Lahaina, Iowa State Fair, and a Grand Meteor Shower

Maui Death Toll Rises

The number of confirmed victims of last week's devastating wildfires in Maui rose to at least 93 over the weekend as search and rescue teams began working through the remains of the town of Lahaina. The disaster is the deadliest US wildfire in more than 100 years, surpassing California's 2018 Camp Fire, which left 85 people dead and caused more than $10B in damage. 

The specific cause of the Maui fires has not been determined. However, once ignited, the flames were fed by dry conditions and fanned by high wind gusts from nearby Hurricane Dora (see previous write-up). The fires in Lahaina reportedly outpaced emergency responders and left panicked residents little time to evacuate. Experts have also pointed to longer-term effects that likely exacerbated conditions, including extra flammable nonnative grasses and shrubs that have spread across the islands.

The death toll is likely to rise, officials warned, with cadaver dogs having searched less than 3% of the affected area as of yesterday. See photos of the aftermath here. 

Slow Advances in Ukraine

Ukraine's armed forces have pushed over 10 miles into two separate portions of Russian-occupied territory along the conflict's southeastern front, according to officials over the weekend. 

Analysts described the advances—which come amid Ukraine's grinding, monthslong counteroffensive—as a partial tactical success, as they appeared to deplete Russian troops. Advances from primarily small tactical units pressed into Staromaiorske in Donetsk Oblast and the town of Robotyne further west in Zaporizhzhia Oblast (see maps) in an attempt to cut off Russia from its occupied territories in the south. 

Elsewhere, Russian forces shot down three Ukrainian missiles headed toward the Kerch Bridge connecting the annexed peninsula of Crimea with Russia Saturday; the bridge has been damaged twice since the war began.

Separately, a Russian patrol ship fired a warning shot at an unresponsive cargo vessel in the southwestern Black Sea, the first such incident since Russia withdrew from a deal to allow grain exports last month. See more war updates here.

Iowa State Fair

Republican presidential hopefuls descended on the city of Des Moines over the weekend, shaking hands and flipping burgers at the Iowa State Fair in a bid to connect with voters. The festivities have become a quadrennial obligation for candidates due to the state's position as the first primary vote. The Jan. 15 Iowa caucus results provide momentum to top vote-getters heading into the rest of the primary slate—though they've only predicted the eventual GOP nominee three times since 1976. 

Much of the attention focused on former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who avoided direct contact while meeting with crowds. Trump currently leads DeSantis by almost 30 points in the fair's informal straw poll.

The events come ahead of next Wednesday's first Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Eight candidates in the crowded primary field have qualified to be on the stage (see list)—though Trump has not yet confirmed whether he will attend.

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