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Despite a recent string of shark attacks across the California coast, including the tragic killing of a 55-year-old swimmer, the violent incidents dropped in the United States in 2025 compared to the year prior.

At least 28 shark attacks were reported last year in U.S. waters, according to information gathered by USA TODAY and non-profitsGlobal Shark Attack FileandTrackingSharks.com.

The more than two dozen attacks reported by the organizations are downover the prior year, when 36 people reported being injured by sharks.

TheInternational Shark Attack File, run by theFlorida Museum of Natural History, classifies the attacks asprovoked or unprovokedbased on whether a human initiated the contact.

The Sunshine State tops the 2025 list of U.S. attacks, with 15 reported last year. California followed with four terrifying encounters.

"While sharks may seem frightening, they are vital in keeping our oceans healthy, and the odds of a negative interaction are slim compared to the number of ocean users." Kevin McMurray with Tracking Sharks and a contributing shark attack researcher withISAFtold USA TODAY.

Last year's incidents in America accounted for just over 41% of the world's 68 documented attacks, which included 11 fatalities.

From Hawaii and California to Florida and New York, here's where each attack took place last year across the United States.

Where do shark attacks occur the most in the US?

Florida (15)

Florida leads all 50 states with the highest number of shark attacks documented last year. Shark experts confirmed 15 attacks, but details were not immediately available for five of the incidents, McMurray said.

Reported shark attacks in The Sunshine State are as follows:

Sept. 2, 3:25 p.m.: Key Largo

Richard Burrows, an8-year-old boy, suffered a bite to his upper leg as he snorkled with family near Horseshoe Reef. The boy was taken by medical helicopter to a hospital, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said in astatement.

Aug. 16, 11 p.m.: Cayo Costa

Lemon shark

Shawn Meuse, 48, sustained serious injuries to his legwhile posing with a shark for a photo. The encounter took place while he and his friends fished on the barrier island in southwest Florida, the Boca Grande District Fire Department reported.

Aug. 2, noon: Pensacola

Chance Armand, 28,told USA TODAYhe was in waters off Pensacola when a shark bit his knee spearfishing offshore Pensacola Pass. Armand said the shark was attempting to grab a fish he shot. Santa Rosa emergency medical services transported him to a hospital to be treated for the injury.

July 22, 2:50 p.m.: Hollywood

Unknown species

A Canadian man in his 40s suffered an injury to his upper arm inchest-deep water with a friendwhen a fish jumped over his head, and he was quickly attacked by a shark. The victim was taken to a hospital to be treated, Hollywood Fire Rescue and Beach Safety said.

July 19, 12:11 p.m.:West Palm Beach

Lemon shark

Jeff Joel, 69, was bitten in the left forearm after he approached a shark while diving with friends in the Jupiter Inlet,The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. The shark had been caught in a fish stringer about 20 feet deep in the ocean.

July 18, noon: New Smyrna Beach

Unknown species

Sam Hollis, an 18-year-old surf instructor,sustained injuries to his footwhile surfing, Volusia County Beach Safety reported. Hollis waspaddling to a sandbarand attempted to jump and push his board over a wave when he was bitten. He was taken to a hospital to be treated.

July 6, 3 p.m.: New Smyrna Beach

Unknown species

A40-year-old mansuffered injuries from a shark bite to his right forearm as he swam in the ocean, Voulsia County Beach Safety said. The man was transported to a hospital for treatment, the Daytona News-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported.

Scientists have discovered more than 900 species of sharks and rays and related species

June 11, 12:11 p.m.: Boca Grande

Leah Lindel, a 9-year-old girl, suffered major injuries to her hand while snorkeling with family members . She was taken by medical helicopter to Tampa General Hospital to receive emergency care.

May 27, time unknown: South of Pompano Beach

Unknown species

A 32-year-old woman snorkeling near a pier off Lauderdale-by-the-Sea was bitten in the arm,NBC Miami reported.The woman was in waist-deep water when she spotted bait fish swimming nearby before the attack. She was treated at a hospital, the outlet said.

