Sources - Brooklyn Nets preparing for Kyrie Irving to make NBA season debut Wednesday - ESPN

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10:34 AM ET

The Brooklyn Nets are preparing for Kyrie Irving to make his NBA season debut Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Irving, who is not vaccinated for COVID-19, hasn't played all season because of the Nets' decision before the regular season not to allow him to participate because of New York City's vaccine mandate.

The Nets reversed course last month after a variety of injuries and issues related to COVID-19 pushed them to allow Irving to participate in road games. The Nets had as many as 10 players in the health and safety protocols at one time and had three games postponed.

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The point guard said last week he "understood" and "respected" the Nets' initial decision.

"I really had to sit back and think and try not to become too emotionally attached to what they were deciding to do. I had to really evaluate things and see it from their perspective, meaning the organization, my teammates," he said. "I really empathized and I understood their choice to say if you are not going to be fully vaccinated, then you can't be a full [participant]."

Irving, a seven-time All-Star, went into the protocols himself last month before clearing them last week.

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Jan. 6 panel has 'firsthand testimony' Ivanka Trump asked father to intervene in riot, Cheney says - NBC News

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The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 riot has testimony that then-President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump asked him to intervene as his supporters ransacked the U.S. Capitol, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said Sunday.

"The committee has firsthand testimony now that he was sitting in the dining room next to the Oval Office watching the attack on television as the assault on the Capitol occurred. We know, as you know well, that the briefing room at the White House is just a mere few steps from the Oval Office," Cheney, the vice chair of the committee, said on ABC News' "This Week."

She said that at any moment, Trump could have walked to the briefing room and appeared on television.

"We know, as he was sitting there in the dining room next to the Oval Office, members of his staff were pleading with him to go on television, to tell people to stop. We know Leader McCarthy was pleading with him to do that," she said, referring to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

"We know members of his family, we know his daughter — we have firsthand testimony that his daughter Ivanka went in at least twice to ask him to please stop this violence," she said.

In a one-minute video released on social media hours after the attack began, Trump repeated false claims about the election he lost while encouraging the rioters, who attacked the Capitol during a joint session of Congress to disrupt the counting of the electoral votes formalizing Joe Biden's win, to "go home in peace."

"Go home. We love you. You're very special," Trump said.

He tweeted later, "These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long."

Twitter took action against both messages and banned Trump after the riot, citing "the risk of further incitement of violence."

Thompson said on NBC News' "Meet the Press" that the panel believes Trump made "several videos" before he released the short clip and that it has asked the National Archives for videos that were never shared.

"It's about 187 minutes," he said in an interview that aired Sunday, referring to how long it took for Trump to urge his supporters to leave the Capitol after the attack began.

Representatives for Trump and his daughter did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Over the past few months, the Jan. 6 committee has been accelerating its investigation into the riot, as well as any actions or inaction by Trump and his allies. The House voted last month to refer former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to the Justice Department for a criminal charge over his refusal to answer the committee's questions.

The panel also recently asked Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Scott Perry, R-Pa., to provide information about their activities. The chair of the committee , Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said Sunday that its ability to subpoena the lawmakers remains uncertain.

As the anniversary of Jan. 6 nears, Thompson appeared on three Sunday programs to discuss the congressional investigation and the pro-Trump rally that preceded the deadly event. Trump spoke at the rally and encouraged those who were there to march to the Capitol, where Congress was formalizing Biden's win.

Jan. 6, 202100:47

Thompson said the panel has evidence of interactions between House members and rioters on Jan. 6 that may or may not be significant. He did not specify who.

"Now, 'assisted' means different things," he said on "Meet the Press." "Some took pictures with people who came to the 'Stop the Steal' rally. Some, you know, allowed them to come and associate in their offices and other things during that whole rally week. So there's some participation."

Thompson also said the panel intends to recommend legislation to improve intelligence gathering, which he said he hoped would ensure that "this will never, ever happen again."

"As you know, it was clear that we were not apprised that something would happen. But, for the most part, it was the worst-kept secret in America that people were coming into Washington, and the potential for coordination and what we saw was there. So we want to make sure that never happens again," he said on "This Week."

