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After experiencing plenty of his career milestones firsthand, David Feherty will get to join Tiger Woods for yet another jacket ceremony.

The longtime golf announcer will host the World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony next month, the organization announced on Tuesday, and help officially induct Woods, Susie Maxwell Berning, Tim Finchem and Marion Hollins in with a gold jacket.

The ceremony, which will take place on March 9 on the eve of The Players Championship, is like a little cherry on the top of his lengthy broadcasting career.

Its a really cool thing for me to get to do, Feherty told Yahoo Sports. Its been such an incredible journey the last 25 years of being with him on the golf course, on and off. Its just an amazing privilege to have been around in the Tiger Woods era.

Feherty has been with Woods since the beginning, as he jumped into broadcasting right when Woods first turned pro in 1996. Hes worked with both CBS Sports and the Golf Channel ever since, and frequently walked alongside Woods group during tournaments.

Even from the beginning, Feherty said, Woods was making him look foolish on air.

It was just at thrill, but at the same time he made me feel stupid so many times because he did things you werent meant to be able to do, Feherty said. I played at the highest level and played with all the great players of my generation. I knew what any given player could do from any given situation A couple of times I just looked like a f***ing idiot.

Woods induction into the Hall of Fame shouldnt surprise anybody. The 82-time Tour winner has 15 major championships to his name, and is perhaps the best golfer ever to compete at that level.

While the induction is coming sooner than many expected the Hall of Fame recently lowered its age requirement from 50 to 45, which allowed the 45-year-old Woods to get in now it was going to happen eventually. Still, Feherty said next months moment should rank among the best for Woods in his career.

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Tiger was a foregone conclusion, he said. I still think it means a great deal to him. He still loves to slip on a jacket.

David Feherty will help induct Tiger Woods, seen here in 2007, into the World Golf Hall of Fame next month. (George Bridges/MCT/Tribune News Service/Getty Images)

Woods has yet to return to the Tour after his car crash in Southern California last year, which almost cost him his right leg.

Woods said at the Genesis Invitational last week that he plans to play again at some point, but hes not sure where and he definitely wont do so on a full-time basis. Hes still struggling to walk, and doing that for a full competition week just isnt physically possible yet.

While Woods said hes been frustrated by his recovery pace, and doesn't have a timeline for any return, Feherty thinks that Woods will be able to get back at some point this summer.

The British Open, he said, seems to play right into Woods hand.

I see him winning again on Tour, and it wouldnt surprise me at all if he gets there in a major. St. Andrews this year is right up his alley, Feherty said. It wouldnt surprise me if he plays the Masters hell be working away on his rehab and his game. He looked great at the [PNC Championship], and I know Augusta is a tough walk, but hes in unbelievable shape.

Tiger Woods and David Feherty at the Paynes Valley Cup in September 2020. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

After a wild week full of developments on the Saudi-backed golf league, its unclear how much of a future the Greg Norman-backed venture actually has.

Nearly everyone, save for Phil Mickelson, has backed away from it. There arent any concrete plans. Nobody seems to know, at least publicly, where the league stands.

While he knows its certainly a possibility, Feherty said he doesnt know how far such a venture can actually get. He does, though, see one positive thing coming out of it.

I dont know really how serious they are about it, but having seen them operate before in Dubai and having played out there as well, it wouldnt surprise me if it comes to pass, Feherty said.

The one good thing about it is then theres competition. It forces whoever is on the other side of that contest to do better, so it wouldnt surprise me to see the PGA Tour increase their prize money. It might turn out to be a good thing, but its definitely a problem for the PGA Tour at the moment.

Though the league now appears to be dead in the water, Faherty understands why it would be at least a little bit appealing to younger players on Tour.

Its reportedly offering players more money for fewer events without any cuts, after all.

These kids deserve everything they get, Feherty said. Its so hard to make a living playing golf, theres no guarantee. You take your own money and you try to turn it into more. Theyre independent contractors. If somebody shows up with a lot of money with somewhere else to play, you cant blame them for considering it.

If he were still playing and more money was available, Feherty would consider it too.

I would be there in a heartbeat, he said. Not all the Irish are stupid.

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David Feherty to host Tiger Woods' Hall of Fame induction ceremony - Yahoo Sports

The threat of new coronavirus variants remains a focus for the world's leading public health experts, even as some wealthier and more vaccinated countries push for a return to normal.

It's why Bill Gates angered some experts over the weekend when he said it's too late to meet the World Health Organization's global vaccination goal of 70% and that there is no longer demand for vaccines. He added that with natural immunity from the virus, much of the African continent has a higher level of protection.

"You get well over 80% of people have been exposed either to the vaccine or to various variants," Gates said at the Munich Security Conference.