April 12, 2:48 p.m.: Everglades National Park

Unknown species

A man suffered injuries to the arm and hand in an attack while fishing in Everglades National Park, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue reported. The man was airlifted to a hospital to be treated for the injuries.

California (4)

Dec. 21, noon: Monterey Bay

Great white shark

Erica Fox, 55,disappeared swimming in the baywith more than a dozen people. A witness reported they saw a shark breach the waterwith what appeared to be a human body in its mouth. The shark then reportedly submerged below the waterline without resurfacing. Fox's body was found several days later, Pacific Grove Police confirmed.

Dec. 12, 8 a.m.:Bodega Bay

Great white shark

A surfersustained hand injuries at North Salmon Creekin Bodega Bay after a shark reportedly attacked him. The area is just off the Sonoma County coast. The victim declined medical treatment at the scene, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said, but he later transported himself to a hospital.

Sept. 30, 1:20 a.m.:Catalina Island

Great white shark

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Chris Murray, 54, suffered injuries to the hand and foot swimming the Catalina Channel. The victim reported he was attempting to swim between Catalina Island and the Los Angeles County coast when a small great white shark attacked him twice. Los Angeles Police Department first responders transported him to a local hospital.

May 31, 2:30 p.m.: San Mateo Coast

Great white shark

Jens Heller, 42, was tossed off his surfboard by a shark at Montara State Beach. In an interview withSF Gate, he said a shark knocked him off the board and then attacked it as he swam away. Heller was not seriously harmed.

Odds of being killed by a shark

The odds of being killed by a shark in the United States are more than 4 million to 1, according totrackingsharks.com.

Researchers say people are more likely to die by lighting strike (1 in nearly 80,000), accidental poisoning (1 in 193), or a hospital infection (1 in 38).

Hawaii (3)

Dec. 9. 4:30 p.m.: Kahaulu'u Beach

Blacktip reefshark

Josiah Kaimani Ventura, 24, was bitten in one of his thighs in waters off Kona's west shore of the Big Island. He was injured while trying to release a shark stuck in fishing gear and was taken to a hospital to be treated.

Nov. 5, mid afternoon: Hanalei Bay on Kauai

Tiger shark

Chance Swanson, 33, suffered injuries to his legssurfing near Pine Treeson Kauai's North Shore, theKauai Ocean Safety Bureaureported. The victim had a severed artery and was saved by fellow life guards and taken to a hospital to be treated.

Jan. 11, 1:40 p.m.:Town of Haleiwa on Oahu

Unknown species

A 23-year-old tour boat employee in Hawaii was injured by a sharkon the island's North Shore. The man was bitten on the arm and taken to a hospital be treated.

Minnesota woman dies from shark attack in Virgin Islands, police say

South Carolina (2)

June 22, 12:10 p.m.: Sea Pines Beach

Unknown species

A teenage girlsuffered a leg injuryafter being bitten in waters off Beaufort County. The attack took place at Coligny Beach Park.

June 17, 12:07 p.m.: Hilton Head Island

Unknown species

A12-year-old girlwas bitten on her leg in waters off the south end of Hilton Head Island. The girl was transported toHilton Head Island Airport, where a medical helicopter flew her to a Savannah facility for treatment.

Texas (2)

Nov. 5, 4 p.m.: Matagorda Beach

Unknown species

Chuck Bledsoe, 70, suffered injuries to his foot during an attack while fishing at Matagorda Beach. Officials said the injuries weren't major, and he was taken to a local hospital to be treated the next day,The Bay City Tribunereported.

Aug. 30, time unknown:Galveston

Unknown species

Harper Ochoa, 8, sustained injuries to her leg while she swam in waters off Galveston County. The girl was taken to a hospital where her mother said she received 13 staples to her calf area, local TV stationKWTXreported.

