Hundreds of men in India have fallen victim to an elaborate scam promising large sums of money for getting a woman pregnant. One such victim, Mangesh Kumar, lost his entire month’s wages of 16,000 rupees after being convinced by scammers to pay various fees for a supposed job. Police have arrested some of the scammers but many remain on the run. Cyber experts warn that such innovative scams will continue to plague India without greater public awareness and private sector involvement.
All India Pregnant Job service: Indian men conned by 'impregnating women' scam - BBC News
India has emerged as one of the fastest growing major economies in the world, with its GDP growing from $275 billion in 1991 to $3.47 trillion in 2023. Strong growth has allowed India to become the fifth largest economy globally and it is on track to become the third largest by 2028. The Indian IT industry has been a major driver of this success, growing into a $260 billion industry and contributing significantly to exports. With over 105 soonicorns and $35 billion invested in 2022-2023, India now has the third largest startup ecosystem globally and is poised for further expansion. Overall, India is in the midst of strong economic growth that looks set to continue in 2024 and beyond, allowing it to surpass the $10 trillion GDP mark by the 2030s.
Significant progress in generative AI and new anti-obesity drugs show that incremental research can lead to surprising results. Productivity decline in the 2000s led to more long-term research bearing fruit now. Areas that show promise this decade include household robots able to perform chores, rapidly advancing AI art, continued battery innovations, life-changing biotech, including mRNA vaccines and genetic engineering tools, and SpaceX’s Starship potentially enabling asteroid mining and Mars bases.
Techno-optimism for 2024 - by Noah Smith - Noahpinion
Paytm’s parent company One97 Communications Ltd. will invest Rs. 100 crore in Gujarat’s GIFT City business district. Paytm will set up an artificial intelligence-driven system for cross-border remittances and payments in GIFT City. It will also establish a development center there to build these solutions. This center will create jobs and house engineers developing a range of financial products and services. Interestingly, Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma said the investment will help deliver fast, reliable and low-cost remittance solutions globally by reducing frictional costs.
The article outlines 10 major global risks and issues that could impact the world in 2024. It predicts increased conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Hamas, and political instability in the United States. It also warns of the dangers of unregulated artificial intelligence, coordination between disruptive states like Russia, North Korea, and Iran, and economic troubles in China if reforms are not enacted. Additionally, competition over critical minerals and the effects of inflation could exacerbate global challenges. The return of the powerful El Nino climate pattern is also noted as a risk that could trigger food and water crises.