NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Mumbai, Jul 8 (PTI) Following are the top stories from the Western Region at 1700 HRS. BOM14 MH-BUILDING-COLLAPSE **** 16 feared trapped as garbage mound triggers building collapse in Pune Pune: At least 16 persons are feared trapped after a huge mound of garbage crashed onto a three-storey building, causing it to collapse, following heavy rains in Pimpri Chinchwad in Pune district on Wednesday, a senior official said. **** BOM15 MH-ASSEMBLY-MISSING LINK-FADNAVIS **** Fadnavis defends Mumbai-Pune Expressway 'Missing Link' project, says critics spreading lies Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday strongly defended the Mumbai-Pune Expressway 'Missing Link' project after a recent landslide near the route, saying initial challenges are inevitable in major infrastructure works. **** BOM16 MH-HC-PREITY ZINTA **** HC orders takedown of Priety Zinta deepfakes; 'misuse of content affects fundamental rights' Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday ordered the removal of all deepfakes, morphed images, fake videos and other unauthorised online content featuring actor Priety Zinta, holding that misuse of such content affects a person’s fundamental rights. **** BOM11 MH-ASSEMBLY-SPEAKER-AADITYA **** Can you control 'act of God'? Maharashtra Speaker asks Aaditya on rain issue Mumbai: The Maharashtra assembly on Wednesday witnessed a brief exchange between Speaker Rahul Narwekar and Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray over the "act of God" in connection with heavy rains and related incidents in the state. **** BOM9 MH-DOCTORS-LD ASSAULT **** Sena corporator assaults doctors in Thane, Oppn slams CM; MP Shrikant condemns attack Mumbai/Thane: A ruling Shiv Sena corporator and his associates allegedly assaulted two doctors and other staff at a hospital in Maharashtra's Thane district after a family was advised to shift a newborn to another facility, police said on Wednesday. **** BOM17 GJ-RAINS-SURAT **** Rains bring normal life to halt in Surat, over 3,800 shifted; CM Patel reviews siutation Surat: Gujarat's Surat city received 358 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending Wednesday morning, leading to a flood-like situation in the city's creek area and widespread waterlogging which severely disrupted normal life. **** BOM10 MH-ASSEMBLY-RAINS **** Maharashtra assembly to discuss rain situation on Thursday after Opposition outcry Mumbai: A short discussion on Maharashtra's rain situation will be held in the state assembly on Thursday, Speaker Rahul Narwekar said after the Opposition protested the delay in taking up the issue, saying it was the most pressing concern before the House. **** BOM5 MH-RAINS-MUMBAI **** Heavy rains lash Mumbai; train services hit, Tulsi and Vihar lakes overflow Mumbai: After a brief respite, heavy rains accompanied by thunder returned to Mumbai on Wednesday morning, delaying local train services and causing inconvenience to office-goers. **** BOM4 MH-FAMILY-ELECTROCUTION **** Four of family die of electrocution in Maharashtra's Satara Pune: A couple and their two children died of electrocution in Maharashtra's Satara district on Wednesday morning, police said. **** BES13 MH-ASSEMBLY-DHARAVI-FADNAVIS **** Dharavi redevelopment is economic transformation project, Phase-1 to end in 18 months: CM Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the Dharavi Redevelopment Project was not merely a housing scheme but an economic transformation initiative, and asserted that the first phase of about 10,000 houses would be completed in the next 18 months. **** BOM6 MH-BEST BUS-ACCIDENT **** Reversing BEST bus hits multiple vehicles, injures man in Mumbai Mumbai: A 43-year-old pedestrian was injured after a reversing BEST electric bus hit him and four vehicles in Mumbai's Bhandup area on Wednesday morning, officials said. **** PTI RSY