Free Press Head Start for March 2

Good morning.

Russia’s invasion continues even as Moscow says it’s ready to resume talks with Ukraine today. The first talks were held Monday and ended with an agreement to talk again.

In news that should surprise no one, China’s authorization government says it won’t impose sanctions on Russia.

U.S. President Joe Biden denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin in his first state of the union address last night.

Pope Francis has called for today to be a day of prayer for peace in Ukraine. Today is also Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.

The Hoosli Ukrainian Male Chorus sang the Ukrainian and Canadian anthems at last night’s Jets game. “It was just a phenomenal feeling,” Hoosli member Markian McColl said.

Members of the Ukrainian-Manitoban business community are working to get much-needed supplies to humanitarian groups in Ukraine.

— Adam Treusch, assignment editor

What’s happening today

CPThe Manitoba legislature chamber will be full when the new session begins on Wednesday. (Steve Lambert / The Canadian Press files)

Ready to resume: The spring session of the Manitoba legislative assembly resumes. All members can attend in-person because of changes to pandemic rules, including lifting the vaccine mandate for public places. Carol Sanders reports. READ MORE

Street closed because of fire: Young Street is closed between Ellice and Sargent avenues as crews continue to work to extinguish a house fire. Firefighters are expected to remain at the scene in the 400 block of Young for the rest of the morning. READ MORE

Weather

Your forecast: A mix of sun and cloud and then sunny later this morning, with a high of about -13 C earlier today, wind chill as low as -29 and wind from the north at 10 km/h increasing to 30 km/h this morning.

In case you missed it

A power-play goal by Andrew Copp in the second period was the turning point, putting the Jets up front for good. (Fred Greenslade / The Canadian Press)

Weird win: The Jets beat the Montreal Canadiens in an odd game. The Jets led 4-0 before the Habs scored four consecutive goals to tie the game. The Jets scored four consecutive goals again and won 8-4. Mike McIntyre reports. READ MORE

‘Pretty lucky’: A man charged in the killing of beer vendor employee John Lloyd Barrion received a “pretty lucky” break for his part in another beer vendor robbery after pleading guilty in 2020. Dean Pritchard reports. READ MORE

Request for Red Cross: The Canadian Red Cross is again deploying workers to Manitoba. Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said Manitoba asked for the extra help on Feb. 24, before the province relaxed pandemic restrictions on Tuesday. Dylan Robertson reports. READ MORE

Senate seat still vacant: The federal government has left a Senate seat unfilled for more than a year, leaving Manitoba with less of a voice in Parliament’s Red Chamber. Dylan Robertson reports. READ MORE

Surprised to find siblings: A man who was adopted and grew up an only child has since learned he has enough half-siblings to field a baseball team. Kevin Rollason reports. READ MORE

On this date

On March 2, 1940: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that in a meeting with the U.S. undersecretary of state, German leader Adolf Hitler said his price for peace in Europe was a vast empire under his control, including permanent hegemony over Poland, Hungary, Bohemia-Moravia and Slovakia. Finnish troops steeled themselves for a last-ditch defence of Viipuri as Soviet forces shelled the city to cover troops advancing from the south and southeast.

Today’s front page

Get the full story: Read today’s e-edition of the Winnipeg Free Press READ MORE

Head Start