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This is Ford Motor Company's most ambitious push towards electrification yet. In a recent announcement, Ford announced the decision to invest about $4.5 billion for an electric car program, and unveiled plans to have 13 electric vehicles on the road by 2020. The company's portfolio is set to include a new Focus that comes loaded with accelerated charging ability - which means it can charge up to 80 percent in 30 minutes. About 40 percent of the company's products will be available in electrified editions.

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Even as the country is debating the release of the juvenile accused of the heinous 16 December 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape, the national capital witnessed two horrific gangrapes of minors over the weekend.

A seven-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by three persons on 12 December. The minor is undergoing treatment at AIIMS and her condition is reported to be critical. According to reports, one of the accused is a juvenile who was known to the girl's family.

On Friday, 11 December, a 14-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped and gangraped by six men in Najafgarh area.

Photo:ANI

Delhi Government on Sunday ordered magisterial enquiries into the Shakur Basti demolition and the death of the six month-old child.

Separate probes will be conducted into demolition drive and the child's death. Earlier, a delegation from the Indian Railways met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and a decision was made to rehabilitate the razed slums immediately.

"The Chief Minister told us that there has to be provision to resettle the slum dwellers before demolishing slums. He also quoted some laws and regulations concerning this matter. Whatever action we take is in accordance with the laws of the Centre and of states. We will now consult with the ministry and proceed according to their guidance," General Manager Railways AK Puthia said after meeting Kejriwal.

-ANI

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to give up on the resumption of `much-awaited` bilateral series against India after being unable to receive a necessary reply from the BCCI.

Confirming the news, PCB chairman Shahryar Khan said that the board has decided to close the chapter and is likely to make the announcement about the same on Monday.

According to the Dawn, Khan had sent an email to the BCCI on Thursday asking them to decide on the series in the next 48 hours, failing which they would decide against playing India.

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will address both Houses in the Parliament today on her recent visit to Islamabad and on the developments in the bilateral relations between India and Pakistan.

"I will make a statement on my recent visit to Islamabad tomorrow at 11 am in Rajya Sabha and at 2 pm in Lok Sabha," Swaraj tweeted yesterday.

Swaraj during her two day visit to Pakistan this week, had attended the 'Heart of Asia' conference and held bilateral talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his adviser Sartaj Aziz.

-ANI

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday tried to clear the air over the controversy surrounding Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's exclusion from an event. According to reports, Chandy has been excluded from an Sree Narayan Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) event to mark the unveiling a statue of former Congress Chief Minister R Sankar.

Singh took to Twitter to say that the center had no role to play in the event. He said that the NDA government did not believe in confrontation with any state government and always works to strengthen cooperative federalism.

On 14 December, SNDP leader Vellapally Natesan accepted responsibility of Chandy's exclusion. "There has been no pressure from the BJP or anyone else to prevent the Chief Minister from attending the function", an Indian Express report quoted him as saying.

The prime suspect in the Mumbai double murder case of well-known painter Hema Upadhaya and her lawyer was today detained by Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force in Varanasi. A senior officer said that the arrest was made with help from Mumbai police. "Shiv Kumar alias Sadhu Rajbhar, a resident of Badagaon, Varanasi, has been detained by UP STF," IG (law and order) A Satish Ganesh told reporters.

Documents related to the victims were recovered from the possession of Shiv Kumar who has been taken into custody. He has been handed over the Mumbai Police and might be produced in court tomorrow. Three suspects were yesterday detained in Mumbai in connection with the case. The bodies of Hema and her lawyer Harish Bhambhani were found packed inside cardboard boxes lying near a drain in suburban Mumbai on Saturday.

Photo: Patrika

A controversy broke out over Rahul Gandhi's charge on Monday that he was stopped from entering a Vaishanvite monastery in Barpeta by RSS workers during his recent visit to Assam. After the BJP called the allegations concocted, the temple head too has denied it.

"When I went to Assam I wanted to visit a temple in Barpeta district. And at the temple the RSS people there stopped me from entering the temple. This is the way the BJP operates," Rahul told reporters outside Parliament. Barpeta Satra Bura Satriya (head) Bakhista Deba, however, said that there was no RSS worker at the religious place and that the allegations were unfortunate.

Photo: ANI

In a scathing criticism of the way the Shakur Basti demolition was carried out, the Delhi High Court on Monday asked the the Railways what was the tearing hurry to carry out the drive. The demolition left undreds homeless in the capital city. The Court was hearing a PIL filed by Congress leader Ajay Maken. Further, the High Court has issued notices to government, police and railways and directed them to make a coordinated action plan for rehabilitation of the displaced residents.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the death of a toddler in the incident was not directly related to the demolition drive. According to Joint Commissioner of Police (South West District) Deependra Pathak six-month old Rukaiya Khatoon died at least three hours before demolition work began after being buried under the heap of clothes inside her house.

A political has erupted over the issue with AAP government claiming that the toddler was killed in the drive, while the police says that she was killed when the family had already packed up to leave the place, knowing that the demolition would begin.