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New Delhi: Businesspersons in Delhi have received around 160 extortion calls till October this year, averaging one call every other day, giving the fraternity sleepless nights. The majority of these calls originate from foreign-based gangsters or their associates, using Voice Over Internet Protocol or international phone numbers, police sources said on Tuesday. According to the sources, the calls were received mostly by builders and property dealers, jewellers, and owners of sweet shops and car showrooms across the city. Around 160 extortion calls to businessmen have been reported till October (around 300 days) this year. In some cases, the calls were followed by firing outside the house of the office of the targeted individual, a source said. Last week, seven such cases were reported in just four days where gangsters targeted a jeweller, gym owner, property dealer, sweet shop owner and a motor workshop owner among others. In one such incident reported from Rohini on November 5, three men entered a showroom and fired in the air. They left behind an extortion note with the names of gangsters and an amount written on it. "Yogesh Dahia, Fajje Bhai and Monti Mann and Rs 10 crore", said the note. In another case on November 7, a call was made by an international number demanding Rs 7 crore from a gym owner in Nangloi. The caller claimed to be associated with jailed gangster Deepak Boxer, who is an associate of Lawrence Bishnoi. In all the seven cases, FIRs have been registered and separate teams of the Special Cell and Crime Branch are working to nab the culprits, a police officer said. According to the Delhi Police's statistics accessed by PTI, a total of 133 extortion cases were reported from across the national capital till August 15, this year. A total of 141 such cases were reported during the same period last year and the figure for 2022 was 110, according to the statistics. Police said 204 cases of people getting extortion calls were reported throughout 2023 and 187 in 2022. A police officer, who handles such cases, said the callers mostly use VOIP numbers or WhatsApp numbers taken on fake SIM cards. Sources said police have identified 11 gangs involved in making the extortion calls as well as shootings and murders in the national capital region in the last few months. The gangs include Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar, Himanshu Bhau, Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu, Jitender Gogi-Sampat Nehra, Hashim Baba, Sunil Tillu, Kaushal Chaudhary, Neeraj Faridpuria and Neeraj Bawana. Except for Gogi and Tillu, who died due to gang rivalry, the majority of these gangsters are behind bars or based abroad, police said.

160 extortion calls in 300 days: Delhi businessmen threatened every other day

With the jump of at least 242 cases from the last year, the <keyword id="6366797" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-Metro" source="Orion">Delhi Metro</keyword> has reported 3,952 cases of thefts so far this year, according to the <keyword id="19898134" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi-police" source="keywords">Delhi Police</keyword> statistics. Till September 8 last year, at least 3,709 cases of thefts were reported in the <keyword id="19900881" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi" source="keywords">Delhi</keyword> Metro, it stated. Official sources said that these cases of thefts include pick pockets, missing of mobile pones, purse or other valuables items of the passengers and metro staffs. It also includes thefts of the metro properties. According to the data accessed by PTI, out of 3,952 cases, at least 3,898 cases of thefts were registered through e-FIRs and 5,48 of them were solved till September 8 this year. Out of 3,709 cases, at least 3,648 cases of thefts were registered through e-FIRs and 1,471 of them of were solved in the same period in 2023, the data shows. The data further shows at least 81 cases of motor vehicle thefts have been reported till September 8 this year and 72 in the same period last year from the premises of the Delhi metro. At least 56 cases in 2024 and 61 in 2023 have been solved till September 8 this year. At least 11 burglary cases have been reported till September 8 this year. While in 2023, just three cases of burglary were reported in the premises of the Delhi metro. The data also shows at least three cases of snatching were reported and two of them have been solved till September 8 this year. Last year, in the same period, two cases of snatching were reported and both were solved. At least five cases of robbery were reported and four of them have been solved till September 8 in 2024. While only one case of burglary was reported in the same period in 2023. The security of the Delhi Metro is looked after by the Delhi Police and the CISF (Central Industrial Security Force). Besides, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) also deploys its security guard at the platforms to control and manage the crowd during the passengers' movement. For 190 metro stations in Delhi, there are 16 metro police stations where the cases are registered and investigated by the Delhi Police. Apart from the CISF personnel, who conduct frisking and checking, the Delhi Police personnel conduct the patrolling in the metro trains and its premises. According to a senior police officer, the metro police along with the DMRC and CISF takes security measures from time to time to keep the metro safe and secure. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/ather-energy-looks-to-raise-3100-crore-files-ipo-papers-with-sebi/articleshow/113214971.cms">Ather Energy looks to raise ₹3,100 crore, files IPO papers with SEBI</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/iphone-16-pro-iphone-16-pro-max-india-price-specifications/articleshow/113204340.cms">iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max with bigger displays, A18 Pro chipset launched starting at ₹1,19,900</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/apple-iphone-16-iphone-16-plus-price-specs/articleshow/113203568.cms">iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus with A18 chipset launched starting at ₹79,900</a>