"What that does is, it means the chance of severe disease ... those risks are now dramatically reduced because of that infection exposure," he added.

But experts at the first global Ports To Arms Summit in Abuja, Nigeria, on Wednesday sharply disagreed with Gates.

Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, said that even if we are tired of the virus, it is not tired of us.

"We've had a new variant every 4-5 months; it's likely that there will still be new variants. They may or may not be more severe," he said in response to a question from Yahoo Finance.

"What's important to keep in mind is that previous variants have not necessarily protected against new variants," Berkley added.

Dr. Atul Gawande, assistant administrator for global health for USAID, pointed out that the 70% goal is the minimum goal and that number has broader implications for the overall pandemic.

"That's the only way we will be able to stop the generation of more variants," especially to protect the most vulnerable segments of the world's population, he said.

His comments come at a time when the African continent remains largely unvaccinated with just over 10% fully vaccinated.

Kate O'Brien, executive director of the WHO's Internal Vaccine Access Center, told Yahoo Finance that the 70% goal does include flexibility and considers country-by-country needs.

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"The strategy does talk about adaptation ... as the pandemic evolves. I don't want anybody to misperceive that this...is sort of written in stone in any way," O'Brien said.

But the issue is no longer a vaccine shortage, but rather an oversupply. The problem arose as African nations struggled to manage constantly changing supply promises, which lead to scrambling plans on the ground to ramp up infrastructure to get the shots in arms.

It's why John Nkengasong, Africa CDC director, is asking for a pause on all global donations until the third or fourth quarter this year.

However, that doesn't mean that the urgency to vaccinate has subsided.

"If you look at the death numbers, things are not changing very quickly at all. We still have a pandemic around the world," O'Brien said.

"There is still a race to vaccinate," she added.

Richard Hatchett, CEO of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), said that rather than calling for an "end to the virus" in areas of high vaccination, the focus should instead be on the long term outlook.

"We need to be thinking about the vaccines we want to have in three to five years when this virus is still with us still mutating, still changing," he said.

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, regional director for Africa WHO, added that the ultimate goal is to provide protection against severe illness and minimizing deaths in those who contract the virus, even if vaccinated.

She pointed to a roadmap created by the WHO to prioritize the most vulnerable.

Recent studies have shown that even with natural protection from the virus, a single dose of a vaccine can provide much better protection for individuals.

Follow Anjalee on Twitter @AnjKhem

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We need to think about the COVID-19 vaccines we'll need in 3 to 5 years: Public health expert - Yahoo Finance

The litigation between Marshall and Conference USA has begun.

The school has filed a lawsuit against the conference as it attempts to leave the league this summer along with Old Dominion and Southern Miss. The three schools are leaving Conference USA for the Sun Belt and have said they intend to leave C-USA at the end of the school year.

Conference USA, meanwhile, is not budging. The league's 2022 football schedule was released last week and it includes all three of the departing schools. That football schedule portended litigation and Marshall acted quickly.

"For more than two months, Marshall University has attempted to reach a resolution with Conference USA regarding our decision not to participate in the league after this academic year; however, no progress has been made," the school said in a statement.

"The action we brought [Monday] is the beginning of litigation intended to protect our rights, help us reach an agreement in a timely manner and clear the way for our shift in conference affiliation. We look forward to a successful resolution of this matter and a bright future with the Sun Belt Conference."

The suit, filed Monday, asks for relief via a declaratory judgment and injunctions against Conference USA and says that Marshall gets sovereign immunity as a West Virginia state school. The conference wants to head to arbitration regarding the matter, a process that Marshall wants to avoid.

Per the Herald Dispatch, Marshall says in its lawsuit that the leagues current rules including the arbitration clause that C-USA wants to enforce were not in effect at the time it joined and therefore the school isnt bound by them.

Marshall has been a member of Conference USA since 2005 after announcing it would be joining the league from the MAC in 2003. The departure of Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss to the Sun Belt has been a part of the domino effect of conference realignment that started when Oklahoma and Texas announced they were heading to the SEC. After the Big 12 took three members of the American Athletic Conference, the AAC added members from Conference USA. That forced the league to add teams in a bid to stay alive with six teams leaving for the AAC and three heading to the Sun Belt.

Marshall is heading to the Sun Belt and wants to leave Conference USA this summer. (Photo by Chris McDill/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Marshall files suit against Conference USA in bid to leave league this summer - Yahoo Sports

New Company Furthers Blackstones Commitment to Creating and Preserving Affordable Housing

NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES, February 23, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blackstone (NYSE: BX) today announced its new portfolio company, April Housing, which will serve as a leading provider of solutions and capital for the creation and preservation of high-quality affordable housing throughout the United States. April Housing will oversee and preserve affordability of an initial portfolio of over 90,000 housing units recently acquired by Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (BREIT).

