Ukraine-Russia talks, NCAA, Freddie Freeman: 5 things to know Tuesday

Russia pounds Ukrainian cities as the two sides plan more talks

The latest round of talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials aimed at ending or curtailing the devastating bombardment of Ukraine will continue Tuesday. Shortly before dawn, large explosions thundered across the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. A series of Russian strikes hit a residential neighborhood, igniting a huge fire and a frantic rescue effort in a 15-story apartment building. At least one person was killed and others remained trapped inside. The latest negotiations, held by video Monday, were the fourth round involving higher-level officials from the two countries. They were halted for a “technical pause,” said Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The two sides had expressed some optimism in the past few days. Podolyak tweeted that the negotiators would discuss “peace, cease-fire, immediate withdrawal of troops & security guarantees.” Previous discussions, held in person in Belarus, produced no lasting humanitarian routes or agreements to end the fighting.

Documents due in Jan. 6 Capitol riot investigation

Six individuals must produces documents for the Jan. 6 committee by Tuesday and appear for deposition between March 22-29, according to subpoenas filed by the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack at the US Capitol. The subpoenas claim the individuals promoted false claims that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent and participated in various actions based on those claims, including attempts to delay the certification of electoral votes on the day of the attack. Committee chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said in a statement that Cleta Mitchell, Kenneth Chesebro, Christina Bobb, Katherine Friess, Kurt Olsen and Phillip Kline reportedly attempted to “disrupt or delay the certification of electoral votes and any efforts to corruptly change the outcome of the 2020 election.”

NCAA men’s basketball tournament begins with play-in matchups

the NCAA men’s basketball tournament gets started Tuesday with a pair of play-in games. Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Texas Southern kick things off when the two 16 seeds face off. Texas A&M Corpus Christi is coming off a win in the Southland Conference Championship Game, while Texas Southern won comfortably in the Southwestern Athletic Conference title game. The winner of this matchup will go on to face Kansas, the top seed in the Midwest Region. In the second matchup of the evening, Indiana will face Wyoming in a battle of No. 12 seeds. Most recently, both teams lost in the semifinals of their conference tournaments – Indiana in the Big Ten and Wyoming in the Mountain West. Awaiting the winner of Indiana-Wyoming will be Saint Mary’s College, the No. 5 seed in the East Region.

Daunte Wright’s family to meet city official about future of memorial

Daunte Wright’s parents, and the family’s attorney, will meet with the Brooklyn Center city manager and the city attorney Tuesday after the family was informed of plans to take down a memorial at the intersection where Wright was fatally shot by a police officer, the Star Tribune reported. City manager Reggie Edwards wrote in an email Friday that they “anticipate reopening the sidewalk/trail at 63rd and Kathrene early next week.” In an interview Sunday, Katie Wright asked to keep the memorial in place, saying it’s “not hurting anybody but it will hurt a lot of people taking it down.” Daunte Wright was killed on April 11 after Brooklyn Center officers pulled over the 20-year-old Black man for having expired license tags and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror — violations that civil rights activists say are used as a pretext to stop Black motorists. Kim Potter, the white former police officer who said she confused her handgun for her Taser de ella when she fatally shot Wright, was sentenced last month to two years in prison.

MLB offseason moves continue: Where will Freddie Freeman land?

Major League Baseball teams will look to make more roster moves Tuesday, with a number of marquee free agents still available and trade talks underway across the league. However, many fans and players will keep an eye on where star first baseman Freddie Freeman will sign. Freeman, a five-time All-Star and 2020 National League MVP with the Atlanta Braves, appears to be switching teams this offseason after the Braves traded for first baseman Matt Olson from the Oakland A’s Monday. In addition to Freeman, other star position players like third baseman Kris Bryant, outfielder Nick Castellanos and shortstops Carlos Correa and Trevor Story are still free agents.