Delhi Metro reports 4,000 cases of thefts so far this year

Can it be more shameful for us to learn that India has seen a 288 per cent increase in the arrest of juveniles for committing rapes in 10 years - from 2003 to 2013. Even more disturbing is the fact that arrests of juveniles in the age group 16-18 has increased to almost 60% in this period, which is the highest among all three juvenile age groups. 
 Despite such alarming facts staring at us, we still required a brutal and horrifying Delhi gangrape-murder of a female paramedical student on Delhi streets to realize the threat from rising <keyword id="6793720" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Juvenile-crimes">juvenile crimes</keyword> in the country. It wasn’t until the spine-chilling details of the crime emerged and we learnt that the youngest rapist in the case (17 years’ old) was infact the most brutal one, that we stood up against unfair constitutional concession to dangerous minors like him in India which says those under 18 to be sentenced only to a maximum of three years in a reform facility. That meant no strict trial for him and others like him. 
 
You will be surprised to know that even before the Delhi gangrape incident took place, the statistics on juvenile crimes were startling. 
 
-In 2011, 33,887 juveniles were arrested for crime. Of these, 21,657 fell in the 16-18 years age group. In Delhi itself, of the 925 boys arrested for juvenile crimes in 2011, 567 were in the 16-18 years age group. -The next year 2012 which saw the <keyword id="1499530" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirbhaya-gangrape">Nirbhaya gangrape</keyword> had the number of juvenile offenders steadily increasing. There were 39,822 juvenile arrests and the highest increase in the incidents of crimes committed by them was reported under assault on woman to outrage her modesty (132.3%) followed by insult to the modesty of women (70.5%) and <keyword id="39493" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rape">rape</keyword> (60.3%). Notably, the debate about the trial age of juveniles between 16 and 18 years first began after the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case, in which one of the main accused was a juvenile. While the others accused in the case were given death (one committed suicide), the minor accused was sent to a remand home for three years. 
-In 2013, the number of juvenile arrests increased to 43,506 which further up to 48,230 in 2014 when a total of 48,230 juvenile boys and girls were arrested. 
 Despite such a situation, <keyword id="42851" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maneka-Gandhi">Maneka Gandhi</keyword> introduced the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill in Parliament only in August last year. Yes, we did finally wake up to the need of a stricter juvenile law, one that would consider those above 16 who commit “heinous crimes” as adults. Finally, a gruesome rape case had led to massive debates in the political corridors, which were echoing in the Parliament. It was a welcome change for sure, but the crucial Bill passed in Rajya Sabha merely two days after the now 20-year-old ‘juvenile’ rapist of Nirbhaya walked out of jail amid vociferous protests, still awaits President’s assent to become a law. 
 
Had it not been for the narrow scope of the prevailing law, and the new Bill being stuck in the Rajya Sabha due to the Parliament logjam, the consequent new law could have prevented the juvenile rapist, from getting out of jail. The new law would have set an unprecedented example to begin with. Justice was however not only delayed, but denied in one of the most gruesome case the country has ever witnessed. We wish no more Nirbhayas being raped and in the face of increasing crimes by juveniles, all India direly needs now is the Juvenile Justice Act.