April Housings commitment to preserving the affordability of this critical housing stock on a long-term basis is made possible by BREITs perpetual capital structure. Rents at virtually all of the April Housing properties are set by government regulation through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. The rent restrictions have, on average, 20 years of remaining term, and significantly, Blackstone intends to keep them affordable for the long-term.

In conjunction with the creation of the new portfolio company, Blackstone appointed Alice Carr as Chief Executive Officer of April Housing, effective May 2, 2022. Ms. Carr has dedicated her entire career to investing in communities and economic development projects in underserved markets across the United States and expanding access to affordable housing. Ms. Carr brings more than 25 years of industry experience and in this role, will be responsible for leading all aspects of April Housings strategy and operations, furthering Blackstones commitment to preserving and expanding the supply of affordable housing.

"The need for quality affordable housing has never been greater, and Im honored to step into this role to identify innovative solutions and bring additional capital to the affordable housing crisis," said Ms. Carr. "Blackstones unwavering dedication to this space is clear, and I am energized and excited by the opportunity to work alongside a truly best-in-class team to preserve and expand the affordable housing stock in the U.S."

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Ms. Carr joins April Housing from JPMorgan Chase (JPMC), where she most recently served as Head of Community Development Banking and led a team that financed the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing to both low-income families and seniors across the U.S. At JPMC, Ms. Carr served as a member of the Inclusionary Leadership Forum for the Commercial Bank and was the executive sponsor of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council for the Commercial Real Estate Business. She also served on the executive leadership committee for the firms Racial Equity Commitment. Ms. Carr currently serves on the Board of Directors for Enterprise Community Investment and Enterprise Community Loan Fund. Ms. Carr began her career at Low Income Investment Fund, a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) focused on affordable housing and small business lending.

Kathleen McCarthy, Global Co-Head of Blackstone Real Estate, said "Alices skillset, experiences and distinguished track record in affordable housing make her the ideal leader for April Housing. Her mission-driven values are highly aligned with Blackstones approach to housing and will be invaluable as we work to extend the affordability programs in our portfolio and expand the countrys affordable housing supply."

April Housing is committed to providing best-in-class management, improvements to properties and support to residents. Over the next decade, April Housing intends to invest over $500 million to improve communities while maintaining the affordability of the properties. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles and will oversee the affordable housing assets previously acquired from American International Group, Inc. and The Cornerstone Group. These communities are located throughout the U.S. in cities including Austin, Dallas, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco.

The new brand identity reflects the ethos of the organization. The name "April," which means "to open," aligns with Blackstones goal of opening new paths to preserve and expand the supply of affordable housing.

About April HousingApril Housing, a Blackstone Real Estate portfolio company, is a leading provider of solutions and capital for the preservation and creation of high-quality affordable housing in the United States. Centered around best-in-class management services, April Housing prioritizes improving communities and supporting residents while expanding the available supply of affordable housing. April Housings initial portfolio consists of more than 90,000 LIHTC apartments throughout the U.S. Further information is available at http://www.aprilhousing.com.

About Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc.Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (BREIT) is a perpetual-life, institutional quality real estate investment platform that brings private real estate to income focused investors. BREIT invests primarily in stabilized, income-generating U.S. commercial real estate across key property types and to a lesser extent in real estate debt investments. BREIT is externally managed by a subsidiary of Blackstone (NYSE: BX), a global leader in real estate investing. Blackstones real estate business was founded in 1991 and has approximately $279 billion in investor capital under management. Further information is available at http://www.breit.com.

Forward-Looking StatementsCertain information contained in this communication constitutes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology, such as "outlook," "indicator," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "approximately," "predicts," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates", "confident," "conviction," "identified" or the negative versions of these words or other comparable words thereof. These may include financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements about plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, statements regarding future performance and statements regarding identified but not yet closed acquisitions. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and there are or may be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in such statements. These factors also include but are not limited to those described under the section entitled "Risk Factors" in each of BREITs prospectus and Blackstones Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and any such updated factors included in their respective periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are accessible on the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this document (or BREITs prospectus and its and Blackstones other filings). Except as otherwise required by federal securities laws, neither Blackstone nor BREIT undertakes any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223006071/en/

Contacts

Media Contact Jeffrey Kauth(212) 583-5395Jeffrey.Kauth@Blackstone.com

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Blackstone Real Estate Announces Formation of April Housing and Appoints Alice Carr as Chief Executive Officer - Yahoo Finance

Alabama WR John Metchie III called three different continents home by the age of 7.