A Senate report released in June, the product of a joint investigation by the Homeland Security and Rules committees, summed up what it says were profound intelligence and security failures that contributed to one of the worst incidents of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.

The report found that a key contributor was the failure of the intelligence community to "properly analyze, assess, and disseminate information to law enforcement" about the potential for violence and the known threats to the Capitol.

In the report, an unnamed Capitol Police officer was quoted as saying: "We were ill prepared. We were NOT informed with intelligence. We were betrayed."

House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said on CBS News' "Face the Nation" that the riot was, "in part, an intelligence failure that is the failure to see all the evidence that was out there to be seen of the propensity for violence that day."

Dec. 23, 202114:12

The Jan. 6 committee will also recommend legislation to better coordinate resources to protect the Capitol, Thompson said.

"There were significant inconsistencies in coordination. The National Guard from the District of Columbia was slow to respond, not on its own, but it had to go to the Department of Defense," he said on "This Week." "We want to make sure that the line of communication between the Capitol Police and the structure of how we make decisions is clear. Right now, it's kind of a hybrid authority, and that authority clearly broke down."

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Harold Perkins commits to Texas A&M Aggies at Under Armour All-America Game - ESPN

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4:26 PM ET

Texas A&M added its fourth five-star commitment Sunday, when linebacker Harold Perkins chose the Aggies at the Under Armour All-America Game.

Perkins is ESPN's No. 5-rated player overall, and he joins Walter Nolen, Gabe Brownlow-Dindy and Evan Stewart as the five-stars committed in the class.

The Aggies finished the early signing period with the No. 1 class and are now adding to that lead with Perkins. Alabama is the only other program with more than one five-star commitment, as the Tide have three in offensive lineman Tyler Booker, defensive end Jeremiah Alexander and receiver Shazz Preston.

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Texas A&M's class pushed past Alabama in the early signing period, replacing the Tide at the top. And the coaching staff still has a chance to add even more prospects as five-star Shemar Stewart is uncommitted and considering Texas A&M, as is ESPN 300 defensive back Jacoby Mathews.

Ohio State also got a commitment at Sunday's all-star game when ESPN 300 defensive lineman Omari Abor picked the Buckeyes. Abor has not signed yet and said on the broadcast that he might still visit Miami and Texas A&M before February.

Adding Abor into this commitment list, Ohio State now has eight recruits ranked in the top 100 and 13 in the ESPN 300.

The final commitment during the game came from ESPN 300 running back Jovantae Barnes, who chose Oklahoma. Barnes is the No. 97 prospect and chose the Sooners over Florida State and USC. Barnes announced his decision Sunday but had already signed with Oklahoma in December. His commitment gives new coach Brent Venables 10 ESPN 300 commitments in the class.

Venables and his staff were able to get quite a few big commitments late in the process, including Barnes, ESPN 300 quarterback Nick Evers, wide receiver Jayden Gibson, and the coaches were even able to convince ESPN 300 linebacker Kobie McKinzie to recommit after decommitting and committing to Texas.

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Cheney: January 6 committee has 'firsthand testimony' that Ivanka asked Trump to intervene during insurrection - CNN

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Washington (CNN)Members of the House select committee investigating January 6 said Sunday that they have critical testimony about communications to former President Donald Trump on the day of the deadly attack.

Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the vice chair of the committee and one of its two Republican members, told ABC News that the panel has "firsthand testimony" that during the attack, Trump's daughter and then-senior adviser Ivanka Trump asked him to intervene. And Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, told CNN the panel has "significant testimony" that the White House "had been told to do something."

"We know his daughter -- we have firsthand testimony that his daughter Ivanka went in at least twice to ask him to 'please stop this violence,'" Cheney told ABC News. CNN previously reported on some of these interactions, described in the book "I Alone Can Fix It" by Washington Post reporters Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker.

Thompson told CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union" Sunday: "We have significant testimony that leads us to believe that the White House had been told to do something. We want to verify all of it so that when we produce our report and when we have the hearings, the public will have an opportunity to see for themselves."

He added: "Well, the only thing I can say, it's highly unusual for anyone in charge of anything to watch what's going on and do nothing."

Asked whether he believes then-President Trump's actions during the insurrection warrant criminal referral, Thompson replied: "We don't know ... If there's anything we come upon as a committee that we think would warrant a referral to the Department of Justice, we'll do that."

