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/ 11 March 2006

Rattlesnake roundup attracts thousands

A man who collected 540kg of rattlesnakes was first in line on Friday morning for the annual Rattlesnake Roundup in the small West Texas town of Sweetwater. The event, officially known as the World’s Largest Rattlesnake Roundup, started as a way to control the snakes in the area but has grown into a four-day attraction.

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/ 11 March 2006

Nasdaq makes bid for London Stock Exchange

The Nasdaq electronic stock exchange confirmed on Friday it had made a bid for the London Stock Exchange (LSE), calling it an ”attractive offer” for shareholders. The news came hours after the LSE said it had rejected the unsolicited offer from the United States group as one that ”substantially undervalues” the company.

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/ 11 March 2006

Egyptian colony is paradise for lepers

Behind a vale of trees lies the largest leper colony in the Middle East, a virtual oasis in Egypt for those who have been ostracised by society. The Abu Zaabal centre in the governorate of Qaliubiya, north of Cairo, hosts a hospital, pre-school, a prison and the adjoining village of Abdel Moneim Riad. It is home to 3 000 people.