North Carolina (2)

July 12, time unknown:Holden Beach

Blacktip reef shark

Ralph Benson, age unknown, was bitten in the lower leg by a small shark "while surf fishing on the west end of Holden Beach," according toan Oak Island, North Carolina, social media post. The man was taken by medical helicopter to a hospital for treatment. The case remained pending, McMurray said.

May 28, 11 a.m.: Sunset Beach

Unknown species

Sean Barton, 26, suffereda leg injury in an attackswimming just south of Ocean Isle Beach. The Sunset Beach Fire Department said crews transported the victim to a medical facility to be treated.

Massachusetts (1)

July 6, unknown time: Nantucket Beach

Sandbar shark

A 21-year-old man suffered injuries to his leg in an attack while fishing at Hoicks Hollow in Nantucket. The victim was taken by medical helicopter to a hospital,according tomultiple reports.

New York (1)

June 26, 4:15 p.m.: Long Island

Sand tiger shark

A 20-year-old woman swimming in shallow water off Jones Beach State Park near Wantagh sustained minor cuts to her foot and leg when she was bitten. She was taken to a hospital to be treated,The New York Timesreported.

They survived shark bitesHere's what they've learned and the wonders they've seen.

How many people are attacked by sharks each year?

According todata fromISAF, the world averages65 documented shark attackseach year.Six fatal attacksare reported annually on average, the data shows.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1rAwdqreAmcvlkHlTuaddhdn7THoIS1c&femb=1&ll=0%2C0&z=1

How to reduce risk of a shark attack

For those who are worried about the risk of an attack, McMurray said to stay in groups near the shore and in areas patrolled by lifeguards. If in a new area, check with locals to find out about rip currents and sea life.

"The chances of encountering a shark while in the water are slim in most areas and often worth the risk as the ocean is a beautiful place worth exploring and enjoying," McMurray said. "If you see a shark, face it and stay as calm as possible as you slowly swim away, avoiding splashing."

Other tips include:

• Do not enter water where people are fishing.

• Do not enter water with an injury, especially if you are bleeding.

• Avoid wearing shiny jewelry. It can catch sunlight and glint, much like the fish that sharks prey upon.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:How many shark attacks were there in the US last year? See list

Health officials in the nation's capital warned people who attended the National March for Life rally in January may have been exposed to measles.

DC Healthsaid three people infected with measles visited various locations in Washington, D.C. between Jan. 21 and Feb. 2, including the annual anti-abortion march. The rally reportedly drew thousands of attendees including Vice PresidentJD Vance, Speaker of the HouseMike Johnsonand other members of Congress.

Other potential measles exposure sites include major transit hubs like Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Union Station as well as the Catholic University of America and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Children's National Hospital said in astatementthat a Virginia resident who was diagnosed with measles visited its emergency department on Feb. 2.

Measles is highly contagious and can spread through the air when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes. The disease can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, swelling of the brain and death.

Dr. Oz:'Take the vaccine, please' amid measles outbreaks

Measles was eliminated in the United States by 2000 but has resurfaced in periodic outbreaks, mostly among people who are not vaccinated. There have been two new outbreaks and more than 730 confirmed cases of measles reported in 2026 as of Feb. 5,according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention..

March for Life: See photos from the anti-abortion march in Washington

Health officialsin Washington state onJan. 16 confirmed an outbreakconnected to a family traveling from South Carolina, wherea major outbreakhas been brewing. Los Angeles County public health officials recently confirmedthree measles cases involving people who had traveled internationally, including one who flew into Los Angeles International Airport and visited Disneyland Resort.

Those incidents come after measles cases reached the highest level seen in over three decades in 2025, according to CDC data. There were at least three deaths related to measles that year, the first documented in a decade.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator, and Health and Human Services SecretaryRobert F. Kennedy Jr.have urged Americans to get the measles vaccineas cases spread.