Metchie was born in Taiwan, moved to Ghana at the age of 1, then settled in Canada with his mother and four brothers. They were seeking a better life from the one they had in Africa, making their home outside Toronto while Metchie's father remained in Africa.

Metchie and his father have only spoken a few times since and it's been over a decade since they spoke.

When Metchie first came to the United States, it was at the age of 14, arriving at a Virginia boarding school with the mindset of becoming a college football player and then a pro.

Even after his dreams were nearly derailed because of a scary heart condition, Metchie would not be denied. Even, after he made his mark at Alabama, a painful hip impingement and a shin injury would not keep him off the field as the Crimson Tide chased a national championship in 2020.

So if you think the torn ACL he suffered in the SEC championship game against Georgia is going to slow him down, you don't know how Metchie, 21, got to this point.

"My drive comes from a loving family but also from our background, what we had to go through with our financial situation," Metchie told Yahoo Sports. "Our single mom was raising four boys, so we saw how hard she worked. Plus, when I was alone at high school with no family nearby I just developed this internal motivation that drives me."

Metchie declared for the 2022 NFL draft, looking to become what many believe to be just the third Taiwan-born player to enter the NFL and almost certainly the first Taiwanese-Ghanaian player in league annals. His goal is to be a first-round pick, although he knows the injury could impact that.

But the way Metchie is feeling now still has him dreaming big.

"Ive never had any pain with it, still dont," he said. "I was walking a couple days after surgery. All the doctors have said this is one of the best recoveries theyve seen because of the things I can do so far, especially without pain or a lot of swelling.

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"Now I am running in the pool, and running [on a treadmill] is next. My knee is recovering so well, I am confident Ill play next season."

Alabama WR John Metchie III hopes to be a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft despite suffering a torn ACL late last season. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

The team that drafts Metchie, a possible top-50 selection, will be getting a tough, shifty slot receiver who can become a quarterback's security blanket. That team also will be getting a player if his past is any indication driven to succeed and surpass expectations.

"I've put all my extra energy into football and become my toughest critic," Metchie said. "I've taken pride in [the fact that] nobody had to push me or motivate me."

His coach agrees.

This guy is the epitome of what you look for in a wide receiver, Alabama coach Nick Saban said last year. He is tough. He plays hurt. He plays physical. He gets open. He makes catches. He makes plays. He never complains.

Metchie's journey to this point offers a window into why he's built this way.

Metchie was born in Taiwan to a Taiwanese mother and a Nigerian father. After living in Taiwan for a year, the family moved to Accra, Ghana, to be closer to where his father was born.

He doesn't remember Taiwan, of course, but Metchie still recalls his years in Ghana. Living in the capital city of Accra, Metchie and his brothers quickly learned they had to watch their backs a lot of the time.

"It was definitely a different life," he said. "The schooling, community all of it."

One constant peril: dogs. Area hounds were used as security outside gated houses, and the Metchie kids knew that if they saw dogs nearby, they'd better be prepared to run.

Even at age 7 and younger, John Metchie III learned to outrun those dogs, who were taught to go after potential trespassers. He might have feared those dogs, but he never backed down from them. And little did he know that might've helped bless him with the speed and elusiveness that eventually would make him an NFL draft prospect.

But that was still years away. When their mother, Joyce, took the kids to Canada when Metchie turned 7, they didn't look back. They were starting a new life near Toronto with better schools, community and education.

Most kids near their home in Brampton, Ontario, grew up loving hockey. Joyce enrolled the boys in soccer and lacrosse. But football became their draw.

Money was still tight, though, and Metchie had to sit and watch while his older brothers got to play football before he was able to get his chance.

"Towards the end of middle school, I started playing a little bit," he said. "Before that I wasnt able to play because we didnt have a lot of money, and my older brothers were playing, so my mom couldnt put us all through football at the same time.

"I was young, too, so I would just watch their practices. Thats where I fell in love with football."

When he got his shot, coaches and teammates saw Metchie's natural speed and quickness. And despite being a Canadian-raised kid, via Taiwan and Ghana, Metchie somehow knew he had what it took to play big-time college football.

"Since well before high school, honestly," Metchie said. "That was my mission. Looking back at me at [age] 13, its kind of shocking how confident I was. I basically knew I had to move away from my family to do what I needed to do."

Metchie enrolled at St. James School in Hagerstown, Maryland, a boarding school that had a track record of helping import foreign kids wanting to play high school football in the U.S. Two days after emailing the coach there, Metchie and his mother were touring the school.

Soon after, he'd enroll. At age 14, he was on his own, away from the rest of his family back in Africa. Metchie's father was out of the picture, still "living somewhere in Africa," he said. This was where Metchie's toughness and desire were put to the test.