The comments come days before the one-year anniversary of the attack, in which a pro-Trump mob temporarily overcame law enforcement officers and stormed the Capitol, attacking officers and destroying parts of the iconic building. The ensuing chaos led to the deaths of multiple people the day of the attack or shortly thereafter, while several officers who responded to the Capitol during the attack later died by suicide.

Thompson's committee has been investigating the attack and the events leading up to it since earlier this year. Much of the committee's work to this point has taken place behind closed doors, and an interim report on its findings is not expected until the summer.

The chairman said on Sunday that the panel has "some concerns" about potential financial fraud by Trump and his allies around the insurrection.

"It's highly concerning on our part that people raise money for one activity and we can't find the money being spent for that particular activity," he said. "So we'll continue to look at it and the financing is one of those things we will continue to look at very closely.

He also wouldn't say if the panel is planning to subpoena members of Congress, such as Trump ally Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, to cooperate with the committee.

"I would hope that those individuals who took an oath of office as a member of Congress would come forward," he said. "That's why we've asked them to come voluntarily."

Thompson said the panel is still working through testimony and documents from witnesses about the makeshift "war room" at DC's Willard Hotel that was run by Trump allies Rudy Giuliani and Steve Bannon the day of the attack.

"Part of our work is to try to get access to the records on that day, who paid for it. Bernie Kerik is significant. He started cooperating with our committee, we look forward to that cooperation to continue," he said. "The hotel has been asked to provide information for us, so we're in the process of doing our investigation."

CNN previously reported that Kerik, the former New York City police commissioner, made public emails that show him cutting off payments for a suite of rooms at the hotel, where Trump's post-election "war room" operated, and directing Giuliani to pick up some of the tab.

During the ABC interview, Cheney reiterated her strong reservations about Trump's fitness for future office.

"Any man who would not do so, any man who would provoke a violent assault on the Capitol to stop the counting of electoral votes, any man who would watch television as police officers were being beaten, as his supporters were invading the Capitol of the United States, is clearly unfit for future office," Cheney said. "Clearly can never be anywhere near the Oval Office ever again."

Asked if she believes the committee's investigation and report can change minds, Cheney said she has hope because the work is being done on a bipartisan basis.

"It is very much one that brings together a group of us who have very different policy views, but who come together when the issues have to do with the defense of the Constitution, and so that does give me hope," she said.

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NFL coaching roundup: Examining team coaching questions with two weeks left in regular season - NFL.com

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With two games to go, the Bears have made no public disclosures of their plans for coach Matt Nagy. But privately, they seem to know which direction they're headed.

According to multiple sources, Chicago appears primed to have a new head coach for the 2022 season and is expected to begin its search for Nagy's successor after Week 18.

Nagy, who has a 33-30 record heading into the final two games of the regular season, said this week that he was under the assumption he will be able to coach through Week 18. That should be the case. As an organization, the Bears rarely make rash moves during the season, with George McCaskey wanting to see the final product.

After that, the Bears brass will hold discussions, and the likely outcome is that they will move on from Nagy, sources say. According to those in the building, Nagy has been business as usual, not making his future a major topic of conversation and focusing only on his team closing out the season the right way. There are factors he can handle, and factors he can't, and he has been focused on those that he can.

When he's met with the owners, it's been under his normal course of action as head coach, not in any way focused on his future.

But the eventuality of the situation is not lost on any of the participants. Nagy's associates and others close to him sound resigned to an unhappy ending to his Bears tenure. Nagy went to the playoffs and finished 12-4 in his first season, but that was followed by two 8-8 campaigns and this year's 5-10 mark thus far.

Nagy also presided over an uncertain and underwhelming quarterback situation, with the final three years of Mitchell Trubisky and the rookie year of promising quarterback Justin Fields, who was learning on the job. That said, all parties know the final responsibilities lie with the head coach.

Here's a look at some of the other pending coaching situations around the NFL, based on conversations with multiple sources with knowledge of each team's situation.