DC Health said it is reaching out to people who may have been exposed. Health officials urged anyone who was exposed and never received a measles-containing vaccine to contact their health care provider or DC Health and watch for symptoms for at least 21 days after their exposure.

Contributing:Sara Moniuszko

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:March for Life attendees may have been exposed to measles

Federal prosecutors on Monday moved to drop a criminal case brought during the Biden administration againstSteve Bannon, a former adviser to President Donald Trump who was convicted years ago for thumbing his nose at lawmakers investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

In a request to the federal judge in Washington, DC, who oversaw Bannon's trial, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said "the government has determined in its prosecutorial discretion that dismissal of this criminal case is in the interests of justice."

Pirro asked US District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, to dismiss the matter with prejudice, which, if granted, would mean prosecutors are barred from refiling the case.

The request appears to be the Justice Department's latest effort to undo criminal cases stemming from the riot, which Trump and his allies have gone to great lengths to downplay since he returned to the White House.

Just after taking office again last year, Trump pardoned over 1,000 rioters and he has pushed Republicans in Congress to re-scrutinize the work of the committee that sought information from Bannon.

CNN has reached out to Bannon's attorneys for comment on prosecutors' request.

Bannon already completed a four-month prison sentence in 2024, but he had continued to challenge his conviction, including by appealing to the Supreme Court, which hadn't yet decided whether to review the case.

A jury in DC convicted Bannon of contempt of Congress in 2022 after he failed to provide documents and testimony to the House select committee that investigated the Capitol attack. A federal appeals court later upheld the conviction.

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Bannon is one of two former members of Trump's inner circle who were prosecuted for not participating in the House January 6 probe. The second, former Trump White House aidePeter Navarro, also served prison time for his 2023 conviction.

Bannon, a leading voice for the American alt-right, has returned to the spotlight in recent weeks after a new trove of documents related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein included texts the two men exchanged.The records, released by the Justice Department and House Oversight Committee, reveal a close personal relationship — and show Epstein's deep involvement in Bannon's ambitions on the world stage.

The investigation into Bannon

Bannon was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2021 after he blew off deadlines from the previous month for producing documents and testimony the January 6 committee had subpoenaed.

In demanding his cooperation, the panel pointed to Bannon's contacts with Trump in the lead up to the Capitol assault, his presence in the so-called war room of Trump allies at the Willard Hotel in Washington the day before the riot, and a prediction he made on his podcast before the riot that "all hell" was going to "break loose."

"In short, Mr. Bannon appears to have played a multi-faceted role in the events of January 6th, and the American people are entitled to hear his first-hand testimony regarding his actions," the House committee report recommending a contempt resolution against him said.

Bannon's team did not mount a defense during the brief trial, and he did not take the stand.

Bannon's appeal of his conviction has largely centered around his argument that he was relying on advice from his attorney when he ignored the congressional subpoenas. Nichols ruled that the advice-of-counsel argument could not be used during the trial, and the DC Circuit Court of Appealsaffirmed that decision in 2024.

CNN's Steve Contorno, Tierney Sneed, Katelyn Polantz and Holmes Lybrand contributed to this report.

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SANTA CLARA, California  — They came, they marched, they chanted − all under a close watch. But it wasn't ICE agents who patrolled the streets on Super Bowl Sunday, as many had anticipated.

Hundreds of people on Feb. 8 took over a main thoroughfare less than two miles away from Levi's Stadium, site ofSuper Bowl 60between theSeattle Seahawksand theNew England Patriots, just before kickoff, railing againstPresident Donald Trump's mass deportation efforts usingImmigration and Customs Enforcementand Border Patrol.

Their voices got louder, echoing off nearby buildings while they chanted "no ICE, no KKK, no racist USA," "dare to struggle, dare to win," and "it's our right to resist, it's our right to rebel."

