Saudi German Hospital, one of the largest healthcare providers in the UAE, is automating its end-to-end business processes by using AI-powered software bots to help improve patient care and reduce patient waiting times.
The software bots are provided by Automation Anywhere and deployed by Advansys ESC.
Automation Anywhere and Advansys ESC worked with Saudi German Hospital to identify automation opportunities in its insurance and finance departments that typically handle high-volume manual processes, such as insurance eligibility, insurance pre-authorisation and patient enrollment.
“The automation capabilities will allow us to add value and support caregivers in the treatment process by providing deeper insights on the patient’s specific condition, lifestyle and patient behaviour in real-time,” Dr. Reem Osman, Group CEO of Saudi German Hospitals UAE, said.
She added that the cognitive and AI technology infusion will empower its “Intelligent Patient Platform” to expand competencies and deliver better outcomes.
Because of Covid-19, Milan Sheth, Executive Vice-President for India, Middle East and Africa at Silicon Valley-based Automation Anywhere, said that RPA is seen not as a replacement of human workers but as resiliency and most of the big banks’ operations did not suffer during the pandemic because they had bots as backups.
Sheth said that there are three sectors in the Middle East where there is a tremendous uptake - government-owned enterprises, financial services, energy and utility sectors but healthcare and life sciences are seeing an increase due to Covid-19.
Automation Anywhere is one of the three biggest RPA companies in the world, alongside UiPath and Blue Prism.
“Intelligent automation empowers healthcare organisations to perform more time-consuming, manual tasks, freeing up staff to treat an increased number of patients by improving hospital efficiencies,” Sheth said.
Moreover, he said that medical systems impacted by the global pandemic are seeing how automation technology can have a huge impact on a patient's progress by implementing bots for processes, such as simplifying patient appointment scheduling, streamlining account settlements and managing healthcare workflows. All of this time saved can go right back into patient care.
“We have built products to automate the workforce for a modern enterprise. Between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, there will be more and more demand for expanding the digital workforce. It will create more jobs locally and instead of offshoring, you are bringing it back using technology and deliver productivity,” he said.
(Image credit: Future)
One of key business priorities
Manish Ranjan, Program Manager for Software and Cloud at IDC, said, that spending on RPA solutions in the Middle East and Africa region will represent an almost four-fold increase and a strong annual growth rate of 33% for a five year forecast period of 2019 to 2024.
He added that spending on RPA in the UAE is expected to grow 44.8% year on year in 2020 to reach over $11 million.
According to a latest IDC CIO survey, about 36% of CIOs said they are going to spend more on RPA in 2020 compared to their pre-Covid-19 plans.
During the current pandemic, Ranjan said that one of the key business priorities for both public and private sector is to ensure business continuity by providing better services, improved customer experience, enhanced collaboration across departments and improved business process automation. RPA can contribute to each of these priorities, by enhancing efficiency and agility across the organisation, he said.
Within healthcare, he said that RPA is being used to manage the influx of patient appointments, managing healthcare workflow and healthcare cycle, streamlining claim processes, speeding up the processing of various information and data entry etc.
The Asus ROG Phone 3 is the latest in a series of phones that pack the most cutting-edge specs to deliver a premium experience at high prices. This is against the trend of a gaming phone market swelling with more affordable mid-range smartphones, as well as flagship phones getting more and more advanced.
How does Asus believe the ROG Phone 3 stand out? By offering the best experience and listening to fans. That's according to Asus executives, who sat down to chat with TechRadar about the ROG 3’s place in the 2020 phones market – and how the company tweaked its design to appeal to more than just hardcore gamers.
The first thing to notice about the ROG 3 is that it’s literally the same size and weight as its predecessor, but the look has slightly changed. The back cover, which had been criss-crossed by aggressive angles in the ‘gamer chic’ style, is now a clean back with far fewer lines and jagged edges.
Indeed, its biggest single distinguishing feature is a modest window to the heat sink – a hint at the gaming power inside, rather than a visible declaration of it being a gaming device.
(Image credit: Future)
“If you look at it now, this generation is a little bit more subdued compared to the [ROG II], and some people feel that is a negative, and some people feel it’s a nice thing,” explained Chih-Hao Kung, global technical PR director for Asus’ mobile business unit.
“How do we balance these two wheels, because they are so opposite to each other? Do we lean very heavily on stereotypically gaming aesthetics or do we try to make it more appealing to a wider audience?”
