Palestinian prisoners end hunger strike as agreement reached with Israeli officials

Palestinian prisoners have agreed to end an almost month-long hunger strike after reaching an Egyptian-brokered agreement with the Israeli authorities.Babolat Aero Racquets

The Israeli Prison Service confirmed that the deal will end the mass strike of over 1,600 prisoners which began on April 17th. They say the prisoners have agreed not to engage in terrorism inside the jail in exchange for the restoration of several privileges that had been taken away before last October.Babolat Pure Drive Racquets

Relatives of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike celebrate in Gaza City after hearing that the prisoners have agreed a deal with Israel to end their fast in exchange for an easing of their conditions.

Israel has agreed to return inmates in solitary confinement to the general prison population, allow visits from prisoners’ families living in Gaza, and end administrative detentions, as well as returning cell phones and television sets to the cells.

The hunger-striking prisoners are currently under medical supervision.Wilson Tennis Racquets

Leaders of the Palestinian prisoners signed the agreement on behalf of all the hunger-striking inmates from all groups and organizations including the Islamic Jihad and Hamas.Babolat Tennis Racquets

Relatives of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails celebrate the signing of a deal by the prisoners to end a hunger strike, in Gaza City May 14, 2012.

A Palestinian woman holds a portrait of a relative held in an Israeli jail during celebrations after a deal to end the prisoner's hunger strike was agreed to, in Gaza City May 14, 2012.

Palestinians wave flags as they celebrate the signing of a deal to end the Palestinian prisoners hunger strike, in the West Bank city of Ramallah May 14, 2012.

A girl holds a portrait of a Palestinian held in an Israeli jail during celebrations after a deal to end a prisoners hunger strike was agreed, in the West Bank city of Ramallah May 14, 2012.

Greece to pay pack debt when possible: nationalist party leader

Greece should pay back its debt load to international creditors after serving Greek people's fundamental needs first, Panos Kammenos, head of the newly-founded nationalist Independent Greeks party, said Friday ahead of the May 6 general elections.taylormade drivers

In a speech at his party's final rally under the Acropolis hill,Kammenos accused the conservative and socialist coalition partners of New Democracy and PASOK that support the bailout deals with international lenders to resolve the two-year Greek debt crisis, of condemning Greeks to poverty with the ongoing harsh austerity.taylormade irons

"We will pay back our dues, when we will be able to do so, not under such pressure...They call us dangerous, but we are just independent Greeks...We are dangerous for those who sell off Greece," Kammenos said.callaway drivers

He called on Greek voters to support his party, resist further salary cuts, tax increases and the privatization of public assets that critics call a sell off and "take their destiny into their own hands."taylormade r11 driver

Founded as a splinter anti-austerity and anti-bailout party from the main Right New Democracy party this year, the Independent Greeks could garner some 10 percent during Sunday's polls, according to pollsters.taylormade rocketballz driver

Kammenos has not excluded the prospect of supporting an anti-bailout coalition government formed mainly by Leftist parties, if New Democracy and PASOK will not win parliamentary majority, as opinion polls showed, and will fail to clinch new pro-reform coalition partners.taylormade r11s driver

He argued that the next government can overcome the debt crisis that threatens Greece with disorderly bankruptcy since late 2009 focusing on solving chronic problems, such as corruption and waste of funds, rather than continuing on the austerity path that has fuelled recession.

The pro-bailout forces reply that such rhetoric and way of thinking is dangerous, since adds political instability to the financial woes, alarms lenders and international financial markets and could lead Greece to default and out of the eurozone.

Indian vocalist brings music in Pakistan

In Pakistan, the streets of Karachi filled with melodic Sufi tunes thanks to the Indian vocalist Kailash Kher and his band Kailasa. The fundraising concert, organized by the Medical Aid Foundation, comes just days after Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari visited India. He held talks with the Indian Premier Manmohan Singh on trade and culture.Wilson Tennis Racket

Music has no boundaries.

In the back drop of Pakistani President Asif Zardari's visit to India where according to the president he held very fruitful talks with the Indian premier, this cross-border concert by an Indian artist comes as a breath of fresh air for the violence struck Karachi.

It was a two hours ride of pure and passionate music.