Why India direly needs Juvenile Justice law

New Delhi, Jan 19 () The Congress on Sunday expressed apprehension over the government's reported bid to revamp official statistics to account for the unorganised sector, saying no attempt should be made to "artificially boost" the rate of growth.
The government has suddenly expressed alarm and a "revamp of official statistics" is being proposed because it believes unorganised sector has not been looked at, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said at a press conference.
"We have no problem if it is a constructive exercise... Please don't do something where you artificially boost your official 4.9 per cent rate of growth which your own CEA (Arvind Subramanian) believes is 2-2.5 per cent less than stated," he said.
"This government is desperate to find quick-fix solutions, jumla solutions, misleading solutions, to find sleight of hand solutions, to avoid substance, to avoid the real meat of the matter, and give a misleading new issue to digress and divert attention," Singhvi alleged.
He also hit out at the government over the National Crime Records Bureau data that an average 35 unemployed and 36 self-employed people ended their lives every day in 2018, with the two categories together accounting for 26,085 suicide deaths during the year. ASK ASK ABH
ABH

Don't do something to artificially boost growth: Cong on 'data revamp' reports

Supreme Court’s order weighs down heavily upon Kejriwal — Check out how many AAP MLAs have criminal cases

<ul><li>68 Right to Information (<keyword id="6356198" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="RTI">RTI</keyword>) <keyword id="41907" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="activists">activists</keyword> have been killed since 2005, while 6 have committed suicide, according to the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative. </li><li>There is no law to protect activists or to prevent their personal details from falling into the wrong hands. </li><li>The amended Whistle Blower Protection Bill has been stalled in Parliament since 2015.</li></ul> On March 20th, 38-year old Poipynhun Majaw was killed after receiving multiple blows from a wrench to his head in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district, a prominent mining area rich in coal and limestone. The motive behind his <keyword id="6355784" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="death">death</keyword> is yet to be confirmed by the district police, but it is likely tied to his investigation into the arrangements between the leaders of the Jaintia Hills district council and cement manufacturing firms. Majaw’s death, while tragic, is not surprising. The Right to Information (RTI) activist revealed last year that the district council had allowed cement companies to mine in the area without adequate licenses. As the head of the Jaintia Youth Federation, a social activist group, for six years, he rallied the district’s youth around a number of issues such as electoral fraud and environmental damage from business activities. Like many activists and journalists in the country who have used the RTI law to expose corruption, Majaw was a sitting duck. There was no adequate law to protect him or to prevent the personal details on his RTI application from falling into the wrong hands. The Right to Information Act The Right to Information Act , ranked <a href="http://www.rti-rating.org/">5th best</a> in the world in terms of strength according to the Centre for Law and Democracy, allows Indian citizens to request information from public institutions and the <keyword id="26362" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Government">government</keyword>. Since October 2005, when the RTI Act was implemented, the deaths of 74 activists have been documented in India, according to<a href="http://attacksonrtiusers.org/"> attacksonrtiusers.org</a>, a tracker set up by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI). An additional 164 activists have reported assaults while 180 have been threatened. A significant portion of these activists had exercised this right and asked for information, only to be harassed and in some cases, silenced permanently. Around 68 of the deaths are outright murders, while the rest have been ruled suicides. John Mascrinaus, a data analyst at the CHRI, says that 16 of these murders have taken place in Maharashtra, 12 and eight have occurred in Gujarat and Karnataka, respectively, while six each have taken place in Bihar and UP. And what of the stories of the slain activists? They have been consigned to the archives of the internet, mere statistics in a country where the truth is better left uncovered and cold-blooded killings are regular fixtures of the daytime news. Their stories bear revisiting. A list of their names is published on the CHRI tracker and here are a few cases:- Rajesh Savaliya, 31. Killed on July 19th, 2017. Savaliya was still alive when he was found near a temple on National Highway 8 in the Navsari district of Gujarat. Despite being rushed the hospital, he succumbed to his head injuries later in the night. Savaliya had been receiving threatening calls for the preceding month after filing multiple complaints with the District Education Officer about all the schools in the area that had been operating without necessary licenses. In the process, he raised the ire of a