• Broncos: There has been no firm decision on coach Vic Fangio, but it's safe to say his future is firmly up in the air, according to several sources with knowledge of the situation. Fangio didn't make the playoffs in his first two seasons, and it's headed that way for a third. Having 14 players currently on the COVID list doesn't help his cause to finish over .500. An incredible defensive mind with a great relationship with the front office and players, Fangio has the respect of the building. GM George Paton, who will make the call on Fangio, has built a strong working relationship with him and has a lot of respect for Fangio as a coach. But history does not speak well on a coach heading into his fourth year without having made the playoffs. It appears Fangio would have to make a compelling case to stay -- with the way the team finishes the year and his plans to fix the issues plaguing Denver, especially its struggling offense -- to ensure he gets a chance for a fourth season.
• Texans: With back-to-back wins providing some optimism late in the season, there are currently no signs that the Texans will move on from coach David Culley after just one year, sources say. Last week's win over the playoff-hopeful Chargers with two dozen players on the COVID-19 list was impressive. There has been a learning curve for Culley, but finishing strong with a mostly depleted roster could show that the curve has been accelerated. The Texans are 3-3 over the last six weeks, though games against two challenging opponents at the end will be telling. The remainder of the season will offer a lot about Culley's future leadership of an organization in transition, with matchups against two teams in the playoff chase: the 49ers and Titans. These games are part of the larger picture the organization is trying to paint.
• Panthers: Little has gone according to plan for the Panthers, who lost star running back Christian McCaffrey twice to injured reserve and have started three QBs this year. In spite of a 5-10 record and five straight losses, all indications are coach Matt Rhule will return, barring an epic meltdown on the field or some unforeseen circumstance, sources informed of Carolina's plans said. Rhule should get the chance to complete his turnaround on the field in Year 3 -- with the hope that improved QB play in 2022 helps achieve that goal. In truth, judging the plan has been difficult without a consistent QB. With a few changes, including a new offensive coordinator, the hope is that Carolina finally sees the fruits of its plans.
• Vikings: After a down year in 2020, the Vikings entered the season needing to improve. Instead, it's been a roller-coaster of emotions, with the latest blow coming with Kirk Cousins testing positive for COVID-19 and missing Week 17. Mike Zimmer appears to be one of the coaches whose fate has not yet been decided, per sources informed of his situation. Winning out and making the playoffs would go a long way toward solidifying his status. Miss the playoffs -- for the fifth time in eight seasons -- and it would be a decision left to Minnesota's ownership.
• Jaguars and Raiders: The two current openings have gone about their search differently. The Raiders have done some research and planning, but no requests are in and it appears they have not yet gone through the process, per team sources. The Jaguars, meanwhile, interviewed former Eagles coach Doug Pederson on Thursday for several hours at owner Shad Khan's home and they have a virtual interview set up with Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles this week, according to a source informed of his plans. That may not be the last Zoom interview before the season ends, as a few coaches are still mulling their options. Cowboys OC Kellen Moore is also expected to interview virtually for the Jags' head coaching job late in the week, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported. Cowboys DC Dan Quinn and Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett have opted to wait until the regular season ends.
• Jets and Lions: Fellow first-year coaches Robert Saleh and Dan Campbell have struggled when it comes to wins and losses, though there have been more than enough promising signs that neither is in any trouble. Both are coaches their respective organizations want to build around, and both will return in 2022, per team sources.

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Police struggle to deter rising catalytic converter thefts - ABC News

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RICHMOND, Va. -- In the tiny town of Lawrenceville, Virginia, a van owned by Poplar Mount Baptist Church was knocked out of commission for weeks after thieves cut the catalytic converter out of its exhaust system.

Several months later, across town, a catalytic converter was ripped from a van owned by First Baptist Church.

Similar crimes followed, targeting a total of 15 church vans and 13 other vehicles in town, part of a nationwide surge in thefts of catalytic converters.

Thefts of the exhaust emission control devices have jumped over the past two years as prices for the precious metals they contain have skyrocketed. Thieves can expect to get anywhere from $50 to $300 if they sell the converters to scrap yards, which then sell them to recycling facilities to reclaim the precious metals inside, including platinum, palladium and rhodium.

For victims, the costs of replacing a stolen catalytic converter can easily top $1,000 and make their vehicle undrivable for days or weeks as the part is ordered and installed. It can also leave owners feeling vulnerable.