The subdued design Asus settled on was modeled after souped-up ‘supercars,’ Kung explained. The inspiration is obvious, with the heat sink window resembling the transparent cowls covering high-octane engines on the world’s fastest automobiles.
It certainly feels like a design shift for more mainstream appeal, yet it still suggests serious gaming capability under the hood – and the ROG 3 has more phone-equivalent horsepower than nearly any other handset out there.
It’s one of the first to sport the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset (achieving 10% better performance than the standard Snapdragon 865, according to Asus), packs an industry-leading 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and its OLED display’s refresh rate has been increased to 144Hz compared to the ROG II’s 120Hz screen.
In our experience, those specs make for some of the smoothest gaming we’ve ever had on a phone without a moment of slowdown. But appealing to both the hardcore gamers that make up Asus’ traditional market and the more casual phone fans introduces new challenges.
(Image credit: Future)
A more mainstream gaming phone
There are things hardcore gamers understand that casual players, who may be new to performance hardware, do not. For instance, heat buildup on the back of the phone can seem like the phone is working improperly.
“So internally, we had a lot of debate: should we make more isolated material to keep the heat inside, or should we let the heat dissipate outside?” said Shawn Chang, global sales and marketing director of Asus’ mobile business unit.
“We still believed in the end that the user would like to have performance… the whole concept is that we wanted to make a supercar that looks like a supercar and performs like a supercar, but you can turn it off.”
Thus, the Asus ROG 3 hides some of its more intense heat and performance until users activate X Mode, the signature Asus ROG phone mode that enables particular tinkering of CPU, GPU, heat, and network settings. While Asus simplified some of those aspects to make it easier for newcomers to customize their gaming experience, it’s still a complex list.
This is the line in the sand that Asus is drawing: accommodating casual gamers, but preserving complexity to provide a premium experience for gamers who want to push limits. And it packs the biggest and best components to do so – often to a redundant degree, considering the phone has four Wi-Fi antennas and four microphones.
(Image credit: Future)
Selling top-tier phones in a mid-range gaming market
The extensive range of top-tier specs puts the ROG 3 somewhat at odds with other, cheaper gaming smartphones. In a market where mid-range handsets are half the cost of the ROG 3, there are clear differences.
“What is their build quality? Are they really using glass on the front and back? Do you put a 30W charger in the box? How many frequency bands do they support worldwide? Do they support 5G across continents?”, Kung asks. “If you go for a lower price, you sacrifice these things. Which is fine – there’s [just] different ways to approach it.”
There’s no denying the clash of value as cheaper phones flood the market, and Asus was coy about outright stating how they could be sold at such low prices – about, perhaps, the disparity in production scale between the Taiwan-based Asus and other massive manufacturers.
(Image credit: Future)
Faced with that competition, the ROG 2 seems a success story that paved the way for the ROG 3. It’s not the only pricey gaming phone out there – the Lenovo Legion Phone Duel launched the same day as Asus’ new phone, and one configuration of the Xiaomi Black Shark 3 has arrived – but the company believes the extensive features and tooled software keep it surviving and thriving where the Razer Phone line failed.
“Why did the Razer fail when the ROG phone didn’t? Well, maybe that’s not up to us to know,” Kung said. “I would say the ROG phone is not a ZenFone or a standard flagship phone painted black with a light on it.”
Surviving in the gaming smartphone niche requires savvy choices, too. If you just listen to fans arguing on forums, you’d think the only things they care about are cameras and who gets to 200-watt fast charging first, Kung says. But that’s not what everybody wants, even if it sometimes feels like that.
Asus isn’t gunning to convince folks to replace their Samsung Galaxy S20 with a new ROG Phone 3. Reading between the lines, they’ve ceded photography to the biggest flagship phones.
When 1.23 billion smartphones were sold last year, Asus’ team believes there’s a niche for high-end gaming handsets, and positive sales prove it.
“We have a ROG 3 because the first and second one did well. That’s the simple answer,” Kung said. “We can make it sustainable so far, and we do see demand increasing for every model. If anything, we were surprised by how fast inventories were depleting.”
In a world where tens millions of people use ‘12345’ or ‘qwerty’ as their passwords, it makes a great sense to use biometric security instead, as every human being has multiple unique biometric signatures that can be used instead of a password.
This could all change soon after scientists revealed that laughter is unique to every person and can hardly be spoofed. A team from the Systems Engineering Department at the University of Lagos in Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria, have discovered that people can identify other people by the matchless nature of their laughter because, unlike voice and manner of speech, laughter almost cannot be mimicked.
