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Teen Swims Miles to Rescue Family as Fighting Intensifies in Ukraine
A 13-year-old Australian boy's heroic swim to save his family and intensified fighting in Ukraine dominated headlines on February 4, 2026. Austin Appelbee swam approximately 4 kilometers for four hours to shore in Western Australia after his family was swept out to sea on an inflatable kayak and paddleboards due to strong winds, according to multiple news sources. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv caused casualties and damaged energy infrastructure, leaving many without heating amidst winter temperatures, Al Jazeera reported.
Appelbee battled large waves and fatigue, focusing on positive thoughts to reach land and alert authorities. His efforts ultimately led to his family's rescue, according to Sky News.
The overnight Russian attack on Ukraine's energy facilities was described as the most powerful of the year, utilizing hundreds of drones and missiles. Ukrainian shelling reportedly killed three in a Moscow-occupied town, Al Jazeera reported. Resources were being redirected to restore heating in Kyiv.
In other international news, the Syrian government is taking steps to return Jewish religious and private properties, decades after most of its Jewish community emigrated, according to NPR Politics. The government is transferring control of religious sites to a Jewish heritage foundation led by Syrian-American Henry Hamra. This initiative aims to restore properties to their original Jewish owners, many of whom were unable to sell before leaving in the early 1990s.
Domestically, Laugh Camp Comedy Club canceled Ben Bankas's sold-out shows after a resurfaced video showed him making jokes about Renee Nicole Good, a woman killed by an ICE agent, Variety reported. The cancellation sparked outrage and prompted Bankas to seek a new venue. The Sundance Film Festival is also seeing a decline in big sales and audience attendance for independent movies, exemplified by the film "See You When I See You," according to Variety. TMZ reported that Savannah Guthrie's mother allegedly received a ransom note.
The news arrives as Iran approaches the anniversary of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's return to Tehran on Feb. 1, 1979, after 15 years of exile. Millions of Iranians initially welcomed Khomeini, viewing him as a spiritual leader who would usher in democracy and improve their economic lives, according to Time. However, Khomeini and his supporters gradually transformed the Shah's authoritarian, secular monarchy into a totalitarian theocracy.
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