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The national lottery in Laos is rigged, with winning numbers disappearing from purchased tickets and unlucky numbers appearing instead, sources in the communist country say. For example, the number 09 — a lucky number associated with buffaloes — vanished from tickets sold throughout the day before the Oct. 14 drawing, a Vientiane resident told RFA’s Lao Service. Private business interests with a stake in the lottery are linked to members of the ruling elite, he added. The government should regain control of the lottery, he said. It can’t be trusted with the current private management. RFA’s Ounkeo Souksavanh contributed to this report.