The audience swayed to lilting melodies and head-banged to thumping tabla and drum beats all along.Babolat Tennis Racket

Pakistan shares many similarities with India including language, clothing and especially music.

The crowd, both young and old were mesmerized by the variety of musical performances of the band.

They hoped such events would continue in the future.

This initiative had a greater cause behind it.Head Tennis Racket

Dr. Saira Khan, has been holding such fund raisers for a number of cancer hospitals she plans to build in Pakistan.

Dr. Saira Khan said, "We have been doing this from 1980 through the medical aid foundation and we made the first cancer hospital in Pakistan called Rahat Kada, this event is for the new building. We got the land in donation, it is 8000 square yard land and then we asked Kailash to sing for us, we find him very humane and humble."

Kailash Kher shared his experience of his first visit to Pakistan and also promised to perform again in future.Prince Tennis Racket

Many young Pakistani singers have performed on Indian stage as well as films.Wilson Blx

Experts say, despite fighting three wars, India and Pakistan share a deep rooted history, they say the hearts and minds of people can only be won with love and peace, and that war is not the answer to any conflict.Wilson Tennis Racquets

CCTV's Danial Khan said, "Where, at one point this event is focusing on raising funds for a cancer hospital, many believe that this initiative will also give a boost to cross border cultural exchanges, which they say will greatly help in stabilizing the relationship of the two countries."

Annan says Syria peace plan very much alive

The UN Arab league Peace envoy for Syria, Kofi Annan says his peace plan is very much alive despite the fact that Damascus missed Tuesday’s deadline to cease attacks and pull its armies from Syrian cities. Annan also reports that the next 48 hours are crucial and urged all governments to push the Syrian government to comply with its commitments.scotty cameron putter

Kofi Annan flies into Turkey but it is his peace plan that is having trouble getting off the ground. He is vowing not to give up.

U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan speaks during a news conference at Hatay airport, southern Turkey, April 10, 2012.

Kofi Annan said, "I believe it’s a bit too early to say the plan has failed. The plan is still on the table, and is a plan we are all fighting to implement. It’s a plan the council has endorsed. It’s a plan the Syrians have endorsed. And from the comments made by the opposition they are also prepared to go along with it if the government misses commitments to pull the troops out. And so I think the plan is very much alive. And if you want to take it off the table, what would you replace it with?"TaylorMade R11S Irons

What indeed would replace it - the plan has united the Security Council for the first time in this crisis, and in a letter to the council Annan is urging all member states to urge Syria to implement what it has signed onto and fast. Perhaps Syria’s closest ally, Russia, is pushing too - in Moscow strong words for the Syrian Foreign Minister from his Russian counterpart.

U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, third from left, is welcomed by Syrian refugee children upon his arrival at Yayladagi refugee camp in Hatay province, Turkey, Tuesday, April 10, 2012.

Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, said, "We think that their actions need to be more active and stronger in the application of the Annan plan."

Damascus however says it is starting to comply. Walid Mouallem, Syrian Foreign Minister, said, "We have already withdrawn our military units from several Syrian provinces."TaylorMade RocketBallz Driver

But Annan says it is not enough, and on the ground violence continues to rage. Scores are reportedly killed in the last 24 hours. The United States while giving Annan a couple more days is already looking past the plan’s failure.TaylorMade R11 Driver

Susan Rice, US Ambassador to the United Nations, said, "We face a moment of truth coming up the US view is that it is outrageous but by no means unexpected or surprising that the government has yet again had made commitments and broken them."TaylorMade R11s Driver

US, Pakistani military officials meet for first time since fatal airstrikes

Senior US and Pakistani military officials have met in Islamabad in what many see as an unprecedented escalation in diplomatic efforts between the two nations. The meeting follows sideline talks between US President Barack Obama and Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani at the Seoul nuclear summit on Tuesday and comes ahead of a high profile visit to Pakistan by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. But how likely are these measures to ease current tensions? titleist 910d2

Wednesday’s meeting between the United States and Pakistan’s top military brass is the highest level military meeting since 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed by NATO forces last November.