Early in his freshman year, Metchie was hit hard in the chest. Immediately, his heart began racing and kept racing. In time, it was discovered he had a murmur. Metchie was kept off the field the remainder of his freshman year out of caution.

"That was a scary period of unknown," he said. "Just being so young and having really just started playing, I wondered what that meant for sports for me. They never said I would be done playing. But it was a long time to get the final answer."

Metchie said his desire to play only grew in this time, as did his independence. He had no other choice.

"It was definitely hard to be away from family when this was going on," he said. "That period helped me grow. I had to become even more self-reliant when I was young. They understood I was there for school and for football and knew I was doing something big there."

A cardiologist eventually cleared him to play, and by the end of his senior season Metchie was a heralded recruit. Going from Taiwan to Ghana to Canada was no big deal anymore, so moving on to Alabama was just another hop, skip and a jump down his road.

His circuitous path had led him to perhaps the greatest college-football factory for NFL wide receivers. In time, Metchie would help the legacy grow.

John Metchie III celebrates a touchdown against Georgia his his "Crimson Crane" kick. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

After his freshman year spent mostly watching the likes of DeVonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and Jaylen Waddle, Metchie was ready to step up in 2020. Following the departure of Jeudy and Ruggs, the 5-11, 190-pound Metchie earned a starting role alongside Smith and Waddle to help form one of the most devastating wide receiver trios in the country.

With Waddle missing several games and Bama's opponents keying in on the Heisman Trophy-winning Smith, Metchie became a key cog for the eventual national champions, catching 55 passes for 916 yards and six TDs, including two TDs in his second-ever start against Texas A&M and two more scores against rival Auburn.

Perhaps Metchie's greatest play that season was not even a catch. In the SEC title game over Florida, Bama QB Mac Jones threw an interception in the red zone to Gators safety Trey Dean. Metchie had run a deep route down the right sideline and saw the play unfold. He came racing in and clocked Dean, knocking the ball loose and into the hands of Smith.

Bama scored on the next play. Metchie credits his preparation for the game-changing moment.

"It goes back to how we practiced at Alabama, especially me, Smitty and Waddle," Metchie said. "Our mindset at practice (was) if theres an interception or fumble, just get the ball back punch the ball out, strip it, do whatever you have to do."

"Doing whatever you have to do" became Metchie's raison d'etre. He played the final four games of that season battling the shin and ankle surgeries, both of which would be surgically repaired after the season.

"The last four games I had stress fractures in my shin, and I wasnt able to practice," Metchie said. "The coaches and training staff trusted me, that I knew what I was doing. They knew practice wasnt as big a thing for me, just be able to be out there and play on a Saturday. So I played hurt and didnt practice. Just another form of adversity I had to face."

Last season, Metchie was still recovering from the offseason and started slowly. He hit a low point in Bama's loss at A&M, dropping three passes and committing a holding penalty that knocked the Tide out of scoring range. Ohio State transfer Jameson Williams had taken over Bama's WR1 role after a slew of big plays.

But Metchie was not about to go quietly. In his final seven games of the season, he caught 62 passes for 779 yards and six scores, which included clutch performances in tight wins over LSU, Arkansas and Auburn. After catching the game-winning score in the fourth overtime against Auburn, Metchie unleashed his "Crimson Crane" kick celebration, the one inspired by the "Karate Kid" series, and wrote his own chapter of Bama lore in the process.

"I think I started the season a lot slower than I wanted to," he said. "I was coming off two surgeries, so coming into the season I wasnt 100%. I was still getting used to my shin. But there was a point there where I really started feeling better. Looking back, I was really productive."

As in 96 catches productive the third-most in a season in school history, behind only Smith and Amari Cooper. And that was without the benefit of playing in the two playoff games, thanks to what Nick Saban had termed the "significant" torn ACL Metchie suffered against Georgia.

Because he's still rehabbing, Metchie won't be able to run, jump or work out at next week's NFL combine. But he believes he has legitimate 4.4 speed once he's healthy and has set a goal of being ready for training camp just another challenge for the already battle-tested Metchie.

His physical therapist at the Andrews Institute, Tyler Optiz, has already been stunned at the progress Metchie has made. He came into Opitz's care a week after Bama lost the national championship on Jan. 10, and in the six weeks since, Metchie's recovery has been remarkable.

"When he first came in, I said, 'Holy smokes, this guy is killing it,'" Opitz said. "His quad in his left (injured) leg was almost as big as his right. The mass and the definition was almost the same in both legs. You just don't see that at the six-week mark (post-surgery). It was incredible."

Opitz was so blown away, he was snapping pictures of Metchie's quads and texting them to colleagues to share his amazement. Now six weeks later, Opitz absolutely backs up Metchie's claims that training camp is a realistic goal.