consortium of owners running the schools. The<a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/gujarat-rti-activist-who-took-on-education-mafia-found-dead-in-navsari/"> Indian Express</a> was the only national daily to report on Savilaya’s death. Bhupendra Vira, 72. Killed on October 15th, 2016. A father of three and member of a local citizens activist group, Vira was shot while watching television at his home in Santa Cruz East, Mumbai. He was killed over a land encroachment dispute. Vira had won a number of demolition orders for four illegal residences constructed by his landlord Razzaq Khan, a former member of the municipal corporation. The documents obtained through Vira’s RTI application had shown that his land was being unlawfully encroached upon. Khan and his son were subsequently arrested for the murder. Yallalinga Kuruba, 17. Killed on January 11th, 2014. The body of the first-year college student was found on the railway tracks on the periphery of Koppal, a district in northern Karnataka. On January 6th, Kuruba had told a local news channel about the corruption that was hindering the implementation of government schemes in his village. He specifically cited the lack of roads and drainage systems. On January 10th, he reportedly filed an RTI to ask for details about the development work being subcontracted under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme from the local Panchayat Development Officer. He was subsequently chased and killed by members of a gang that was loyal to Balan Gowda, a gram panchayat member. Ravinder Balwani, 61. Killed on April 26th, 2012. Balwani, a member of Parivartan, an NGO led by Arvind Kejriwal, was hit by a car in the Vasant Kunj neighbourhood in Delhi on April 23rd and died three days later after succumbing to his head injuries. Balwani had been receiving threats after filing a corruption complaint against a former official at Delhi Transco Ltd, the state transmission utility for the NCR region. He had also filed a complaint against the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission over the revision of tariffs.The cases reportedly involved a number of senior officials in the power sector. The perpetrators of the crime were never identified. Shashidhar Mishra, 35. Killed on February 14th, 2010. The street hawker and father of four was shot by some men on motorcycles in the Begusarai district of Bihar. Mishra, who was affectionately called Khabri Lal (news man) by his peers, had filed a number of complaints against panchayat and district officials. By the time he died, Mishra had filed close to a 1,000 RTI applications. His applications covered a range of issues, including the mistreatment of animals at a local dairy, unlicensed shops outside the railway station as well as land purchases and contracts given by local council officials- the latter being the last request he filed. What needs to be done? The deaths of the aforementioned people should not be in vain. The ability to exercise one’s right to information is an essential component of democracy and should be preserved. The personal details of RTI applicants need to be kept secure. The anonymous filing of RTI applications should be enabled. Additionally, applicants could also be required to furnish their email details as opposed to their address and mobile numbers. There needs to be a law to protect whistleblowers. The amended Whistle Blowers Protection (WBP) bill has been stalled in the upper house of India’s Parliament since 2015, when the NDA government moved to water down the original act with the removal of a clause that prevents whistleblowers from being prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act (OSA). This outdated anti-espionage act prohibits the disclosure of state secrets. In its attempt to preserve information that relates to national security, which the RTI act disallows applicants from obtaining in the first place, the government is compromising the personal security of its citizens. The proposed amendments to the Whistle Blower Protection act need to be withdrawn. Finally, the government authorities need to do a better job of disclosing information at the national, state and district level. A section of the RTI act calls for the “voluntary disclosure of information” by authorities. This includes all information related to government schemes and business licenses. This is precisely the information that Yallalinga Kuruba, mentioned above, was asking for. Out of the total number of RTIs filed to date, estimated at 24.9 million by CHRI, a vast majority are denied for reasons such as a “lack of information”, calling into question the purpose of the act itself. However, the act is genuinely capable of affecting change, as demonstrated by success stories such as<a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-chandigarh-to-become-india-s-first-smoke-free-city-1102240"> Chandigarh’s decision to become a smoke free city</a> as a result of RTI petitions and the discovery that some funds used for the Commonwealth Games<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Rs-744cr-dalit-fund-diverted-for-Games/articleshow/6173912.cms"> were actually earmarked for Scheduled Castes</a>. The government therefore has the responsibility of ensuring the safety of RTI applicants so the act can continue to be used to promote transparency, check corruption and ultimately, improve this country.