In the interim the countries have exchanged a number of thinly veiled criticisms of each other during the most tense period of their diplomatic alliance.titleist 910D3

On Tuesday US President Barack Obama met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister on the side lines of a nuclear summit in Seoul for the he most prominent talks since the killing of Osama bin Laden.Ping G20

Afterwards the President expressed his most candid views to date on the troubled US-Pakistan alliance.

Obama said, “There have been times – I think we should be frank – over the last several months where those relations have had periods of strains, but I welcome the fact that the parliament of Pakistan is reviewing, after some extensive study, the nature of this relationship, I think it’s important for us to get it right, I think it’s important for us to have candid dialogue, to work through these issues in a constructive fashion and a transparent fashion, and my expectation is that as a result of the review that’s taking place in Pakistan, as well as the work that we’re doing on the American side that we can achieve the kind of balanced approach that respects Pakistan’s sovereignty but also respects our concerns.”TaylorMade Drivers

In spite of this Pakistan’s parliament is pressing ahead with a review of recommendations from its national security committee on future ties with Washington.Taylormade r11 Driver

They include a end to U.S. drone attacks in the tribal regions of Pakistan and the possible reopening of supply routes to NATO troops in Afghanistan.

Adding momentum to this latest upsurge in American diplomatic efforts is the proposed visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the coming weeks.

An escalation of activity which implies, analysts say, a final push ahead of elections in both countries in the coming months.TaylorMade RocketBallz Driver

Political analyst Imitiza Gul said, “I think elections in both countries basically is making their respective positions harder or making it very difficult for the leadership in both countries to re-position themselves and redefine the terms of engagement. However given the current situation I think both countries should be able to find a middle way at some stage and after the pakistani parliament is through the recommendations that have come from various sources as far as the resetting of the relationship with the US is concerned.”TaylorMade R11S Driver

Reporter: “The unprecedented level of interaction between top civil and military leaders reveals the depth of concern over diplomatic relations between the United States and Pakistan.”

With the strain showing in what is an election year for both sides potentially, little choice remains but to push forward with these tricky negotiations.

Pacific island nations need to build resilience against shocks: IMF deputy chief

WASHINGTON, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Pacific island nations face challenges and they need to build buffer against external shocks, said Zhu Min, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday. taylormade drivers

"Those countries are obviously very diversified, they are very different in terms of cultures and economic structures. But they are facing common challenges," Zhu said at a high-level conference hosted jointly by the IMF and the government of Samoa on regional economic and development issues.taylormade irons

The senior official noted that the Pacific countries have very narrow base for production and export, and very limited space for diversification.callaway drivers

In order to build resilience to external shocks, Zhu said the first priority is to "try to build fiscal buffer in good years, particularly when growth is strong."

Zhu insisted that it is also important for Pacific countries to safeguard the socially and economically vulnerable, saying that they need to build more social safety net and provide service flows for all the people, particularly for the vulnerable in the downturn.

Zhu expressed high hope for the conference. "We very much expected to see very fruitful conversation with them to exchange views. We bring our knowledge, our forecast for the global financial situation to them, and they also bring their local knowledge for us to understand their situations better," he said.

Policymakers from 10 Pacific island nations, representatives from regional development partners, international organizations, academia, and the private sector attended the conference.

Bahrain shuts down embassy in Damascus

MANAMA, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Bahrain's Foreign Ministry on Thursday evening announced the shut-down of its embassy in Damascus in what could be seen as part of the Gulf state's pressure against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.ping drivers

"Bahrain has decided to shut down its embassy in Damascus and withdraw all its diplomatic staff due to the worsening security condition", the ministry announced.

In a statement, the ministry called upon Bahraini citizens in Syria to leave the unrest-torn country immediately.ping irons

It also urged Bahrainis to contact the Kingdom's embassy in Amman, capital of Jordan, for emergency.callaway irons

However, it is still not clear whether the Syrian ambassador to Bahrain has been called back in turn.

In February, Bahraini lawmakers called for the expulsion of the Syrian ambassador for the country's alleged crackdown against anti- government protesters

Iran ready to help Zimbabwe promote defense strength: minister

TEHRAN, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said Sunday that Iran is ready to help Zimbabwe promote its defense strength, the state IRIB TV website reported on Sunday.scotty cameron putter

Vahidi made the remarks during his first round of talks with the Defense Minister of Zimbabwe Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa in Tehran, said the report.TaylorMade R11S Irons

The Iranian minister also expressed hope that Zimbabwe would restore its economic strength.

