Malaysia's Mahathir: Western countries 'failures'

Malaysia's ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad said Sunday that Muslim-majority countries should look east for development models and not at Western nations, which he described as "failures".

The outspoken former long-time leader, who is known as a fierce critic of the West, said countries like South Korea, Japan and China were "swimming in money", while Europe and the United States are mired in debt.
"Right now, there are so many problems with Western countries. The problem in the West is that they have borrowed too much and cannot repay. You cannot have that kind of a country as a model," Mahathir, 86, was quoted by the national news agency Bernama as saying.
"If you want to copy or learn something, learn from the successful people, not from the failures," he told an international conference on Islamic finance in northern Malaysia.
"So, we should continue to look to the East and not to the West. The West is going bankrupt," he said.
He attributed the debt crisis to greed.
"Greed will cause this. Today, we are seeing failed countries in the developed world," he added.
Mahathir ruled Malaysia for 22 years until 2003. During his tenure he introduced the "look east" policy to emulate work ethics and business techniques from Japan and South Korea.

Haunted Hotspots for Halloween

1. Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania, USA

As the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the American civil war, it's no surprise that this patch of Pennsylvania is thought to be one of the most haunted places in the U.S. Ghostly figures are said to walk the fields, and visitors have reported hearing eerie battle sounds on the wind. It's also where one of the most compelling videos of ghostly activity ever was captured. In 2001, Tom Underwood shot footage of what he claimed were 13 spectres walking through woodland off the Triangular Field.

2. Aokigahara Forest



This dense forest in the shadow of Mt. Fuji is one of Japan's most spine-chilling locations and has become famous as the world's second most popular suicide spot. On average, 30 people a year take their own lives beneath the dense canopy, with the current annual record standing at 100 in 2010. Local residents take part in a gruesome annual 'body hunt' to recover cadavers, and authorities have even resorted to putting up signs in an attempt to persuade suicidal people to reconsider their actions.
The popularity is often blamed on the 1960 novel 'Nami no Tō' by Seichō Matsumoto, which ends with two lovers taking their lives in the forest. However, prior to that it was believed to be a centre of the ancient practice of Ubasate, where sickly relatives were allegedly taken to remote locations by their family and left to starve to death. The spirits of the victims of this practice are said to haunt the forest.

3. Catacombs, Paris, France



As the population of Paris grew during the 18th Century, the city's cemeteries began to fill up and authorities resorted to the imaginative, if somewhat insensitive, measure of storing bodies in an underground ossuary converted from Paris' ancient stone mines. Around 6 million people's remains are believed to be interred there. With such grave disrespect for the dead shown on such a grand scale, it's no wonder the catacombs are reportedly haunted. Visitors have claimed to have been touched by invisible hands and felt the sensation of being followed. In rarer, more extreme cases, some have had hysterical breakdowns or claimed to have been strangled.

4. Edinburgh Castle, Scotland



The historic cobbled streets and grey stone buildings of Edinburgh are evocative of times gone by, so it's unsurprising that the Scottish capital's 900-year-old castle, which towers above the city atop a craggy rock face, is renowned for its ghosts. In fact, some will say that Edinburgh itself is the most haunted city in Europe.
Visitors to the castle have reported seeing phantom pipers and headless drummers, as well as the spirits of prisoners of war spanning several centuries. Some have even claimed to have seen a ghost hound wandering around the castle's dog cemetery.

5. Changi beach, Singapore



Despite being such a tiny country, Singapore has reported more than its share of paranormal activity. Changi beach, in the east of the island nation, was used as a killing ground by the Japanese during the Sook Ching massacre of the Second World War, during which thousands of Chinese were tortured and murdered. Witnesses have reported mysterious crying and screaming and headless bodies walking along the beach. On top of this, the Old Changi Hospital and Changi Beach House are said to be two of the most haunted buildings in Asia

6.  Ballygally Castle, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
 

Ballygally Castle is the only 17th Century castle in Northern Ireland still used as a residence and, more importantly, is considered the Emerald Isle's most haunted building. The castle's most famous ghost is that of Lady Isobel Shaw. Her husband is believed to have taken to withholding food from her after she was unable to produce a male heir and, rather than starving to death, she chose to take her own life by jumping out of a window. Her ghost is said to walk the halls at night, waking guests by knocking on doors, only to mysteriously vanish once they're opened.

10 must-see opera houses around the world

An absolute treat for opera lovers! Here are the top 10 best places to watch your favourite powerhouse performers.

1. Amazon Theater, Manaus, Brazil

The Manaus opera house was opened in 1896, at the height of the region's rubber boom.
2. Hungarian Opera House, Budapest, Hungary



Lonely Planet describes the Hungarian State Opera House as 'one of Budapest's most beautiful buildings'.

3.  Festspielhaus, Bayreuth, Germany



The Festspielhaus is the home of the Wagner Festival, which draws some 60,000 devotees every year.

4. Palais Garnier, Paris, France



The Palais Garnier is one of Paris's most famous tourist sites and most beautiful attractions.

5.  Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia




The Sydney Opera House is one of the world's most famous landmarks and easily the most recognizable icon in the city.
6. Colon Theater, Buenos Aires, Argentina

The Colon Theatre was the southern hemisphere's largest theatre until the opening of the Sydney Opera House, and it remains one of South America's most famous tourist attractions.
7. Staatsoper, Vienna, Austria



The Staatsoper is arguably the world's most prestigious opera venue and has played host to some of the most famous operas in history.
8. La Scala, Milan, Italy



The sumptuous interior of the La Scala opera house features six stories of gilt and crimson lined boxes.

9. Operahuset, Oslo, Norway



The modern look of the Operahuset is enhanced by its glorious roof terrace.
10. Verona Arena, Verona, Italy



The Verona Arena is nearly two millenia old, but it's still listed by Lonely Planet as one of the world's finest operatic venues.