The protest capped a weeklong slew ofrallies, marches and demonstrationsin the area, all culminating in the biggest turnout on game day.

"We deserve to be seen and heard," said Lyla Salinas, 22, an organizer with CSO San Jose, one of the protest's nearly two-dozen sponsors. "We need to show our presence on one of the world's biggest stages."

Demonstrators oppose ICE deployment at Milano Cortina Olympics

Even though law enforcement officials confirmed last week there would be no ICE enforcement at any Super Bowl 60 event, authorities on foot, on bikes and on horseback watched intently as they followed the protesters down Great America Parkway. No arrests were made during the almost two-hour event, Santa Clara police said.

Also watching was California Democratic CongressmanRo Khanna, who spoke and walked with several protesters and told USA TODAY that ICE was not present in the area.

"Our staff has received multiple updates throughout the day. We need to make sure they don't come during the World Cup as well," Khanna said, noting several international soccer matches will take place in his Silicon Valley district in June.

Salinas used the opportunity to tell Khanna that he and his organization have tried many times to reach out to the lawmaker, seeking his involvement, and to ask him not to support funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

Khanna told Salinas he remains a firm "no" on voting for additional Homeland Security funding, as DHS funding was extended until Feb. 13, creating a deadline for Congress to negotiate further. Khanna told Salinas they would keep in touch.

"I told him he needed to be more supportive of what we're doing, that we're showing our communities we're here to defend them," said Salinas about putting pressure on Khanna. "He said he would help us, but actions speak louder than words."

No ICE at the Super Bowl?More:Bay Area communities aren't buying it.

Turnout was a surprise

Holding a sign that said, "No Secret Police," Doug Wolf, 60, of Boulder Creek, California, said he was pleasantly surprised by the protest's turnout.

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"We shouldn't have to be here, but you gotta be out here," said Wolf, amid the chanting. "The Constitution and the Fourth Amendment are being shredded right in front of us. We have to take a stand."

Ariel Ranker, a member of the nonprofit 50501 San Jose, agreed.

"If we don't stand up and fight back, we may not have a democratic society anymore. This is unacceptable, especially if we still want to call ourselves a democratic nation," Ranker, 25, said in between chanting with her bullhorn. "This is not the country I grew up in."

Rankin got fired up when listening to a call-and-response chant by Kimberly Woo, an organizer withServices, Immigrant Rights and Education Network(SIREN) of Santa Clara County, who said they have the "home-field advantage" over ICE.

ICE lawsuit:Toddler returned to ICE custody and denied medication, lawsuit says

"No hate, no fear," Woo yelled. "Immigrants are welcomed here!"

Hours before the protest, several activists gave about 15,000 towels with the words "ICE OUT"  to fans attending the Super Bowl, hoping they would raise them throughout the game and duringBad Bunny's halftime performance, to protest the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations.

The gesture, called "Flags in the Stands," was organized by Contra-ICE, a coalition of artists, musicians, and community organizers.

Drawn by political cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz, the design was inspired by Bad Bunny, and shows a rabbit wearing the singer's signature pava (straw hat), while holding a grenade in one hand (a nod to local rockers Green Day, who opened the game and their multiplatinum album American Idiot). The rabbit kicks a football that's in a frozen block of ice.

One volunteer, Dan Reynolds, said he passed out more than 600 towels to fans. A handful of people politely gave them back to him.

"That's not a bad percentage," Reynolds said as he ran out of his supply. "We hope they get put to good use."

Seahawks fan Mikki Ellingsen, 59, of Seattle, said she wished she grabbed more.

"Absolutely," Ellingsen said, waving the towel. "Proud to do it."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'No hate, no fear' ICE protesters chant near Super Bowl

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Key Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa was arrested by heavily armed men on Sunday night, his supporters said, just hours after he had been released from a jail where he was held as a political prisoner.

Guanipa's family and political allies said he had been "kidnapped" by a group of men and accused the Caracas regime of being responsible.

