MON SIX

Let the March Madness begin. The2026 Women's NCAA Tournamentstarts this week.

Tipping off the action will be a doubleheader of the Women's First Four games on March 18. Following the completion of those games, the 68-team field is reduced to 66 teams. The 64-team bracket will be finalized on March 19, after the two remaining women's First Four games.

Star players such asUConn's Azzi Fudd,UCLA's Lauren BettsandLSU's Flau'jae Johnsonwon't hit the floor until the first round later in the week.

Here's what you need to know for women's March Madness, including the start date, schedule, times and more:

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When does women's March Madness start?

• First Four: Wednesday, March 18

• First round: Friday, March 20

The women's First Four is the technical start of the women's NCAA Tournament, with eight teams participating in the play-in games across two days to determine the final 64-team field.

Once the bracket has been reduced from 68 teams to 64, the first round will begin on Friday, March 20. Tipoff times will be staggered throughout the day.

Women's March Madness schedule

Below are all the dates for the 2026 women's NCAA Tournament:

• First Four: Wednesday, March 18 through Thursday, March 19

• First Round: Friday, March 20 through Saturday, March 21

• Second Round: Sunday, March 22 through Monday, March 23

• Sweet 16: Friday, March 27 through Saturday, March 29

• Elite Eight: Sunday, March 29 through Monday, March 30

• Final Four: Friday, April 3

• National championship: Sunday, April 5

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:When is women's March Madness? Dates, schedule, for NCAA Tournament

In just a few hours, some of the biggest stars across film and more will descend on Hollywood Boulevard for the2026 Oscars.

Hosted byConan O'Brienfor the second year in a row, the 98th Academy Awards will take place tonight at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

This year's ceremony will celebratefilmsfrom the past year, including "Hamnet," "Marty Supreme," "Sinners" and more.

Read below for everything you need to know about how to watch the 2026 Oscars.

How to watch the 2026 Oscars?

You can watch the Oscars ceremony for free over-the-air on your local ABC station.

This year's ceremony is also be available to stream on Hulu for the first time.

What time does the 2026 Oscars ceremony start?

The 98th Oscars will commence at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

What time does the Oscars red carpet start?

Leading up to the Oscars ceremony, make sure to watch "On the Red Carpet at the Oscars" as the nominees arrive at the Dolby Theatre.

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Road to the 2026 Oscars: What to know about the 98th Academy Awards

The pre-show, which will include Linsey Davis, Whit Johnson, Lara Spencer, Chris Connelly and more, will be available starting at 3:30 PM ET on ABC and available to stream on ABC News Live.

How to watch red carpet arrivals?

You can watch all the stars arrive in ABC News' red carpet coverage prior to the show.

How to stay updated on Oscars night?

For all of the night's biggest moments, we'll be sharing updates throughout the night onGoodMorningAmerica.comandABCNews.com.

What else to know ahead of the 98th Oscars?

Check out our detailed guide on who's presenting,nominatedand morehere.

Oscars 2026: How to watch the best picture nominees

Also, clickhereto see how to watch all the year's top projects.

Disney is the parent company of Hulu, ABC News and "Good Morning America."

In a grim pattern that has become all too familiar, another campus has been shattered by gunfire, this time atOld Dominion University in Virginia, where an attacker cloaked violence in the language of religion.

Federal authorities are investigatingThursday's shootingat Old Dominion University as an act of terrorism after identifying the gunman as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, a former member of the Virginia National Guard who previously served prison time for attempting to aid the terrorist group ISIS.

Devoted ROTC instructor Lt. Col. Brandon Shah,a father and husband, was killed in the attack. Two others were hospitalized with injuries, university police Chief Garrett Shelton said, noting all three victims were affiliated with the university.

Federal investigators say they are still piecing together the events leading up to the attack and what led Jalloh to carry out the shooting.

The case has drawn renewed scrutiny to Jalloh's past, including a terrorism conviction nearly a decade ago that followed an investigation officials said kept them "up at night," as well as the circumstances surrounding his early release from prison.

During the earlier investigation before his stint in prison, investigators were made aware that Jalloh had expressed admiration for the2009 Fort Hood shootingrampage, when Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan killed 13 people and wounded dozens at a Texas military base.

Here's what we know about Jalloh.

A former National Guard member with a terrorism conviction

Jalloh, a naturalized US citizenborn in Sierra Leone, served as a combat engineer in the Virginia National Guard between 2009 and 2015, according to a US Army official.

During a 2016 investigation, authorities learned he had begun consuming online lectures from a deceased Al-Qaeda leader and ultimately decided not to reenlist after leaving the Guard.