To that end, the researchers have identified various audible frequencies in a person’s laugh that can be used to create a digital signature akin to a minutiae (hash) created by fingerprint readers.
According to the study published in the International Journal of Biometrics, the recognition algorithm created by the team is 90% accurate, which may be good enough for certain consumer applications.
For example, laughter-based security could replace usage of voice recognition. Meanwhile, for systems that have to be very secure and predictable, the accuracy of the laughter recognition algorithm has to be improved.
"Laughter has thus been shown to be a viable biometric feature for person identification which can be embedded into artificial intelligence systems in diverse applications," the team concluded.
One potential problem with using laughter as a biometric signature is that the system that uses it for a secure login has to make one laugh. Everyone has a different sense of humor and what seems funny to one person is not for another.
Furthermore, some things may seem funny at a time and not so funny when your mood changes. To that end, while laughter can be used as a digital signature, it is hardly good enough for systems that require a quick login.
The 2020 MotoGP season is now under way, and while the Covid-19 pandemic caused some races to be culled, the new-look schedule still features 13 confirmed high-octane Grand Prix races across Europe with stops in Spain, Italy, Austria, France and the Czech Republic. Don't miss a single lap with our guide - here's how to watch a MotoGP live stream no matter where you are in the world.
MotoGP live stream 2020
The revised 2020 MotoGP calendar runs from July 17's Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez to November 15, when the Valencian Grand Prix is scheduled. Races are on BT Sport in the UK, so a great value BT Sport Monthly Pass is all you need to catch the action.
This week sees round two of MotoGP in Jerez, with the Andalusian Grand Prix taking place. In total, seven of the new-look season's races are taking place in Spain and five circuits will host two races each on back-to-back weeks. So while there's sadly no MotoGP British Grand Prix this year, we do get new events in the Styrian Grand Prix, Teruel GP and Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
There's also four international races still on the MotoGP schedule marked as TBD, so there's every chance the season will conclude with races in America, Argentina, Thailand and Malaysia. MotoGP governing body the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) said it would have an announcement in this regard by the end of July, so stay tuned for more.
But wherever the season ends, all eyes are on six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez in 2020. The Spanish star has seemed invincible in recent years, though there are some question marks regarding his fitness this year, after he spent the winter recovering from a shoulder injury and then broke his arm in the Spanish GP.
If there's any kind of let up from Marquez, fellow Spaniard Maverick Vinales and talented French youngster Fabio Quartararo are both being heavily tipped for big things this year. Elsewhere, sporting romantics will be hoping to see MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi go out in style, as 2020 looks set to be the 41-year-old's final factory season.
Ready to watch every knee-scraping turn? Follow our guide as we explain how to get a MotoGP live stream from anywhere in the world.
How to live stream MotoGP races from outside your country
To see how you can live stream the MotoGP action in the UK, Australia, the US, Canada and New Zealand, read on further down this page to see the broadcast options. But if you want to stream the riding from outside your country, you may find that it's geo-blocked.
That's where a VPN can come in really handy. It's a piece of software readily available to download and install that allows you to simulate the IP address on your laptop (or mobile phone, tablet, streaming device, console, etc) so that it appears to be in a completely different country. Ideal, assuming that it doesn't breach any Ts&Cs from the broadcaster you're trying to tune in to.
We've taken the time to try out all the biggest VPN providers and we found ExpressVPN to sit at the front of the grid. It works with lots of devices and offers super fast connections across its many servers.
ExpressVPN is the best all-round VPN for streaming at (appropriately) excellent speeds - and perhaps best of all, it has a 30-day money back guarantee plus 3-months FREE when you subscribe for a year.
Access ExpressVPN via your laptop, iPhone, tablet, Android phone, PlayStation, Xbox and plenty more. Express is a do-it-all service that also benefits from 24/7 customer support.View Deal
MotoGP live stream: how to watch every Grand Prix in the UK
BT Sport will be showing all the action this year live on TV, usually on BT Sport 2. This means the BT Sport app will let subscribers watch the MotoGP action on any number of devices, including Android and iOS mobiles/tablets, Apple TV, NOW TV devices, Xbox, PlayStation and select Samsung Smart TVs.
However, if you don't want the commitment or cost of a full-fat BT TV package, there's now also the BT Sport Monthly Pass option to consider, which lets you pay just £25 a month and cancel at any time.
