The Chinese government has promised Olympic athletes free access to social media platforms and other websites in the Olympic Village in Beijing, but internet use may still be fraught with restrictions and risks.
Why it matters: China's aim in temporarily opening its "great firewall" is simply to boost its global reputation ahead of the Games, not to champion an open internet, experts say. And they expect heavy surveillance of online activity to continue, even for visitors who are allowed to access sites that would otherwise be blocked.
Driving the news: Georgia finally slayed the dragon Monday night in Indianapolis, beating an Alabama team it had lost to seven straight times to win its first national championship since 1981.
U.S. Olympic pairs skater Timothy LeDuc called Chinese human rights abuses toward Uyghur Muslims "horrifying," USA Today reports.
Why it matters: A number of countries, including the U.S., have announced diplomatic boycotts of next month's Beijing Winter Games. Many athletes however, have "tiptoed around" commenting on the human rights abuses committed by China's government, USA Today notes.
Eli Manning is the latest retired NFL great to join the world of private equity, this morning announcing that he's joined Brand Velocity Partners. Not as a part-time adviser or conference glad-hander, but as an actual partner.
Why it matters: BVP, founded in 2019 to buy consumer brand companies, has interest in expanding into sports investing, including the growing business of buying up pro teams. Manning lends the firm extra credibility and contacts in that space and says it will be his primary job.
Alabama and Georgia will play for a championship Monday night — five weeks after their SEC title game matchup, and four years after their national title game thriller.
State of play: The Bulldogs are slight favorites to win their first championship in 41 years, but they've lost seven straight to the Crimson Tide, who have won a casual six national titles in 14 years.
U.S. speedskater Brittany Bowe earned an Olympic spot on Sunday — then gave it to her teammate.
Catch up quick: On Friday at the U.S. speedskating trials, Erin Jackson slipped in the 500-meter qualifying race and finished third behind first-place Bowe and second-place Kimi Goetz.
New York launched mobile sports betting on Saturday, with four online sportsbooks beginning operations and another five awaiting final approval.
The big picture: Now that New Yorkers can bet from their couch — rather than travel to New Jersey — many believe the Empire State will eventually contend with New Jersey and Nevada for most money wagered by state (currently 17th).
Novak Djokovic's Australian visa cancellation was overturned Monday by a judge on the country's federal circuit court, who ordered the Serbian tennis star's release from immigration detention within 30 minutes of the ruling.
Why it matters: It enables the men's tennis world No. 1 to possibly stay in the country and defend his Australian Open title, after border officials last week canceled his visa over his COVID-19 vaccination status.
/2022/01/06/1641498052768.gif?w=3840)
