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Ljubljana - The head of Slovenia's huge Istrabenz holding, Igor Bavcar, has stepped down under the pressure of mounting losses, local media said Tuesday.

During Bavcar's seven-year reign, Istrabenz bought into 78 Slovenian companies, including the key businesses such as the largest retail chain, Mercator, food processor Droga Kolinska, the oil company Petrol and top tourism projects.

London - Energy group Royal Dutch Shell has discovered a large natural gas reserve in Norway that may equal the country's annual existing output, a spokesman for the group confirmed on Tuesday.

According to early estimates, the new gas field could provide up to 100 billion cubic meters of gas - Norway's annual output of the resource.

Washington, June 23 : Scientists in Belgium have created the first ever fly model that can help them unravel the molecular mechanism behind Charcot-Marie-Tooth
(CMT)—a hereditary disorder of the peripheral nervous system—by putting mutant genes from human patients into fruit flies.

The breakthrough is the result of collaboration between VIB researchers working at the University of Antwerp and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.

Johannesburg - Visitors to South Africa will soon have two new additions to their checklist of must-see game as the Big Five undergoes a big bang expansion, local media reported Tuesday.

To the lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo, South Africa's environmental affairs department plans to add the whale and the shark for a beefed-up Big Seven tourist attraction, the public SABC broadcaster reported.

Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said the addition of the two ocean predators would be "a very significant move for tourism as we will become the only country in the world to boast a Big Seven."

Washington - The death toll from a collision between two subway trains in the US capital on Monday has risen to nine, broadcaster CNN reported Tuesday.

At least 76 people were injured in the accident that has been described as the deadliest in the Washington Metrorail system's 33- year history.

A train that had apparently stopped between stations was struck from behind by a second train at about 5 pm (2100 GMT), just inside Washington, near the Maryland state line.

Rome - A new owner is set to take over Serie A side Roma this week, putting an end to a long financial crisis that has plagued the Rome club, Italian media reported Tuesday.

Swiss entrepreneur and football agent Vinicio Fioranelli is leading a group of investors expected to acquire the majority of the club's shares, reports said.

Fioranelli and his associates are said to have already deposited 200 million euros (277 million dollars) at the Milan-based investment bank Mediobanca.