If you're BT Sport subscriber but find yourself outside the UK this Sunday then you'll need to download a VPN and follow the instructions above to live stream the action.
How to watch a MotoGP live stream in the US
For US motorcycle racing fans, it's NBC and NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) which will be showing the MotoGP action this season.
If you have cable, that means you're all set and will also be able to watch MotoGP online via the NBC Sports website - you'll just need to log-in with details of your TV provider.
If you don't have cable, then you'll need to consider an over-the-top streaming service - and the best value option right now for MotoGP fans is Sling TV.
Its Sling Blue package comes with NBCSN as well as NBC proper (in select markets), costing just $30 a month - way less than you'd pay for cable. There's even a FREE trial on offer to let you check it out for yourself.
Out of the US and want to watch your home coverage? No worries - just use a VPN as described above.
How watch MotoGP Jerez: live stream today's race from Spain
You're in luck, Australia, as every MotoGP race of the 2020 season is set to be shown on free-to-air Network 10 channels and also for pay TV subscribers on Fox Sports.
This is great! However, anyone who watches more than just MotoGP may want to consider an over-the-top service that gets them not only motorcycle racing but also a wide range of sports coverage.
If that sounds like you, then you should check out great value Kayo Sports, a streaming service which will give you access to every MotoGP race, plus Formula 1, AFL, NRL, Super Rugby AOT, cricket and way more (basketball, tennis, American football and so on).
In fact, it's available from just $25 a month - and it comes with a FREE 2-week trial period so you can see how it works for yourself. It's also home to comprehensive NRL and AFL coverage, making it a great all-around choice for Aussies.
For the best value, consider the upgraded Kayo Sports Premium Package, which provides three concurrent streams for $35 per month. We probably don't need to tell you, but if you've got mates or family who also like to watch MotoGP and other sport, this means you can split the price of a subscription and it breaks down very favourably.
Kayo apps also mean you can access the service from your chosen device wherever you are (although you'll need a VPN if you're taking that abroad)..
How to watch MotoGP: live stream every race in the Canada
Canadians can enjoy the motorbike racing action on beIN Sports which has the rights to the races for 2020. If you don't get beIN Sports as part of a pay TV package, fear not - there's also a streaming-only option you can take advantage of.
beIN Sports Connect offers all of the same great coverage that you'd get on cable, including access to all eight beIN Sports channels. The difference is it's a fraction of the price at just CA$14.95 a month - and you're free to cancel at any time. Check out beIN Sports Connect here.
For those travelling, you can use a VPN to change your virtual location and still enjoy the race as if you were back in Canada.
How to get a MotoGP live stream in New Zealand
In New Zealand it's Sky Sport that has bagged the rights to show all the 2020 MotoGP live.
Races typically start around midnight (NZST) in New Zealand, which is less sociable hours than in some countries and more friendly timing than in others.
And remember, you can take your coverage with you wherever you are in the world simply by using a VPN.
New to the sport? Allow us to bring you up to speed on MotoGP.
The competition has been around since 1949, making it the oldest motorsport championship in the world. The event typically travels the globe with nineteen races spread across fifteen countries and multiple continents - though as we've already said, the 2020 season is a bit different due to coronavirus and there's likely to be a maximum of 17 races.
A Grand Prix event takes place over three days,with the first two days devoted to Free Practice sessions and qualifying races, and the Grand Prix itself staged on Sundays.
MotoGP is the absolute apex of motorcycle racing and all the big name manufacturers take part, including the likes of Aprilia, Ducati, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and KTM. All the machines in this class top out at 1,000cc but that's more than enough power for these finely tuned monster machines, which was clear when the top speed record was set in 2018 at 221.5mph.
Just below MotoGP is Moto2, for 600cc engines, and Moto3 for 250cc engines, both of which have a lower age minimum of 16 (MotoGP riders must be at least 18-years-old to qualify), acting as a feeding line for new riders. There's also now a MotoE competition for electric motorcycle racing.
The 2020 MotoGP is the 72nd edition of the championship and follows on from last year's event where Honda's Marc Márquez took the top spot followed by Yamaha's Quartararo and Ducati's Miller in third.