The country's public prosecutor's office later confirmed it had requested Guanipa be placed under house arrest, claiming a breach of his release conditions.

Leader of the conservative Primero Justicia party, Guanipa was among several high-profile political prisoners freed on Sunday, in the latest effort from Caracas to satisfyUS demandsfollowing Washington's ouster of strongman leader Nicolás Maduro.

But Guanipa, 61, was later snatched by a group of men in the Los Chorros neighborhood of Caracas, said Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Laureate María Corina Machado, who is not in the country.

"Heavily armed men dressed in civilian clothes arrived in four vehicles and took him away by force," she saidon X.

Guanipa's son Ramón said in a video that his father was "ambushed" at a late night event "by approximately 10 agents who had no identification whatsoever."

"They pointed their guns at them, they were heavily armed, and they took my father," he said, before demanding to see proof his father was still alive.

Guanipa's Primero Justicia party also accused the Caracas regime of being behind the kidnapping. "We hold (interim President) Delcy Rodríguez, (National Assembly President) Jorge Rodríguez, and (Interior Minister) Diosdado Cabello responsible for any harm against the life of Juan Pablo," it said in a statement on X.

After Maduro was captured by US special forces last month, his former deputy Rodríguez took over as leader with the blessing of the Trump administration, on the proviso Caracas complied with a raft of US demands – from access to oil to the release of political prisoners.

Guanipa was freed earlier Sunday night after more than eight months in prison.

Shortly after walking out of a detention center in Caracas, Guanipa had uploaded a video on social media, declaring, "Today we are being released. Much to discuss about the present and future of Venezuela, always with the truth at the forefront."

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Guanipa was arrested inMay 2025, following claims by Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, made without evidence, that he was involved in an alleged "terror" plot against regional and legislative elections. Guanipa has repeatedly denied the accusation.

Machado had celebrated the news of his release earlier Sunday. "My dear Juan Pablo, counting down the minutes until I can hug you! You are a hero and history will always recognize it," she wrote on social media.

Another of Machado's allies, lawyer Perkins Rocha, was also released on Sunday, but under strict restrictions, according to his wife María Constanza.

Human rights group Foro Penal said it had confirmed that at least 30 political prisoners were released on Sunday, according to the group's director, Alfredo Romero.

Others who were freed include Luis Somaza, a member of the Popular Will party, and Jesús Armas, an activist and former opposition councilman.

Venezuela's opposition and human rights groups have long accused the country's authoritarian regime of using arbitrary arrests to suppress dissent. Foro Penal estimates that hundreds of additional political prisoners still remain behind bars.

The government has denied that it holds people for political reasons, arguing that those in prison have committed crimes.

Sunday's releases come days after Venezuela's National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez promised relatives of political prisoners that "all detainees" would be freed. Rodríguez, the brother of acting president Delcy Rodríguez, said the process would be completed "no later than" Friday, February 13.

His announcement comes as the acting socialist government moves forward with anamnesty billthat could lead to the mass release of prisoners – some of whom have been held since 1999, when strongman leader Hugo Chávez came to power – as a first step toward what officials describe as national reconciliation.

Although the government announced the release of "a significant number of people" days after the US captured Maduro, rights groups and family members believe that the pace of releases has been slow.

So far, more than 380 people have been freed from prison, according to Foro Penal, while the government claims to have released more than 800.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN's Michael Rios, contributed to this report.

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MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Israel PresidentIsaac Herzogstarted a state visit Monday aimed at consoling grieving Australian Jews and improving bilateral relations by laying a wreath and stones at the site of anantisemitic attack in Sydneythat left 15 dead.

Australia Israel

Herzog met victims' families and survivors of the Dec. 14 attack on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach. Only one of the two alleged gunmen survived following a gunbattle with police.Naveed Akramhas beencharged with committing a terrorist act, murdering 15 people and wounding another 40 in what was Australia'sworst mass shooting in 29 years.