For 74 Indian activists, the punishment for seeking the truth has been death

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>The past few months have been a PR nightmare for Uber.
In November at a dinner for "influencers," an Uber exec named Emil Michael suggested the company could theoretically dig up personal information on reporters who are critical of the company. BuzzFeed's editor-in-chief Ben Smith <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/uber-executive-suggests-digging-up-dirt-on-journalists">reported on the comments</a>.
BuzzFeed also reported that a New York City Uber executive had tracked one of BuzzFeed's tech reporters without her permission, a breach of Uber's <a href="https://www.uber.com/legal/usa/privacy">privacy policy</a>, which was posted to Uber's website in light of these incidents. The executive in question, Josh Mohrer, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-disciplines-new-york-manager-for-tracking-a-buzzfeed-reporter-2014-11">was investigated for spying on the BuzzFeed reporter</a>, and according to Uber has since been disciplined for his actions, but has kept his job. 
And then there was more troubling privacy news: An Uber interview candidate in Washington, D.C. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-reportedly-gave-an-interview-candidate-access-to-the-companys-rider-database-2014-12">was reportedly given access to Uber's rider database</a>, which is full of sensitive information, for hours after his interview was over, the Washington Post reported. While researching for a story about the company, San Francisco magazine editor Ellen Cushing <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-employees-allegedly-warned-journalist-ellen-cushing-uber-could-look-at-her-rider-info-2014-11">was allegedly warned by Uber employees</a> that Uber might look at her rider logs, too. 
Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.), chairman of the subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/senator-al-franken-has-some-uncomfortable-questions-for-uber-2014-11">voiced privacy concerns about Uber</a> in an open letter to CEO Travis Kalanick. Cult of Mac reported that <a href="http://www.cultofmac.com/304401/ubers-android-app-literally-malware/">Uber's Android app could be collecting an alarming amount of users' personal data</a>. New York City tech startup founders and serial entrepreneurs who spoke to Business Insider in the days following BuzzFeed's reports <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-new-york-tech-scene-thinks-uber-should-fire-emil-and-travis-2014-11#ixzz3LPWtPrkC">were adamant about Michael or Kalanick stepping down</a>. 
But Uber hasn't just upset press and people concerned about user privacy - drivers across the country <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-drivers-across-the-country-are-protesting-tomorrow--heres-why-2014-10">have also protested the company</a> since September. 
They're upset by Uber's competitive pricing, which affects drivers' incomes. Some say <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-drivers-say-theyre-making-less-than-minimum-wage-2014-10">they're barely making minimum wage</a>. They don't understand why Uber hasn't integrated a feature to let them accept tips from customers. They're terrified of Uber's five-star rating system, and say that even one bad rating could be enough to knock them out of Uber's driving system and prevent them from driving for the service in the future.
At the end of November, Uber quietly pulled a blog post on its website <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-quietly-removed-blog-posts-examining-link-between-prostitution-and-rides-2014-11">that examined a link between prostitution and Uber rides</a>. The post examined how Uber's ride data <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-quietly-removed-blog-posts-examining-link-between-prostitution-and-rides-2014-11">meshed with crime statistics</a>.
Some of Uber's customers aren't very happy, either. An Uber customer <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-uber-ceo-must-turn-over-emails-in-gratuity-lawsuit-us-judge-rules-2014-11#ixzz3LPc0isHP">filed a class-action lawsuit against the company earlier in 2014</a>, alleging that Uber misleads its customers about how it shares tips with drivers. Complaints about Uber's surge pricing model - in which the company charges a fare multiplier during Uber's busiest hours - <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-gets-an-f-from-better-business-bureau-2014-10">has caused the Better Business Bureau to give the company an 'F.' </a> 