"The biggest thing for John is that he's not just ahead of schedule, but he's pain-free, which has allowed us to do things a lot earlier," Opitz said. "Things like heavier weights, strength training, building muscle back faster.

"Pain has not been a limiting factor. Flexibility hasn't either. So we've been able to start all of our pre-running drills and pre-cutting and twisting drills earlier. We call them movement skill drills. They don't stress the (ACL) graft, but we can get started on reintroducing the mechanics of running so much earlier because of where he's at."

On the side, Metchie has time for another passion: getting involved in the community. He recently read books to more than 800 students at Oriole Beach Elementary School in Gulf Breeze, Fla., afterward posing for pictures (even doing "Crimson Crane" kicks in a few) and talking to the children about the importance of reading.

"I was one of those kids who had all the odds of the world against me," he said. "Coming from Africa and having big dreams, I know what a little inspiration can do for a kid. I just love being able to make a difference in the community, and to kids especially."

Now the fruits of Metchie's own inspiration are just a few months away, with April's NFL draft right around the corner.

"I just want to get to work," Metchie said. "I am going to show up (to whatever team drafts him) ready to do whatever I can do. I'm very confident this injury won't slow me down."

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NFL draft: From Ghana to Bama, WR John Metchie has learned to thrive amid adversity - Yahoo Sports

In 2014, amid Russias last major assault on Ukraine, U.S. officials picked up some disturbing intelligence: A major politician and confidante of Russian President Vladimir Putin was privately calling for the Russian military to march toward the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

The Russian politician was arguing that we should take [Kyiv], because we could, it wouldnt take long, that it was only so many miles to the Ukrainian capital, so lets keep going, recalled a former CIA official. CIA experts considered it enough of a legitimate threat that they took it up the chain, recalled the former official.

Russia, of course, did not launch a military attack on Kyiv in 2014, and the intelligence about the Russian officials advocacy for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine stayed secret.

But now, with growing fears that Moscow is preparing for a full-scale invasion, the Biden administration has abandoned the U.S.s normally tight-lipped attitude toward releasing intelligence information and is pursuing a strategic and according to former officials, unprecedented declassification campaign aimed at exposing Russias actions in Ukraine.

In recent days, U.S. officials have called out a number of Russian false flag operations that they say are designed to provide a pretext to invade Ukraine. These have included allegations of a potential Russian-authored chemical assault designed to look like Ukrainian aggression, and even a plot to create a detailed yet fake movie showing the lethal aftermath of a Ukrainian attack. Officials have also publicly named Russian military intelligence as responsible for a disruptive cyber operation that targeted Ukraines defense ministry and banks earlier this week.

Experts say the revelations have been aimed at throwing Russia off balance by exposing their plans before theyre brought to fruition and showing that the U.S. has the capability to surveil many of Russias actions.

By the end of the Trump administration, U.S. spy agencies had developed a much better understanding of what the Russians are doing in a strategic sense, said a former senior CIA official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive capabilities. There were some extraordinary sources, obviously those are really fragile, so Im not sure if those accesses are still in place, but I have to imagine they are.

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The CIA declined to comment.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last Thursday. (Alexey Nikolsky/Sputnik/Kremlin via Reuters)

Though many were supportive of the declassification effort, former intelligence officials who spoke with Yahoo News were divided over whether the Biden administrations strategy could actually change Russias decision to invade. President Bidens own recent remarks on Putins decision to attack Kyiv seems to underline the inability for the U.S. to compel Putin to de-escalate.

But the strategy has other benefits, according to former officials including vitiating Russias pretexts for war in the court of public opinion, and by exposing potential technical or human compromises within the Russian government, which could send Moscows counterintelligence experts spinning out on time-consuming hunts for the sources of the intelligence. However, there is also the risk that the Russians will succeed in identifying those U.S. intelligence sources and shut them down.

The Russians are going to lie anyway, and try and shape a narrative, said Michael van Landingham, a former CIA Russia analyst. And what youre seeing now is the U.S. committing to preemptive selective de-classification in the hope that the exposure will force the Russians to de-escalate or push onward without the cover provided by Russia-authored fake justifications for war.

The high-stakes confrontation could also have Putin wondering about the bona fides of Russias own U.S. agents, according to a former senior counterintelligence official. Hell be questioning, and doubting, anything that comes from his U.S. sources, said the former official. Thats good for us.

The distrust of intelligence can cut both ways. Particularly when it comes to Russia, its hard not to believe that there isnt a game within a game within a game within a game, said the former CIA official.

Much of what had been obtained by U.S. intelligence on the false flag operations attempting to justify an invasion could have been purposely planted by Russia to be picked up by U.S. spying efforts, according to Dan Hoffman, the former CIA chief of station in Moscow. The Bidens administrations strategy of releasing intelligence is a double-edged sword, and it has not demonstrated that it has changed Putins calculus, said Hoffman. Putin is a KGB guy, so he might be feeding us disinformation.