Herzog laid the wreath and two stones he had brought from Jerusalem at the rain-swept Bondi Pavillion near the site of the massacre. The pavilion became on impromptu memorial in the days after the tragedy as flowers and cards were placed there.

Herzog says he's in Sydney to show solidarity and love

The Israeli president said the stones would remain at Bondi in memory of the victims and as a reminder that good people of all faiths and nations "will continue to hold strong in the face of terror, violence and hatred, and that we shall overcome this evil together."

"We were shaken to our core when we first heard about the Bondi Beach attack. Our heart missed a beat, like all Israelis and all Jews. And I'm here to express solidarity, friendship, and love," Herzog told reporters.

"And I also believe that this is an opportunity to upgrade the relations between Israel and Australia because we are two democracies that share values together and we are confronting the roots of evil from all over the world. And we should do so together," he added.

The visit to Bondi within hours of the president landing in Sydney with his wife Michal Herzog came with tight security. Police snipers were visible posted on Bondi roof tops.

Herzog will also visit Melbourne and the national capital Canberra before he returns to Israel on Thursday. Sydney and Melbourne are Australia's largest cities and home to 85% of the nation's Jewish population.

Protests were held in Sydney and Melbourne later Monday over how Israel has waged thewar against the militant Hamas group in Gazaand treated Gaza's civilian population. Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, triggering the war.

Mainstream Jewish groups have welcomed the visit of Herzog, a former leader of the centrist Labor Party who now plays a largely ceremonial role.

Some Jews say Israeli president is not welcome in Australia

The smaller Jewish Council of Australia community group ran full-page ads in Sydney and Melbourne newspapers on Monday, endorsed with the names of 687 Australian Jews, that said: "Herzog does not speak for us and is NOT WELCOME HERE."

"We refuse to let our collective grief be used to legitimize a leader whose rhetoric has been part of inciting a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and has contributed to the illegal annexation of the West Bank," the council's executive officer Sarah Schwartz said.

Jewish leaders initiated the invitation extended by Governor-GeneralSam Mostyn, Australia's equivalent of Israel's president, at Prime MinisterAnthony Albanese'srequest.

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Albanese and his Israeli counterpartBenjamin Netanyahuhave been openly hostile toward each other since the Australian announced six months ago that his government wouldrecognize a Palestinian state.

On Monday, Herzog said he welcomed the "positive steps" the Australian government had taken to tackle antisemitism since the Bondi attack, which was allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group.

The Australian Parliament last monthrushed through legislationthat lowers the threshold requirements for groups to be banned for hate speech.

The government also announced its highest form of public inquiry, aroyal commission, would investigatethe nature, prevalence and drivers of antisemitism in general, as well as the circumstances of the Bondi shooting.

Herzog said he shared the frustrations of the victims' families that more had not been done to prevent such an attack on Australia's Jewish community.

"These frustrations were shared by many, many of us, including myself," Herzog said.

"I've seen this wave surge all over the world, and I've seen it in many countries, including Canada, Great Britain, the United States, and Australia — all English-speaking countries," Herzog added.

Police tighten restrictions on Sydney protests

After the Bondi shooting was declared a terrorist attack, the New South Wales state parliament rushed through legislation increasing police powers to arrest protesters.

Police can restrict protests for two weeks at a time for up to 90 days following a declared terrorist attack. Police last week continued the restrictions for another two weeks in an effort to contain civil discord in Sydney during Herzog's visit.

On Monday evening, police clashed with hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside Sydney Town Hall. They sprayed the crowd with pepper spray and several protesters were arrested.

The protest had continued after the Palestine Action Group organizers lost a court challenge to a police order preventing them from marching from the Town Hall to the New South Wales Parliament.

In Melbourne, 5,000 protesters gathered outside downtown Flinders Street Railway Station, then marched several blocks to the State Library, blocking evening peak-hour traffic, police said.