(Image credit: MotoGP/FIM)
MotoGP schedule 2020: Grand Prix calendar
MotoGP Spain (Jerez) on July 19 - won by Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha)
MotoGP Andalusia (Jerez) on July 26
MotoGP Czech Republic (Brno) on August 9
MotoGP Austria (Red Bull Ring) on August 16
MotoGP Styria (Red Bull Ring) on August 23
MotoGP San Marino (Misano) on September 13
MotoGP Emilia Romagna (Misano) on September 20
MotoGP Catalunya (Barcelona) on September 27
Moto GP France (Le Mans) on October 11
MotoGP Aragon (Motorland) on October 18
MotoGP Teruel on October 25
MotoGP Europe (Valencia) on November 8
MotoGP Valencia (Valencia) on November 15
MotoGP Americas - TBD
MotoGP Argentina - TBD
MotoGP Thailand - TBD
MotoGP Malaysia - TBD
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TechRadar has teamed up with Polarbackup to bring you a storage offer that is essentially unlimited. You can get a whopping 100TB of cloud storage to back up all your data for as little as $920 per year (£736/roughly AU$1,300).
100TB also happens to be the size of the world’s largest SSD, which we covered last week. If you've got enough data to fill up that impressive drive, you'll definitely need somewhere to back it up.
The business version costs $5,100/year (£4,080/roughly AU$7,200), but offers an unlimited number of users and servers, plus advanced control and reporting dashboards and the ability to back up external and network drives.
As the doctor orders, always back up your drives using the 321 rule; three backups on two on-site storage devices and one off-site (likely a cloud storage provider).
With Polarbackup, your data is never deleted and you can back up an unlimited number of external devices (from USB drives to CCTV systems) - and the service even supports file versioning.
Both Windows and macOS are supported and Polarbackup and uses zero knowledge, 256-bit encryption to keep your files safe. The service is also operated by a veteran storage providers, so you can be sure your data is secure in the long term.
100TB of cloud storage is equivalent to 800Tb or 800,000Gb. A 1Gbps broadband line would, in theory, take a little more than nine days to download 100TB of content. But that’s a best case scenario, based on the assumption you have uncontended and direct access to the provider, which is almost never the case.
Bear in mind, this is a cold storage service, which means you won’t be able to retrieve files instantaneously. You may have to wait up to 12 hours (but likely less) to access your files, which could pose issues for some.
The Oppo Watch, a new Apple Watch lookalike from the Chinese tech company, was unveiled alongside the Oppo Find X2 series in March, and at the time the company stated it would be coming to Europe in the future.
Many months have passed since then, though, and we've heard nothing else on the fate of the smartwatch - is it still coming to Europe? What about other countries? How much will it cost there, and will anything be different from the launched version, which was only available in China? We don't know right now.
If the Oppo Watch has even a fraction of the intriguing design, clean software and other cool features of Oppo phones, though, it's definitely a smartwatch to get excited for, especially given its Chinese price suggests it will be affordable.
To give you a better idea of what the Oppo Watch is like we've collected everything we know about it including its specs, when it could come out and how much it could cost.
Cut to the chase
What is it? An affordable smartwatch from Oppo
When is it out? Possibly August 2020
How much will it cost? Around $215 / £165 / AU$325
Oppo Watch price and release date
The Oppo Watch was unveiled on March 6 alongside the Oppo Find X2 and Find X2 Pro at an event hosted by the company in place its show at Mobile World Congress, which was cancelled in 2020.
From March 6 the Oppo Watch was available in China. Pretty early on Brian Shen, then Oppo's VP, confirmed it was coming to Europe too. Oppo backed this up later in the month with some tweets detailing the smartwatch some more, and it was released in Germany in July, so it seems a release elsewhere could be near.
That doesn't necessarily mean the Oppo Watch isn't coming, but it does mean we've no idea when it could come along. The fact Oppo confirmed it was coming to Europe doesn't mean it won't come to the US or Australia either, but Oppo certainly doesn't have as much a presence in those regions as it does Europe.
In terms of price, we haven't heard how much it'll cost when it comes to various regions, but we can make a guess based on the Chinese price.
The Oppo Watch price in China is CNY 1,499 (around $215 / £165 / AU$325). That was for a 41mm model, but there's a 46mm too which presumably will cost more (if both models are released in various regions).
While that conversion is definitely rough, and we can't say the price will be exactly that when the smartwatch comes to other regions, it does suggest the Oppo Watch will end up being an affordable device.
(Image credit: Oppo)
Oppo Watch design
The Oppo Watch looks a lot like the Apple Watch - it has a square-ish body, which you can attach to replaceable bands.