Civilians take part in a military training course in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Some Ukrainian officials have also been skeptical about the ultimate purpose of the intelligence theyve received. While theyre being fed high-quality signals intelligence by the U.S. and other allies about Moscows plans, some Ukrainian officials arent really sure what to make of it, said a former senior CIA official in close contact with Ukrainian security officials.

The Ukrainian officials believe that the Russians want to show us all this stuff being picked up by the U.S. and other intelligence services, that they want us to be on edge, said the former official. So while the Ukrainian security officials believe theyre taking all prudent measures, theyre not panicking over the information being passed to them, said the former official.

The confusion by the Ukrainian security officials about how to read the intelligence is exacerbated by a lack of confidence in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys handling of the crisis. Theres a lot of angst [by the Ukrainian security officials] that the presidential administration is not very professional, said the former senior agency official. (The Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, D.C., did not return a request for comment.)

Biden administration officials share this view, said a former national security official in touch with colleagues in government. Their interactions with Kyiv have been frustratingly fruitless, said the former official. Administration officials understand, on the public side, Zelenskys trying to keep his economy and own polity from collapsing. But officials to no avail kept hammering to their Ukrainian counterparts that an invasion was likely, telling them, No, no, seriously: Its coming.

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In new front of information war, U.S. repeatedly declassifies intelligence on Ukraine and Russia - Yahoo News

Inflation is making things more expensive for a lot of people. Are companies making it worse?

Bernie Sanders certainly thinks so.

In a tweet on Tuesday, the senator from Vermont admonished McDonalds, Starbucks, and Amazon for raising prices at the same time theyre posting high, even record profits.

Maybe just maybe weve got a corporate greed problem, Sanders wrote.

By each companys own account, inflation has caused them to raise their prices in 2022. McDonalds said in late January that it was forced to raise its menu prices by around 6% because of the higher costs of labor, shipping, and raw beef. The fast food chain cited supply chain issues and higher wage demands as the biggest drivers behind higher prices.

The coffee shop chain also announced at the beginning of February that it would be raising prices soon, its third price increase since October. Overall, restaurants in the quick-service sector raised their prices by 8% over the last year, according to the latest Consumer Price Index data.

Amazon has also been unafraid to raise the prices of its products, bumping up the annual cost of its Prime subscription from $119 to $139 at the beginning of February.

Sanders pointed out that McDonalds shareholders are enjoying a 59% profit increase relative to last year, a fact revealed by the company in a financial statement at the end of January, along with annual revenue of $23.2 billion.

Starbucks also recorded big profits last year. In its last quarterly earnings report, earlier this month, the company revealed that its profits had gone up 19% relative to January 2021. Amazon also announced a huge jump in profits in February: $14.3 billion, roughly double its $7.2 billion figure from a year earlier.

Last November, Amazon had the most successful Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales in the companys history, almost three months before raising its Prime subscription prices.

Companies raising prices during inflation may not be exactly ethical, but it is hardly a surprising trend, and there are no legal barriers to them doing it.

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Businesses contend that higher costs on their end are forcing them to raise prices to stay profitable, and for some companies, this is certainly true. But in many cases, raising prices for consumers tends to leave lower-income groups further behind.

Sometimes we talk about inflation like we care about it for its own sake. We really care about inflation because we care about the way it affects people, Rakeen Mabud, chief economist for the economic activist group Groundwork Collaborative, recently told Fortunes Megan Leonhardt. These price hikes are really, really hitting vulnerable people hard.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

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Bernie Sanders rips McDonalds, Starbucks, and Amazon for corporate greed as they post huge profits and price hikes - Yahoo Finance

Adults Adopting Adults has been dropped from A&E's schedule. (Photo: A&E)

Adults Adopting Adults is no more.

After airing just three of an expected 10 episodes, the A&E reality show about adults adopting other adults just as they would children, has been removed from the network's schedule and online. Monday night's episode did not air.

The network confirmed to Yahoo Entertainment that it had pulled the show, citing its "ratings performance."

However,The Daily Beastreported Tuesday that the show, which debuted Jan. 31, was taken off the air following fan reaction to the storyline that involves Danny Huff, a 59-year-old from Ohio, as he attempts to make 20-year-old expectant mom Ileana part of his family. Huff is married to a woman named Christy, who's openly much less enthusiastic about the adoption. He explained early on that a previous attempt to adopt an 18-year-old had not worked out, because he'd developed feelings for the young woman. (A press release for the show had described the situation as simply "an inappropriate relationship.")