Six joint commissions in different aspects have been set up between Tehran and Harare, he said, adding that such moves prove that the two nations enjoy amicable relations in all areas.TaylorMade R11s Driver

For his part, the Zimbabwean minister praised achievements made by the Islamic republic and called for promotion of all-out cooperation between the two countries.TaylorMade R11 Driver

Mnangagwa arrived in Tehran late Saturday for bilateral talks at the official invitation of his Iranian counterpart.

Reviewing avenues to bolster bilateral defense cooperation between Tehran and Harare will be the top priority of the talks, the official IRNA news agency reported on Sunday.TaylorMade RocketBallz Driver

The talks between the Zimbabwean minister and Iranian officials will also focus on the latest international and regional developments as well as issues of mutual interests.

Iran's Deputy Defense Minister Majid Bokaei said Saturday that Iran plans to sell more arms to " friendly" and neighboring countries in the new Iranian calendar year starting on March 20.

China highlights human rights in criminal procedure law revision

BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The draft amendment to China's Criminal Procedure Law was submitted to the ongoing national legislative session Thursday for third reading, incorporating the principle of respecting and safeguarding human rights.

When explaining the necessity to amend the law to a plenary meeting during the annual session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC), Wang Zhaoguo, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee said that amending the law is to strengthen punishment of crimes and protection of the people.TaylorMade RocketBallz Driver

It is also necessary to revise the law to strengthen and make innovations in social administration and maintain social harmony and stability, and deepen judicial system reform, Wang added.TaylorMade R11 Driver

The draft amendment to Criminal Procedure Law was submitted to the NPC Standing Committee for first reading in August 2011 and for second reading in December 2011.TaylorMade R11s Driver

China's current Criminal Procedure Law was enacted in 1979 and amended in 1996.TaylorMade R11S Irons

Adding the article of protecting human rights to the Criminal Procedure Law will help judicial organs observe and implement this constitutional principle in criminal proceedings, Wang said.scotty cameron putter

Libya's eastern region declared autonomous

TRIPOLI, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Tribal and political leaders in eastern Libya declared Cyrenaica an autonomous region during a ceremony held in the city of Benghazi on Tuesday.

The leaders also appointed a council to manage regional affairs. Ahmed Zubair al-Senussi was elected as chairman of the council at the ceremony attended by 3,000 delegates.

Cyrenaica, known as Barca in Arabic, stretches from the central coastal city of Sirte, where slain ruler Muammar Gaddafi was born, to the Egyptian border. The tribal leaders plan to name Benghazi, the cradle of the protests leading to Gaddafi's fall, as the autonomous area's capital.

Also, under their plan, the region will have its own legislatures, courts and police force, while the power of foreign policy making will be left to the central government in Tripoli.titleist 910d2

The tribal leaders' declaration was made despite the interim central rulers' strong rejection and their promise to decentralize the government across the country.titleist 910D3

Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters have reportedly taken to the streets in Benghazi and Tripoli, showing their support for the National Transitional Council (NTC), who have been ruling Libya since the ouster of Gaddafi.Ping G20

Political changes in Cyrenaica can immensely impact the NTC's rule as the eastern region has most of Libya's oil wealth and Benghazi is home to the country's biggest state oil companyTaylormade r11 Driver.

Federalism, which the tribal leaders refer their political demand to be, was the way Libya was governed in the mid-20th century. Cyrenaica was one of the three regions where power was devolved, the other two being Fezzan and Tripolitania.TaylorMade R11S Driver

However, Libya's administration was drastically centralized under Gaddafi, who came to power through a military coup in 1969. Since the end of Gaddafi's 42-year rule, some regional leaders have been calling for a return to federalism.TaylorMade Drivers

The NTC has earlier voiced their support for a decentralized political system, but not federalism.TaylorMade RocketBallz Driver