“Just to feel that the church property was invaded by thieves was disheartening,” said John Robinson, a member of Poplar Mount Baptist Church.

Robinson said replacing the stolen converter cost about $1,000. The theft was covered by insurance, but the church had to pay its $250 deductible and was unable to use the van for six weeks as it sat in a mechanic's yard waiting for a new part.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau said the number of catalytic converter thefts reported in claims to insurance companies jumped from 3,389 in 2019 to 14,433 in 2020. NICB President David Glawe said there has been a significant increase in thefts since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s an opportunistic crime,” Glawe said in a statement. "As the value of the precious metals contained within the catalytic converters continues to increase, so do the number of thefts of these devices. There is a clear connection between times of crisis, limited resources, and disruption of the supply chain that drives investors towards these precious metals.”

The increase in thefts has prompted states across the country to toughen penalties and impose new requirements for scrap metal dealers who buy the converters. Ten states enacted new legislation in 2021, including laws in Arkansas, South Carolina and Texas that require scrap metal buyers of used converters to maintain records of purchases, including proof of ownership, vehicle identification numbers, the seller's home address and driver's license numbers, according to the insurance crime bureau.

In North Carolina, a law that went into effect Dec. 1 makes catalytic converter thefts a Class I felony and requires businesses that buy used catalytic converters to get documentation and maintain detailed records on people who sell the devices to them.

A bill modeled after the North Carolina law will be introduced in Virginia when the legislature reconvenes in January. The measure would make the theft of a catalytic converter a felony and presume that anyone in possession of one that's been removed from a vehicle has obtained it illegally unless the person is an authorized scrap seller or has a bill of sale, receipt or other documentation.

“It would make it more risky for the thieves to steal them,” said Sen. Frank Ruff Jr., who is sponsoring the bill. “The sellers would have to show more identification, and then at the same time, the salvage dealer would not want to get in trouble so he'd be less likely to allow them to sell to him.”

Brunswick County Sheriff Brian Roberts, who has seen the number of thefts in his rural area grow from seven to nine annually to 28 this year, said converters can be stolen in minutes. Thieves need only crawl under a vehicle and use a battery-operated reciprocating saw to cut through the metal and remove the part, he said.

In Henrico County, where about 540 catalytic converters have been reported stolen this year, police have produced public service announcements to raise awareness.

David Overby, owner of Auto Repairs Plus, said he spent more than $5,000 on lighting and a security system with cameras after thieves repeatedly stole catalytic converters off his customers' cars in his parking lot. Overby said police arrested two people caught on his cameras stealing converters, but he said under the current law, they were only charged with a misdemeanor.

“These people have got to be held accountable in some way, not given a slap on their wrist," Overby said.

At Chesterfield Auto Parts, where customers can pull parts from junked cars, owner Troy Webber said his workers remove catalytic converters before the vehicles are made available to the public, then lock the devices in steel containers before selling them to auto recyclers. That doesn’t stop thieves from trying to break in, he said.

“People cut through our fence constantly to try to steal the catalytic converters,” he said.

Henrico police Chief Eric English said catalytic converters have been cut from vehicles parked in homeowners' driveways. Police have advised people about theft prevention measures, including protective shields and covers for the converters. They've also offered to stencil a mark on catalytic converters to allow scrap yard dealers and recyclers to more easily identity a stolen converter.

“It's definitely something we have to get a hold of because it's causing a lot of families and a lot of people some heartburn,” English said. “It's not something people deserve to have happen to them.”

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After losing everything in the Colorado wildfires, she's struggling to start over - NPR

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Enlarge this image

Taylor Korn, and her roommate, Jorge Zaragoza, with their dogs Gerti (left) and Gidget. The third dog is Scarlett, a rescue dog and the mother of the other two pups, belongs to Korn's friends and was elsewhere during the fire. Taylor Korn

Taylor Korn

Taylor Korn spent most of Thursday afternoon in tears as she struggled to come to terms with the fact that everything she once owned was now gone. Among the items lost were two urns with her parents' ashes, her birth certificate, irreplaceable family photos along with all of her clothes and personal belongings. Also inside the home were two puppies, just 6 months old, who couldn't be saved.

The Marshall Fire, which erupted in Boulder County, Colo., late that morning, took it all.