There are two Oppo Watch models - the 41mm one has a 1.6-inch screen with 360 x 320 resolution, the other has a 1.91-inch display with 448 x 368 resolution. For comparison, the largest Apple Watch 5 model has a 1.78-inch screen with a 448 x 368 resolution.
The Oppo Watch has a cool design quirk in that its display curves at the edges, like some smartphones, and that's why, as the resolution suggests, the screen isn't an exact square. The frame is aluminium or stainless steel depending on which you opt for.
It's also water resistant to up to 50m, but we don't know if it has an exact IP rating.
Oppo Watch software
The Oppo Watch in China doesn't run Google's popular Wear OS platform - instead, Oppo has gone the same route as Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi in creating its own wearable platform which it calls ColorOS. That's the same name as its smartphone operating system, but that's just a fork of Android.
We don't know too much about how ColorOS works on the Oppo Watch, but we know it's based on Android in some way. We also know it'll have music control functions as well as a range of fitness modes, call handling and sleep tracking.
The Oppo Watch will likely have a few special functions which only work if you've got an Oppo smartphone. That may be features like a way of sending images between the two, as some phone manufacturers add functions like this to their watches.
(Image credit: Oppo)
Oppo Watch features
The Oppo Watch has a heart rate monitor, and it's also ECG certified, so it's competitive with some of the top smartwatches in that regard.
The smartwatch is said to run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform. We say 'said' because the China-only Oppo Watch launched on the Wear 2500, but rumors suggest the international one will have the newer chipset, which has improved battery optimization and the ability to run an always-on display.
The Oppo Watch has 1GB RAM and 8GB storage, so you'll likely be able to download some music onto it for offline listening.
The two different sizes of Oppo Watch have different capacities - 300mAh for the 41mm model and 430mAh for the 46mm device, but because of the difference between screen sizes we'd expect them to last roughly the same amount of time.
Oppo says the smartwatch will last 40 hours of use - so, not very long compared to some other similar devices. It also works for 21 days in power-saving mode, which likely strips the 'smart' out of 'smartwatch'.
Apparently the watch takes 75 minutes to charge to full, but only 15 minutes to power up to 46%, which according to Oppo is enough for a full day of use. Given the aforementioned battery life specs this seems dubious, so we'll make sure to test it out when we get the Oppo Watch in for a full review.
The new rules were notified and came into force since Friday. Accordingly, now country of origin is a must on all imported goods and services sold on eCommerce markets, and failure to comply would attract penal provisions. The new rules would be applicable to all the e-marketplaces operating in India, whether they're registered locally or overseas.
The new rules restrict all inventory-based eCommerce entities from "falsely representing themselves as consumers to post reviews about goods and services or misrepresent in any form the quality or features of these goods and services."
India's eCommerce industry is gearing up for a set of new regulations that could be put in place as early as next week. Though most of the new rules would revolve around matters related to consumer protection, there is a mandatory provision of mentioning country of origin on imports.
A senior minister of the federal government in New Delhi said these new provisions were part of the Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020, that are part of a consumer protection law notified a few days back. Under the rules, all eCommerce platforms would be setting up a robust consumer redress mechanism.
The federal minister for Consumer Affairs Ram Vilas Paswan said eCommerce platforms would have to provide details around their policies of return, refund, exchange, warranties, delivery and shipment as well as modes of payment. It would also have to clearly define a grievance redress mechanism, charge-back options and payment security guidelines.
The minister said that platform such as Amazon, Flipkart and the newly initiated Jio Mart would have to mention country-of-origin so that consumers could make an informed decision at the pre-purchase stage. However, a government affidavit in a Delhi court clarified that such labels would be necessary only in the case of imported products.
A confusing signal? Not really
In response to a public interest petition in the Delhi High Court, the federal government clarified that declaration of the country of origin on pre-packaged commodities used by eCommerce sites was mandatory only in the case of imported products.
"The declaration of country of origin on the pre-packaged commodity or on the digital and electronic network used for e-commerce transactions is required in case of an imported product and if the product is manufactured indigenously, country of origin may not be mentioned on the product," according to the affidavit, a reportby news agency ANI said.
The affidavit was the government's response to a lawsuit filed by a complainant who claimed that the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules of 2011 was amended to include the country of origin or manufacture on eCommerce websites, but was never enforced.
