the occasional weekend ride."

The Bronte local says the switch from car to bike has also led to a new routine.

"There's something that just feels better about being out in the fresh air and moving, rather than sitting in traffic. It's also given us genuine quality time together, something we didn't expect but now really value," he adds.

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When it comes to e-bikes, while the savings in fuel are immediate, the upfront cost often ranges from $5,000 to $10,000.

As a result, subscription services have seen a 15% spike in inquiries in recent weeks.

Katrina Khao, Head of Marketing at Lug+Carrie, says the service is effectively "recession-proofing" household budgets in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.

"Over the last five years, our users have collectively saved an estimated $1 million in petrol costs by swapping car trips for Lug+Carrie e-bikes," Khao says.

As the cost of living tightens its grip, the humble bicycle is proving a popular way to commute. For those still paying $2 plus at the pump, the message from the bike path is simple.

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"The fuel situation might be what first gets you thinking about it," Siguan says.

"But once you start riding, you quickly realise the benefits go well beyond just saving money."

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Vigilantes in Queensland's southeast have taken the law into their own hands, bashing their own ute with baseball bats after it was stolen.

As the thief tried to get away, he inadvertently reversed through the front fence of a family home in Logan.

The ute was initially stolen from a worksite in Yeronga, with the owners deciding to try and track down the car.

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It took them three hours, but they eventually encountered the thief on a Rochedale South street at around 9.30pm.

CCTV footage shows the owners ramming their ute, then proceeding to bash it with baseball bats as they tried to get the thief to hand it over.

"That's my car! He stole our car!" One of the men is heard saying as he is seen bashing the side doors, mirrors and windows of the ute.

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The barrage on the ute lasted about three minutes, by which point the thief was able to get away, but not before reversing through the front fence of Danielle and Craig Mason's home.

"A number of hours earlier, my son could have been reversed over playing in the front yard," Chris said.

"What's the world come to?"

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The driver still hasn't been found despite a large police search, but the Mason family are more upset with the vigilantes than the thief himself.

"I was mostly angry about the vigilantes' chase, because I think that that's what created heaps more chaos and violence and damage than the guy stealing the car," Danielle said.

"Which is obviously wrong, but I just don't think we should take it into our own hands. Just leave it to the police."

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The hunt continues for a child rapist who escaped from authorities at Bankstown Hospital on Wednesday morning.

Authorities say that Michael Angok was receiving treatment before he escaped custody at Bankstown Hospital sprinting from his hospital bed, after being transported from Villawood Immigration Detention Centre. 

He has been on the run for more than 48 hours.

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The 30-year-old was imprisoned for his role in the gang rape of a 14-year-old girl in Doonside, in Sydney's west, in 2014 and has spent the past nine years in the detention facility.

"We are talking about an individual who raped a minor, a convicted rapist who is on the run," Home Affairs Shadow Minister Jonno Duniam said.

"The Australian Government need to now clarify if every risk assessment has been undertaken and every protocol put in place."

A resident told 9News he saw Angok run into a backyard and jump over a fence.

He hasn't been seen since, with police today searching the neighbourhood and even a nearby school.

"He appeared in a hurry, he was running," John told 9News.

"Terrible, terrible. Anyone [who] does that should be put in jail for life."

Yesterday, the AFP were granted an arrest warrant to locate Angok under Strike Force Tolquin.

NSW Police Detective Superintendent Brett Van Akker said that Angok is "well-known to police" as they appeal to the public for information.

Van Akker said that while police will not comment on his criminal history, "significant police resources" are working towards his capture.

Personal items belonging to the 30-year-old were found on Gallipoli Road in Condell Park after his escape.

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He is described as being of African appearance, about 175cm to 180cm tall, of thin build, with short black hair.

He was last seen wearing a black hooded jumper, grey tracksuit pants and white 'croc' sandals.

Angok previously lived in the Blacktown area and may use public transport, however, police believe it is still likely he is still in the Bankstown area.

"If anyone knows the whereabouts of this individual, I urge them to come forward and contact police through Crime Stoppers or Triple-Zero," Van Akker said. 

As the search continues, anyone who sees Angok is urged not to approach him but to contact Triple Zero (000) immediately.

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The crew member was knocked overboard by a float at about 10.40pm Sunday.

Damien Whitlow had 300 convictions. Then he learned a hard lesson as a passenger.