Most recently, Uber has had trouble in terms of national and international growth. Amid regulatory concerns, Nevada <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-ridesharing-firm-uber-suspends-operations-in-nevada-2014-11">became the first US state to suspend Uber's operations</a>. Portland, Ore., <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/portland-sues-uber-after-four-days-of-operation-2014-12">is suing Uber after four days of illegally operating in the city</a>. Portland declared Uber an "illegal, unregulated transportation service."
Uber's having a different set of challenges in other countries, especially Germany: Uber's services aren't taking off there in part because the country's taxis are Mercedes, and thus are much nicer than a typical taxi. Germans <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-the-real-reason-uber-is-having-a-tough-time-in-germany-2014-12">don't seem enticed by a service like Uber</a> even if it's much cheaper. In addition, <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/26/us-uber-germany-bans-idUSKCN0HL23320140926">courts in Hamburg and Berlin</a> upheld a ban on the service in September, saying that Uber doesn't comply with German laws. 
A Dutch court also <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/uber-loses-preliminary-suit-netherlands-27439643">ruled this week that in the Netherlands, Uber can't work with unlicensed drivers</a> (drivers with licenses and drivers who don't seek payment can still legally operate, however).
Sometimes, Uber's drivers are a liability to the company, too. An Uber driver in San Francisco <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/an-uber-driver-has-been-charged-with-killing-a-six-year-old-2014-12">has been charged with vehicular manslaughter</a> after killing a six-year-old girl in San Francisco on New Year's Eve last year. In September, an Uber driver <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-driver-accused-of-smashing-a-passenger-with-a-hammer-and-driving-away-2014-9">was accused of smashing a passenger in the head with a hammer</a> and driving away. That same month, an Uber driver in Orlando <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-uber-driver-arrested-touched-breast-20140925-story.html">was accused of groping a female passenger</a> and then blaming it on the way the woman was dressed.
Uber <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-banned-in-delhi-india-after-alleged-rape-2014-12">was also banned in Delhi</a> this week after an Indian driver allegedly raped and beat a female customer. The driver had been arrested three years ago for another sexual assault and was later acquitted, but he was still allowed to drive for Uber. In light of the allegations in India, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/thailand-bans-uber-in-light-of-india-rape-claims-2014-12">Thailand decided to ban Uber's operations too</a>.
<h3>Despite all this, Uber is not down and out. In fact, there has probably never been a better time to be Uber than right now.</h3>
Just last week, Uber <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/12/09/didi-dache-700-million/">announced the company had raised a $1.2 billion round of funding at a $41 billion valuation</a>. Since its founding in 2010, Uber has raised an astounding $2.7 billion. By comparison, Uber's closest competitor, Lyft, <a href="http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/lyft">has raised $332.5 million</a>.
And Uber is playing this car service startup game for world dominance. The company <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2014/08/david-plouffe-uber-campaign-manager-110149.html">hired David Plouffe</a>, who headed up Obama's presidential campaign in 2008, to oversee Uber's city-by-city regulatory battles. Uber is now available in over 250 cities worldwide.
With its latest round of funding, Uber has two main goals: to create a million new jobs next year, and to set its sights set on Asia, where competitors like the <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/12/03/softbank-invests-250m-in-grabtaxi-ubers-archrival-in-southeast-asia/">SoftBank-backed GrabTaxi</a> and <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/12/09/didi-dache-700-million/">Singapore's Temasek Holding-funded Didi Dache</a> are also trying to take advantage of a relatively untapped market.