Republic of Congo arsenal blast toll hits 200: presidency

BRAZZAVILLE, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of an arms depot explosions in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo has topped 200 as of Sunday evening, according to the Central African country's presidential office. Hospital sources reported around 200 victims in the blasts, an official of the presidency said amid speculation of heavier casualties. But an official with a local morgue who declined to be named said a total of 136 bodies had so far been counted. At least three powerful blasts rocked the city at 8 a.m. local time (0700 GMT), destroying an arms depot between the districts of Mpila and Talangai, panicking the passersby who were running to their safety after the explosions.TaylorMade R11s Drivers Xinhua correspondent saw at the blast scene that the dead were being carried away on stretchers and the wounded were lying on their back, waiting to be rescued. Heavy smokes were seen rising from the munitions depot which the blasts hit. Many buildings near the depot, which had already been cordoned off, had been leveled after the spate of explosions. Cars at the scene were seen destroyed.Ping G20 The window glass panels of Xinhua's local bureau were shattered by the blasts and the huge sound was even heard across the Congo River in Kinshasa. Cries could be heard in a hospital in downtown Brazzaville, where the wounded were rushed to. Doctors could only tend to the seriously injured due to the lack of medics.titleist 910D3 Driver

Chinese stocks open lower Thursday

BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese stocks opened lower Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 0.4 percent, or 9.7 points, to open at 2,418.79. The Shenzhen Component Index opened at 10,011.12, down 43.73 points, or 0.43 percent.TaylorMade R11s fairway woods

Syria Crisis: 13 Syrians Killed In Missions To Rescue Wounded Journalists

NEW YORK -- Thirteen Syrian activists have been killed in the process of helping wounded foreign journalists trapped in Homs escape to safety over the past week, the international activist group Avaaz has reported.

Spanish journalist Javier Espinosa, a reporter for El Mundo, became the second journalist to escape Homs in the past week, arriving in Lebanon after a treacherous, multi-day journey. His passage comes just a few days after British freelance photographer Paul Conroy was smuggled to Beirut.

Two other French journalists, Le Figaro reporter Edith Bouvier and photographer William Daniels, remain trapped in the deadly city.

The journalists were among several foreigners, and dozens of Syrians, wounded or killed in a massive shelling of a makeshift press center in the embattled Homs neighborhood of Baba Amr. The American reporter Marie Colvin and French photojournalist Remi Ochlik were killed in the attack.

According to Avaaz, which has helped facilitate the escapes, all four journalists set out from Homs with a team of local Syrian guides on Sunday night, but were soon after attacked by the Syrian Army.

Three Syrians were killed in this attack, which forced Daniels and Bouvier to return to the field hospital in Baba Amr. Seven more Syrians were killed during the retreat.

Both Espinosa and Conroy managed to continue beyond Homs, but became separated when their party was once again targeted by shells from the Syrian Army, Avaaz said; three more Syrians were killed then.

Espinosa stayed behind to attend to some of the wounded Syrians while Conroy, who was wounded in the legs in the initial press-center attack, continued on to Beirut. It took three more nights of risky travel through the woods and mountains of northern Syria before Espinosa arrived in Beirut.

In videos posted to YouTube last week, Conroy and Edith Bouvier, a French reporter for Le Figaro, pled for the Syrian government to permit them to leave Homs along with other severely wounded Syrians.

The International Committee of the Red Cross spent much of the past week trying to secure safe passage for it and the Syrian Red Crescent to deliver much-needed humanitarian supplies to Homs. They recently briefly reached Homs, but pulled back after a truce with the Syrian Army could not be guaranteed.

Late on Wednesday, Syrian troops were said to be moving in on the Baba Amr neighborhood in Homs, where 100,000 residents have endured weeks of nearly nonstop shelling.

“That’s it, they just want to finish it,” one activist from Homs told the Financial Times. “What will go on in the next couple of days will be the worst.”

In an interview with The Huffington Post, Avaaz executive director Ricken Patel hailed the bravery of the Syrian activists who compounded the dangers to their lives in the attempt to smuggle the journalists to safety.

"Thousands of Syrians have chosen to risk jail, torture, and their lives to fight for democracy, and to get the story out," Patel said. "Those journalists went bravely in to tell their story, and that's part of why the Syrians are willing to risk their lives to help them get out."

Patel also said that in the immediate aftermath of last week's strike on the press center, nine Syrians had taken great risks to enter Baba Amr with medical supplies.