The first installments of the series showed him lavishing Ileana, a woman he met online and brought to the United States from Austria, with supplies and gifts for her unborn baby.

Huff told the Daily Beast that his relationship with Ileana was not the reason for the show's apparent cancellation.

"I never had any inappropriate actions, words, comments, anything to her," he said, calling any claims to the contrary "absolutely false."

The news outlet said Huff had not responded to requests for comment about a TikTok post, posted this time last year and recirculated online after the show began airing, in which he said that "racism is alive and well," and it "comes from the Blacks."

In one of the five other storylines on Adults Adopting Adults, 78-year-old Prince Frederic Von Anhalt, a former husband of Zsa Zsa Gabor, had sought an heir to inherit his title and estate.

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'Adults Adopting Adults' is abruptly canceled after online backlash. A&E says decision was due to 'ratings performance' - Yahoo Sports

The NBA's All-Star Weekend is supposed to be all fun and games. Karl-Anthony Towns paid off massively by winning the 3-point contest at +1200 odds. The skills competitions followed by last night's 163-160 victory for Team LeBron over Team Durant provided bettors with an outlet to keep the action going in a relaxed, entertaining way. It was a nice break for bettors to get away from the daily grind of the season. Unless, of course, you are holding a Phoenix Suns futures ticket.

Chris Paul's thumb injury was disclosed as a fracture that will sideline him for the next 6-to-8 weeks. The timeline coincides with the remainder of the regular season, with the playoffs starting exactly eight weeks from this past Saturday. Phoenix bettors were on cruise control heading into the weekend with the Suns sitting at 48-10 with seven fewer losses than the next best team in the West.

They entered the break in the most comfortable position in the NBA, but now have their bettors sweating in what was supposed to be a stress-free weekend. The jolt of concern is understandable, but I don't believe there is any reason to panic about Phoenix. It may create some opportunity to double-down on the defending Western Conference Champions.

It's never great news to learn you are losing your floor general, but Phoenix is well-positioned to withstand the challenges facing them. The Suns will likely enter the playoffs as the No.1 seed despite the setback with Paul. Phoenix is 6.5 games up on Golden State with the Warriors only having 23 games left on the schedule. Even if the Suns flounder down the stretch and go .500 the rest of the way, Golden State would have to go 18-5 to catch them. Both scenarios are very unlikely with Phoenix finishing 15-9 is a more realistic expectation.

The Suns are the deepest team in the West and remain the best bet to return to the NBA Finals. The shrewd acquisition of PG Aaron Holiday for cash is already money well spent and demonstrates how effectively they have built this roster to make a run at the title. They are currently +190 to win the conference, and +450 to win the NBA title. With the Warriors now favored to win the West at +175, we may see even better odds for Phoenix in the next few days.

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The biggest risk in backing Phoenix is the chance that Paul aggravates the injury in the postseason, which isn't a concern for me considering the Suns' depth provides them the luxury of not having to rush him back. The Suns will most likely retain the No.1 seed and a home-court advantage, making them my bet to come out the West.

The Suns will miss Chris Paul on both ends of the floor. The offense will look different with Devin Booker running the point, which opens up a few different betting opportunities. Only six teams play faster than Phoenix this season, but with Paul off the floor, their pace jumps to 104.13 possessions per game. Suns games went 7-2 to the over in their last nine heading into the break, so game totals and team totals are both markets I will be interested in. From a player prop perspective, keep an eye on how the oddsmakers adjust Devin Booker's assist totals with him running the point. I also expect Deandre Ayton and Cameron Johnson to be big beneficiaries of the Suns' new-look offense.

Stats provided by teamrankings.com and nba.com.

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NBA betting: Despite Chris Paul injury, don't give up on the Suns - Yahoo Sports

Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, has said that Internet fraudsters popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys must be brilliant to dupe people and their brilliance can be redirected to a better cause.Speaking on Friday at an education town hall meeting in the state, the governor said instead of condemning cyber fraud, the root cause should be addressed just like in the case of human trafficking.

He added that 'Yahoo boys' must be very brilliant to carry out such illegal activities.I am concerned. Cyber fraud and Yahoo culture are big issues. I am calling on everyone to please send as much information as you can to my office.On Monday, I am going to see the chairman of EFCC. I am not condemning those involved. There must be a reason why that culture has become so prolific in Edo State. We must find the root cause and address them as we did in the days of trafficking.Lets see how we can correct it because these children must be very brilliant. The kind of things they do, how they hack into other peoples accounts. How do we re-direct that thinking into something more positive? he said.

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'Yahoo Boys' Must Be Brilliant To Carry Out Such Illegal Activities, We Need To Redirect Their Thinking Positively, Governor Obaseki Says -...