A 20-year-old woman was arrested after allegedly burning two flags and causing fire damage to a tram stop, police said. She was released and was expected to face charges of willful damage, police said.

Earlier, Herzog said protests targeting him were mostly attempts to "undermine and delegitimize" Israel's right to exist.

Chris Gotterup was on a roll when his fourth round at the WM Phoenix Open concluded Sunday. About an hour later, he picked up where he left off.

Gotterup posted a birdie on the first playoff hole after late mishaps by Japan's Hideki Matsuyama opened the door for him to win at TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course in Arizona.

Gotterup, 26, notched his second victory of 2026 and the fourth of his young career. He shot a 7-under-par 64 and waited for a chance in a playoff.

"I just figured I'd stay loose," Gotterup said. "I didn't think this would happen, especially after Friday (71) and Saturday (70). But here we are."

Gotterup and Matsuyama ended up at 16-under 268 on a day when world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler made a strong move toward the top and created considerable buzz.

Gotterup has won three tour events in less than a seven-month span. This was his first time in a playoff.

"I'm having such a good time playing right now," Gotterup said. "Just so awesome. ... There's just so many people who believe in me."

Gotterup, who also won last month's season-opening Sony Open in Hawaii, posted birdies on five of the final six holes in the last round. The last of those came after he recovered from a wayward tee shot.

"I knew I had to make birdie on 18, but you never know," Gotterup said. "Hideki was playing great."

To end the fourth round, Matsuyama's erratic driving finally cost him. His tee shot on the 18th hole ended up in a bunker and his quest to scramble for par failed when he was off the mark on a 24-foot putt. He took his lone bogey of the round.

Then Matsuyama's tee shot on the playoff hole landed in the water alongside the fairway. Gotterup played it steady and recorded another birdie to seal the deal.

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Two of Matsuyama's 11 victories on the PGA Tour have come in this tournament. He also won in 2016 and 2017, but he couldn't finish the quest this time.

"Was grinding all weekend," Matsuyama said through a translator. "Didn't have my best stuff, but hung in there. I wanted to avoid the playoff as much as I could, but I just hit a bad tee shot there in regulation at 18 and Chris made a good putt there in the playoff."

Matsuyama carried a one-shot lead on countryman Ryo Hisatsune into the final round.

Matsuyama was trying to win a fourth PGA Tour event in a 24-month period. This marked the sixth time that Matsuyama has been the outright leader through 54 holes on the PGA Tour, and he had won each of the previous five times. He overcame multi-stroke deficits to win the other times in this tournament, but he couldn't protect a lead Sunday.

Scheffler, who began his season two weeks earlier by winning The American Express, became the biggest story of the day for much of the round. He was within one shot of the lead through 15 holes, though he was playing several groups ahead of the last threesome. He finished with 64.

"The last three days I played really solid," Scheffler said, knowing Thursday's 73 cost him. "Overall, proud of the way I fought this week and definitely some good momentum going into next week."

Michael Thorbjornsen (67), Akshay Bhatia (67), South Korea's Si Woo Kim (68) and Denmark's Nicolai Hojgaard (68) shared third place with Scheffler at 15 under.

Scheffler played the front side in 3 under and then strung together three more birdies on Nos. 13-15. That included sinking a shot from the fringe about 72 feet away on the par-4 14th. He also birdied No. 17.

With Scheffler's round complete, Thorbjornsen briefly catapulted into the lead with an 11-foot eagle putt on No. 15. He gave one of those strokes back with a bogey on the next hole after launching his tee shot beyond the green on the par-3 hole.

Thorbjornsen, a 24-year-old seeking his first PGA Tour triumph, settled for his seventh finish in the top five. Hojgaard is also 24 and without a tour victory.

China's Zecheng Dou had the day's best round with 63, moving him to 11 under and tied for 13th.

--Field Level Media