The bereaved father of a skydiver killed after getting tangled on a plane says he does not hold a grudge against the man convicted over the accident.

Experienced instructor Stephen Hoare, 37, and his tandem passenger, Alex Welling, 32, died while skydiving at Goulburn airport in NSW's south on June 27, 2021.

The pair fell about 100 metres to their deaths after their equipment got snagged on a step that had recently been installed on the Cessna plane.

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SafeWork NSW charged Goulburn Flight Training Centre and its sole director, Attilio Giovanni Ferrara, known as John Ferrara, with two counts each of breaching workplace safety duties.

They were found guilty in the NSW District Court in March.

Judge Andrew Scotting found the fabricated step was an "obvious and dangerous snag hazard".

During a sentencing hearing today, Hoare's father, Frank, looked across the sparse courtroom to Ferrara.

Hoare said he held "no animosity" towards Ferrara or Jim Czerwinski, the pilot who installed the step and flew the plane that day.

"In the end, there was no intent," Hoare said quietly.

The men's families waited four years and 10 months for answers about the accident, a delay that felt like a dismissal of their lost lives, Hoare said.

"Losing our son … has shattered our lives in ways that words have never fully captured," Hoare said.

"He was not just a name or statistic; he was our son and our joy.

"Every day [since] his death has been filled with a silence that should not exist and a grief that does not lessen with time."

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Hoare hoped the accident would lead to meaningful safety changes in the skydiving industry.

He called on the state coroner to hold an inquest so that formal recommendations could be made.

SafeWork's barrister, Darien Nagle, urged the judge to consider the scale of the avoidable tragedy.

"The risk was avoidable, the risk was known," Nagle said.

Evidence at the trial included a short GoPro video taken by a third solo skydiver, showing Welling grinning as he moved towards the open door of the plane while strapped to Hoare.

The footage showed a black strap getting caught on the protruding step, leaving the pair frantically dangling upside-down mid-air.

The pilot attempted several manoeuvres to free the men, including flying low over the airport while staff on the ground stood on top of a four-wheel drive to try and grab them.

The men fell when the plane returned to a higher altitude.

Ferrara made a "sincere and unqualified" apology to the men's families in an affidavit read to the court.

Judge Scotting offered his condolences, saying he lost his sister in tragic circumstances.

"I understand that pain perhaps better than you might appreciate," the judge said.

Ferrara will be sentenced on April 17.

READ MORE: Manhunt continues for convicted gang rapist who escaped hospital in Sydney's south-west

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Life360 has become the latest global tech company to cull jobs in favour of growing adoption of artificial intelligence, with chief executive Lauren Antonoff admitting "the roles people play are shifting".

Antonoff announced a company restructure to an AI-native model and the reallocation of investment towards new capabilities and roles.

"This shift requires difficult tradeoffs that impact good people," she said in a lengthy statement posted to LinkedIn.

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"Today, this meant saying goodbye to teammates who helped shape Life360 as we know it.

"This wasn't an easy decision, and it isn't about reducing headcount. AI isn't just making existing work faster, it's changing what's possible."

Antonoff did not reveal how many roles were affected.

Life360 is headquartered in the US but is a "remote-first" company with more than 500 staff across the world.

It has a presence in Australia and is listed on the ASX.

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Antonoff said AI has already transformed her workforce and, without it, the company would fall behind in an unrecoverable way.

"We're uncovering new needs and seeing that the roles and ratios that made sense for getting work done in the pre-AI world no longer hold as AI takes on more of the work," she said.

"If we don't make this shift now, we limit what Life360 can become and what we can deliver for the families who depend on us, as well as employees and shareholders.

"Waiting is not a risk we're willing to take, even though the consequence of moving quickly hurts."

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Life360's shares fell 3.3 per cent to $19.46 on the ASX today following the announcement. 

9news.com.au has contacted Life360 for comment. 

Life360 posted a record year in 2025, with full-year revenue growing 32 per cent year-over-year to $US489.5 million ($AUD692.5 million).

"For the first time in company history, we achieved annual net income, reflecting both the fundamental strength of our freemium model and the operating discipline we've built over the past several years," Antonoff said in March.

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At least 23,000 jobs have already been lost in the tech sector this year due to a growing adoption of AI, including about 1600 workers at Atlassian, 4000 at Block2000 at WiseTech.

Some founders and experts signalled more layoffs will come, saying AI has changed the workforce.

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