Korn, a 28-year-old Boulder native, was working as a bartender in Boulder when a friend sent her a video of smoke filling skies to the south of the city. Initially, she was unfazed. Having spent her entire life in Colorado, she was used to the news of a fire breaking out.

About an hour later, her landlord called.

"You need to get out of the house," the landlord told her.

Korn immediately thought of her two puppies, Gerti and Gidget, who were at home in their crates 6 miles away. Upon realizing that her two roommates weren't there to save the dogs, Korn jumped in her car and began to race home.

On any other day, the drive would have taken about 10 minutes. But the highway was closed, forcing her to take a series of back roads, ultimately coming across one dead end after another.

"I just kept driving around trying to find a way I could get maybe close enough to walk there and get my dogs and bring them back to the car. It was just impossible," Korn said. She tried calling neighbors, but to no avail. Even her landlord who lived nearby couldn't reach the house. "I had to go back to work and just wait."

She spent the rest of the day crying behind the bar, her eyes fixated on the TV as she watched the fire grow. Korn thought about how if the fire had only happened the day before, when she was off work and at home, she could have saved the dogs. When her shift at the bar came to an end at 5 p.m., her landlord called again, this time in tears.

The house was gone.

"It was surreal. It didn't feel like it was my life," Korn said. "It felt like there was no way, absolutely no way, that that could have happened."

Enlarge this image

The remains of Taylor Korn's home in Louisville, Colo. She lost her parents' ashes, irreplaceable family photos, her birth certificate and more. She also lost two puppies who were trapped at home during the fire. Broomfield Animal Services

Broomfield Animal Services

Growing up in Boulder, Korn was no stranger to wildfires. She knew friends growing up who had lost their homes. Now it had happened to her. And fires typically took place in the summer, never in winter, she said.

She had only been in the house for a little over a year and a half, but it felt like home. She shared the house with two friends she had known from high school and it was often filled with friends. They had considered throwing a New Year's Eve party there, until the latest coronavirus surge canceled their plans.

Korn doesn't have a family. Her mother died five years ago and her father and grandmother died over the course of a month this past summer. All she had left, she explained, were her friends, her dogs and her rental house. And the fire took two of those from her.

Korn's home was one of about 1,000 lost to the fire — including more than 500 homes in Louisville. Colorado officials said the fire burned an estimated 6,000 acres and engulfed entire subdivisions.

At least three people were missing and likely dead as of Saturday, according to the Boulder County sheriff.

Officials first thought the fire may have been started by an downed electrical wire, a Boulder Office of Emergency Management notice said, but the power company has found no downed lines in the area. As of Saturday, the cause of the fire was still unknown and the investigation was ongoing.

The fire spread incredibly fast, fueled by high winds with gusts over 100 mph. Gov. Jared Polis called the fire a "disaster in fast motion," allowing residents only a few minutes to gather their belongings before evacuating.

Enlarge this image

The Marshall fire in Boulder County, Colo., burned an estimated 6,000 acres and displaced 35,000 people. About 1,000 homes were lost. Jack Dempsey/AP

Jack Dempsey/AP

As for Korn, she only has what she wore to work Thursday morning: one pair of jeans, a dirty pair of shoes and a work shirt, along with her wallet, cellphone and her car.

Friends and coworkers approached her, offering everything from clothes and bedding to groceries and cash. But she's hesitant to accept their help.

"It's hard for me to take things from people. I can't ask for help ... and then people are just handing me cash and I don't want it," she said. "I'm so proud of how far I've come in this life with literally no help, but it's hard."

She went to a Salvation Army thrift shop Friday morning to buy new clothes to wear to work. The store was empty and uncomfortably quiet. She walked the aisles unsure about where to start. The feeling was surreal as she purchased the first shirt of the rest of her life. Heartbroken and without a home, she is unsure what the new year will bring.

Korn admits the gravity of her situation hasn't fully set in. It's hard for her to grasp the concept of having nothing. She's staying with her childhood friend, Claire Gritton, in an apartment in Boulder until she can find a place to stay.

Gritton has teamed up with two of Korn's friends, Sara Salakari and Sam Swoboda, to raise funds via a GoFundMe page for Korn to start over. They know Korn is reluctant to accept the help, but they're also aware how critical the funds will be to her ability to start over.