Some other essential Rules notified are Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Rules; Mediation Rules; Model Rules and General Rules. e-Commerce Rules are under notification. 2/2 @jagograhakjago pic.twitter.com/tnXe83zNXbJuly 20, 2020
Country of origin only for imports
The lawsuit had named eCommerce giants Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal as parties to the case. In its submission, Snapdeal had termed the requirements as "onerous and unnecessary" and pleaded that increasing the compliance would add to the burden of eCommerce platforms that were already facing tough times due to the poor economic activity caused by Covid-19.
The draft rules for eCommerce platforms said where an eCommerce entity offers imported goods or services on sale, it must mention the name and details of any importer from whom it has purchased such goods or services, or who may be a seller on the platform.
Additionally, eCommerce platforms would now have to acknowledge receipt of consumer complaints within 48 hours and redress the same within one month from that date. They would also have to appoint a grievance officer in their organizations.
The minister also clarified that these rules, when announced formally, would be mandatory in nature and not mere advisories as was the case earlier. This is the first time that India has come out with such detailed rules and regulations around eCommerce companies.
It's all change at the top of the PGA Tour rankings this week, as Jon Rahm's dramatic victory at the Memorial means he deposes Rory McIlroy as world no.1. Rahm is the first Spanish golfer to occupy the spot since the legendary Seve Ballesteros, so it's quite the accomplishment. In more good news for European golf fans, Tommy Fleetwood is back in action in the US - though both he and Brooks Koepka missed the cut at this weekend's 3M Open. And while golf is being played without fans is undoubtedly jarring, the even better news is it's never been easier to find a quality PGA Tour live stream and watch golf online. Follow our in-depth guide below as we explain how.
Watch 2020 PGA Tour golf live
Golf coverage in the US is split between NBC and its Golf Channel offshoot, and rival terrestrial network CBS. This means the best all-in-one option for cord cutting PGA fans is to check out a FREE 1-week Hulu + Live TV trial. In the UK, a great value Now TV Sky Sports Pass costs just £33.99 a month and is the best way to watch PGA Tour golf without committing to a long contract - or paying a fortune.
With Rahmbo now world number one, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy drops to no.2 The American trio of Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson and Webb Simpson round out the top five, while Bryson DeChambeau's recent win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic has also paid immediate dividends, skyrocketing the newly beefed up flat cap fancier into the top 10.
The Memorial also marked the eagerly anticipated return of Tiger Woods to competitive action, ahead of a packed 2020 PGA Tour schedule this fall that includes the PGA Championship, Tour Championship, US Open and Masters.
Our guide features all the latest PGA Tour news, as well as updates on the status of this year's Ryder Cup and the most important PGA tournament dates scheduled for 2020. That's all in addition to the basics: how to find a PGA Tour live stream and watch golf online from anywhere in the world.
How to watch PGA Tour golf from outside your country
There are loads of easy ways to watch PGA Tour golf in 2020 including in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and almost anywhere else in the world. Scroll down for a full breakdown of options, but the first thing you should know is that anyone away from their home country can still tune into the action as usual by using one of the best VPNs.
These services will allow you to get around any geo-blocking and and let you watch the same legal, high-quality golf live stream you would at home. Best of all, they only take a few minutes to set-up.
Having thoroughly tested all of the most popular VPNs, our software experts currently rate ExpressVPN as the best of what's out there. It's easy to use, boasts strong security features, and is compatible with most major streaming devices, including the Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation. You can also use it with Android and iOS mobile devices, so to get that home broadcast and stay safer online, ExpressVPN is our recommended option.
Best of all,ExpressVPN comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. This is the #1 rated best VPN in the world right now, with those previously mentioned levels of security, speed and compatibility putting it to the top of the list. You can try it out for a month for free or sign up for an annual plan and get 3 months absolutely FREE. Check out Express VPN today.
How to watch the PGA Tour: FREE live stream guide for the US
PGA Tour golf coverage is spread across multiple channels and streaming services the US, but NBC and CBS share the rights to coverage and are your best starting points.
NBC's Golf Channel offshoot (or NBC Golf, if you prefer) is where you'll find the bulk of its coverage outside of major tournaments, while CBS shows its share of the golf on its linear TV channel.
Both networks also offer dedicated online coverage for those without cable. CBS All Access is available from just $5.99 a month an offers a FREE 7-day trial, while NBC-related PGA Tour Live is arguably the most comprehensive option out there and costs $9.99 per month.
Elsewhere, a Hulu + Live TV package is a great all-in-one solution for golf fans, as The Golf Channel and CBS feature among the 65+ channels it offers for both live streaming and on demand viewing. It costs $54.99 a month but is a legitimate cable replacement service.