"We later found out that seven of them were discovered dead, with their hands tied behind their back and the medical supplies strewn on the ground," Patel said. "They were shot in the back of the head."

Cameron Diaz, George Clooney, Angelina Jolie Shoot Down Fox News' Jesse Watters At Oscars

Bill O'Reilly sent his notoriousambusher/producer Jesse Watters to the Oscars on Sunday, and Watters, rather predictably, was met with a hostile reception from some of the celebrities on the red carpet.

Angelina Jolie (an object of O'Reilly's concern), on being asked to opine about the state of the union, cooly shot Waters down, saying, "that's a longer discussion than the red carpet."

George Clooney had a fairly cordial discussion with Watters, but snapped at him when he asked if "Obama" was doing a good job.

"Yes, he is," he said. "He's the president of the United States. He's not Obama, he's the President of the United States."

The biggest rejection, though, happened offscreen, as Watters recounted to O'Reilly on Monday. When he approached Cameron Diaz, she saw his Fox News mic and said, "'Oh no, I don't do Fox News.'" Ouch!

Obama Leads Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum: Poll

President Barack Obama leads Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum by double digits nationally, according to a poll released by Politico and George Washington University Monday.

Obama leads Romney by a 53-43 margin and Santorum by a virtually identical 53-42 margin. A generic Republican fares slightly better, with Obama winning by a 50-45 margin. Obama has a 53 percent approval rating.

Among Republicans, Santorum is the first choice of 36 percent and Romney is the first choice of 34 percent. 56 percent of Republicans, however, think Romney is the most electable while 28 percent think the same is true for Santorum.

Recent polls have shown a tighter potential race between Romney and Obama. Obama's approval rating has also registered at slightly lower numbers in recent surveys.

A Red Red Rose

 By Robert Burns    

O, my Luve's like a red, red rose,  

That's newly sprung in June.　　

O, my Luve's like the melodie,　　

That's sweetly play'd in tune.　　

                  

As fair art thou, my bonie lass,　　

So deep in luve am I,　　　　

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

Till a' the seas gang dry.　　　

                  

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,　

And the rocks melt wi' the sun,　

O, I will luve thee still, my dear,　

While the sands o' life shall run.　

                  

And fare thee weel, my only luve,　

And fare thee weel a while!　　　

And I will come again, my luve,　
 

Courbefy, French Village, On Sale For Less Than Some U.S. Homes

Looking for a place to call home? You might be able to buy an entire village for the same amount that it costs to buy a house in some places.

The French village of Courbefy, in Limousin, a region in central France, has been put up for sale for the seemingly low asking price of $436,370, according to theTelegraph. The village, which includes 19 buildings and a swimming pool, was once home to about 200 people. But after the town failed to transform itself into a tourist destination, local residents say it's now filled mostly with "thieves, drunks and squatters."

But Courbefy isn't the only town to go up for sale recently. Last April, a medieval village in the central Italian region of Abruzzo was put up for sale for about $770,000, according to a separate Telegraph report. The village, which is largely uninhabitable, includes 11 "crumbling stone buildings" and a half-ruined 13th century church. More recently, the British village of Askham Richard near York, went up for sale with a price tag of more than $10 million.

The average new U.S. home cost $272,900 as of 2010, according to the Census.

As romantic as it may sound, owning a village can often present a series of problems for the landlords. There are about a dozen privately owned villages in the UK, according to The Guardian, and aside from the considerable task of maintaining numerous historical buildings, town landlords also have to worry about the dynamics of the community, like finding the best way to cope with schools running low on students.

"Some people call it social engineering," John Rous, who's family has owned a British village for generations, told The Guardian, "I prefer to think of it as keeping the village alive."

That could be why privately owned islands seem to be a more popular choice for those looking to become lord of the land. Billionaire Sir Richard Branson owns the tropical paradise of Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, for example, which can be rented out for the tidy sum of $47,000 a day. Meanwhile, magician David Copperfield actually owns four islands that make up his Bahamian Musha Cay estate.

For potential island buyers looking for a more unspoiled choice, Red Rock Island in San Francisco bay was recently put on the market for $9 million, down from $22 million. The 5.8-acre rock is undeveloped but it may still make a good investment, particularly if you're into secret caves and buried pirate treasure.