"[Korn] doesn't accept help very much, so we are kind of having to force that on her," Gritton said. "She's been there for everyone else and she deserves just as much as everything that she has given to other people."

So far, the three friends have managed to raise over $13,000 for Korn to start over. The funds will help her find a new place to live and replace basic necessities; to start over.

Korn is one of 35,000 people that had to be evacuated, according to the Boulder County Community Foundation. The burn area is still closed to residents who are waiting for the go-ahead from first responders who are working to secure the scene. More information about the fire and where to send donations for victims can be found at the Boulder Office of Emergency Management website.

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Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp to miss Chelsea clash with COVID-19 - ESPN

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Jurgen Klopp has reported a suspected positive test for COVID-19 and will miss Liverpool's Premier League clash with Chelsea on Sunday, the club have confirmed.

The Liverpool manager has reported mild symptoms, with sources saying he "feels fine." However, Klopp is now isolating and will not travel to London for the Stamford Bridge fixture. Assistant manager Pep Lijnders will take charge of the team.

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Klopp and three other members of the Liverpool coaching staff have tested positive in the past 24 hours, in addition to the three players who have reported positive tests since the team's last fixture at Leicester on Tuesday.

Klopp confirmed the three cases among the playing staff on Friday, although Liverpool have chosen not to name the individuals ahead of the game Sunday.

Despite the outbreak of positive cases at the club, Liverpool have not asked for the game to be postponed and, at this stage, do not anticipate a change in that position.

Eighteen Premier League fixtures have been postponed over the past three weeks, with Liverpool's Anfield clash against Leeds United called off due to Marcelo Bielsa's team being unable to field 14 first-team players.

However, Liverpool currently have enough members of their squad fit and able to face Chelsea.

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Former Cowboys player, NFL head coach Dan Reeves passes away at 77 - NFL.com

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Throughout his long and successful career in the NFL as a player and coach, Dan Reeves participated in nine Super Bowls.

A hard-nosed running back with the Dallas Cowboys who would go on to be a head coach for the Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons, Reeves has passed away at the age of 77.

Reeves' family released a statement to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo:

"Legendary NFL player and coach Dan Reeves passed away early this morning, peacefully and surrounded by his loving family at his home in Atlanta, GA. He passed away at age 77 due to complications from a long illness. His legacy will continue through his many friends, players and fans as well as the rest of the NFL community. Arrangements are still to be determined."

Reeves remains the only person to have ever appeared in multiple Super Bowls as both a player and a coach.

In eight seasons as a running back for the Cowboys, Reeves went to two Super Bowls and was part of Dallas' Super Bowl VI-winning team in the 1971 season – his second-to-last as a player. He would go on to become an assistant coach with the Cowboys and was part of three Super Bowl trips and one victory before moving on to a long and distinguished career as an NFL head coach.

He was twice recognized as AP NFL Coach of the Year – in 1993 with the Giants and 1998 with the Falcons – but his days along the Broncos sidelines with John Elway at quarterback likely stand as the hallmark of his career.

In 12 seasons with the Broncos from 1981-1992, Reeves piloted them to three Super Bowl appearances. He would move on to coach the Giants from 1993-1996 before taking over the Falcons' reins as head coach in 1997 until 2003.

One of the winningest coaches in NFL history, Coach Reeves set the foundation for the Broncos’ decade of dominance in the 1980s and championship tradition for years to come.

A statement from the Broncos on the passing of Dan Reeves: pic.twitter.com/gHcnqLqppq

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 1, 2022

In 23 seasons as a head coach, Reeves concluded his career with a 190-165-2 record in the regular season. He led his teams to nine postseason berths and was 11-9 in the playoffs.

A Georgia native, Reeves died three weeks shy of his 78th birthday.