You needn't find yourself in a pickle when you're abroad, either, as using a good VPN as described above will let you watch the streaming services and content you pay for at home, from anywhere in the world. This means you can watch PGA Tour golf just like you would after a round at your local country club or public course.
Watch PGA Tour golf online: 2020 UK live stream details
If you're a UK-based golf fan, you'll likely know that Sky Sports has the rights to PGA Tour coverage on your side of the Atlantic. Head straight to the Sky Sports Golf channel where live coverage is as comprehensive as it gets, while bigger events and final rounds are also often shown on Sky Sports Main Event.
When you're not comfortably plonked out on the sofa, you can download the Sky Go app for your smartphone, tablet, computer, or even console.
How to watch the PGA Tour without Sky
For cord cutters and anyone without the full Sky Sports works, Sky's Now TV streaming offshoot is the obvious choice. It offers daily and monthly passes that will let you live stream PGA Tour golf on nearly any modern device.
Of the two options, the Sky Sports Month Pass is easily the best value - especially as it's only £33.99 a month and comes with loads more sporting action. Premier League football, Test cricket, F1 racing - you name it, and a Now TV Sky Sports Pass will have you covered.
More UK PGA Tour live stream options
It's also worth knowing about GOLFTV, a new international streaming service dedicated to...you guessed it, golf! It's priced from just £5.99 a month, so if golf is the only sport you ever watch, it's well worth considering.
Those who might find themselves outside of the country during a PGA Tour golf event they want to watch can follow our instructions above. Just get a VPN and watch the golf via your usual UK-based live stream, just like you would at home.
How to watch the PGA Tour golf live online in Canada
Canadian golf fans will find that NBC's Golf Channel has a Canadian twin that airs featured coverage of most major tournaments and can be watched online with a cable TV subscription.
Two other channels in Canada that often show PGA Tour golf on TV are CTV and TSN - the latter being a particular useful option for cord cutters as you can subscribe to TSN on a streaming-only basis from just CA$4.99 a month.
Otherwise, a GOLFTV pass can be bought in Canada from $9.99 a month and it's a great one-stop-shop for golf fans who don't want the hassle of wondering who's showing the next big tournament - or having to flit between networks during one.
Just remember that if you're abroad and can normally access golf coverage in your home country, you can use one of our best VPN recommendations to tap into your usual service - though 5ft putts sadly aren't as easy to convert.
2020 PGA Tour live stream: how to watch golf online in Australia
Down Under, the most comprehensive golf coverage is offered by Kayo Sports. This great over-the-top streaming service offers access to over 50 sports live and on-demand, with some its big name channels including Fox Sports, ESPN, and beIN Sports.
Better still, it's fantastic value at either $25 for Kayo Basic or $35 for Kayo Premium. Basic lets you stream sport on two devices at once, while Premium ups the ante and allows you watch on up to three screens simultaneously, so it represents the best value if your household has different sporting tastes or you're splitting the cost of the subscription with mates.There's even a free 14-day trial for good measure.
As ever, Aussies out of the country can access their favourite streaming service just like they would at home can use a VPN to watch their PGA Tour live stream of choice. Finding a nice cold VB abroad? That might prove more problematic.
Updated PGA Tour schedule: latest 2020 tournament dates and news
The Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically affected this year's PGA Tour schedule - just as it's impacted pretty much every other major sport in the world.
The 2020 Masters and US Open major tournaments are now rescheduled for this fall, while the biennial Ryder Cup showdown between Europe and the US has been postponed until 2021 in the hope fans will be able to attend and give the event the atmosphere that makes it so special.
Here are the most important dates and events to look out for on the updated 2020 PGA Tour schedule:
Memorial Tournament 2020: July 16-19, Muirfield Village GC (Dublin, Ohio)
WGC - 2020 FedEx St. Jude Invitational: July 30-August 2, TPC Southwind (Memphis, Tennessee)
PGA Championship 2020: August 6-9, TPC Harding Park (San Francisco, California)
The Northern Trust 2020: August 20-23, TPC Boston (Norton, Massachusetts)
BMW Championship 2020: August 27-30, Olympia Fields CC (Olympia Fields, Illinois)
Tour Championship 2020: September 4-7, East Lake Golf Club (Atlanta, Georgia)
US Open 2020: September 17-20, Winged Foot Golf Club (Mamaroneck, New York)
The Masters 2020: November 12-15, August National (Augusta, Georgia)
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