That same year, federal prosecutors said Jalloh attempted to assist ISIS. He sought to obtain weapons he believed would be used in an attack carried out in the group's name and also tried to send money to the terrorist organization, according to the Department of Justice.

Unbeknownst to him, the person he was communicating with was an FBI source who was monitoring his behavior.

In 2016, Jalloh initially attempted to purchase an AR-15-style rifle from a gun shop in Virginia but was denied because he did not have the required documentation, according to the affidavit.

Authorities say he came back later the same day and purchased a different rifle, but the weapon had been disabled before he left the store. He was taken into custody the next day.

In conversations with the source, court documents say Jalloh had discussed potential timelines for an attack on US soil and "expressed that it was better to plan an operation for Ramadan," according to a FBI affidavit filed in his criminal case.

Ramadan is one of the holiest periods in Islam, a month dedicated to fasting, prayer, reflection and spiritual renewal. The faith's teachings emphasize compassion, patience and restraint, including refraining from anger and cruelty, values meant to be practiced even more deeply during Ramadan.

Central to Islamic doctrine is the prohibition against taking innocent life, a principle that stands in direct contrast to acts of violence sometimes erroneously carried out in its name.

An earlier plot and its echoes in the ODU attack

Jalloh pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and was sentenced to11 years in prisonand five years of supervised release in 2017.

Jalloh was serving his sentence at a low-security federal facility in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, before being moved in August 2024 to a residential reentry center, commonly known as a halfway house, in the Baltimore area, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

He was released from federal custody in December 2024 — about two-and-a-half years before the end of his sentence.

His release came through a federal provision that allows some inmates to receive early release after completing a substance abuse treatment program, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Jalloh said in 2016 he had been thinking about carrying out an attack similar to the 2009 Fort Hood massacre, authorities said.

Officials believe that fixation may have carried over into Thursday's shooting, which targeted an ROTC gathering that included both active-duty military personnel and students training for service, according to FBI Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans.

Jalloh's earlier case drew particular concern among investigators and experts.

In the book "Homegrown: ISIS in America," terrorism researcher Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens devoted an entire section to Jalloh's 2016 case. When news of the attack broke, Meleagrou-Hitchens said he was stunned.

"As far as I knew, he was still in jail," he told CNN, adding the news raised serious questions about how authorities manage individuals convicted of supporting terrorist organizations once they are released.

Meleagrou-Hitchens said several factors made Jalloh particularly concerning to investigators at the time. Among them were his military training, his travel to Sierra Leone after leaving the Guard where he attempted to make contact with ISIS-linked militants in Nigeria, and his communication with an ISIS "virtual plotter."

These online operatives, based in territory once controlled by ISIS, sought out supporters in Western countries and helped guide potential attacks from afar.

Jalloh's ambitions at the time, Meleagrou-Hitchens told CNN, appeared to mirror the scale of the Fort Hood massacre.

Special agents in charge of Jalloh's case in 2016 said of the multitude of cases they investigated over years, this was the one that "kept them up at night," Meleagrou-Hitchens wrote in his book.

Inmates with terrorism-related convictions are no longer eligible for early release under a new 2025 provision, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Bureau director William Marshall implemented the change on September 25, 2025, under a Trump-era executive order, ensuring inmates with terrorism related charges will no longer qualify for early release under the prior federal provision.

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Life after prison

After his release from prison in December 2024, Jalloh is believed to have lived with family in Sterling, Virginia. He was taking online classes at Old Dominion University after his release from prison, court records show.

Court documents say he remained under court-mandated probation at the time of the shooting, though a probation officer visited the home he shared with his sister only twice a year. The most recent visit occurred in November 2025.

It is unclear if Jalloh exhibited any warning signs that might have emerged during the roughly year he spent outside prison before the attack.

Reporting from the neighborhood where he may have lived painted a picture of a relatively quiet household.

Multiple generations live in the upscale three-level red-brick townhouse, according to neighbors. They said the family is known to host at least one large gathering a year, often with loud music.

A sign posted on Jalloh's family's front door read, "We do not wish to speak to the press!"

After CNN knocked on the door, a middle-aged man answered and reiterated the family did not want to speak to reporters.

"We really don't want to speak to the media. Please understand we're going through a very tough time," he said.

He did not confirm whether Jalloh lived there.

Neighbors told reporters the family largely kept to themselves.

Kenneth Brown, who lives in the neighborhood, told CNN he would occasionally see Jalloh walking around the area.

"He would look down and not acknowledge you," Brown said.