He played college ball at South Carolina as a quarterback, but went undrafted before joining Tom Landry's Cowboys in 1965. Dallas went 7-7 that season, but was a winner every season thereafter during Reeves' playing career. He finished his days on the field with 1,990 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns over eight seasons – his best showing coming in 1966, when the halfback tallied a team-high 757 yards and eight touchdowns. A versatile back whose career was ultimately slowed by a knee injury, Reeves also had 129 receptions for 1,693 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Reeves, who began his coaching career as the Dallas backfield coach in 1975, was the Cowboys' offensive coordinator from 1977-1980 before becoming the Broncos' head coach in 1981 when he was only 37-years-old. Under the Reeves umbrella, the Broncos became an AFC powerhouse in the 1980s. In his dozen seasons with the club, Reeves captained Denver to six playoff appearances, five division titles and three Super Bowl runner-up finishes.

In 1993, Reeves took over as the Giants' head coach and produced an 11-5 season in the first of four campaigns with Big Blue.

His career concluded over seven seasons leading the Falcons. Reeves piloted the "Dirty Bird" Falcons of 1998 as the team finished the regular season at 14-2 and marched to the franchise's first Super Bowl before losing to Reeves' old squad, the Broncos.

"Dan Reeves leaves a lasting legacy in our game as a player and coach. His track record of success in Dallas, Denver, New York and Atlanta over several decades speaks for itself, marking a long and successful life and career in football," Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement. "On behalf of the Atlanta Falcons I extend our condolences to Dan's family and friends as they mourn his passing."

A member of the Broncos Ring of Fame, Reeves learned under the tutelage of Landry as a player and then a coach with the Cowboys. He then helped to build one of the most successful chapters in Broncos history. He was a success with every franchise he was a part of who played alongside and coached myriad Hall of Famers, and ultimately left a lasting legacy in nearly four decades in the NFL.

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Italy's best-loved gallery tries a new way to attract tourists - CNN

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(CNN) — They commissioned and collected some of the most pivotal artworks of the Renaissance, building a collection of art that has now been transformed into one of the best known museums in the world.

But Florence's Medici family also collected works of art from other cultures. And now the Uffizi Gallery, which started as the family's offices when they ruled the city, and is now Italy's most visited museum, is opening a gallery-within-a-gallery to show off one such collection.

The aim? To appeal to a more diverse kind of tourism.

The Museum of Russian Icons, which opens January 2, will be housed in the Palazzo Pitti -- the Medici family's vast palace from which they governed much of Tuscany.

Four rooms, which have never been opened to the public, have been allocated to the museum, with their 17th-century frescoes restored, giving it a theatrical setting of trompe l'oeil columns, coffered ceilings and mysterious veiled statues lurking in niches.

The Cappella Palatina -- a private chapel of the Medici family, which was previously open just once a year for Mass -- will also be part of the museum.

The collection, said to be the oldest of its kind outside Russia, contains 78 icons from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

The theatrical setting has the icons interacting with the palatial decor.

Uffizi Galleries

Some of the icons were painted by artists who usually worked for the Russian Tsars, and were send directly from Moscow's Kremlin.

It was started by the Medici family, before being continued by the House of Lorraine, Austrian royals and rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, which ruled Tuscany after the Medici family died out.

The icons were first mentioned in an early-1600s inventory of the Medici's possessions, and then again in 1761, by which time they were in Palazzo Pitti, with Holy Roman Emperor Francis I having expanded the collection.

But because of the extent of the Uffizi's collection -- which has tens of thousands of works in storage -- they have been off display since the 18th century.

Highlights of the collection include a Madonna owned by the Medici family, and the Menologio -- a calendar of orthodox festivals, divided into over 100 individual scenes painted in microscopic detail.

The Menologio is a meticulously painted highlight.

Uffizi Galleries

Uffizi director Eike Schmidt reckons this is a more intimate collection than other works of art commissioned by the Medici.

"It sets itself apart from other collections because [the icons are] mainly small and medium-sized, meant for private family worship, and designed to be portable," he said.

Staff believe that the museum will tap into a post-pandemic desire to go off the typical tourist trail and see something different.

The four rooms have never before been open to the public.

Uffizi Galleries

"It's responding to the current need to widen our cultural offering for an ever more diverse public, who want to explore lesser known places," said Daniela Parenti, curator of the icon museum.

Schmidt added that the museum would pave the way for the opening of the entire ground floor of Palazzo Pitti, whose frescoed rooms have never been open to the public.

"They're incredible rooms, and the Grand Dukes [of Tuscany] lived inside them, but today they're mainly used as offices and service rooms," he said.

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