Uber has made some smart hires besides just David Plouffe. Brad Moore, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/one-of-the-men-in-charge-of-apple-maps-has-left-for-uber-2014-11">who brought Apple Maps to the iPhone and the Apple Watch</a>, was hired by Uber in November and serves as the engineering manager for the "Mobile Core Experience," according to his LinkedIn page. Uber also hired former Lyft COO Travis VanderZanden in October <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-hires-former-coo-of-its-biggest-competitor-lyft-2014-10">to help oversee Uber's international growth</a>. Lyft's former VP of operations, Steve Schnell, also defected to Uber. 
Still, Kalanick is aware of his company's reputation. In Uber's most recent funding announcement, he said as much, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-culture-change-2014-12#ixzz3LPjtohri">addressing Uber's recent controversies</a> by saying:
<blockquote class="blockquote">
This kind of growth has also come with significant growing pains. The events of the recent weeks have shown us that we also need to invest in internal growth and change. Acknowledging mistakes and learning from them are the first steps. We are collaborating across the company and seeking counsel from those who have gone through similar challenges to allow us to refine and change where needed.
</blockquote>
Investors are going crazy for Uber. Some of Uber's earliest markets are basically minting money, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue annually. In November, Business Insider obtained an internal Uber presentation that was created in early 2014. Most of the data is just from December 2013, but even so, the data within the document gives every indication that Uber is far from being done growing. 
In its biggest cities - Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles - Uber had more than 100,000 trips per week as of last December. Here's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-revenue-rides-drivers-and-fares-2014-11?op=1#ixzz3LPo6Wtwp">Business Insider's Alyson Shontell</a>:
<blockquote class="blockquote">
In December 2013, Uber generated about $11.7 million in Washington, D.C. (a ~$141 million annual run rate). It generated $26 million in New York City, or an annual run rate of $312 million. In Chicago, Uber generated $12.7 million for a run rate of $152.4 million. In San Francisco, Uber generated $17.7 million, a run rate of $212.4 million. Los Angeles generated somewhere between the revenue of New York and San Francisco. 
</blockquote>
These run rates would generate about $1 billion a year, and that figure is derived without taking into account Uber's growth in 2014. Year over year from New Year's Eve 2012 to New Year's Eve 2013, Uber's growth rate was a whopping 369%.
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ubers-revenue-2014-11">Sources close to the company</a> have said Uber's gross revenue is expected to hit about $10 billion by year's end. Since Uber keeps 20% of gross profit and the rest goes to its drivers, Uber would be netting about $2 billion in net revenue.
Business Insider's Henry Blodget adds that Uber's revenue growth rate is 300% this year, and next year it's expected to be another 300% gain. Blodget also says investors expect the company to IPO at a valuation of $50 billion to $100 billion in the next few years. For comparison's sake, Facebook <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-uber-valuation-ahead-of-facebook-in-early-years-2014-11#ixzz3LPmD9F3c">achieved Uber's $41 billion valuation in its seventh year</a> - which was two years before Facebook went public in 2012.
Besides disrupting the transportation market, Uber has a huge opportunity to break into other on-demand services. For instance, Uber launched <a href="http://blog.uber.com/uberFRESH">UberFRESH</a>, a meal delivery service, in Santa Monica in August. This summer, Uber announced it would be testing an on-demand convenience store goods delivery service called "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-corner-store-on-demand-product-delivery-service-2014-8">Corner Store</a>" in Washington, D.C. Uber also launched "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-uber-rush-works-2014-4">Uber Rush</a>" in New York City this year. It's a courier service not unlike Postmates that relies on on-foot and bike messengers to get your packages from point A to point B. 
Uber has had its share of negative press recently. But if the company can overcome regulatory hurdles, privacy concerns, its often problematic company culture, and lawsuits - and it certainly can - Uber is poised to become one of the most successful tech startups of all time.

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