How the attack at Old Dominion unfolded

Authorities say the violence unfolded late Thursday morning inside Constant Hall, the main building for Old Dominion University's College of Business.

Old Dominion, a public university with about 24,000 students, is located in Norfolk, Virginia, roughly 200 miles southeast of Washington, DC.

Investigators say Jalloh entered a class or meeting attended by ROTC students and active-duty service members at the university.

He asked people in the room twice to confirm it was an ROTC event, according to court documents.

Moments later, authorities say he shouted "Allahu Akbar," an Arabic phrase meaning "God is greatest," and opened fire.

The phrase "Allahu Akbar" is a central expression in Islam and is recited many times during Muslims' five daily prayers. It is commonly used by Muslims around the world in everyday life to praise God in moments of gratitude, joy and celebration, such as hearing good news or marking milestones and also in times of hardship as a reminder that faith is greater than any challenge.

Religious scholars and community leaders have long noted that extremist groups have at times misappropriated the phrase during acts of violence, a use that stands in stark contrast to its deeply spiritual meaning within the faith.

When Jalloh began shooting, the group of students in the room quickly reacted, rushing the attacker and managing to subdue him, Evans said.

"Brave ROTC members in that room subdued him, and if not for them, I'm not sure what else he may have done," Evans said.

One of the students stabbed Jalloh, according to multiple law enforcement sources briefed on the case. The attacker's ultimate cause of death is unclear.

Police said the first calls reporting the shooting came in at 10:43 a.m. Officers arrived four minutes later, and by 10:50 a.m., authorities determined the attacker was dead.

Old Dominion student Zachary Mulder said he had just left a class in Constant Hall and was reading in another building when people suddenly rushed in yelling there was a shooter.

"My heart dropped," Mulder toldCNN affiliate WTKR. "I didn't really know what was going on. I just knew I had to leave immediately."

Investigators later said the firearm used in Thursday's attack had been purchased illegally. Prosecutors say the person who sold the weapon told authorities that Jalloh claimed he needed it for protection while working as a delivery driver.

Kenya Mcchell Chapman was arrested Friday inconnection to his sale of a pistolto Jalloh.

A cellphone recovered near Jalloh's body allowed law enforcement to retrace his recent movements, according to court filings. Investigators say he repeatedly traveled between several locations in Virginia in the days leading up to the attack, including his home, the university campus, another residence and an Islamic center.

CNN's Emma Tucker, Elizabeth Wolfe, Hannah Rabinowitz, Holmes Lybrand and Rebekah Riess contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

By Katya Golubkova and Yuka Obayashi

TOKYO, March 15 (Reuters) - Japan plans to start releasing oil from its stockpiles on Monday to soften the shock from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, a ‌stark reminder of the oil crisis half a century ago that prompted Tokyo to create reserves.

As ‌gasoline prices across Japan started to rise with the war disrupting supplies from the Gulf's Strait of Hormuz, Tokyo pledged to release ​a record 80 million barrels of oil, about 45 days of supply for the resource-poor nation.

The government has asked Japan's refiners to use the released crude, which will reduce the national reserves by 17%, to secure domestic supplies. It is not known how much of the oil will go to a global release of 400 million barrels being ‌coordinated by the International Energy Agency ⁠to address the war's supply shock and price volatility.

RESERVES CAN STABILISE SUPPLY BUT 'MAINLY BUY TIME'

Japan's release shows how seriously Tokyo views the disruption, said Yuriy Humber, CEO of Tokyo-based ⁠consultancy Yuri Group.

"The reserves can help stabilise supplies and prices in the short term but they mainly buy time. They can't fully offset a prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz," he said.

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Any potential release from 12 million barrels ​jointly held ​in Japan by Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and ​Kuwait would be in addition to the announced ‌80 million barrels, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry says.

Japan started its national oil reserve system in 1978, several years after the Arab oil embargo. The Group of Seven nation, reliant on the Middle East for around 90% of its oil, now stockpiles 254 days of consumption.

It will start releasing 15 days' worth of private-sector oil on Monday and a month's worth from the state reserves from late this month, according to ‌METI.

As private companies prepare to tap Japan's stockpiles, METI Minister Ryosei ​Akazawa said they are also looking for supplies from the U.S., ​Central Asia, South America and Gulf nations ​that can bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

Japan gets around 4% of its oil from the ‌U.S. after largely stopping purchases from Russia ​following Moscow's 2022 Ukraine invasion - ​when Tokyo last tapped its reserves.

"When you look at the conflict in the Middle East ... you're reminded of all that crude oil that has gone from Alaska to Japan was never targeted with a ​successful terrorist attack," U.S. Environmental Protection ‌Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin told Reuters.

"This conflict ... is a reminder that along the Indo-Pacific, a ​lot of other nations can look to the United States, where we have the resources."

(Reporting by ​Katya Golubkova and Yuka Obayashi; Editing by William Mallard)

CAIRO (AP) — At least four Palestinians, including a boy and his pregnant mother, were killed Sunday by an Israeli airstrike in the war-torn Gaza Strip, hospital authorities said.

The strike hit a house in Nuseirat, an urban refugee camp in central Gaza, killing a couple and their young son, according to the nearby Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. The fourth fatality was taken to the Awda hospital in Nuseirat.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

The deaths were the latest fatalities among Palestinians in the coastal enclave since an October ceasefire deal attempted to halt a more than 2-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

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While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the ceasefire has still seen almost daily Israeli fire. Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes and frequently fire on Palestinians near military-held zones, killing more than 650 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.

Israel says it has responded to violations of the ceasefire or targeted wanted militants. But about half of those killed have been women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

They were among more than 72,200 Palestinians killed in the war which was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The militant attack killed over 1,200 people and took over 250 others hostage.

The health ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. But it does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants.

Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to that and other violations. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.

Isaiah Evans scored 20 points and No. 1 Duke relied on various sources to beat No. 10 Virginia 74-70 and repeat as Atlantic Coast Conference tournament champion in a tense title game Saturday night at Charlotte.

Cayden Boozer, the twin brother of the ACC Player of the Year, matched his career high with 16 points for the second straight night and Cameron Boozer had 13 points for Duke (32-2), which could be the No. 1 overall seed when the NCAA Tournament bracket is unveiled Sunday.

It's the first time a team has won consecutive ACC tournaments since the Blue Devils won three straight from 2009-11. Cameron Boozer was bothered by Virginia's defense, shooting 3-for-17 from the field, but he had eight rebounds and eight assists.

Malik Thomas poured in 18 points and Sam Lewis racked up 17 points for second-seeded Virginia (29-5), which was aiming for its first conference tournament title since 2018. Ugonna Onyenso blocked nine shots as part of a record-setting three-game stretch.

No. 2 Arizona 79, No. 5 Houston 74

Koa Peat scored 21 points before fouling out and Brayden Burries also had 21 as the top-seeded Wildcats defeated the second-seeded Cougars in Kansas City, Mo., to win the Big 12 tournament.

Jaden Bradley scored 13 points and Ivan Kharchenkov added 12 for Arizona, which won its ninth straight game. The Wildcats (32-2) are in the running for the No. 1 overall seed after winning their first Big 12 championship in their second year in the league, avenging last year's title game loss to Houston.

Joseph "JoJo" Tugler scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Houston (28-6), which had a five-game winning streak snapped. Mercy Miller had 13 points and seven rebounds.

No. 3 Michigan 68, No. 23 Wisconsin 65

Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg hit a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to lift the top-seeded Wolverines to a victory over the fifth-seeded Badgers in the Big Ten Conference tournament semifinals at Chicago.

Lendeborg finished with 12 points for ranked Michigan (31-2), which advances to the Sunday title game Purdue. Aday Mara racked up 16 points, eight rebounds and five blocks as the Wolverines defeated the only Big Ten team they failed to knock off during the regular season.

Austin Rapp paced Wisconsin (24-10) with 18 points. The Badgers rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit to take a four-point lead, but their five-game winning streak ended.

No. 22 Vanderbilt 91, No. 4 Florida 74

Tyler Tanner scored 20 points and dished out eight assists, Duke Miles scored 15 with seven assists and the fourth-seeded Commodores earned a victory over the top-seeded Gators in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament at Nashville.

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Vanderbilt (26-7) advances to the Sunday title game against Arkansas (25-8). Jalen Washington scored 17 points for the Commodores.

Thomas Haugh had 19 points and nine rebounds to lead the Gators (26-7), who saw their 12-game winning streak come to an end. Florida also received 15 points from Boogie Fland.

No. 13 St. John's 72, No. 6 UConn 52

Zuby Ejiofor totaled 18 points, nine rebounds, seven blocks and three steals as the top-seeded Red Storm started quickly, never let up and earned a victory over the second-seeded Huskies to win the Big East tournament title in New York.

St. John's (28-6) won its fifth conference tournament title and achieved the feat in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history. Bryce Hopkins scored 18 and Oziyah Sellers contributed 14 for the Red Storm, who scored the game's first 10 points.

UConn (29-5) missed its last 13 field-goal attempts over the final eight minutes. Tarris Reed Jr. led the Huskies with 17 points.

No. 17 Arkansas 93, Ole Miss 90

The third-seeded Razorbacks got 29 points from Meleek Thomas, 24 from Darius Acuff Jr. and double-doubles from Trevon Brazile and Malique Ewen to escape with an overtime victory over the 15th-seeded Rebels in the Southeastern Conference tournament semifinals at Nashville.

Ewen scored 14 and pulled down a game-high 13 boards while Brazile scored 16 with 10 rebounds for Arkansas (25-8).

Reserve AJ Storr scored a team-high 24 points for Ole Miss (15-20), which included a basket with one second left to send the game into overtime. Malik Dia chipped in 16 points for the Rebels, who nearly pulled off their fourth upset in as many days.

No. 18 Purdue 73, UCLA 66

Oscar Cluff had 17 points with 14 rebounds and the seventh-seeded Boilermakers advanced to the Big Ten Conference championship game with a semifinal victory over the sixth-seeded Bruins in Chicago.

Purdue (26-8) topped UCLA (23-11) behind two first-half runs as well as Cluff's dominant play in the paint over the closing five minutes. Fletcher Loyer scored 14 points for the Boilermakers, and Trey Kaufman-Renn totaled 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Trent Perry scored 15 points and had a career high-tying nine assists for UCLA. Tyler Bilodeau, who injured his right knee in the Bruins' Friday win, did not play, and Donovan Dent exited in the first half with calf injury.

--Field Level Media

MIAMI (AP) — Shohei Ohtani walked off the infield after Japan's World Baseball Classic ended, just like three years ago, only the final out could not have been more different.

WBC Venezuela Japan Baseball

Ohtani triumphantly tossed his glove and cap in 2023, then stretched his arms wide as teammates mobbed him when hestruck out Mike Troutto end a 3-2 win over the U.S. that finished Japan's third WBC title.

On Saturday night, baseball's best player jogged across the very same loanDepot park diamond to Japan's bench after his infield popup sealed an8-5 quarterfinal loss to Venezuela. He dejectedly detached his batting gloves, took off his helmet and headed down the dugout steps past shocked teammates who leaned on the railing and stared at the celebrating Venezuelans.

"I was really disappointed," Ohtani said.

Japan, international baseball's preeminent power, had won 11 straight WBC games dating to a 2017 semifinal loss to the U.S. and had reached the semis in all five previous WBCs. It is the only nation to win two in a row, in 2006 and 2009. Japan alsobeat the U.S. in the gold medal gameat the last Olympic baseball tournament when the Samurai Warriors hosted in 2021.

After Ronald Acuña Jr.'s stunning leadoff homer in the first off Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Ohtani matched the feat by going deep starting the bottom half against Ranger Suárez.

Shota Morishita, who entered after Seiya Suzuki got hurt in the first inning, put Japan ahead 5-2 with a three-run homer in the third. It appeared a Monday semifinal against upstart Italy was likely to determine who would play the U.S. or the Dominican Republic for the title the following night.

But Chihiro Sumida gave up Maikel Garcia's two-run homer in the fifth, sparking the Venezuelans in the first base dugout and fans in the crowd of 34,548 that largely favored the South Americans.

Then Hiromi Itoh allowedWilyer Abreu's three-run drivein the sixth that put La Vinotinto ahead 7-5, and Atsuki Taneichi's wild pickoff throw in the eighth brought in another run.

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Ohtani was intentionally walked ahead of Morishita's homer, but didn't come through in his final three plate appearances, striking out in the fourth and seventh innings before making the final out in a 1-2-3 ninth.

Japan had a solid foundation, bringing back about half its 2023 WBC roster.

Ohtani and Yamamoto last year helped the Los Angeles Dodgers become Major League Baseball's first repeat World Series champion in a quarter-century, with Ohtani earning a fourth MVP award and Yamamoto selected World Series MVP.

But Japan was without Roki Sasaki, the hard-throwing pitcher who remained with the Dodgers at spring training after an injury interrupted rookie season. And Ohtani was only a hitter and not a two-way star, being careful with his pitching arm after returning last year from a second major elbow operation.

Ohtani led Japanese batters with a .462 average, three homers and seven RBIs. But the Warriors finished with a .284 batting average, down from .299 three years ago, and a 3.35 ERA, up from a tournament-best 2.29.

"We didn't have an option for Ohtani to pitch from the middle of the game," Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata said.

"Of course, I would have wanted him," Ibata added, "but I didn't have a choice."

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb